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Chapter 17: Victory of Hiraṇyākṣa Over All the Directions of the Universe

Verse 25 of 31
SB 3.17.25

तस्मिन्प्रविष्टे वरुणस्य सैनिका यादोगणाः सन्नधियः ससाध्वसाः अहन्यमाना अपि तस्य वर्चसा प्रधर्षिता दूरतरं प्रदुद्रुवुः

tasmin praviṣṭe varuṇasya sainikā yādo-gaṇāḥ sannadhiyaḥ sasādhvasāḥ ahanyamānā api tasya varcasā pradharṣitā dūrataraṁ pradudruvuḥ

Synonyms

tasmin praviṣṭe—when he entered the ocean; varuṇasya—of Varuṇa; sainikāḥ—the defenders; yādas-gaṇāḥ—the aquatic animals; sannadhiyaḥ—depressed; sa-sādhvasāḥ—with fear; ahanyamānāḥ—not being hit; api—even; tasya—his; varcasā—by splendor; pradharṣitāḥ—stricken; dūrataram—far away; pradudruvuḥ—they ran fast..

Translation

On his entering the ocean, the aquatic animals who formed the host of Varuṇa were stricken with fear and ran far away. Thus Hiraṇyākṣa showed his splendor without dealing a blow.

Purport

Materialistic demons sometimes appear to be very powerful and are seen to establish their supremacy throughout the world. Here also it appears that Hiraṇyākṣa, by his demoniac strength, actually established his supremacy throughout the universe, and the demigods were afraid of his uncommon power. Not only were the demigods in space afraid of the demons Hiraṇyakaśipu and Hiraṇyākṣa, but so also were the aquatic animals within the sea.

Verse 25 of 31