Shloka 34
मायामोह-प्रवर्तन, वेदमार्ग-बहिष्कार, तथा पाषण्ड-संसर्ग-दोषः
Māyāmoha’s Delusion, Rejection of the Vedic Path, and the Fault of Heretical Association
ततो देवासुरं युद्धं पुनर् एवाभवद् द्विज हताश् च ते ऽसुरा देवैः सन्मार्गपरिपन्थिनः
tato devāsuraṃ yuddhaṃ punar evābhavad dvija hatāś ca te 'surā devaiḥ sanmārgaparipanthinaḥ
Then, O twice-born one, the war between the Devas and the Asuras arose once again; and those Asuras—obstructors of the righteous path—were struck down by the Devas.
Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)
Speaker: Parasara
Teaching: Historical
Quality: authoritative
Concept: Those who oppose the path of righteousness become self-defeating and are cut down when dharma is actively defended.
Vedantic Theme: Dharma
Application: Do not normalize obstruction of ethical norms; support institutions and practices that protect integrity and truth.
Vishishtadvaita: Dharma is not merely social convention but a cosmic order ultimately rooted in the Lord; opposition to it invites downfall.
FAQs
It functions as a recurring narrative symbol of cosmic imbalance: when forces opposing dharma rise, the divine order reasserts itself and the obstructers of the right path are defeated.
Here, “sanmārga” is implicitly defined by contrast: the asuras are described as those who hinder it, while the devas act as protectors of that righteous order within the cosmos.
Even when not named in the verse, the Vishnu Purana frames such restorations of order under Vishnu’s supreme governance—dharma ultimately prevails because the cosmos is sustained by the Supreme Reality.