I have heard, O illustrious sir, that formerly you was bound by Vişņu. Forsooth I am capable of releasing you from the bonds.' Hearing that Bali laughed and said, 'Hear, I shall relate to you what you have asked, O Rāvana. The red-hued man, who stands always at the door, by him formerly all the leading Dānavas and other powerful lords were brought into subjection by him I was also bound. He is invincible like to death; who is there on this earth that can deceive him? He, who stands at the door, is the destroyer of all beings, creator and preserver and the lord of the three worlds. You do not know him nor I do. He is identical with past, future and present and is the lord. He is Kali and he is Time, the destroyer of all beings. He is the destroyer and the creator of the three worlds, and he slays all beings mobile and immobile.
श्रुतं मया महाभाग बद्धस्त्वं विष्णुना पुरा॥ सोऽहं मोक्षयितुं शक्तो बन्धनात्त्वां न संशयः। एवमुक्ते ततो हासं बलिर्मुक्त्वैनमब्रवीत्॥ श्रूयतामभिधास्यामि यत्त्वं पृच्छसि रावण। य एष पुरुषः श्यामो द्वारे तिष्ठति नित्यदा॥ एतेन दानवेन्द्राश्च तथान्ये बलवत्तराः। वशं नीता बलवता पूर्वे पूर्वतराश्च ये॥ बद्धः सोऽहमनेनैवं कृतान्तो दुरतिक्रमः। क एनं पुरुषो लोके वञ्चयिष्यति मानवः॥ सर्वभूतापहर्ता वै य एष द्वारि तिष्ठति। कर्ता कारयिता चैव धाता च भुवनेश्वरः॥ न त्वं वेद न चैवाहं भूतभव्यभवत्प्रभुः। कलिश्चैवैष कालश्च सर्वभूतापहारकः॥ लोकत्रयस्य सर्वस्य हर्ता स्रष्टा तथैव च। संहरत्येष भूतानि स्थावराणि चराणि श्व॥