Shloka 9
देवासुरम् अभूद् युद्धं दिव्यम् अब्दं पुरा द्विज तस्मिन् पराजिता देवा दैत्यैर् ह्रादपुरोगमैः
devāsuram abhūd yuddhaṃ divyam abdaṃ purā dvija tasmin parājitā devā daityair hrādapurogamaiḥ
O twice-born one, in ancient times there arose a war between the Devas and the Asuras that endured for a full divine year. In that conflict the Devas were defeated—overpowered by the Daityas, led foremost by Hrāda.
Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)
Speaker: Parasara
Topic: Context for the forthcoming hymn: the devas’ defeat in the deva-asura war led by Hrāda.
Teaching: Historical
Quality: authoritative
Vishnu Form: Hari
FAQs
It illustrates cyclical imbalance in the cosmos—when adharma rises, even the Devas may fall—setting the stage for restoration through higher divine order ultimately grounded in Vishnu.
Parāśara presents it as an ancient, time-scaled (a “divine year”) cosmic event, emphasizing that celestial history unfolds in vast cycles where victory and defeat are subordinate to the overarching maintenance of dharma.
Though not named in this verse, the Purana’s theology treats such Deva defeats as preludes to Vishnu’s supreme sovereignty—He is the stabilizing reality through whom cosmic order is ultimately re-established.