SB 5.24.24
nunam batayam bhagavan arthesu na nisnato yo ’sav indro yasya sacivo mantraya vrta ekantato
brhaspatis tam atihaya svayam upendrenatmanam ayacatatmanas casiso no eva tad-dasyam ati-gambhira-
vayasah kalasya manvantara-parivrttam kiyal loka-trayam idam.
Translation by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada:
Alas, how pitiable it is for Indra, the King of heaven, that although he is very learned and powerful and although he chose Brhaspati as his prime minister to instruct him, he is completely ignorant concerning spiritual advancement. Brhaspati is also unintelligent because he did not properly instruct his disciple Indra. Lord Vamanadeva was standing at Indra’s door, but King Indra, instead of begging Him for an opportunity to render transcendental loving service, engaged Him in asking me for alms to gain the three worlds for his sense gratification. Sovereignty over the three worlds is very insignificant because whatever material opulence one may possess lasts only for an age of Manu, which is but a tiny fraction of endless time.
Purport by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada:
Bali Maharaja was so powerful that he fought with Indra and took possession of the three worlds. Indra was certainly very advanced in knowledge, but instead of asking Vamanadeva for engagement in His service, he used the Lord to beg for material possessions that would be finished at the end of one age of Manu. An age of Manu, which is the duration of Manu’s life, is calculated to last seventy-two yugas. One yuga consists of 4,300,000 years, and therefore the duration of Manu’s life is 309,600,000 years. The demigods possess their material opulence only until the end of the life of Manu. Time is insurmountable. The time one is allotted, even if it be millions of years, is quickly gone. The demigods own their material possessions only within the limits of time. Therefore Bali Maharaja lamented that although Indra was very learned, he did not know how to use his intelligence properly, for instead of asking Vamanadeva to allow him to engage in His service, Indra used Him to beg Bali Maharaja for material wealth. Although Indra was learned and his prime minister, Brhaspati, was also learned, neither of them begged to be able to render loving service to Lord Vamanadeva. Therefore Bali Maharaja lamented for Indra.