Divine Vs Demoniac-Finding True Success in Devotion

2026-09-17
by Pradyumna Mishra Prabhu at ISKCON Chowpatty

SB 03.17.23
sa vai tirohitān dṛṣṭvā
mahasā svena daitya-rāṭ
sendrān deva-gaṇān kṣībān
apaśyan vyanadad bhṛśam


Translation:
On not finding Indra and the other demigods, who had previously been intoxicated with power, the chief of the Daityas, seeing that they had all vanished before his might, roared loudly.


SB 03.17.24
tato nivṛttaḥ krīḍiṣyan
gambhīraṁ bhīma-nisvanam
vijagāhe mahā-sattvo
vārdhiṁ matta iva dvipaḥ

Translation:
After returning from the heavenly kingdom, the mighty demon, who was like an elephant in wrath, for the sake of sport dived into the deep ocean, which was roaring terribly.


SB 03.17.25
tasmin praviṣṭe varuṇasya sainikā
yādo-gaṇāḥ sanna-dhiyaḥ sasādhvasāḥ
ahanyamānā api tasya varcasā
pradharṣitā dūrataraṁ pradudruvuḥ


Translation:
On his entering the ocean, the aquatic animals who formed the host of Varuṇa were stricken with fear and ran far away. Thus Hiraṇyākṣa showed his splendor without dealing a blow.

Purport:
Materialistic demons sometimes appear to be very powerful and are seen to establish their supremacy throughout the world. Here also it appears that Hiraṇyākṣa, by his demoniac strength, actually established his supremacy throughout the universe, and the demigods were afraid of his uncommon power. Not only were the demigods in space afraid of the demons Hiraṇyakaśipu and Hiraṇyākṣa, but so also were the aquatic animals within the sea.

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