Devanagari
दृष्ट्वारीनप्यसंयत्ताञ्जातक्षोभान्स्वनायकान् ।
न्यषेधद् दैत्यराट् श्लोक्य: सन्धिविग्रहकालवित् ॥ २८ ॥
Verse text
dṛṣṭvārīn apy asaṁyattāṣ
jāta-kṣobhān sva-nāyakān
nyaṣedhad daitya-rāṭ ślokyaḥ
sandhi-vigraha-kālavit
Synonyms
dṛṣṭvā
—
observing
;
arīn
—
the enemies
;
api
—
although
;
asaṁyattān
—
without any endeavor to fight
;
jāta
—
kṣobhān — who became agitated
;
sva
—
nāyakān — his own captains and commanders
;
nyaṣedhat
—
prevented
;
daitya
—
rāṭ — the Emperor of the Daityas, Mahārāja Bali
;
ślokyaḥ
—
very respectable and prominent
;
sandhi
—
for making negotiations
;
vigraha
—
as well as for fighting
;
kāla
—
the time
;
vit
—
completely aware of .
Translation
Mahārāja Bali, a most celebrated king of the demons, knew very well when to make peace and when to fight. Thus although his commanders and captains were agitated and were about to kill the demigods, Mahārāja Bali, seeing that the demigods were coming to him without a militant attitude, forbade his commanders to kill them.
Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
Famous Mahārāja Bali, the king of the demons, knowing when to make peace and when to fight, seeing the devatās in a conciliatory mood, restrained his commanders who were ready to kill them.
Bali, seeing that the devatās had come without weapons and armor, forbade his commanders who were ready to kill them (jāta-kṣobhān). Ślokyaḥ means famous.
Purport
Vedic etiquette enjoins:
gṛhe śatrum api prāptaṁ viśvastam akutobhayam.
When enemies come to their opponent’s place, they should be received in such a way that they will forget that there is animosity between the two parties. Bali Mahārāja was well conversant with the arts of peacemaking and fighting. Thus he received the demigods very well, although his commanders and captains were agitated. This kind of treatment was prevalent even during the fight between the Pāṇḍavas and the Kurus. During the day, the Pāṇḍavas and Kurus would fight with the utmost strength, and when the day was over they would go to each other’s camps as friends and be received as such. During such friendly meetings, one enemy would offer anything the other enemy wanted. That was the system.