strīṣu narma-vivāhe ca

strīṣu narma-vivāhe ca

vṛtty-arthe prāṇa-saṅkaṭe

go-brāhmaṇārthe hiṁsāyāṁ

nānṛtaṁ syāj jugupsitam

In flattering a woman, in joking, in order to get married, in earning one's livelihood, in dangerous circumstances, in protecting cows and brahminical culture, or in protecting a person from an enemy's hand, falsity is never condemned.

This verse summarizes the conditions under which lying is permitted. One can lie to excite a woman in order to control her. One can lie as a joke, or in a wedding to praise the groom. One can lie to protect cows and brāhmaṇas and when some is threatened with violence. Yajñavalkya says varṇināṁ hi vadho yatra tatra sāksy anṛtaṁ vadet: When a person of status is being killed one should lie. Śruti says tasmāt kāla eva dadyāt tat satyānṛte mithunī karoti: according to the time, one can speak truth or tell a lie.

 

Thus ends the commentary on the Nineteenth Chapter of the Eighth Canto of the Bhāgavatam for the pleasure of the devotees, in accordance with the previous ācāryas.

 

 

Chapter Twenty

Vāmana Covers the Universe

|| 8.20.1 ||

śrī-śuka uvāca

balir evaṁ gṛha-patiḥ

kulācāryeṇa bhāṣitaḥ

tūṣṇīṁ bhūtvā kṣaṇaṁ rājann

uvācāvahito gurum

Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: O King! When Bali Mahārāja, master of his house, was thus advised by Śukrācārya, his family priest, he remained silent for a moment, and then, after full deliberation, he replied to his guru master as follows.

The Twentieth Chapter describes how Bali ignores the advice of Śukrācārya and though knowing the identity of Viṣṇu, grants his request. On receiving his boon, Vāmana is overjoyed.

 

Bali was silent for a moment. He discerned that if his guru, one who though he was a guru, advised something against the desire of the Lord, then there would be no fault in disobeying his instructions.

|| 8.20.2 ||

śrī-balir uvāca