Devanagari
हैहयो नहुषो वेणो रावणो नरकोऽपरे ।
श्रीमदाद् भ्रंशिता: स्थानाद् देवदैत्यनरेश्वरा: ॥ २० ॥
Verse text
haihayo nahuṣo veṇo
rāvaṇo narako ’pare
śrī-madād bhraṁśitāḥ sthānād
deva-daitya-nareśvarāḥ
Synonyms
haihayaḥ nahuṣaḥ veṇaḥ
—
Haihaya (Kārtavīrya), Nahuṣa and Veṇa
;
rāvaṇaḥ narakaḥ
—
Rāvaṇa and Naraka
;
apare
—
others also
;
śrī
—
due to opulence
;
madāt
—
because of their intoxication
;
bhraṁśitāḥ
—
made to fall
;
sthānāt
—
from their positions
;
deva
—
of demigods
;
daitya
—
demons
;
nara
—
and men
;
īśvarāḥ
—
rulers .
Translation
Haihaya, Nahuṣa, Veṇa, Rāvaṇa, Naraka and many other rulers of demigods, men and demons fell from their elevated positions because of infatuation with material opulence.
Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
Haihaya, Nahuṣa, Veṇa, Rāvaṇa, Naraka and many other rulers of demigods, men and demons fell from their elevated positions because of infatuation with material opulence.
KB 10.73.20
“In the past there were many rebellious kings, such as Haihaya, Nahuṣa, Vena, Rāvaṇa and Narakāsura. Some of them were demigods and some of them demons, but because of their false perception of their positions, they fell from their exalted posts, and thus they no longer remained kings of their respective kingdoms and were lost in the violence of abominable conditioned life.
Purport
As described by Śrīdhara Svāmī, because Haihaya stole the desire cow of Lord Paraśurāma’s father, Jamadagni, Paraśurāma killed him and his impudent sons. Nahuṣa became puffed up when he temporarily assumed the post of Indra. When out of pride Nahuṣa ordered some
brāhmaṇas
to carry him in a palanquin to an illicit meeting with Lord Indra’s chaste wife, Śacī, the
brāhmaṇas
made him fall down from his position and become an old man. King Vena was similarly mad, and when he insulted the
brāhmaṇas
they killed him by loud incantations of the syllable
hum.
Rāvaṇa was a famous ruler of the Rākṣasas, but out of lust he kidnapped Mother Sītā, and thus her husband, Lord Rāmacandra, killed him. Naraka was a ruler of the Daityas who dared to steal Mother Aditi’s earrings, and for his offense he was also killed. Thus throughout history powerful leaders have fallen from their positions because they became intoxicated with their so-called opulence.
Purport (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
Many fell from their posts (sthanat) because of intoxication with wealth.
Purport (Jiva Goswami)
Others such as devatās, demons and kings fell.
Purport (Sanatana Goswami)
The order of the persons in the list are increasing intoxicated with wealth and power. These persons were lords of devatās, demons and men. Or others were lords of devatās, demons and men. Indra is lord of the devatās. He was removed from his post by proud Bali. Hiraṇyakaśipu (demon) was pierced by Nṛsiṁha, because of violence to the Lord and devotees. Pauṇḍraka and Jarāsandha are examples of lords of men, who strayed from the path because of pride. I killed them.