दुर्वासाशापः, क्षीरसागरमन्थनम्, श्रीः (लक्ष्मी) उद्भवः तथा श्रीस्तुतिः
वसिष्ठाद्यैर् दयासारैः स्तोत्रं कुर्वद्भिर् उच्चकैः गर्वं गतो ऽसि येनैवं माम् अप्य् अद्यावमन्यसे
vasiṣṭhādyair dayāsāraiḥ stotraṃ kurvadbhir uccakaiḥ garvaṃ gato 'si yenaivaṃ mām apy adyāvamanyase
Porque Vasiṣṭha e os demais rishis, cheios de compaixão, cantaram em alta voz hinos ao teu louvor, embriagaste-te de orgulho; e assim hoje ousas até desprezar-me.
A reproaching authority-figure in the royal-genealogical narrative (spoken within Parāśara’s narration to Maitreya)
Speaker: Parasara
Topic: Indra’s disrespect (avamāna) toward Durvāsas arising from being praised by compassionate sages like Vasiṣṭha
Teaching: Ethical
Quality: revealing
Concept: Even ‘good’ influences (praise by compassionate elders) can become spiritually harmful when it feeds ego and leads to contempt.
Vedantic Theme: Dharma
Application: Receive praise with gratitude and detachment; actively cultivate reverence and self-scrutiny to prevent avamāna of others.
Vishishtadvaita: Humility is a bhakti-supporting disposition; honoring the Lord’s devotees aligns the self (cit) with the Lord’s will (īśvara) within the world (acit).
This verse frames pride as a direct cause of adharma: public praise can intoxicate a ruler, leading him to disrespect rightful authority and thereby disrupt dharmic order.
Through such rebukes, the narrative shows that sages function as guardians of dharma—able to correct kings when ego eclipses duty, keeping sovereignty aligned with moral law.
Even when Vishnu is not named in the verse, the Purana’s kingship ethic assumes that true sovereignty is subordinate to the Supreme Order upheld by Vishnu; humility and dharma are the king’s way of aligning with that higher reality.