Shloka 32
दुर्वासाशापः, क्षीरसागरमन्थनम्, श्रीः (लक्ष्मी) उद्भवः तथा श्रीस्तुतिः
लोभाभिभूता निःश्रीका दैत्याः सत्त्वविवर्जिताः श्रिया विहीनैर् निःसत्त्वैर् देवैश् चक्रुस् ततो रणम्
lobhābhibhūtā niḥśrīkā daityāḥ sattvavivarjitāḥ śriyā vihīnair niḥsattvair devaiś cakrus tato raṇam
Overpowered by greed, the Daityas—bereft of Śrī and emptied of sattva—then entered into battle with the Devas, who likewise, being without Śrī, had become weakened and devoid of strength.
Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)
Concept: When greed overpowers and auspiciousness (śrī) departs, both sides lose true sattva and conflict becomes inevitable.
Vedantic Theme: Dharma
Application: Treat greed as a signal of inner depletion; restore śrī through generosity, gratitude, and worship rather than escalation of rivalry.
Vishishtadvaita: Śrī is not mere wealth but the Lord’s auspicious potency; separation from it produces tamasic conflict and weakening even among the ‘devas’ (noble impulses).
Lakshmi Presence: Sri
FAQs
Śrī signifies auspicious sovereignty, prosperity, and divine legitimacy; when she is absent, even gods and demons lose stability and power, showing that true flourishing depends on alignment with cosmic order upheld by Vishnu.
He frames the battle as arising from lobha (greed) and the loss of sattva—inner virtue and strength—so the war is not merely political but a symptom of spiritual degradation.
By showing both sides weakened without Śrī and sattva, the text implies that restoration of order ultimately depends on the Supreme Reality—Vishnu—through whom auspiciousness, dharma, and rightful power are re-established.