Chapter 16

1-5. Sri Narada said, now Hiranyakashipu, king of the asuras attacked Sri Nrisimhadeva, the Almighty Lord with missiles, as it were, just to cover the blazing fire with hay. A very great number of armies from all sides surrounded the Lord riding on chariots, elephants, horses. Alas, at the very sight of the Lord their eyes began burning, they were not able to open their eyes. When it was not possible for them to look at Him they instantly left the war-field. Lord Sri Hari saw the asura armies at a distance standing for fight. He simply laughed but it appeared to them as if a thunder-bolt blast out bringing a total disaster. Soon it so happened that the weapons fell from the hands of the armies; those who were riding on the elephants, horses or chariots they all fell down from them and the elephants, horses too fell dead.

6-11. As by the fall of a mighty mountain the entire forest is perished, so too in no time the entire asura-armies were crushed down. The mighty warriors also could not stand even for a while. As it were the entire asura-armies were burnt into ashes by the very glance of Lord Sri Nrisimha. The very sight of Lord Sri Nrisimha enflamed the entire city of Hiranyakashipu. Yet Hiranyakashipu due to the boon that he received from Brahma could feel no fear at such furious mode of the Lord. He discharged volleys of arrows against the Lord Who appeared with a combined Body of lion and man. Although Hiranyakashipu aimed all types of missiles that are generally used by the asuras and gods but they could not be effective when they touched the Divine Body of the Lord. Those weapons were blown away like the straw at a high gale.

12-15. Mighty asura Hiranyakashipu furiously took his chandrahasa sword and ran towards the invincible Lord when Sri Prahlada humbly begged, “O king of asuras, why so foolishly run towards the Lord of the universe taking Him as your equal opponent. This Lord Narayana Who is the Lord of the entire universe may destroy the entire world by His mere Will, O Arjya, without Whose grace none can even open his eyes. How do you dare to fight with Him Who is the Saviour of the universe and Who is the Lord of all lords? O large-hearted king, leave your sword and fall at His Feet with supplication. He is always gracious to the supplicants, He will give all protection to you.”

16. But this advice of Sri Prahlada acted otherwise. As a fool attacks his own well-wisher so too Hiranyakashipu who was destined to be ruined, like a mob running towards a blazing fire, ran towards Sri Prahlada with his sword just to kill him.

17-19. As the whirling gale blows away the straws, likewise the Lord Sri Nrisimhadeva in the twinkling of an eye lifted up Hiranyakashipu, and as a cat pounces upon a rat, took hold of Hiranyakashipu and placing him on His Lap tore his breast with His sharp Nails. Lo, the gravest sins that Hiranyakashipu committed by calumniating Lord Vishnu and His devotees got washed off by the very touch of the Lord.

O Brahmins, Hiranyakashipu soon could look upon the Countenance of the Lord and cried out ‘Mata’.

21-22. Sri Prahlada said, “Father, even now you have not learnt a lesson, fie, even when you are getting this blessed opportunity of being slain by the Merciful God you make a cry. When death comes one should utter Govinda, Govinda, Govinda; instead you shout mother, father in vain.

23-24. Sri Narada said, anyhow Hiranyakashipu just at the time of his death heard those Divine Words of Govinda from the holy lips of Sri Prahlada, an exalted devotee of God and also breathed his last fixing his eyes udon the Divine Countenance of Sri Hari, so he became free from all sins. Having been slain by the Nails of the Lord, Hiranyakashipu actually had a glorious death because thereby he got Mukti and such an opportunity he could have due to his life longrememberance of Sri Hari although it was out of his feeling of enemity against the Lord Himself.

25-28. Even though out of life-long enemity Hiranyakashipu constantly remembered the Lord but ultimately got the reward of such a glorious death at the merciful Hands of the Lord. Lo, by the Nails Lord tore his breast thereby making his heart untinted. Oh, one who remembers Sri Hari even in enemity how Sri Hari can allow him to remain steeped in the quagmire of maya? The Lord removed his arteries of his stomach which signifies that the Lord even by killing one gives him Mukti and takes away all his fetters of worldly bondage. Ah, Almighty Sri Nrsimhadeva killed mighty asura Hiranyakashipu. Lo, Lord bedecked Himself with the arteries of that asura and shone forth more gigantic and vehement. At that field all the asura armies instantly met their end and Sri Prahlada alone was happily remaining there. The gods were no doubt happy at the total ruination of their enemies but they could not approach the Lord Who appeared with His most awful and terrible Form.

29-30. The gods now being free from the fear of their enemies taking as their guides Sri Brahma and Shiva, gradually proceeded towards Lord Sri Nrisimha for paying their homage to Him. They were yet afraid to go near Him. So stationing themselves in the sky itself showered flowers and made celestial musical sound, like dundhubhi, etc. as the token of their expression of happiness at the marvellous Act of the Lord.

31-32. Then Sri Brahma, and Shiva and all the gods alighting on the earth from a long distance with their folded palms paid their obeisances to that gigantic Sri Nrisihmhadeva Who became vehement when fought with Hiranyakashipu. They saw that Lord was not yet in His pacified mood; His eyes were burning and licking His Cheeks. So they first approached Sri Prahlada and pleasantly told him to go near the God and bring down His anger. You being an affectionate devotee of His He will naturally be delighted to get you at hand.

33-34. They said, ‘O dear Prahlada, indeed you are a strong devotee of the Lord. You should show this favour to us that the Lord now may look upon the worlds with His pacified and graceful look and that is possible by you only. O glorious Prahlada, you make the Lord pacified and take us to His confidence. Because we along with all the creatures are ruled by Him and ever afraid of Him for the ommission and commission of our duties that are assigned to us by Him whereas He is ever subjugated to His devotees like you.’

35-36. Being thus directed by the gods Sri Prahlada, a steadfast devotee of the Lord slowly slowly went to the Lord with a prayer, “My Lord, kindly compose Thyself.” He washed the Lotus Feet of the Lord with his profuse tears when he fell in prostration with ecstatic rapture.

37-3 8. Seeing His devotee Sri Prahlada fallen at His Feet the Lord at once threw away the corpus of Hiranyakashipu and with all His kindness and affection lifted Prahlada with His Blissful Hands like father to his little child, made him sit on His Lap. Now Sri Prahlada directed the attention of the Lord towards the gods who were standing at a distance with their folded palms and submissive mood; the Lord looked upon them with His Blissful Glance.

39 40. When Lord looked upon the gods with His smiling Glance the gods saluted the Lord with prostrations then and there and uttered panegyrical hymns with horripilation in their bod es. What a Bliss they felt that Sri Laksmidevi who proudly serves the Lotus Feet of the Lord when simply looks upon them they feel aboundly rewarded and now Bhagavan Himself showers His Blissful Glances. So they actually felt themselves immersed into the ocean of Bliss.

41-42. Now the gods gradually approached the Lord and with awe and reverence they prayed, “O Lord, be gracious unto us, when You are pleased, the entire world is in peace, O Jagadisha (Lord of the universe), we without Your Mercy feel ourselves destitutes, we were awfully afraid to approach Your so gigantic and awe-striking Appearance. How can we look upon Your so blazing Form? The sun and the fire are no doubt blazing but a thousand of them are insignificant before You. As the streams entering into the sea cannot keep their significance, so too all the powers, effulgences shine forth by the glow of Your prowess. You are only the source of everything else. Therefore what should we say about others?’

43. When thus the gods made this panegyric the worshipful Lord Sri Nrisimha composed His awful Appearance, and now He appeared so Blissful like the shedding of moon light.

Thereafter all the gods, Siddhas, Nagas, and the Munis with their over-whelming joy once again made their panegyrical hymns, full of significant words. They prayed, “Oh the Lord Who is known only through steadfast devotion, O! Narayana, we pay crores of obeisances to You. You are appropriately glorified by the Munis, men of intuitive wisdom. Those who are malicious, wicked, hypocrite and cunning You appear to them as a terror. You ever subdue the pride of the mighty asuras, When obstacles are created against the performances of Vedic-rites or yajnas even Brahma, Shiva and the celestials being fear-stricken and full of anxiety approach You and report for its solution at Your Lotus Feet. And showing pity upon them You out of Your Own Prerogative, make Your Descents like the present one in the shape of Sri Nrisimha. Your very roar created such a fear in the minds of the asuras, may, even the stars in the sky fell from their places. The gods apprehending their death at the hands of the asuras fled away from the war-field hearing the trumpet march of the asuras, but Your roaring sound silenced all of them by creating a terror in the minds of the mighty asuras. O Lord, the Lifter of the earth from the bottom of the ocean, Your very roaring even silenced the crushing of the thunder-bolt. So was the sound of the thunder-bolt. So the sound of the rumbling of the clouds got no significance before it. Your such roaring cracked down the mountain. You are All-auspicious, You chastise the wild-beings. Those who are endowed with Your Grace they alone can realise that You are ever free from all impurities and malice. The exalted devotees ever sing Your Divine Glories.

The crimson saffron that hides under the heavy breasts of Sri Lakshmidevi most secretly when gets chance to touch Your Breast during Your delightful resort with her it shines forth as the dazzling beauty of which feeds the bright fullmoonbeaming light, ah, how beautifully it shines in the centre of Your white-gems and pearls of the necklace hanging round Your Neck. Your killing of this asura is a playful incident on Your part. It is only Your Grace that saves the people from the worldly ocean. You protect the holy ones by destroying the asuras. You dissolve the world-order during the time of world-dissolution. Jivas are cycling in the life of transmigration due to their sinful and virtuous karma but the wheel of the karma is propelled by Your illusory energy. This world is created by You. You are beyond the triple guna of maya, therefore ever free from any modification. You make Your Divine Descents. You are the Protector of the universe like the high boundary wall of a capital city of yore.

Those who are content with what-so-ever they get, without much labour and have brought under their control lust, ego, sleep etc. and free from malice, completely non-attached to their relatives, wealth, free from any infatuation, greed, avarice and also have become unstinted at heart they have stationed Yourself in their hearts. You are the Monitor of all and the Shelter for the entire universe. You are the only Hope and Stay for the destitutes. You are the Be-all and End-all of Your devotees. You conceal Yourself oy Your Yogamaya, Your essential potency.

When the asuras become tyrranical and egoistic of their prowess, You create a terror at their hearts by playing Your sword at their face and thereby feeling humiliated they with their crowning head bow down in shame. Now the numberless dead bodies of the asuras who are slain by You have created a big reservoir full of bloods. Where the curling hairs ol those dead bodies with their floating heads looking like the lotuses and unwinking eyes like fishes, there are waves, it has become muddy and insects are feasting upon it. Thus destroying the asura-face You feel delighted. As the wild elephants entering into the pond destroy the lotus, so too You plunged into the asura race and brought total ruination of the race. You destroy the wicked and ever protect the holy ones. You are like mother to the infant whereas very death to the asuras. You are only the object of attraction with all Your beauty. You are the very Bliss to the exalted souls. The liberated are stationed in You only. You destroy the wicked and protect the pious ones.

At the bright sun-shine lotuses are fully blossomed with unfaded beauty but that is also possible due to Your propelling because the sun, the moon and the fire get their respective power invested by You only and they as duty bound to You act upon Your Law. None can act without Your superintending. The sun is the eye of Your cosmic Form. You are beyond any phenomenal quality of maya. You are transcendent. You ever fulfil the wishes of Your supplicants. There is nothing unpleasant to You. All the gods along with Brahma worship Your Lotus Feet. Your Feet-wash water flows as the sacred Ganga, whose very touch washes the sins. You are the Mainstay of all beings but there is no origin of You. You are the Origin of all origins. Through Your servant Sudarshan Discus You had slain Madhu and Kaitabha asuras. From Your Naval-Lotus Brahma got his origin. Your maya illusions the entire universe. You bestow upon Your devotees the boons to their fulfilment. You are ever in fulfilment in Your Desire. There is no second equal to You. You reward the people with offering elevation and salvation. The celestials and the mortals pay their homage to You. You have paved the path for getting elevation and salvation and You have prescribed the method for the atonement of sins. Most powerful asuras who could not be destroyed even by any god but You playfully destroy them and therefore Your Divine Prowess stands above all.

44-45. You are holding Sudarshana Discus at Your Hand. The gods and the Munis ever sing Your Glories. Your Lotus Feet are the Resort of the devotees. You ever give full protection to the gods and the wise. You forgive the offenders when they repent. Those devotees who always sing Your Glories You repent. Those devotees who always sing Your Glories You bring Their all fulfilment. This drama of creation and destruction of the universe is propelled by You. The holy Ganges has flown from Your Lotus Feet. Your Sudarshana Discus so brilliantly shines that it not only dispels the darkness of the outer world but it enlightens the soul. All the beings are subject to lust due to Your maya. but You are untouched by such lust. In no time You may destroy entire race of the asuras. What else. Your Will is enough. You are beyond the triple guna of maya. O Lord, affectionate to the devotee, we pay our obeisance time and again to You.’

46. Sri Narada said, those gods and the Munis thus made their panegrical hymns and saluted Him. Sri Hari bestowed His Blessings upon them.

47. In the very presence of the celestials and the munis the Lord coronated Sri Prahlada as the crowning king. Now being instructed by the Lord fire, burnt all the imprudents of the capital and once again the rishis began to offer oblations into the sacrificial fire for the welfare and peace of the kingdom.

48. The Lord blessed the gods, rishis and also bathed Sri Prahlada with all His Blessings. At that time there were showers of flowers from the heaven amidst the sweet musical sounds. All those gods and the rishis praised Sri Prahlada. Now Sri Nrisimhadeva thus spreading His Divine Glories instantly disappeared from the scene.

49. The gods and the rishis once again paid there obeisance to the Almighty God and with horripilations in their persons and full of tears in their eyes conversing about the Divine Glories left for their respective places.

50-51. Those Maharshis who assembled there were marvelled to witness such a glorious death of the notorious asura which rewarded him (Hiranyakashipu) with such a glorious position that is aspired after by the munis and rishis only. They said, ‘All glory to Lord Sri Nrisimha. Further they said, Ah, there is no wonder in it, because this is the well known fact that the mightiest one always gets the best opportunity, but those who are pessimists they ever suffer miseries. So those who are slain by God there is no death for them whereas they go beyond the death viz. get Mukti).

52-53. Now, whether by observing Vratas and living an austere life we become a devotee of God Vishnu or this asura Hiranyakashipu who appeared as an antagonistic, is a devotee of God Vishnu? It is the fact that this asura-king might have worshipped Lord Vishnu in his previous births with dedicating his every belonging such as thousands of servants, horses, elephants, chariots and his dear and near. There remains no doubt that they in the past offered great worship to Lord Vishnu; therefore they are indeed more fortunate than Sri Prahlada’ (such remark is given with the idea that Sri Prahlada being a steadfast devotee naturally draws the affection of the Lord whereas Hiranykashipu although maintained life-long enemity with the Lord but got Mukti which is most surprising). Their death is really a reward. Thus the rishis extolled the Glory of Lord Sri Nrisimhadeva.

54-55. Those rishis saw in their own eyes how the Lord burnt the entire stock of sins of the asura-king. Next they went to many holy resorts and visited different hermitages. Here Sri Prahlada dovetailing himself in loving service of the Lord began to rule the country. But Sri Prahlada could not feel happy in associating himself with the administrative works because his heart was fully devoted at the Lotus Feet of the Lord. Anyhow he ruled the country dedicating everything to the services of God knowing fully well that the world is created by God with a purpose in relation to rendering service to Him with every belonging. The wise extolled his glories and Kali was frightened to enter into his kingdom. Nay, the earth became purified by his presence and his name was the source of purification of the sins. In due course Sri Prahlada attained Sri Hari.

56-57. Sri Narada said, ‘O Brahmins, I have just narrated before you about the super-natural glories of Sri Prahlada, who was born in the clan of the asuras. As the sacred Ganga purifies three worlds, so too the narration about Sri Prahlada’s steadfast devotion to Sri Hari is the very source of world-purification. See, people at the time of danger when remembers Sri Prahlada’s devotion to Sri Hari and how Sri Narayana protected him at all perils, no danger can befall them. If one remembers Sri Hari and stations Him in his heart how danger may befall him.

58-59. One who listens with spirtual faith to the glorious Accounts of Lord Sri Nrisimhadeva from the holy lips of an exalted devotee, attains the Abode of Sri Vishnu after death. Those who remembers the Divine Leela of Sri Nrisimhadeva are not afflicted by triple miseries; no astronomical star can create any harm to them. The Ganga is worshipped by the inhabitants of the three worlds, the delight of the Paramahamsa devotees, unadulterated purity itself and who has sprung from the Lotus Feet of Lord Sri Vishnu, is the resort of the holy ones; therefore they do not want to live away from her. Accordingly the Divine Topics relating to the Transcendental Pastimes of Sri Hari Which are Nectarine Blissful to the exalted souls Which are most delightful to listen, can any man of wisdom refrain himself from hearing such Divine Pastimes of Sri Hari?’

Other Vaishnavism Concepts:

[back to top]

Discover the significance of concepts within the article: ‘Chapter 16’. Further sources in the context of Vaishnavism might help you critically compare this page with similair documents:

Mukti, Hiranyakashipu, Lotus feet, Divine word, Supreme Being, Blazing fire, Cosmic form, Divine body, Mighty warrior, Devotional service, Devotional practice, Worldly bondage, Almighty Lord, Spiritual faith, Transcendental pastime, Divine glories, Divine glance, Divine pastime, Divine prowess, Holistic understanding, Divine leela, Devotees' service, Sri Narada, Three-world, Exalted soul.

Concepts being referred within the main category of Hinduism context and sources.

Saviour of the universe, Suffering miseries, Sacrifice and oblation.