Lord Kṛṣṇa Instructs Vasudeva and Retrieves Devakī’s Sons

Bali Mahārāja’s devotional attitude is renowned as the perfect example of complete self-surrender. When Lord Viṣṇu in the guise of a young brāhmaṇa student approached him for charity, Bali offered all he possessed, and when he had nothing more to offer, he surrendered himself as the Supreme Lord’s eternal servant. There are nine standard processes of devotional service, and the last, ātma-samarpaṇam, as taught by Bali Daityarāja, is the culmination toward which every endeavor should aim. If one tries to impress the Lord with wealth, power, intelligence and so on but fails to humbly understand oneself to be His servant, one’s so-called devotion is only a presumptuous show.