Ravana was roaming around the three worlds for conquest, he reached the Sutalaloka where Prahalada's grandson Bali was residing. Ravana offers Bali to free him from the bond of Lord Vishnu. According to Bhagavata Purana and Vamana Purana, Lord Vishnu in the form of Vamana had decided to guard the palace of Bali until he becomes Indra in the next Manvanatara. Bali laughs at Ravana and says Lord Vishnu is invincible and he is the destroyer and the creator of the three worlds.

Bali then asks Ravana to bring the earring which was near Ravana. Ravana then proceeds to lift the earring but was unable to move it even by using his full strength. He makes one more attempt. In the second attempt, Ravana was able to lift the earring partially but drops it on the ground. Ravana fell to the ground and was bleeding heavily. Regaining the senses, Ravana rose up and lowered his head in shame. Bali then tells that the earring belongs to the mighty Hiranyakashipu who was his great grand father and tells the story of Hiranyakashipu in short.

Having said this the lord of Danavas again spoke unto the lord of Rakshas O hero, O thou gifted with great strength, take that flaming discus which thou beholdest and come to my side.

I shall then relate to thee the means of eternal liberation. Do what I have told thee, O thou having long arms. Delay not Ravana.

Hearing this the highly powerful Raksha proceeded, laughing, O descendant of Raghu, where that celestial kundala was. Ravana,proud of his prowess, easily took it up but could not move it by any means. And being ashamed that higly powerful one again attempted.

As soon as it was uplifted the Rakshasa dropped down on ground, bathed in a pool of blood, like unto an uprooted Sala tree. In the meantime there arose a sound from Pushpaka, and the councillors of that lord of Rakshasas cried aloud. Regaining his sense that Raksha rose up in a moment and lowered his head in shame.

Bali said to him "Do thou come, O foremost of Rakshasas and hear my words. O hero, the Kundala,crested with jewels, which thou didst assay to take up, is an ornament for the ear of one of my forefathers. This fell here on the ground, O thou gifted with great strength ;another Kundala was thrown on the summit of the mountain.

Besides these Kundalas his crown was also cast of on the ground before the altar during the encounter. Formerly none bore enmity towards my ancestor Hiranyakasipu Time death, or illness. He had no death during the day, night, evening or morning.[1]

But this story is removed in critical edition of Valmiki Ramayana and also not available in Hari Prasad Shastri's Translation of Valmiki Ramayana and can be considered as interpolation.

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