Shloka 3
मां हन्तुम् अमरैर् यत्नः कृतः किल दुरात्मभिः मद्वीर्यतापितैर् वीरा न त्व् एतान् गणयाम्य् अहम्
māṃ hantum amarair yatnaḥ kṛtaḥ kila durātmabhiḥ madvīryatāpitair vīrā na tv etān gaṇayāmy aham
“It seems the immortals—wicked at heart and scorched by the heat of my prowess—have indeed sought to slay me. Yet, O heroes, I count them as nothing.”
A powerful antagonist/kingly figure addressing his warriors (as narrated by Sage Parāśara to Maitreya)
Speaker: Parasara
Teaching: Historical
Quality: revealing
Concept: Demonic pride (ahaṅkāra) blinds one to the higher will and leads to self-destruction despite apparent power.
Vedantic Theme: Dharma
Application: Watch for contempt and overconfidence; cultivate humility and accountability, especially when success tempts one to dismiss others.
Vishishtadvaita: The devas’ agency is subordinate; ultimate rectification of adharma occurs through the Lord’s governance even when unrecognized by the arrogant.
FAQs
It highlights the Purana’s theme that when worldly power becomes oppressive and disrupts dharma, the divine order responds—often through the Devas acting as instruments of cosmic governance.
Through lineage stories, Parāśara shows how unchecked valor turns into arrogance (ahaṅkāra), provoking divine opposition and setting the stage for restoration of order.
Even when Vishnu is not named in the verse, Book 4 narratives operate under the Vaishnava premise that sovereignty ultimately rests in Vishnu’s supreme order, with Devas functioning within that higher governance.