Chapter Eight

            Lord Nrsimhadeva Slays the King of the Demons

 

   As described in this chapter, Hiranyakasipu was ready to kill his own son Prahlada Maharaja, but the Supreme Personality of Godhead appeared in front of the demon as Sri Nrkesari, half lion and half man, and killed him.

   Following the instructions of Prahlada Maharaja, all the sons of the demons became attached to Lord Visnu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. When this attachment became pronounced, their teachers, Sanda and Amarka, were very much afraid that the boys would become more and more devoted to the Lord. In a helpless condition, they approached Hiranyakasipu and described in detail the effect of Prahlada's preaching. After hearing of this, Hiranyakasipu decided to kill his son Prahlada. Hiranyakasipu was so angry that Prahlada Maharaja fell down at his feet and said many things just to pacify him, but he was unsuccessful in satisfying his demoniac father. Hiranyakasipu, as a typical demon, began to advertise himself as being greater than the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but Prahlada Maharaja challenged him, saying that Hiranyakasipu was not God, and began to glorify the Supreme personality of Godhead, declaring that the Lord is all-pervading, that everything is under Him, and that no one is equal to or greater than Him. Thus he requested his father to be submissive to the omnipotent Supreme Lord.

   The more Prahlada Maharaja glorified the Supreme personality of Godhead, the more angry and agitated the demon became. Hiranyakasipu asked his Vaisnava son whether his God existed within the columns of the palace, and Prahlada Maharaja immediately accepted that since the Lord is present everywhere, He was also present within the columns. When Hiranyakasipu heard this philosophy from his young son, he derided the boy's statement as just the talk of a child and forcefully struck the pillar with his fist.

   As soon as Hiranyakasipu struck the column, there issued forth a tumultuous sound. At first Hiranyakasipu, the King of the demons, could not see anything but the pillar, but to substantiate Prahlada's statements, the Lord came out of the pillar in His wonderful incarnation as Narasimha, half lion and half man. Hiranyakasipu could immediately understand that the extraordinarily wonderful form of the Lord was surely meant for his death, and thus he prepared to fight with the form of half lion and half man. The Lord performed His pastimes by fighting with the demon for some time, and in the evening, on the border between day and night, the Lord captured the demon, threw him on His lap, and killed him by piercing his abdomen with His nails. The Lord not only killed Hiranyakasipu, the King of the demons, but also killed many of his followers. When there was no one else to fight, the Lord, roaring with anger, sat down on Hiranyakasipu's throne.

   The entire universe was thus relieved of the rule of Hiranyakasipu, and everyone was jubilant in transcendental bliss. Then all the demigods, headed by Lord Brahma, approached the Lord. These included the great saintly persons, the Pitas, the Siddhas, the Vidyadharas, the Nagas, the Manus, the prajapatis, the Gandharvas, the Caranas, the Yaksas, the Kimpurusas, the Vaitalikas, the Kinnaras and also many other varieties of beings in human form. All of them stood not far from the Supreme Personality of Godhead and began offering their prayers unto the Lord, whose spiritual effulgence was brilliant as He sat on the throne.

 

                                TEXT 1

 

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                           sri-narada uvaca

                       atha daitya-sutah sarve

                        srutva tad-anuvarnitam

                        jagrhur niravadyatvan

                        naiva gurv-anusiksitam

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   sri-naradah uvaca--Sri Narada Muni said; atha--thereupon; daitya-sutah--the sons of the demons (the class friends of Prahlada Maharaja); sarve--all; srutva--hearing; tat--by him (Prahlada); anuvarnitam--the statements about devotional life; jagrhuh--accepted; niravadyatvat--due to the supreme utility of that instruction; na--not; eva--indeed; guru-anusiksitam--that which was taught by their teachers.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Narada Muni continued: All the sons of the demons appreciated the transcendental instructions of Prahlada Maharaja and took them very seriously. They rejected the materialistic instructions given by their teachers, Sanda and Amarka.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   This is the effect of the preaching of a pure devotee like Prahlada Maharaja. If a devotee is qualified, sincere and serious about Krsna consciousness and if he follows the instructions of a bona fide spiritual master, as Prahlada Maharaja did when preaching the instructions he had received from Narada Muni, his preaching is effective. As it is said in the Srimad-Bhagavatam (3.25.25):

 

                  satam prasangan mama virya-samvido

                 bhavanti hrt-karna-rasayanah kathah

 

   If one tries to understand the discourses given by the sat, or pure devotees, those instructions will be very pleasing to the ear and appealing to the heart. Thus if one is inspired to take to Krsna consciousness and if one practices the process in his life, he is surely successful in returning home, back to Godhead. By the grace of Prahlada Maharaja, all his class friends, the sons of the demons, became Vaisnavas. They did not like hearing from their so-called teachers Sanda and Amarka, who were interested only in teaching them about diplomacy, politics, economic development and similar topics meant exclusively for sense gratification.

 

                                TEXT 2

 

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                        athacarya-sutas tesam

                      buddhim ekanta-samsthitam

                        alaksya bhitas tvarito

                         rajna avedayad yatha

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   atha--thereupon; acarya-sutah--the son of Sukracarya; tesam--of them (the sons of the demons); buddhim--the intelligence; ekanta-samsthitam--fixed in one subject matter, devotional service; alaksya--realizing or seeing practically; bhitah--being afraid; tvaritah--as soon as possible; rajne--unto the King (Hiranyakasipu); avedayat--submitted; yatha--fittingly.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   When Sanda and Amarka, the sons of Sukracarya, observed that all the students, the sons of the demons, were becoming advanced in Krsna consciousness because of the association of Prahlada Maharaja, they were afraid. They approached the King of the demons and described the situation as it was.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   The words buddhim ekanta-samsthitam indicate that as an effect of Prahlada Maharaja's preaching, the students who listened to him became fixed in the conclusion that Krsna consciousness is the only object of human life. The fact is that anyone who associates with a pure devotee and follows his instructions becomes fixed in Krsna consciousness and is not disturbed by materialistic consciousness. The teachers particularly observed this in their students, and therefore they were afraid because the whole community of students was gradually becoming Krsna conscious.

 

                              TEXTS 3-4

 

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                        kopavesa-calad-gatrah

                       putram hantum mano dadhe

                        ksiptva parusaya vaca

                        prahradam atad-arhanam

 

                          aheksamanah papena

                         tirascinena caksusa

                        prasrayavanatam dantam

                       baddhanjalim avasthitam

                         sarpah padahata iva

                        svasan prakrti-darunah

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   kopa-avesa--by a very angry mood; calat--trembling; gatrah--the whole body; putram--his son; hantum--to kill; manah--mind; dadhe--fixed; ksiptva--rebuking; parusaya--with very harsh; vaca--words; prahradam--Prahlada Maharaja; a-tat-arhanam--not fit to be chastised (due to his noble character and tender age); aha--said; iksamanah--looking at him in anger; papena--because of his sinful activities; tirascinena--crooked; caksusa--with eyes; prasraya-avanatam--very gentle and mild; dantam--very restrained; baddha-anjalim--having folded hands; avasthitam--situated; sarpah--a snake; pada-ahatah--being trampled by the foot; iva--like; svasan--hissing; prakrti--by nature; darunah--very evil.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   When Hiranyakasipu understood the entire situation, he was extremely angry, so much so that his body trembled. Thus he finally decided to kill his son Prahlada. Hiranyakasipu was by nature very cruel, and feeling insulted, he began hissing like a snake trampled upon by someone's foot. His son Prahlada was peaceful, mild and gentle, his senses were under control, and he stood before Hiranyakasipu with folded hands. According to Prahlada's age and behavior, he was not to be chastised. Yet with staring, crooked eyes, Hiranyakasipu rebuked him with the following harsh words.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   When one is impudent toward a highly authorized devotee, one is punished by the laws of nature. The duration of his life is diminished, and he loses the blessings of superior persons and the results of pious activities. Hiranyakasipu, for example, had achieved such great power in the material world that he could subdue practically all the planetary systems in the universe, including the heavenly planets (Svargaloka). Yet now, because of his mistreatment of such a Vaisnava as Prahlada Maharaja, all the results of his tapasya diminished. As stated in Srimad-Bhagavatam (10.4.46):

 

                       ayuh sriyam yaso dharmam

                          lokan asisa eva ca

                        hanti sreyamsi sarvani

                        pumso mahad-atikramah

 

   "When one mistreats great souls, his life span, opulence, reputation, religion, possessions and good fortune are all destroyed."

 

                                TEXT 5

 

                                 TEXT

 

                       sri-hiranyakasipur uvaca

                        he durvinita mandatman

                         kula-bheda-karadhama

                     stabdham mac-chasanodvrttam

                       nesye tvadya yama-ksayam

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   sri-hiranyakasipuh uvaca--the blessed Hiranyakasipu said; he--O; durvinita--most impudent; manda-atman--O stupid fool; kula-bheda-kara--who are bringing about a disruption in the family; adhama--O lowest of mankind; stabdham--most obstinate; mat-sasana--from my ruling; udvrttam--going astray; nesye--I shall bring; tva--you; adya--today; yama-ksayam--to the place of Yamaraja, the superintendent of death.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Hiranyakasipu said: O most impudent, most unintelligent disruptor of the family, O lowest of mankind, you have violated my power to rule you, and therefore you are an obstinate fool. Today I shall send you to the place of Yamaraja.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   Hiranyakasipu condemned his Vaisnava son Prahlada for being durvinita--ungentle, uncivilized, or impudent. Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura, however, has derived a meaning from this word durvinita by the mercy of the goddess of learning, Sarasvati. He says that duh refers to this material world. This is confirmed by Lord Krsna in His instruction in Bhagavad-gita that this material world is duhkhalayam, full of material conditions. Vi means visesa, "specifically," and nita means "brought in." By the mercy of the Supreme Lord, Prahlada Maharaja was especially brought to this material world to teach people how to get out of the material condition. Lord Krsna says, yada yada hi dharmasya glanir bhavati bharata. When the entire population, or part of it, becomes forgetful of its own duty, Krsna comes. When Krsna is not present the devotee is present, but the mission is the same: to free the poor conditioned souls from the clutches of the maya that chastises them.

   Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura further explains that the word mandatman means manda--very bad or very slow in spiritual realization. As stated in Srimad-Bhagavatam (1.1.10), mandah sumanda-matayo manda-bhagya. Prahlada Maharaja is the guide of all the mandas, or bad living entities who are under the influence of maya. He is the benefactor even of the slow and bad living entities in this material world. Kula-bheda-karadhama: by his actions, Prahlada Maharaja made great personalities who established big, big families seem insignificant. Everyone is interested in his own family and in making his dynasty famous, but Prahlada Maharaja was so liberal that he made no distinction between one living entity and another. Therefore he was greater than the great prajapatis who established their dynasties. The word stabdham means obstinate. A devotee does not care for the instructions of the asuras. When they give instructions, he remains silent. A devotee cares about the instructions of Krsna, not those of demons or nondevotees. He does not give any respect to a demon, even though the demon be his father. Mac-chasanodvrttam: Prahlada Maharaja was disobedient to the orders of his demoniac father. Yama-ksayam: every conditioned soul is under the control of Yamaraja, but Hiranyakasipu said that he considered Prahlada Maharaja his deliverer, for Prahlada would stop Hiranyakasipu's repetition of birth and death. Because Prahlada Maharaja, being a great devotee, was better than any yogi, Hiranyakasipu was to be brought among the society of bhakti-yogis. Thus Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura has explained these words in a very interesting way as they can be interpreted from the side of Sarasvati, the mother of learning.

 

                                TEXT 6

 

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                      kruddhasya yasya kampante

                        trayo lokah sahesvarah

                       tasya me 'bhitavan mudha

                       sasanam kim balo 'tyagah

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   kruddhasya--when angered; yasya--he who; kampante--tremble; trayah lokah--the three worlds; saha-isvarah--with their leaders; tasya--of that; me--of me (Hiranyakasipu); abhita-vat--without fear; mudha--rascal; sasanam--ruling order; kim--what; balah--strength; atyagah--have overstepped.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   My son Prahlada, you rascal, you know that when I am angry all the planets of the three worlds tremble, along with their chief rulers. By whose power has a rascal like you become so impudent that you appear fearless and overstep my power to rule you?

 

                               PURPORT

 

   The relationship between a pure devotee and the Supreme Personality of Godhead is extremely relishable. A devotee never claims to be very powerful himself; instead, he fully surrenders to the lotus feet of Krsna, being confident that in all dangerous conditions Krsna will protect His devotee. Krsna Himself says in Bhagavad-gita (9.31), kaunteya pratijanihi na me bhaktah pranasyati: "O son of Kunti, declare boldly that My devotee never perishes." The Lord requested Arjuna to declare this instead of declaring it Himself because sometimes Krsna changes His view and therefore people might not believe Him. Thus Krsna asked Arjuna to declare that a devotee of the Lord is never vanquished.

   Hiranyakasipu was perplexed about how his five-year-old boy could be so fearless that he did not care for the order of his very great and powerful father. A devotee cannot execute the order of anyone except the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This is the position of a devotee. Hiranyakasipu could understand that this boy must have been very powerful, since the boy did not heed his orders. Hiranyakasipu asked his son, kim balah: "How have you overcome my order? By whose strength have you done this?"

 

                                TEXT 7

 

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                          sri-prahrada uvaca

                   na kevalam me bhavatas ca rajan

                    sa vai balam balinam caparesam

                   pare 'vare 'mi sthira-jangama ye

                    brahmadayo yena vasam pranitah

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   sri-prahradah uvaca--Prahlada Maharaja replied; na--not; kevalam--only; me--of me; bhavatah--of yourself; ca--and; rajan--O great King; sah--he; vai--indeed; balam--strength; balinam--of the strong; ca--and; aparesam--of others; pare--exalted; avare--subordinate; ami--those; sthira-jangamah--moving or nonmoving living entities; ye--who; brahma-adayah--beginning from Lord Brahma; yena--by whom; vasam--under control; pranitah--brought.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Prahlada Maharaja said: My dear King, the source of my strength, of which you are asking, is also the source of yours. Indeed, the original source of all kinds of strength is one. He is not only your strength or mine, but the only strength for everyone. Without Him, no one can get any strength. Whether moving or not moving, superior or inferior, everyone, including Lord Brahma, is controlled by the strength of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   Lord Krsna says in Bhagavad-gita (10.41):

 

                      yad yad vibhutimat sattvam

                        srimad urjitam eva va

                       tat tad evavagaccha tvam

                       mama tejo-'msa-sambhavam

 

   "Know that all beautiful, glorious and mighty creations spring from but a spark of My splendor." This is confirmed by Prahlada Maharaja. If one sees extraordinary strength or power anywhere, it is derived from the Supreme Personality of Godhead. To give an example, there are different grades of fire, but all of them derive heat and light from the sun. Similarly, all living entities, big or small, are dependent on the mercy of the Supreme personality of Godhead. One's only duty is to surrender, for one is a servant and cannot independently attain the position of master. One can attain the position of master only by the mercy of the master, not independently. Unless one understands this philosophy, he is still a mudha; in other words, he is not very intelligent. The mudhas, the asses who do not have this intelligence, cannot surrender unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

   Understanding the subordinate position of the living entity takes millions of births, but when one is actually wise he surrenders unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The Lord says in Bhagavad-gita (7.19):

 

                        bahunam janmanam ante

                       jnanavan mam prapadyate

                         vasudevah sarvam iti

                        sa mahatma sudurlabhah

 

   "After many births and deaths, he who is actually in knowledge surrenders unto Me, knowing Me to be the cause of all causes and all that is. Such a great soul is very rare." Prahlada Maharaja was a great soul, a mahatma, and therefore he completely surrendered unto the lotus feet of the Lord. He was confident that Krsna would give him protection under all circumstances.

 

                                TEXT 8

 

                                 TEXT

 

                    sa isvarah kala urukramo 'sav

                   ojah sahah sattva-balendriyatma

                 sa eva visvam paramah sva-saktibhih

                   srjaty avaty atti guna-trayesah

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   sah--He (the Supreme Personality of Godhead); isvarah--the supreme controller; kalah--the time factor; urukramah--the Lord, whose every action is uncommon; asau--that one; ojah--the strength of the senses; sahah--the strength of the mind; sattva--steadiness; bala--bodily strength; indriya--and of the senses themselves; atma--the very self; sah--He; eva--indeed; visvam--the whole universe; paramah--the supreme; sva-saktibhih--by His multifarious transcendental potencies; srjati--creates; avati--maintains; atti--winds up; guna-traya-isah--the master of the material modes.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   The Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is the supreme controller and time factor, is the power of the senses, the power of the mind, the power of the body, and the vital force of the senses. His influence is unlimited. He is the best of all living entities, the controller of the three modes of material nature. By His own power, He creates this cosmic manifestation, maintains it and annihilates it also.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   Since the material world is being moved by the three material modes and since the Lord is their master, the Lord can create, maintain and destroy the material world.

 

                                TEXT 9

 

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                 jahy asuram bhavam imam tvam atmanah

                 samam mano dhatsva na santi vidvisah

                  rte 'jitad atmana utpathe sthitat

                tad dhi hy anantasya mahat samarhanam

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   jahi--just give up; asuram--demoniac; bhavam--tendency; imam--this; tvam--you (my dear father); atmanah--of yourself; samam--equal; manah--the mind; dhatsva--make; na--not; santi--are; vidvisah--enemies; rte--except; ajitat--uncontrolled; atmanah--the mind; utpathe--on the mistaken path of undesirable tendencies; sthitat--being situated; tat hi--that (mentality); hi--indeed; anantasya--of the unlimited Lord; mahat--the best; samarhanam--method of worship.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Prahlada Maharaja continued: My dear father, please give up your demoniac mentality. Do not discriminate in your heart between enemies and friends; make your mind equipoised toward everyone. Except for the uncontrolled and misguided mind, there is no enemy within this world. When one sees everyone on the platform of equality, one then comes to the position of worshiping the Lord perfectly.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   Unless one is able to fix the mind at the lotus feet of the Lord, the mind is impossible to control. As Arjuna says in Bhagavad-gita (6.34):

 

                       cancalam hi manah krsna

                       pramathi balavad drdham

                       tasyaham nigraham manye

                         vayor iva suduskaram

 

   "For the mind is restless, turbulent, obstinate and very strong, O Krsna, and to subdue it, it seems to me, is more difficult than controlling the wind." The only bona fide process for controlling the mind is to fix the mind by service to the Lord. We create enemies and friends according to the dictation of the mind, but actually there are no enemies and friends. panditah sama-darsinah. Samah sarvesu bhutesu mad-bhaktim labhate param. To understand this is the preliminary condition for entering into the kingdom of devotional service.

 

                               TEXT 10

 

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                  dasyun pura san na vijitya lumpato

                   manyanta eke sva-jita diso dasa

                   jitatmano jnasya samasya dehinam

                 sadhoh sva-moha-prabhavah kutah pare

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   dasyun--plunderers; pura--in the beginning; sat--six; na--not; vijitya--conquering; lumpatah--stealing all one s possessions; manyante--consider; eke--some; sva-jitah--conquered; disah dasa--the ten directions; jita-atmanah--one who has conquered the senses; jnasya--learned; samasya--equipoised; dehinam--to all living entities; sadhoh--of such a saintly person; sva-moha-prabhavah--created by one's own illusion; kutah--where; pare--enemies or opposing elements.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   In former times there were many fools like you who did not conquer the six enemies that steal away the wealth of the body. These fools were very proud, thinking, "I have conquered all enemies in all the ten directions." But if a person is victorious over the six enemies and is equipoised toward all living entities, for him there are no enemies. Enemies are merely imagined by one in ignorance.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   In this material world, everyone thinks that he has conquered his enemies, not understanding that his enemies are his uncontrolled mind and five senses (manah sasthanindriyani prakrti-sthani karsati). In this material world, everyone has become a servant of the senses. Originally everyone is a servant of Krsna, but in ignorance one forgets this, and thus one is engaged in the service of maya through lusty desires, anger, greed, illusion, madness and jealousy. Everyone is actually dependent on the reactions of material laws, but still one thinks himself independent and thinks that he has conquered all directions. In conclusion, one who thinks that he has many enemies is an ignorant man, whereas one who is in Krsna consciousness knows that there are no enemies but those within oneself--the uncontrolled mind and senses.

 

                               TEXT 11

 

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                       sri-hiranyakasipur uvaca

                     vyaktam tvam martu-kamo 'si

                       yo 'timatram vikatthase

                       mumursunam hi mandatman

                       nanu syur viklava girah

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   sri-hiranyakasipuh uvaca--the blessed Hiranyakasipu said; vyaktam--evidently; tvam--you; martu-kamah--desirous of death; asi--are; yah--one who; atimatram--without limit; vikatthase--are boasting (as if you had conquered your senses whereas your father could not do so); mumursunam--of persons who are about to meet immediate death; hi--indeed; manda-atman--O unintelligent rascal; nanu--certainly; syuh--become; viklavah--confused; girah--the words.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Hiranyakasipu replied: You rascal, you are trying to minimize my value, as if you were better than me at controlling the senses. This is over-intelligent. I can therefore understand that you desire to die at my hands, for this kind of nonsensical talk is indulged in by those about to die.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   It is said in Hitopadesa, upadeso hi murkhanam prokopaya na santaye. If good instructions are given to a foolish person, he does not take advantage of them, but becomes more and more angry. Prahlada Maharaja's authorized instructions to his father were not accepted by Hiranyakasipu as truth; instead Hiranyakasipu became increasingly angry at his great son, who was a pure devotee. This kind of difficulty always exists when a devotee preaches Krsna consciousness to persons like Hiranyakasipu, who are interested in money and women. (The word hiranya means "gold," and kasipu refers to cushions or good bedding.) Moreover, a father does not like to be instructed by his son, especially if the father is a demon. Prahlada Maharaja's Vaisnava preaching to his demoniac father was indirectly effective, for because of Hiranyakasipu's excessive jealousy of Krsna and His devotee, he was inviting Nrsimhadeva to kill him very quickly. Thus he was expediting his being killed by the Lord Himself. Although Hiranyakasipu was a demon, he is described here by the added word sri. Why? The answer is that fortunately he had such a great devotee son as Prahlada Maharaja. Thus although he was a demon, he would attain salvation and return home, back to Godhead.

 

                               TEXT 12

 

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                      yas tvaya manda-bhagyokto

                        mad-anyo jagad-isvarah

                       kvasau yadi sa sarvatra

                      kasmat stambhe na drsyate

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   yah--the one who; tvaya--by you; manda-bhagya--O unfortunate one; uktah--described; mat-anyah--besides me; jagat-isvarah--the supreme controller of the universe; kva--where; asau--that one; yadi--if; sah--He; sarvatra--everywhere (all-pervading); kasmat--why; stambhe--in the pillar before me; na drsyate--not seen.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   O most unfortunate Prahlada, you have always described a supreme being other than me, a supreme being who is above everything, who is the controller of everyone, and who is all-pervading. But where is He? If He is everywhere, then why is He not present before me in this pillar?

 

                               PURPORT

 

   Demons sometimes declare to a devotee that they cannot accept the existence of God because they cannot see Him. But what the demon does not know is stated by the Lord Himself in Bhagavad-gita (7.25): naham prakasah sarvasya yogamaya-samavrtah. "I am never manifest to the foolish and unintelligent. For them I am covered by yogamaya." The Lord is open to being seen by devotees, but nondevotees cannot see Him. The qualification for seeing God is stated in Brahma-samhita (5.38): premanjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santah sadaiva hrdayesu vilokayanti. A devotee who has developed a genuine love for Krsna can always see Him everywhere, whereas a demon, not having a clear understanding of the Supreme Lord, cannot see Him. When Hiranyakasipu was threatening to kill Prahlada Maharaja, Prahlada certainly saw the column standing before him and his father, and he saw that the Lord was present in the pillar to encourage him not to fear his demoniac father's words. The Lord was present to protect him. Hiranyakasipu marked Prahlada's observation and asked him, "Where is your God?" Prahlada Maharaja replied, "He is everywhere." Then Hiranyakasipu asked, "Why is He not in this pillar before me?" Thus in all circumstances the devotee can always see the Supreme Lord, whereas the nondevotee cannot.

   Prahlada Maharaja has here been addressed by his father as "the most unfortunate." Hiranyakasipu thought himself extremely fortunate because he possessed the property of the universe. Prahlada Maharaja, his legitimate son, was to have inherited this vast property, but because of his impudence, he was going to die at his father's hands. Therefore the demoniac father considered Prahlada the most unfortunate because Prahlada would not be able to inherit his property. Hiranyakasipu did not know that Prahlada Maharaja was the most fortunate person within the three worlds because Prahlada was protected by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Such are the misunderstandings of demons. They do not know that a devotee is protected by the Lord in all circumstances (kaunteya pratijanihi na me bhaktah pranasyati).

 

                               TEXT 13

 

                                 TEXT

 

                       so 'ham vikatthamanasya

                        sirah kayad dharami te

                        gopayeta haris tvadya

                        yas te saranam ipsitam

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   sah--he; aham--I; vikatthamanasya--who are speaking such nonsense; sirah--the head; kayat--from the body; harami--I shall take away; te--of you; gopayeta--let Him protect; harih--the Supreme Personality of Godhead; tva--you; adya--now; yah--He who; te--your; saranam--protector; ipsitam--desired.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Because you are speaking so much nonsense, I shall now sever your head from your body. Now let me see your most worshipable God come to protect you. I want to see it.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   Demons always think that the God of the devotees is fictitious. They think that there is no God and that the so-called religious feeling of devotion to God is but an opiate, a kind of illusion, like the illusions derived from LSD and opium. Hiranyakasipu did not believe Prahlada Maharaja when Prahlada asserted that his Lord is present everywhere. Because Hiranyakasipu, as a typical demon, was convinced that there is no God and that no one could protect Prahlada, he felt encouraged to kill his son. He challenged the idea that the devotee is always protected by the Supreme Lord.

 

                               TEXT 14

 

                                 TEXT

 

                  evam duruktair muhur ardayan rusa

                   sutam maha-bhagavatam mahasurah

                  khadgam pragrhyotpatito varasanat

                  stambham tatadatibalah sva-mustina

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   evam--thus; duruktaih--by harsh words; muhuh--constantly; ardayan--chastising; rusa--with unnecessary anger; sutam--his son; maha-bhagavatam--who was a most exalted devotee; maha-asurah--Hiranyakasipu, the great demon; khadgam--sword; pragrhya--taking up; utpatitah--having gotten up; vara-asanat--from his exalted throne; stambham--the column; tatada--struck; ati-balah--very strong; sva-mustina--by his fist.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Being obsessed with anger, Hiranyakasipu, who was very great in bodily strength, thus chastised his exalted devotee-son Prahlada with harsh words. Cursing him again and again, Hiranyakasipu took up his sword, got up from his royal throne, and with great anger struck his fist against the column.

 

                               TEXT 15

 

                                 TEXT

 

                   tadaiva tasmin ninado 'tibhisano

                   babhuva yenanda-kataham asphutat

                yam vai sva-dhisnyopagatam tv ajadayah

                  srutva sva-dhamatyayam anga menire

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   tada--at that time; eva--just; tasmin--within (the pillar); ninadah--a sound; ati-bhisanah--very fearful; babhuva--there was; yena--by which; anda-kataham--the covering of the universe; asphutat--appeared to crack; yam--which; vai--indeed; sva-dhisnya-upagatam--reaching their respective abodes; tu--but; aja-adayah--the demigods, headed by Lord Brahma; srutva--hearing; sva-dhama-atyayam--the destruction of their abodes; anga--my dear Yudhisthira; menire--thought.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Then from within the pillar came a fearful sound, which appeared to crack the covering of the universe. O my dear Yudhisthira, this sound reached even the abodes of the demigods like Lord Brahma, and when the demigods heard it, they thought, "Oh, now our planets are being destroyed!"

 

                               PURPORT

 

   As we sometimes become very much afraid at the sound of a thunderbolt, perhaps thinking that our houses will be destroyed, the great demigods like Lord Brahma feared the thundering sound that came from the pillar in front of Hiranyakasipu.

 

                               TEXT 16

 

                                 TEXT

 

                  sa vikraman putra-vadhepsur ojasa

                  nisamya nirhradam apurvam adbhutam

                 antah-sabhayam na dadarsa tat-padam

                   vitatrasur yena surari-yutha-pah

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   sah--he (Hiranyakasipu); vikraman--exhibiting his prowess; putra-vadha-ipsuh--desirous of killing his own son; ojasa--with great strength; nisamya--hearing; nirhradam--the fierce sound; apurvam--never heard before; adbhutam--very wonderful; antah-sabhayam--within the jurisdiction of the great assembly; na--not; dadarsa--saw; tat-padam--the source of that tumultuous sound; vitatrasuh--became afraid; yena--by which sound; sura-ari-yutha-pah--the other leaders of the demons (not only Hiranyakasipu).

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   While showing his extraordinary prowess, Hiranyakasipu, who desired to kill his own son, heard that wonderful, tumultuous sound, which had never before been heard. Upon hearing the sound, the other leaders of the demons were afraid. None of them could find the origin of that sound in the assembly.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   In Bhagavad-gita (7. 8), Krsna explains Himself by saying:

 

                       raso 'ham apsu kaunteya

                       prabhasmi sasi suryayoh

                        pranavah sarva-vedesu

                       sabdah khe paurusam nrsu

 

   "O son of Kunti [Arjuna], I am the taste of water, the light of the sun and the moon, the syllable om in the Vedic mantras; I am the sound in ether and ability in man." Here the Lord exhibited His presence everywhere by the tumultuous sound in the sky (sabdah khe). The tumultuous thundering sound was proof of the Lord's presence. The demons like Hiranyakasipu could now realize the supreme ruling power of the Lord, and thus Hiranyakasipu became afraid. However powerful a man may be, he always fears the sound of a thunderbolt. Similarly, Hiranyakasipu and all the demons who were his associates were extremely afraid because of the presence of the Supreme Lord in the form of sound, although they could not trace out the source of the sound.

 

                               TEXT 17

 

                                 TEXT

 

                 satyam vidhatum nija-bhrtya-bhasitam

                 vyaptim ca bhutesv akhilesu catmanah

                   adrsyatatyadbhuta-rupam udvahan

                 stambhe sabhayam na mrgam na manusam

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   satyam--true; vidhatum--to prove; nija-bhrtya-bhasitam--the words of His own servant (Prahlada Maharaja, who had said that his Lord is present everywhere); vyaptim--the pervasion; ca--and; bhutesu--among the living entities and elements; akhilesu--all; ca--also; atmanah--of Himself; adrsyata--was seen; ati--very; adbhuta--wonderful; rupam--form; udvahan--taking; stambhe--in the pillar; sabhayam--within the assembly; na--not; mrgam--an animal; na--nor; manusam--a human being.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   To prove that the statement of His servant Prahlada Maharaja was substantial--in other words, to prove that the Supreme Lord is present everywhere, even within the pillar of an assembly hall--the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Hari, exhibited a wonderful form never before seen. The form was neither that of a man nor that of a lion. Thus the Lord appeared in His wonderful form in the assembly hall.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   When Hiranyakasipu asked Prahlada Maharaja, "Where is your Lord? Is He present in this pillar?" Prahlada Maharaja fearlessly replied, "Yes, my Lord is present everywhere." Therefore, to convince Hiranyakasipu that the statement of Prahlada Maharaja was unmistakably true, the Lord appeared from the pillar. The Lord appeared as half lion and half man so that Hiranyakasipu could not understand whether the great giant was a lion or a human being. To substantiate Prahlada's statement, the Lord proved that His devotee, as declared in Bhagavad-gita, is never vanquished (kaunteya pratijanihi na me bhaktah pranasyati). Prahlada Maharaja's demoniac father had repeatedly threatened to kill Prahlada, but Prahlada was confident that he could not be killed, since he was protected by the Supreme Lord. By appearing from the pillar, the Lord encouraged His devotee, saying in effect, "Don't worry. I am present here." By manifesting His form as Nrsimhadeva, the Lord also preserved the truth of Lord Brahma's promise that Hiranyakasipu was not to be killed by any animal or any man. The Lord appeared in a form that could not be said to be fully a man or a lion.

 

                               TEXT 18

 

                                 TEXT

 

                   sa sattvam enam parito vipasyan

                   stambhasya madhyad anunirjihanam

                    nayam mrgo napi naro vicitram

                    aho kim etan nr-mrgendra-rupam

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   sah--he (Hiranyakasipu, the King of the Daityas); sattvam--living being; enam--that; paritah--all around; vipasyan--looking; stambhasya--of the pillar; madhyat--from the midst; anunirjihanam--having come out; na--not; ayam--this; mrgah--animal; na--not; api--indeed; narah--human being; vicitram--very wonderful; aho--alas; kim--what; etat--this; nr-mrga-indra-rupam--the form of both a man and the king of the beasts, the lion.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   While Hiranyakasipu looked all around to find the source of the sound, that wonderful form of the Lord, which could not be ascertained to be either a man or a lion, emerged from the pillar. In amazement, Hiranyakasipu wondered, "What is this creature that is half man and half lion?"

 

                               PURPORT

 

   A demon cannot calculate the unlimited potency of the Supreme Lord. As stated in the Vedas, parasya saktir vividhaiva sruyate svabhaviki jnana-bala-kriya ca: the different potencies of the Lord are always working as an automatic exhibition of His knowledge. For a demon it is certainly wonderful that the form of a lion and the form of a man can be united, since a demon has no experience of the inconceivable power for which the Supreme Lord is called "all-powerful." Demons cannot understand the omnipotence of the Lord. They simply compare the Lord to one of them (avajananti mam mudha manusim tanum asritam). Mudhas, rascals, think that Krsna is an ordinary human being who appears for the benefit of other human beings. param bhavam ajanantah: fools, rascals and demons cannot realize the supreme potency of the Lord, but He can do anything and everything; indeed, He can do whatever He likes. When Hiranyakasipu received benedictions from Lord Brahma, he thought that he was safe, since he received the benediction that he would not be killed either by an animal or by a human being. He never thought that an animal and human being would be combined so that demons like him would be puzzled by such a form. This is the meaning of the Supreme Personality of Godhead's omnipotence.

 

                             TEXTS 19-22

 

                                 TEXT

 

                   mimamsamanasya samutthito 'grato

                  nrsimha-rupas tad alam bhayanakam

 

                   pratapta-camikara-canda-locanam

                  sphurat sata-kesara-jrmbhitananam

                  karala-damstram karavala-cancala-

                 ksuranta-jihvam bhrukuti-mukholbanam

 

               stabdhordhva-karnam giri-kandaradbhuta-

                 vyattasya-nasam hanu-bheda-bhisanam

                  divi-sprsat kayam adirgha-pivara-

                grivoru-vaksah-sthalam alpa-madhyamam

 

                candramsu-gaurais churitam tanuruhair

                  visvag bhujanika-satam nakhayudham

                    durasadam sarva-nijetarayudha-

                   praveka-vidravita-daitya-danavam

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   mimamsamanasya--of Hiranyakasipu, who was contemplating the wonderful form of the Lord; samutthitah--appeared; agratah--in front; nrsimha-rupah--the form of Nrsimhadeva (half lion and half man); tat--that; alam--extraordinarily; bhayanakam--very fearful; pratapta--like molten; camikara--gold; canda-locanam--having fierce eyes; sphurat--flashing; sata-kesara--by His mane; jrmbhita-ananam--whose face was expanded; karala--deadly; damstram--with a set of teeth; karavala-cancala--waving like a sharp sword; ksura-anta--and as sharp as a razor; jihvam--whose tongue; bhrukuti-mukha--due to His frowning face; ulbanam--dreadful; stabdha--motionless; urdhva--extending upward; karnam--whose ears; giri-kandara--like the caves of a mountain; adbhuta--very wonderful; vyattasya--with a widely opened mouth; nasam--and nostrils; hanu-bheda-bhisanam--causing fear due to the separation of the jaws; divi-sprsat--touching the sky; kayam--whose body; adirgha--short; pivara--fat; griva--neck; uru--broad; vaksah-sthalam--chest; alpa--small; madhyamam--middle portion of the body; candra-amsu--like the rays of the moon; gauraih--whitish; churitam--covered; tanuruhaih--with hairs; visvak--in all directions; bhuja--of arms; anika-satam--with a hundred rows; nakha--having nails; ayudham--as fatal weapons; durasadam--very difficult to conquer; sarva--all; nija--personal; itara--and other; ayudha--of weapons; praveka--by use of the best; vidravita--caused to run; daitya--by whom the demons; danavam--and the rogues (atheists).

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Hiranyakasipu studied the form of the Lord, trying to decide who the form of Nrsimhadeva standing before him was. The Lord's form was extremely fearsome because of His angry eyes, which resembled molten gold; His shining mane, which expanded the dimensions of His fearful face; His deadly teeth; and His razor-sharp tongue, which moved about like a dueling sword. His ears were erect and motionless, and His nostrils and gaping mouth appeared like caves of a mountain. His jaws parted fearfully, and His entire body touched the sky. His neck was very short and thick, His chest broad, His waist thin, and the hairs on His body as white as the rays of the moon. His arms, which resembled flanks of soldiers, spread in all directions as He killed the demons, rogues and atheists with His conchshell, disc, club, lotus and other natural weapons.

 

                               TEXT 23

 

                                 TEXT

 

                    prayena me 'yam harinorumayina

                  vadhah smrto 'nena samudyatena kim

                 evam bruvams tv abhyapatad gadayudho

                 nadan nrsimham prati daitya-kunjarah

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   prayena--probably; me--of me; ayam--this; harina--by the Supreme Lord; uru-mayina--who possesses the great mystic power; vadhah--the death; smrtah--planned; anena--with this; samudyatena--endeavor; kim--what use; evam--in this way; bruvan--murmuring; tu--indeed; abhyapatat--attacked; gada-ayudhah--armed with his weapon, the club; nadan--loudly roaring; nr-simham--the Lord, appearing in the form of half lion and half man; prati--toward; daitya-kunjarah--Hiranyakasipu, who was like an elephant.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Hiranyakasipu murmured to himself, "Lord Visnu, who possesses great mystic power, has made this plan to kill me, but what is the use of such an attempt? Who can fight with me?" Thinking like this and taking up his club, Hiranyakasipu attacked the Lord like an elephant.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   In the jungle there are sometimes fights between lions and elephants. Here the Lord appeared like a lion, and Hiranyakasipu, unafraid of the Lord, attacked Him like an elephant. Generally the elephant is defeated by the lion, and therefore the comparison in this verse is appropriate.

 

                               TEXT 24

 

                                 TEXT

 

                   alaksito 'gnau patitah patangamo

                  yatha nrsimhaujasi so 'suras tada

                 na tad vicitram khalu sattva-dhamani

                   sva-tejasa yo nu purapibat tamah

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   alaksitah--invisible; agnau--in the fire; patitah--fallen; patangamah--an insect; yatha--just as; nrsimha--of Lord Nrsimhadeva; ojasi--in the effulgence; sah--he; asurah--Hiranyakasipu; tada--at that time; na--not; tat--that; vicitram--wonderful; khalu--indeed; sattva-dhamani--in the Supreme personality of Godhead, who is situated in pure goodness; sva-tejasa--by His own effulgence; yah--He who (the Lord); nu--indeed; pura--formerly; apibat--swallowed up; tamah--the darkness within the material creation.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Just as a small insect falls forcefully into a fire and the insignificant creature becomes invisible, when Hiranyakasipu attacked the Lord, who was full of effulgence, Hiranyakasipu became invisible. This is not at all astonishing, for the Lord is always situated in pure goodness. Formerly, during creation, He entered the dark universe and illuminated it by His spiritual effulgence.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   The Lord is situated transcendentally, in pure goodness. The material world is generally controlled by tamo-guna, the quality of ignorance, but the spiritual world, because of the presence of the Lord and His effulgence, is free from all contamination by darkness, passion or contaminated goodness. Although there is a tinge of goodness in this material world in terms of the brahminical qualifications, such qualifications sometimes become invisible because of the strong prevalence of the modes of passion and ignorance. But because the Lord is always transcendentally situated, the material modes of passion and ignorance cannot touch Him. Whenever the Lord is present, there cannot be any darkness from the mode of ignorance. It is stated in Caitanya-caritamrta (Madhya 22.31):

 

               krsna----surya-sama, maya haya andhakara

               yahan krsna, tahan nahi mayara adhikara

 

   "Godhead is light. Nescience is darkness. Where there is Godhead there is no nescience." This material world is full of darkness and ignorance of spiritual life, but by bhakti-yoga this ignorance is dissipated. The Lord appeared because of the bhakti-yoga exhibited by Prahlada Maharaja, and as soon as the Lord appeared, the influence of Hiranyakasipu's passion and ignorance was vanquished as the Lord's quality of pure goodness, or the Brahman effulgence, became prominent. In that prominent effulgence, Hiranyakasipu became invisible, or his influence became insignificant. An example illustrating how the darkness of the material world is vanquished is given in the sastra. When Brahma was created from the lotus stem growing from the abdomen of Garbhodakasayi Visnu, Lord Brahma saw everything to be dark, but when he received knowledge from the Supreme Personality of Godhead, everything became clear, as everything becomes clear when one comes from night to sunshine. The important point is that as long as we are in the material modes of nature, we are always in darkness. This darkness cannot be dissipated without the presence of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, which is invoked by the practice of bhakti-yoga. Bhakti-yoga creates a transcendental situation with no tinges of material contamination.

 

                               TEXT 25

 

                                 TEXT

 

                   tato 'bhipadyabhyahanan mahasuro

                     rusa nrsimham gadayoruvegaya

                  tam vikramantam sagadam gadadharo

                  mahoragam tarksya-suto yathagrahit

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   tatah--thereafter; abhipadya--attacking; abhyahanat--struck; maha-asurah--the great demon (Hiranyakasipu); rusa--with anger; nrsimham--Lord Nrsimhadeva; gadaya--by his club; uru-vegaya--moving with great force; tam--him (Hiranyakasipu); vikramantam--showing his prowess; sa-gadam--with his club; gada-dharah--Lord Nrsimhadeva, who also holds a club in His hand; maha-uragam--a great snake; tarksya-sutah--Garuda, the son of Tarksya; yatha--just as; agrahit--captured.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Thereafter, the great demon Hiranyakasipu, who was extremely angry, swiftly attacked Nrsimhadeva with his club and began to beat Him. Lord Nrsimhadeva, however, captured the great demon, along with his club, just as Garuda might capture a great snake.

 

                               TEXT 26

 

                                 TEXT

 

                   sa tasya hastotkalitas tadasuro

                   vikridato yadvad ahir garutmatah

                   asadhv amanyanta hrtaukaso 'mara

                ghana-cchada bharata sarva-dhisnya-pah

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   sah--he (Hiranyakasipu); tasya--of Him (Lord Nrsimhadeva); hasta--from the hands; utkalitah--slipped; tada--at that time; asurah--the King of the demons, Hiranyakasipu; vikridatah--playing; yadvat--exactly like; ahih--a snake; garutmatah--of Garuda; asadhu--not very good; amanyanta--considered; hrta-okasah--whose abodes were taken by Hiranyakasipu; amarah--the demigods; ghana-cchadah--situated behind a cover of clouds; bharata--O great son of Bharata; sarva-dhisnya-pah--the rulers of the heavenly planets.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   O Yudhisthira, O great son of Bharata, when Lord Nrsimhadeva gave Hiranyakasipu a chance to slip from His hand, just as Garuda sometimes plays with a snake and lets it slip from his mouth, the demigods, who had lost their abodes and who were hiding behind the clouds for fear of the demon, did not consider that incident very good. Indeed, they were perturbed.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   When Hiranyakasipu was in the process of being killed by Lord Nrsimhadeva, the Lord gave the demon a chance to slip from His clutches. This incident was not very much appreciated by the demigods, for they were greatly afraid of Hiranyakasipu. They knew that if somehow or other Hiranyakasipu escaped from Nrsimhadeva's hands and saw that the demigods were looking forward to his death with great pleasure, he would take great revenge upon them. Therefore they were very much afraid.

 

                               TEXT 27

 

                                 TEXT

 

                  tam manyamano nija-virya-sankitam

                  yad dhasta-mukto nrharim mahasurah

                  punas tam asajjata khadga-carmani

                   pragrhya vegena gata-sramo mrdhe

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   tam--Him (Lord Nrsimhadeva); manyamanah--thinking; nija-virya-sankitam--afraid of his prowess; yat--because; hasta-muktah--freed from the clutches of the Lord; nr-harim--Lord Nrsimhadeva; maha-asurah--the great demon; punah--again; tam--Him; asajjata--attacked; khadga-carmani--his sword and shield; pragrhya--taking up; vegena--with great force; gata-sramah--his fatigue having gone; mrdhe--in the battle.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   When Hiranyakasipu was freed from the hands of Nrsimhadeva, he falsely thought that the Lord was afraid of his prowess. Therefore, after taking a little rest from the fight, he took up his sword and shield and again attacked the Lord with great force.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   When a sinful man enjoys material facilities, foolish people sometimes think, "How is it that this sinful man is enjoying whereas a pious man is suffering?" By the will of the Supreme, a sinful man is sometimes given the chance to enjoy the material world as if he were not under the clutches of material nature, just so that he may be fooled. A sinful man who acts against the laws of nature must be punished, but sometimes he is given a chance to play, exactly like Hiranyakasipu when he was released from the hands of Nrsimhadeva. Hiranyakasipu was destined to be ultimately killed by Nrsimhadeva, but just to see the fun, the Lord gave him a chance to slip from His hands.

 

                               TEXT 28

 

                                 TEXT

 

                tam syena-vegam sata-candra-vartmabhis

                 carantam acchidram upary-adho harih

                 krtvatta-hasam kharam utsvanolbanam

                    nimilitaksam jagrhe maha-javah

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   tam--him (Hiranyakasipu); syena-vegam--possessing the speed of a hawk; sata-candra-vartmabhih--by the maneuvers of his sword and his shield, which was marked with a hundred moonlike spots; carantam--moving; acchidram--without any weak spot; upari-adhah--up and down; harih--the Supreme Personality of Godhead; krtva--making; atta-hasam--loud laughter; kharam--extremely shrill; utsvana-ulbanam--very fearful due to its great sound; nimilita--closed; aksam--eyes; jagrhe--captured; maha-javah--the greatly powerful Lord.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Making a loud, shrill sound of laughter, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Narayana, who is extremely strong and powerful, captured Hiranyakasipu, who was protecting himself with his sword and shield, leaving no gaps open. With the speed of a hawk, Hiranyakasipu moved sometimes in the sky and sometimes on the earth, his eyes closed because of fear of Nrsimhadeva's laughter.

 

                               TEXT 29

 

                                 TEXT

 

                 visvak sphurantam grahanaturam harir

                  vyalo yathakhum kulisaksata-tvacam

                   dvary urum apatya dadara lilaya

                  nakhair yathahim garudo maha-visam

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   visvak--all around; sphurantam--moving his limbs; grahana-aturam--afflicted because of being captured; harih--the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Nrsimhadeva; vyalah--a snake; yatha--just as; akhum--a mouse; kulisa-aksata--not cut even by the thunderbolt thrown by Indra; tvacam--whose skin; dvari--on the threshold of the door; urum--on His thigh; apatya--placing; dadara--pierced; lilaya--very easily; nakhaih--with the nails; yatha--just as; ahim--a snake; garudah--Garuda, the carrier of Lord Visnu; maha-visam--very venomous.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   As a snake captures a mouse or Garuda captures a very venomous snake, Lord Nrsimhadeva captured Hiranyakasipu, who could not be pierced even by the thunderbolt of King Indra. As Hiranyakasipu moved his limbs here, there and all around, very much afflicted at being captured, Lord Nrsimhadeva placed the demon on His lap, supporting him with His thighs, and in the doorway of the assembly hall the Lord very easily tore the demon to pieces with the nails of His hand.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   Hiranyakasipu had received from Lord Brahma the benediction that he would not die on the land or in the sky. Therefore, to keep the promise of Lord Brahma intact, Nrsimhadeva placed Hiranyakasipu's body on His lap, which was neither land nor sky. Hiranyakasipu had received the benediction that he would not die either during the day or at night. Therefore, to keep this promise of Brahma, the Lord killed Hiranyakasipu in the evening, which is the end of day and the beginning of night but is neither day nor night. Hiranyakasipu had taken a benediction from Lord Brahma that he would not die from any weapon or be killed by any person, dead or alive. Therefore, just to keep the word of Lord Brahma, Lord Nrsimhadeva pierced Hiranyakasipu's body with His nails, which were not weapons and were neither living nor dead. Indeed, the nails can be called dead, but at the same time they can be said to be alive. To keep intact all of Lord Brahma's benedictions, Lord Nrsimhadeva paradoxically but very easily killed the great demon Hiranyakasipu.

 

                               TEXT 30

 

                                 TEXT

 

                  samrambha-duspreksya-karala-locano

                  vyattananantam vilihan sva-jihvaya

                     asrg-lavaktaruna-kesaranano

                  yathantra-mali dvipa-hatyaya harih

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   samrambha--because of great anger; duspreksya--very difficult to look at; karala--very fearful; locanah--eyes; vyatta--expanded; anana-antam--the edge of the mouth; vilihan--licking; sva-jihvaya--with His tongue; asrk-lava--with spots of blood; akta--smeared; aruna--reddish; kesara--mane; ananah--and face; yatha--just as; antra-mali--decorated with a garland of intestines; dvipa-hatyaya--by the killing of an elephant; harih--the lion.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Lord Nrsimhadeva's mouth and mane were sprinkled with drops of blood, and His fierce eyes, full of anger, were impossible to look at. Licking the edge of His mouth with His tongue, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Nrsimhadeva, decorated with a garland of intestines taken from Hiranyakasipu's abdomen, resembled a lion that has just killed an elephant.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   The hair on Lord Nrsimhadeva's face, being sprinkled with drops of blood, was reddish and looked very beautiful. Lord Nrsimhadeva pierced Hiranyakasipu's abdomen with His nails, pulled out the demon's intestines and wore them as a garland, which enhanced His beauty. Thus the Lord became very fearsome, like a lion engaged in fighting an elephant.

 

                               TEXT 31

 

                                 TEXT

 

                   nakhankurotpatita-hrt-saroruham

                    visrjya tasyanucaran udayudhan

                 ahan samastan nakha-sastra-panibhir

                 dordanda-yutho 'nupathan sahasrasah

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   nakha-ankura--by the pointed nails; utpatita--torn out; hrt-saroruham--whose heart, which was like a lotus flower; visrjya--leaving aside; tasya--of him; anucaran--the followers (soldiers and bodyguards); udayudhan--having raised weapons; ahan--He killed; samastan--all; nakha-sastra-panibhih--with His nails and other weapons in His hands; dordanda-yuthah--having unlimited arms; anupathan--the attendants of Hiranyakasipu; sahasrasah--by thousands.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   The Supreme Personality of Godhead, who had many, many arms, first uprooted Hiranyakasipu's heart and then threw him aside and turned toward the demon's soldiers. These soldiers had come in thousands to fight with Him with raised weapons and were very faithful followers of Hiranyakasipu, but Lord Nrsimhadeva killed all of them merely with the ends of His nails.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   Since the creation of the material world, there have been two kinds of men--the devas and the asuras. The devas are always faithful to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, whereas the asuras are always atheists who defy the supremacy of the Lord. At the present moment, throughout the entire world, the atheists are extremely numerous. They are trying to prove that there is no God and that everything takes place due to combinations and permutations of material elements. Thus the material world is becoming more and more godless, and consequently everything is in a disturbed condition. If this continues, the Supreme personality of Godhead will certainly take action, as He did in the case of Hiranyakasipu. Within a second, Hiranyakasipu and his followers were destroyed, and similarly if this godless civilization continues, it will be destroyed in a second, simply by the movement of one finger of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The demons should therefore be careful and curtail their godless civilization. They should take advantage of the Krsna consciousness movement and become faithful to the Supreme Personality of Godhead; otherwise they are doomed. As Hiranyakasipu was killed in a second, the godless civilization can be destroyed at any moment.

 

                               TEXT 32

 

                                 TEXT

 

                    satavadhuta jaladah parapatan

                 grahas ca tad-drsti-vimusta-rocisah

                  ambhodhayah svasa-hata vicuksubhur

                  nirhrada-bhita digibha vicukrusuh

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   sata--by the hair on Lord Nrsimhadeva's head; avadhutah--shaken; jaladah--the clouds; parapatan--scattered; grahah--the luminous planets; ca--and; tat-drsti--by His glaring glance; vimusta--taken away; rocisah--whose effulgence; ambhodhayah--the water of the oceans and seas; svasa-hatah--being struck by Lord Nrsimhadeva's breathing; vicuksubhuh--became turbulent; nirhrada-bhitah--frightened by Nrsimhadeva's roaring; digibhah--all the elephants guarding the quarters; vicukrusuh--cried out.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   The hair on Nrsimhadeva's head shook the clouds and scattered them here and there, His glaring eyes stole the effulgence of the luminaries in the sky, and His breathing agitated the seas and oceans. Because of His roaring, all the elephants in the world began to cry in fear.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   As the Lord says in Bhagavad-gita (10.41):

 

                      yad yad vibhutimat sattvam

                        srimad urjitam eva va

                       tat tad evavagaccha tvam

                       mama tejo-'msa-sambhavam

 

   "Know that all beautiful, glorious and mighty creations spring from but a spark of My splendor." The illumination of the planets and stars in the sky is but a partial manifestation of the Lord's effulgence. There are many wonderful qualities of different living entities, but whatever extraordinary things exist are but part of the Lord's tejas, His illumination or brilliance. The deep waves of the seas and oceans and the many other wonders within the creation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead all become insignificant when the Lord, in His special feature, incarnates within this material world. Everything is insignificant in comparison to His personal, all-defeating transcendental qualities.

 

                               TEXT 33

 

                                 TEXT

 

                 dyaus tat-satotksipta-vimana-sankula

                  protsarpata ksma ca padabhipidita

                   sailah samutpetur amusya ramhasa

                  tat-tejasa kham kakubho na rejire

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   dyauh--outer space; tat-sata--by His hair; utksipta--thrown up; vimana-sankula--filled with airplanes; protsarpata--slipped out of place; ksma--the planet earth; ca--also; pada-abhipidita--distressed due to the heavy weight of the lotus feet of the Lord; sailah--the hills and mountains; samutpetuh--sprang up; amusya--of that one (the Lord); ramhasa--due to the intolerable force; tat-tejasa--by His effulgence; kham--the sky; kakubhah--the ten directions; na rejire--did not shine.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Airplanes were thrown into outer space and the upper planetary system by the hair on Nrsimhadeva's head. Because of the pressure of the Lord's lotus feet, the earth appeared to slip from its position, and all the hills and mountains sprang up due to His intolerable force. Because of the Lord's bodily effulgence, both the sky and all directions diminished in their natural illumination.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   That there were airplanes flying in the sky long, long ago can be understood from this verse. Srimad-Bhagavatam was spoken five thousand years ago, and the statements of this verse prove that the symptoms of a very advanced civilization then existed, even in the upper planetary systems, as well as in the lower planetary systems. Modern scientists and philosophers foolishly explain that there was no civilization prior to three thousand years ago, but the statement of this verse nullifies such whimsical judgments. The Vedic civilization existed millions and millions of years ago. It existed since the creation of this universe, and it included arrangements all over the universe with all the modern amenities and even more.

 

                               TEXT 34

 

                                 TEXT

 

                   tatah sabhayam upavistam uttame

                   nrpasane sambhrta-tejasam vibhum

                   alaksita-dvairatham atyamarsanam

                 pracanda-vaktram na babhaja kascana

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   tatah--thereafter; sabhayam--in the assembly house; upavistam--seated; uttame--on the best; nrpa-asane--throne (upon which King Hiranyakasipu used to sit); sambhrta-tejasam--in full effulgence; vibhum--the Supreme Lord; alaksita-dvairatham--whose challenger or enemy was not seen; ati--very much; amarsanam--fearsome (due to His anger); pracanda--terrible; vaktram--face; na--not; babhaja--worshiped; kascana--anyone.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Manifesting a full effulgence and a fearsome countenance, Lord Nrsimha, being very angry and finding no contestant to face His power and opulence, then sat down in the assembly hall on the excellent throne of the king. Because of fear and obedience, no one could come forward to serve the Lord directly.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   When the Lord sat on the throne of Hiranyakasipu, there was no one to protest; no enemy came forward on behalf of Hiranyakasipu to fight with the Lord. This means that His supremacy was immediately accepted by the demons. Another point is that although Hiranyakasipu treated the Lord as his bitterest enemy, he was the Lord's faithful servant in Vaikuntha, and therefore the Lord had no hesitation in sitting on the throne that Hiranyakasipu had so laboriously created. Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura remarks in this connection that sometimes, with great care and attention, great saintly persons and rsis offer the Lord valuable seats dedicated with Vedic mantras and tantras, but still the Lord does not sit upon those thrones. Hiranyakasipu, however, had formerly been Jaya, the doorkeeper at the Vaikuntha gate, and although he had fallen because of the curse of the brahmanas and had gotten the nature of a demon, and although he had never offered anything to the Lord as Hiranyakasipu, the Lord is so affectionate to His devotee and servant that He nonetheless took pleasure in sitting on the throne that Hiranyakasipu had created. In this regard it is to be understood that a devotee is fortunate in any condition of his life.

 

                               TEXT 35

 

                                 TEXT

 

                  nisamya loka-traya-mastaka-jvaram

                  tam adi-daityam harina hatam mrdhe

                    praharsa-vegotkalitanana muhuh

                 prasuna-varsair vavrsuh sura-striyah

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   nisamya--hearing; loka-traya--of the three worlds; mastaka-jvaram--the headache; tam--him; adi--the original; daityam--demon; harina--by the Supreme Personality of Godhead; hatam--killed; mrdhe--in battle; praharsa-vega--by an outburst of ecstasy; utkalita-ananah--whose faces blossomed; muhuh--again and again; prasuna-varsaih--with showers of flowers; vavrsuh--rained; sura-striyah--the wives of the demigods.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Hiranyakasipu had been exactly like a fever of meningitis in the head of the three worlds. Thus when the wives of the demigods in the heavenly planets saw that the great demon had been killed by the personal hands of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, their faces blossomed in great joy. The wives of the demigods again and again showered flowers from heaven upon Lord Nrsimhadeva like rain.

 

                               TEXT 36

 

                                 TEXT

 

                   tada vimanavalibhir nabhastalam

                   didrksatam sankulam asa nakinam

                  suranaka dundubhayo 'tha jaghnire

                gandharva-mukhya nanrtur jaguh striyah

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   tada--at that time; vimana-avalibhih--with different types of airplanes; nabhastalam--the sky; didrksatam--desirous of seeing; sankulam--crowded; asa--became; nakinam--of the demigods; sura-anakah--the drums of the demigods; dundubhayah--the kettledrums; atha--as well; jaghnire--were sounded; gandharva-mukhyah--the chiefs of Gandharvaloka; nanrtuh--began to dance; jaguh--sang; striyah--heavenly society women.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   At that time, the airplanes of the demigods, who desired to see the activities of the Supreme Lord, Narayana, crowded the sky. The demigods began beating drums and kettledrums, and upon hearing them the angelic women began to dance, while the chiefs of the Gandharvas sang sweetly.

 

                             TEXTS 37-39

 

                                 TEXT

 

                        tatropavrajya vibudha

                        brahmendra-girisadayah

                        rsayah pitarah siddha

                         vidyadhara-mahoragah

 

                       manavah prajanam patayo

                        gandharvapsara-caranah

                        yaksah kimpurusas tata

                        vetalah saha-kinnarah

 

                       te visnu-parsadah sarve

                         sunanda-kumudadayah

                       murdhni baddhanjali-puta

                         asinam tivra-tejasam

                         idire nara-sardulam

                         natiduracarah prthak

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   tatra--there (in the sky); upavrajya--coming (in their respective airplanes); vibudhah--all the different demigods; brahma-indra-girisa-adayah--headed by Lord Brahma, King Indra and Lord Siva; rsayah--the great saintly sages; pitarah--the inhabitants of Pitrloka; siddhah--the residents of Siddhaloka; vidyadhara--the residents of Vidyadharaloka; maha-uragah--the residents of the planets where great serpents reside; manavah--the Manus; prajanam--of the living entities (on different planets); patayah--the chiefs; gandharva--the residents of Gandharvaloka; apsara--the residents of the angelic planet; caranah--the residents of Caranaloka; yaksah--the Yaksas; kimpurusah--the Kimpurusas; tata--O dear one; vetalah--the Vetalas; saha-kinnarah--along with the Kinnaras; te--they; visnu-parsadah--the personal associates of Lord Visnu (in the Vaikunthalokas); sarve--all; sunanda-kumuda-adayah--headed by Sunanda and Kumuda; murdhni--on their heads; baddha-anjali-putah--with folded hands; asinam--who was sitting on the throne; tivra-tejasam--exposing His great spiritual effulgence; idire--offered respectful worship; nara-sardulam--unto the Lord, who had appeared as half man and half lion; na ati-duracarah--coming near; prthak--individually.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   My dear King Yudhisthira, the demigods then approached the Lord. They were headed by Lord Brahma, King Indra and Lord Siva and included great saintly persons and the residents of Pitrloka, Siddhaloka, Vidyadhara-loka and the planet of the snakes. The Manus approached, and so did the chiefs of various other planets. The angelic dancers approached, as did the Gandharvas, the Caranas, the Yaksas, the inhabitants of Kinnaraloka, the Vetalas, the inhabitants of Kimpurusa-loka, and the personal servants of Visnu like Sunanda and Kumuda. All of them came near the Lord, who glowed with intense light. They individually offered their obeisances and prayers, their hands folded at their heads.

 

                               TEXT 40

 

                                 TEXT

 

                            sri-brahmovaca

                  nato 'smy anantaya duranta-saktaye

                   vicitra-viryaya pavitra-karmane

                visvasya sarga-sthiti-samyaman gunaih

                  sva-lilaya sandadhate 'vyayatmane

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   sri-brahma uvaca--Lord Brahma said; natah--bowed down; asmi--I am; anantaya--unto the unlimited Lord; duranta--very difficult to find an end to; saktaye--who possesses different potencies; vicitra-viryaya--having varieties of prowess; pavitra-karmane--whose actions have no reaction (even though doing contrary things, He remains without contamination by the material modes); visvasya--of the universe; sarga--creation; sthiti--maintenance; samyaman--and annihilation; gunaih--by the material qualities; sva-lilaya--very easily; sandadhate--performs; avyaya-atmane--whose personality never deteriorates.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Lord Brahma prayed: My Lord, You are unlimited, and You possess unending potencies. No one can estimate or calculate Your prowess and wonderful influence, for Your actions are never polluted by the material energy. Through the material qualities, You very easily create the universe, maintain it and again annihilate it, yet You remain the same, without deterioration. I therefore offer my respectful obeisances unto You.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   The activities of the Lord are always wonderful. His personal servants Jaya and Vijaya were confidential friends, yet they were cursed, and they accepted bodies of demons. Again, in the family of one such demon, Prahlada Maharaja was caused to take birth to exhibit the behavior of an exalted devotee, and then the Lord accepted the body of Nrsimhadeva to kill that same demon, who by the Lord's own will had taken birth in a demoniac family. Therefore, who can understand the Lord's transcendental activities? Not to speak of understanding the transcendental activities of the Lord, no one can understand even the activities of His servants. In Caitanya-caritamrta (Madhya 23.39) it is said, tanra vakya, kriya, mudra vijneha na bhujhaya: no one can understand the activities of the Lord's servants. Therefore, what to speak of the activities of the Lord? Who can understand how Krsna is benefiting the entire world? The Lord is addressed as duranta-sakti because no one can understand His potencies and how He acts.

 

                               TEXT 41

 

                                 TEXT

 

                           sri-rudra uvaca

                        kopa-kalo yugantas te

                       hato 'yam asuro 'lpakah

                       tat-sutam pahy upasrtam

                      bhaktam te bhakta-vatsala

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   sri-rudrah uvaca--Lord Siva offered his prayer; kopa-kalah--the right time for Your anger (for the purpose of annihilating the universe); yuga-antah--the end of the millennium; te--by You; hatah--killed; ayam--this; asurah--great demon; alpakah--very insignificant; tat-sutam--his son (Prahlada Maharaja); pahi--just protect; upasrtam--who is surrendered and standing nearby; bhaktam--devotee; te--of Your Lordship; bhakta-vatsala--O my Lord, who are so affectionate to Your devotee.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Lord Siva said: The end of the millennium is the time for Your anger. Now that this insignificant demon Hiranyakasipu has been killed, O my Lord, who are naturally affectionate to Your devotee, kindly protect his son Prahlada Maharaja, who is standing nearby as Your fully surrendered devotee.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   The Supreme Personality of Godhead is the creator of the material world. There are three processes in creation--namely creation, maintenance and finally annihilation. During the period of annihilation, at the end of each millennium, the Lord becomes angry, and the part of anger is played by Lord Siva, who is therefore called Rudra. When the Lord appeared in great anger to kill Hiranyakasipu, everyone was extremely afraid of the Lord's attitude, but Lord Siva, knowing very well that the Lord's anger is also His lila, was not afraid. Lord Siva knew that he would have to play the part of anger for the Lord. Kala means Lord Siva (Bhairava), and kopa refers to the Lord's anger. These words, combined together as kopa-kala, refer to the end of each millennium. Actually the Lord is always affectionate toward His devotees, even though He may appear very angry. Because He is avyayatma--because He never falls down--even when angry the Lord is affectionate toward His devotees. Therefore Lord Siva reminded the Lord to act like an affectionate father toward Prahlada Maharaja, who was standing by the Lord's side as an exalted, fully surrendered devotee.

 

                               TEXT 42

 

                                 TEXT

 

                           sri-indra uvaca

           pratyanitah parama bhavata trayata nah sva-bhaga

          daityakrantam hrdaya-kamalam tad-grham pratyabodhi

           kala-grastam kiyad idam aho natha susrusatam te

           muktis tesam na hi bahumata narasimhaparaih kim

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   sri-indrah uvaca--Indra, the King of heaven, said; pratyanitah--recovered; parama--O Supreme; bhavata--by Your Lordship; trayata--who are protecting; nah--us; sva-bhagah--shares in the sacrifices; daitya-akrantam--afflicted by the demon; hrdaya-kamalam--the lotuslike cores of our hearts; tat-grham--which is actually Your residence; pratyabodhi--it has been illuminated; kala-grastam--devoured by time; kiyat--insignificant; idam--this (world); aho--alas; natha--O Lord; susrusatam--for those who are always engaged in the service; te--of You; muktih--liberation from material bondage; tesam--of them (the pure devotees); na--not; hi--indeed; bahumata--thought very important; nara-simha--O Lord Nrsimhadeva, half lion and half human being; aparaih kim--then what is the use of other possessions.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   King Indra said: O Supreme Lord, You are our deliverer and protector. Our shares of sacrifices, which are actually Yours, have been recovered from the demon by You. Because the demoniac king Hiranyakasipu was most fearsome, our hearts, which are Your permanent abode, were all overtaken by him. Now, by Your presence, the gloom and darkness in our hearts have been dissipated. O Lord, for those who always engage in Your service, which is more exalted than liberation, all material opulence is insignificant. They do not even care for liberation, not to speak of the benefits of kama, artha and dharma.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   In this material world there are two kinds of people--the devatas (demigods) and the asuras (demons). Although the demigods are attached to material enjoyment, they are devotees of the Lord who act according to the rules and regulations of the Vedic injunctions. During the reign of Hiranyakasipu, everyone was disturbed in the routine duties of Vedic civilization. When Hiranyakasipu was killed, all the demigods, who had always been disturbed by Hiranyakasipu, felt relief in their general way of life.

   Because the government in Kali-yuga is full of demons, the living conditions of devotees are always disturbed. Devotees cannot perform yajna, and thus they cannot partake of the remnants of food offered in yajna for the worship of Lord Visnu. The hearts of the demigods are always filled with fear of the demons, and therefore they cannot think of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The engagement of the demigods is to think of the Lord always within the cores of their hearts. The Lord says in Bhagavad-gita (6.47):

 

                         yoginam api sarvesam

                         mad gatenantaratmana

                      sraddhavan bhajate yo mam

                        sa me yuktatamo matah

 

   "And of all yogis, he who always abides in Me with great faith, worshiping Me in transcendental loving service, is most intimately united with Me in yoga and is the highest of all." The demigods fully absorb themselves in meditation upon the Supreme Personality of Godhead to become perfect yogis, but because of the presence of demons, their hearts are filled with the activities of the demons. Thus their hearts, which are meant to be the abode of the Supreme Lord, are practically occupied by the demons. All the demigods felt relieved when Hiranyakasipu was dead, for they could easily think of the Lord. They could then receive the results of sacrifices and become happy even though in the material world.

 

                               TEXT 43

 

                                 TEXT

 

                            sri-rsaya ucuh

              tvam nas tapah paramam attha yad atma-tejo

                yenedam adi-purusatma-gatam sasarktha

                tad vipraluptam amunadya saranya-pala

                raksa-grhita-vapusa punar anvamamsthah

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   sri-rsayah ucuh--the great sages said; tvam--You; nah--our; tapah--austerity; paramam--topmost; attha--instructed; yat--which; atma-tejah--Your spiritual power; yena--by which; idam--this (material world); adi-purusa--O supreme original Personality of Godhead; atma-gatam--merged within Yourself; sasarktha--(You) created; tat--that process of austerity and penance; vipraluptam--stolen; amuna--by that demon (Hiranyakasipu); adya--now; saranya-pala--O supreme maintainer of those who need to be sheltered; raksa-grhita-vapusa--by Your body, which You accept to give protection; punah--again; anvamamsthah--You have approved.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   All the saintly persons present offered their prayers in this way: O Lord, O supreme maintainer of those sheltered at Your lotus feet, O original Personality of Godhead, the process of austerity and penance, in which You instructed us before, is the spiritual power of Your very self. It is by austerity that You create the material world, which lies dormant within You. This austerity was almost stopped by the activities of this demon, but now, by Yourself appearing in the form of Nrsimhadeva, which is meant just to give us protection, and by killing this demon, You have again approved the process of austerity.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   The living entities wandering within the jurisdiction of the 8,400,000 species of life get the opportunity for self-realization in the human form and gradually in such other elevated forms as those of the demigods, Kinnaras and Caranas, as will be described below. In the higher statuses of life, beginning from human life, the main duty is tapasya, or austerity. As Rsabhadeva advised His sons, tapo divyam putraka yena sattvam suddhyet. To rectify our material existence, austerity (tapasya) is absolutely necessary. However, when people in general come under the control of a demon or a demoniac ruling power, they forget this process of tapasya and gradually also become demoniac. All the saintly persons, who were generally engaged in austerity, felt relieved when Hiranyakasipu was killed by the Lord in the form of Nrsimhadeva. They realized that the original instruction concerning human life--that it is meant for tapasya for self-realization--was reaffirmed by the Lord when He killed Hiranyakasipu.

 

                               TEXT 44

 

                                 TEXT

 

                           sri-pitara ucuh

             sraddhani no 'dhibubhuje prasabham tanujair

               dattani tirtha-samaye 'py apibat tilambu

              tasyodaran nakha-vidirna-vapad ya arcchat

              tasmai namo nrharaye 'khila-dharma-goptre

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   sri-pitarah ucuh--the inhabitants of Pitrloka said; sraddhani--the performances of the sraddha ceremony (offering of food grains to dead forefathers by a particular process); nah--our; adhibubhuje--enjoyed; prasabham--by force; tanujaih--by our sons and grandsons; dattani--offered; tirtha-samaye--at the time of bathing in the holy places; api--even; apibat--drank; tila-ambu--offerings of water with sesame seeds; tasya--of the demon; udarat--from the abdomen; nakha-vidirna--pierced by the nails of the hand; vapat--the skin of the intestines of which; yah--He who (the Personality of Godhead); arcchat--obtained; tasmai--unto Him (the Supreme Personality of Godhead); namah--respectful obeisances; nr-haraye--who has appeared as half lion and half man (Nrhari); akhila--universal; dharma--religious principles; goptre--who maintains.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   The inhabitants of Pitrloka prayed: Let us offer our respectful obeisances unto Lord Nrsimhadeva, the maintainer of the religious principles of the universe. He has killed Hiranyakasipu, the demon who by force enjoyed all the offerings of the sraddha ceremonies performed by our sons and grandsons on the anniversaries of our death and who drank the water with sesame seeds offered in holy places of pilgrimage. By killing this demon, O Lord, You have taken back all this stolen property from his abdomen by piercing it with Your nails. We therefore wish to offer our respectful obeisances unto You.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   It is the duty of all householders to offer food grains to all their departed forefathers, but during the time of Hiranyakasipu this process was stopped; no one would offer sraddha oblations of food grains to the forefathers with great respect. Thus when there is a demoniac rule, everything concerning the Vedic principles is turned upside down, all the religious ceremonies of yajna are stopped, the resources meant to be spent for yajna are taken away by the demoniac government, everything becomes chaotic, and consequently the entire world becomes hell itself. When the demons are killed by the presence of Nrsimhadeva, everyone feels comfortable, irrespective of the planet upon which he lives.

 

                               TEXT 45

 

                                 TEXT

 

                           sri-siddha ucuh

                   yo no gatim yoga-siddham asadhur

                       aharsid yoga-tapo-balena

                   nana darpam tam nakhair vidadara

                 tasmai tubhyam pranatah smo nrsimha

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   sri-siddhah ucuh--the inhabitants of Siddhaloka said; yah--the person who; nah--our; gatim--perfection; yoga-siddham--achieved by mystic yoga; asadhuh--most uncivilized and dishonest; aharsit--stole away; yoga--of mysticism; tapah--and austerities; balena--by the power; nana darpam--proud due to wealth, opulence and strength; tam--him; nakhaih--by the nails; vidadara--pierced; tasmai--unto him; tubhyam--unto You; pranatah--bowed down; smah--we are; nrsimha--O Lord Nrsimhadeva.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   The inhabitants of Siddhaloka prayed: O Lord Nrsimhadeva, because we belong to Siddhaloka, we automatically achieve perfection in all eight kinds of mystic power. Yet Hiranyakasipu was so dishonest that by the strength of his power and austerity, he took away our powers. Thus he became very proud of his mystic strength. Now, because this rogue has been killed by Your nails, we offer our respectful obeisances unto You.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   On earth there are many yogis who can exhibit some feeble mystic power by manufacturing pieces of gold like magic, but the inhabitants of the planet Siddhaloka are actually extremely powerful in mysticism. They can fly from one planet to another without airplanes. This is called laghima-siddhi. They can actually become very light and fly in the sky. By a severe type of austerity, however, Hiranyakasipu excelled all the inhabitants of Siddhaloka and created disturbances for them. The residents of Siddhaloka were also beaten by the powers of Hiranyakasipu. Now that Hiranyakasipu had been killed by the Lord, the inhabitants of Siddhaloka also felt relieved.

 

                               TEXT 46

 

                                 TEXT

 

                         sri-vidyadhara ucuh

                   vidyam prthag dharanayanuraddham

                   nyasedhad ajno bala-virya-drptah

                  sa yena sankhye pasuvad dhatas tam

                  maya-nrsimham pranatah sma nityam

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   sri-vidyadharah ucuh--the inhabitants of Vidyadhara-loka prayed; vidyam--mystic formulas (by which one can appear and disappear); prthak--separately; dharanaya--by various meditations within the mind; anuraddham--attained; nyasedhat--stopped; ajnah--this fool; bala-virya-drptah--puffed up by bodily strength and his ability to conquer anyone; sah--he (Hiranyakasipu); yena--by whom; sankhye--in battle; pasu-vat--exactly like an animal; hatah--killed; tam--unto Him; maya-nrsimham--appearing as Lord Nrsimhadeva by the influence of His own energy; pranatah--fallen; sma--certainly; nityam--eternally.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   The inhabitants of Vidyadhara-loka prayed: Our acquired power to appear and disappear in various ways according to varieties of meditation was banned by that foolish Hiranyakasipu because of his pride in his superior bodily strength and his ability to conquer others. Now the Supreme Personality of Godhead has killed him just as if the demon were an animal. Unto that supreme pastime form of Lord Nrsimhadeva, we eternally offer our respectful obeisances.

 

                               TEXT 47

 

                                 TEXT

 

                            sri-naga ucuh

                         yena papena ratnani

                       stri-ratnani hrtani nah

                        tad-vaksah-patanenasam

                       dattananda namo 'stu te

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   sri-nagah ucuh--the inhabitants of Nagaloka, who look like serpents, said; yena--by which person; papena--the most sinful (Hiranyakasipu); ratnani--the jewels on our heads; stri-ratnani--beautiful wives; hrtani--taken away; nah--our; tat--his; vaksah-patanena--by the piercing of the chest; asam--of all the women (who were kidnapped); datta-ananda--O Lord, You are the source of the pleasure; namah--our respectful obeisances; astu--let there be; te--unto You.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   The inhabitants of Nagaloka said: The most sinful Hiranyakasipu took away all the jewels on our hoods and all our beautiful wives. Now, since his chest has been pierced by Your nails, You are the source of all pleasure to our wives. Thus we together offer our respectful obeisances unto You.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   No one is peaceful if his wealth and wife are forcibly taken away. All the inhabitants of Nagaloka, which is situated below the earthly planetary system, were in great anxiety because their wealth had been stolen and their wives kidnapped by Hiranyakasipu. Now, Hiranyakasipu having been killed, their wealth and wives were returned, and their wives felt satisfied. The inhabitants of various lokas, or planets, offered their respectful obeisances unto the Lord because they were relieved by the death of Hiranyakasipu. Disturbances similar to those created by Hiranyakasipu are now taking place all over the world because of demoniac governments. As stated in the Twelfth Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam, the men of the governments of Kali-yuga will be no better than rogues and plunderers. Thus the populace will be harassed on one side by scarcity of food and on another by heavy taxation by the government. In other words, the people in most parts of the world in this age are harassed by the ruling principles of Hiranyakasipu.

 

                               TEXT 48

 

                                 TEXT

 

                           sri-manava ucuh

                   manavo vayam tava nidesa-karino

                   ditijena deva paribhuta-setavah

                 bhavata khalah sa upasamhrtah prabho

                  karavama te kim anusadhi kinkaran

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   sri-manavah ucuh--all the Manus offered their respectful obeisances by saying; manavah--the leaders of the universal affairs (especially in connection with giving knowledge to humanity about how to live lawfully under the protection of the Supreme Personality of Godhead); vayam--we; tava--of Your Lordship; nidesa-karinah--the carriers of the orders; diti-jena--by Hiranyakasipu, the son of Diti; deva--O Lord; paribhuta--disregarded; setavah--whose laws of morality concerning the varnasrama system in human society; bhavata--by Your Lordship; khalah--the most envious rascal; sah--he; upasamhrtah--killed; prabho--O Lord; karavama--shall we do; te--Your; kim--what; anusadhi--please direct; kinkaran--Your eternal servants.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   All the Manus offered their prayers as follows: As Your order carriers, O Lord, we, the Manus, are the law-givers for human society, but because of the temporary supremacy of this great demon, Hiranyakasipu, our laws for maintaining varnasrama-dharma were destroyed. O Lord, now that You have killed this great demon, we are in our normal condition. Kindly order us, Your eternal servants, what to do now.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   In many places in Bhagavad-gita, the Supreme Lord, Krsna, refers to the varnasrama-dharma of four varnas and four asramas. He teaches people about this varnasrama-dharma so that all of human society can live peacefully by observing the principles for the four social divisions and four spiritual divisions (varna and asrama) and thus make advancement in spiritual knowledge. The Manus compiled the Manu-samhita. The word samhita means Vedic knowledge, and manu indicates that this knowledge is given by Manu. The Manus are sometimes incarnations of the Supreme Lord and sometimes empowered living entities. Formerly, many long years ago, Lord Krsna instructed the sun-god. The Manus are generally sons of the sun-god. Therefore, while speaking to Arjuna about the importance of Bhagavad-gita, Krsna said, imam vivasvate yogam proktavan aham avyayam vivasvan manave praha: "This instruction was given to Vivasvan, the sun-god, who in turn instructed his son Manu." Manu gave the law known as Manu-samhita, which is full of directions based on varna and asrama concerning how to live as a human being. These are very scientific ways of life, but under the rule of demons like Hiranyakasipu, human society breaks all these systems of law and order and gradually becomes lower and lower. Thus there is no peace in the world. The conclusion is that if we want real peace and order in the human society, we must follow the principles laid down by the Manu-samhita and confirmed by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna.

 

                               TEXT 49

 

                                 TEXT

 

                         sri-prajapataya ucuh

                   prajesa vayam te paresabhisrsta

                  na yena praja vai srjamo nisiddhah

                  sa esa tvaya bhinna-vaksa nu sete

                 jagan-mangalam sattva-murte 'vatarah

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   sri-prajapatayah ucuh--the great personalities who created the various living beings offered their prayers by saying; praja-isah--the prajapatis created by Lord Brahma, who have created generations of living entities; vayam--we; te--of You; para-isa--O Supreme Lord; abhisrstah--born; na--not; yena--by whom (Hiranyakasipu); prajah--living entities; vai--indeed; srjamah--we create; nisiddhah--being forbidden; sah--he (Hiranyakasipu); esah--this; tvaya--by You; bhinna-vaksah--whose chest has been split; nu--indeed; sete--lies down; jagat-mangalam--for the auspiciousness of the whole world; sattva-murte--in this transcendental form of pure goodness; avatarah--this incarnation.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   The prajapatis offered their prayers as follows: O Supreme Lord, Lord of even Brahma and Siva, we, the prajapatis, were created by You to execute Your orders, but we were forbidden by Hiranyakasipu to create any more good progeny. Now the demon is lying dead before us, his chest pierced by You. Let us therefore offer our respectful obeisances unto You, whose incarnation in this form of pure goodness is meant for the welfare of the entire universe.

 

                               TEXT 50

 

                                 TEXT

 

                          sri-gandharva ucuh

                   vayam vibho te nata-natya-gayaka

                   yenatmasad virya-balaujasa krtah

                    sa esa nito bhavata dasam imam

                  kim utpathasthah kusalaya kalpate

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   sri-gandharvah ucuh--the inhabitants of Gandharvaloka (who are usually engaged as musicians of the heavenly planets) said; vayam--we; vibho--O Lord; te--Your; nata-natya-gayakah--dancers and singers in dramatic performances; yena--by whom; atmasat--under subjection; virya--of his valor; bala--and bodily strength; ojasa--by the influence; krtah--made (brought); sah--he (Hiranyakasipu); esah--this; nitah--brought; bhavata--by Your Lordship; dasam imam--to this condition; kim--whether; utpathasthah--anyone who is an upstart; kusalaya--for auspiciousness; kalpate--is capable.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   The inhabitants of Gandharvaloka prayed: Your Lordship, we ever engage in Your service by dancing and singing in dramatic performances, but this Hiranyakasipu, by the influence of his bodily strength and valor, brought us under his subjugation. Now he has been brought to this low condition by Your Lordship. What benefit can result from the activities of such an upstart as Hiranyakasipu?

 

                               PURPORT

 

   By being a very obedient servant of the Supreme Lord, one becomes extremely powerful in bodily strength, influence and effulgence, whereas the fate of demoniac upstarts is ultimately to fall down like Hiranyakasipu. Hiranyakasipu and persons like him may be very powerful for some time, but the obedient servants of the Supreme Personality of Godhead like the demigods remain powerful always. They are victorious over the influence of Hiranyakasipu by the grace of the Supreme Lord.

 

                               TEXT 51

 

                                 TEXT

 

                           sri-carana ucuh

                       hare tavanghri-pankajam

                        bhavapavargam asritah

                       yad esa sadhu-hrc-chayas

                         tvayasurah samapitah

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   sri-caranah ucuh--the inhabitants of the Carana planet said; hare--O Lord; tava--Your; anghri-pankajam--lotus feet; bhava-apavargam--the only shelter for becoming free from the contamination of material existence; asritah--sheltered at; yat--because; esah--this; sadhu-hrt-sayah--stake in the hearts of all honest persons; tvaya--by Your Lordship; asurah--the demon (Hiranyakasipu); samapitah--finished.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   The inhabitants of the Carana planet said: O Lord, because You have destroyed the demon Hiranyakasipu, who was always a stake in the hearts of all honest men, we are now relieved, and we eternally take shelter of Your lotus feet, which award the conditioned soul liberation from materialistic contamination.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   The Supreme Personality of Godhead in His transcendental form of Narahari, Nrsimhadeva, is always ready to kill the demons, who always create disturbances in the minds of honest devotees. To spread the Krsna consciousness movement, devotees have to face many dangers and impediments all over the world, but a faithful servant who preaches with great devotion to the Lord must know that Lord Nrsimhadeva is always his protector.

 

                               TEXT 52

 

                                 TEXT

 

                            sri-yaksa ucuh

            vayam anucara-mukhyah karmabhis te mano-jnais

                ta iha diti-sutena prapita vahakatvam

               sa tu jana-paritapam tat-krtam janata te

                narahara upanitah pancatam panca-vimsa

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   sri-yaksah ucuh--the inhabitants of the Yaksa planet prayed; vayam--we; anucara-mukhyah--the chief among Your many servants; karmabhih--by services; te--unto You; mano-jnaih--very pleasing; te--they; iha--at the present moment; diti-sutena--by Hiranyakasipu, the son of Diti; prapitah--forced to engage as; vahakatvam--the palanquin carriers; sah--he; tu--but; jana-paritapam--the miserable condition of everyone; tat-krtam--caused by him; janata--knowing; te--by You; nara-hara--O Lord in the form of Nrsimha; upanitah--is put to; pancatam--death; panca-vimsa--O twenty-fifth principle (the controller of the other twenty-four elements).

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   The inhabitants of Yaksaloka prayed: O controller of the twenty-four elements, we are considered the best servants of Your Lordship because of rendering services pleasing to You, yet we engaged as palanquin carriers by the order of Hiranyakasipu, the son of Diti. O Lord in the form of Nrsimhadeva, You know how this demon gave trouble to everyone, but now You have killed him, and his body is mixing with the five material elements.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   The Supreme Lord is the controller of the ten senses, the five material elements, the five sense objects, the mind, the intelligence, the false ego and the soul. Therefore He is addressed as panca-vimsa, the twenty-fifth element. The inhabitants of the Yaksa planet are supposed to be the best of all servants, but Hiranyakasipu engaged them as palanquin carriers. The entire universe was in trouble because of Hiranyakasipu, but now that Hiranyakasipu's body was mixing with the five material elements--earth, water, fire, air and sky--everyone felt relief. Upon Hiranyakasipu's death, the Yaksas were reinstated in their original service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Thus they felt obliged to the Lord and offered their prayers.

 

                               TEXT 53

 

                                 TEXT

 

                          sri-kimpurusa ucuh

                       vayam kimpurusas tvam tu

                         maha-purusa isvarah

                         ayam kupuruso nasto

                      dhik-krtah sadhubhir yada

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   sri-kimpurusah ucuh--the inhabitants of Kimpurusa-loka said; vayam--we; kimpurusah--the inhabitants of Kimpurusa-loka, or insignificant living entities; tvam--Your Lordship; tu--however; maha-purusah--the Supreme Personality of Godhead; isvarah--the supreme controller; ayam--this; ku-purusah--most sinful person, Hiranyakasipu; nastah--slain; dhik-krtah--being condemned; sadhubhih--by the saintly persons; yada--when.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   The inhabitants of Kimpurusa-loka said: We are insignificant living entities, and You are the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the supreme controller. Therefore how can we offer suitable prayers unto You? When this demon was condemned by devotees because they were disgusted with him, he was then killed by You.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   The cause of the Supreme Lord's appearance upon this earth is stated in Bhagavad-gita (4.7-8) by the Lord Himself:

 

                        yada yada hi dharmasya

                        glanir bhavati bharata

                       abhyutthanam adharmasya

                        tadatmanam srjamy aham

 

                         paritranaya sadhunam

                         vinasaya ca duskrtam

                       dharma-samsthapanarthaya

                         sambhavami yuge yuge

 

   "Whenever and wherever there is a decrease in religious principles and a predominant rise in irreligion, at that time I descend Myself. To deliver the pious and annihilate the miscreants, as well as to reestablish the principles of religion, I advent Myself, millennium after millennium." The Lord appears in order to execute two kinds of activities--to kill the demons and to protect the devotees. When the devotees are too disturbed by the demons, the Lord certainly appears in different incarnations to give the devotees protection. The devotees following in the footsteps of Prahlada Maharaja should not be disturbed by the demoniac activities of the nondevotees. Rather, they should stick to their principles as sincere servants of the Lord and rest assured that the demoniac activities directed against them will not be able to stop their devotional service.

 

                               TEXT 54

 

                                 TEXT

 

                          sri-vaitalika ucuh

                    sabhasu satresu tavamalam yaso

                   gitva saparyam mahatim labhamahe

                  yas tam anaisid vasam esa durjano

                 dvistya hatas te bhagavan yathamayah

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   sri-vaitalikah ucuh--the inhabitants of Vaitalika-loka said; sabhasu--in great assemblies; satresu--in the arenas of sacrifice; tava--Your; amalam--without any spot of material contamination; yasah--reputation; gitva--singing; saparyam--respectful position; mahatim--great; labhamahe--we achieved; yah--he who; tam--that (respectful position); anaisit--brought under; vasam--his control; esah--this; durjanah--crooked person; dvistya--by great fortune; hatah--killed; te--by You; bhagavan--O Lord; yatha--exactly like; amayah--a disease.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   The inhabitants of Vaitalika-loka said: Dear Lord, because of chanting Your spotless glories in great assemblies and arenas of sacrifice, we were accustomed to great respect from everyone. This demon, however, usurped that position. Now, to our great fortune, You have killed this great demon, exactly as one cures a chronic disease.

 

                               TEXT 55

 

                                 TEXT

 

                           sri-kinnara ucuh

                   vayam isa kinnara-ganas tavanuga

                    ditijena vistim amunanukaritah

                   bhavata hare sa vrjino 'vasadito

                  narasimha natha vibhavaya no bhava

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   sri-kinnarah ucuh--the inhabitants of the Kinnara planet said; vayam--we; isa--O Lord; kinnara-ganah--the inhabitants of the Kinnara planet; tava--Your; anugah--faithful servants; diti-jena--by the son of Diti; vistim--service without remuneration; amuna--by that; anukaritah--caused to perform; bhavata--by You; hare--O Lord; sah--he; vrjinah--most sinful; avasaditah--destroyed; narasimha--O Lord Nrsimhadeva; natha--O master; vibhavaya--for the happiness and opulence; nah--of us; bhava--You please be.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   The Kinnaras said: O supreme controller, we are ever-existing servants of Your Lordship, but instead of rendering service to You, we were engaged by this demon in his service, constantly and without remuneration. This sinful man has now been killed by You. Therefore, O Lord Nrsimhadeva, our master, we offer our respectful obeisances unto You. Please continue to be our patron.

 

                               TEXT 56

 

                                 TEXT

 

                        sri-visnu-parsada ucuh

                adyaitad dhari-nara-rupam adbhutam te

                 drstam nah saranada sarva-loka-sarma

                so 'yam te vidhikara isa vipra-saptas

                 tasyedam nidhanam anugrahaya vidmah

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   sri-visnu-parsadah ucuh--the associates of Lord Visnu in Vaikunthaloka said; adya--today; etat--this; hari-nara--of half lion and half human being; rupam--form; adbhutam--very wonderful; te--Your; drstam--seen; nah--of us; sarana-da--the everlasting bestower of shelter; sarva-loka-sarma--which brings good fortune to all the various planets; sah--he; ayam--this; te--of Your Lordship; vidhikarah--order carrier (servant); isa--O Lord; vipra-saptah--being cursed by the brahmanas; tasya--of him; idam--this; nidhanam--killing; anugrahaya--for the special favor; vidmah--we understand.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   The associates of Lord Visnu in Vaikuntha offered this prayer: O Lord, our supreme giver of shelter, today we have seen Your wonderful form as Lord Nrsimhadeva, meant for the good fortune of all the world. O Lord, we can understand that Hiranyakasipu was the same Jaya who engaged in Your service but was cursed by brahmanas and who thus received the body of a demon. We understand that his having now been killed is Your special mercy upon him.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   Hiranyakasipu's coming to this earth and acting as the Lord's enemy was prearranged. Jaya and Vijaya were cursed by the brahmanas Sanaka, Sanat-kumara, Sanandana and Sanatana because Jaya and Vijaya checked these four Kumaras. The Lord accepted this cursing of His servants and agreed that they would have to go to the material world and would then return to Vaikuntha after serving the term of the curse. Jaya and Vijaya were very much perturbed, but the Lord advised them to act as enemies, for then they would return after three births; otherwise, ordinarily, they would have to take seven births. With this authority, Jaya and Vijaya acted as the Lord's enemies, and now that these two were dead, all the Visnudutas understood that the Lord's killing of Hiranyakasipu was special mercy bestowed upon them.

 

Thus end the Bhaktivedanta purports of the Seventh Canto, Eighth Chapter, of the Srimad-Bhagavatam, entitled "Lord Nrsimhadeva Slays the King of the Demons."