Sages & Others
Bali
बलि
The Fallen Lord of the Asuras
Who was Bali?
Bali (बलि): The Fallen Lord of the Asuras, one of the sages and supporting figures in the Mahabharata. Son of Virochana and once sovereign of the three worlds, stripped of everything and bound in Varuna's noose.
Quick Facts
| Sanskrit name | बलि |
|---|---|
| Title / Epithet | The Fallen Lord of the Asuras |
| Faction | Sages & Others |
| Key traits | Unshaken, Proud, Philosophical, Truthful |
| Notable relationships | Grandson: Prahlada, Subdued by: Vishnu, Adversary: Indra, Disciple of: Shukracharya |
| Featured in | 10 stories |
About Bali
Son of Virochana and once sovereign of the three worlds, stripped of everything and bound in Varuna's noose. Indra found him unmoved in a cave by the sea and taunted him, and Bali answered that time turns all wheels alike, that what Indra was he had been, and that what he is now Indra will be.
In Their Words
What I am now, O wielder of the thunderbolt, that thou shalt be hereafter.
Bali
Traits
- Unshaken
- Proud
- Philosophical
- Truthful
Story Appearances
Stories Featuring Bali
8 further tales on this site name Bali, in canonical reading order.
- The Court of Sages at the Dvaita LakeAn exile that filled up with brahmanas instead of soldiers
- Garuda's Map of the WorldThe four directions described from a bird's back
- Karna Takes the FieldThe vow that kept him out of ten days of war, and the grief that brought him into it
- Bali in the Nooses of VarunaThe prisoner who would not be mocked, and the god who let him be
- Bhrigu in Agastya's HairHow an unseen sage cursed the mortal king of heaven into a snake
- The Three Sages Who Saved the GodsAgastya burns the Danavas, Vashishtha brings down the Sarayu, and Atri becomes the moon and the sun
- Why Men Cling to WomenYudhishthira asks the question that Panchachuda's answer left standing
- Flowers, Incense, and LampsThe goddess Earth tells Krishna what a household owes each day, and Shukra tells Bali which flowers belong to which beings
Character Arc
- The CaveIndra finds him unmoved among the rocks by the sea
- The AnswerWhat I am now, you will be; do not boast of the wheel's turning
- The Departure of SriProsperity leaves him for Indra and he is left with regret
Key Relationships
- GrandsonPrahlada
- Subdued byVishnu
- AdversaryIndra
- Disciple ofShukracharya
Places in Bali's Story
Drawn from the stories Bali appears in.
Related Characters
Others counted among the Sages & Others.