Shloka 25
Adhyāya 33 — Yudhiṣṭhira’s Post-Conflict Remorse and Inquiry on Āśrama Discipline (शोक-विमर्शः, आश्रम-जिज्ञासा)
इदं तु श्रूयते पार्थ युद्धे देवासुरे पुरा । असुरा क्रातरो ज्येष्ठा देवाश्नापि यवीयस:
idaṃ tu śrūyate pārtha yuddhe devāsure purā | asurā krātarā jyeṣṭhā devāś cāpi yavīyasaḥ ||
O Pārtha, it is also heard in ancient tradition that in a primeval war between the Devas and the Asuras, the Asuras were the elder and more established, while the Devas were younger. The saying invites a moral reflection: seniority or prior strength does not by itself secure rightful victory—outcomes turn on dharma, discipline, and the deeper order that upholds the gods.
व्यास उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse introduces a traditional example to suggest that mere seniority or raw strength (the Asuras being older/stronger) is not the decisive measure of rightful success; the deeper implication is that dharma and the sustaining cosmic order ultimately determine outcomes.
Vyāsa addresses Arjuna (Pārtha) and cites an ancient report about a primordial Deva–Asura conflict, noting that the Asuras were the elder/stronger party while the Devas were younger—setting up a comparison for the ethical argument being developed in the surrounding discourse.