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नारद उवाच ।
हिरण्यकशिपू राजन्नजेयमजरामरम् ।
आत्मानमप्रतिद्वन्द्वमेकराजं व्यधित्सत ॥ १॥
स तेपे मन्दरद्रोण्यां तपः परमदारुणम् ।
ऊर्ध्वबाहुर्नभोदृष्टिः पादाङ्गुष्ठाश्रितावनिः ॥ २॥
जटादीधितिभी रेजे संवर्तार्क इवांशुभिः ।
तस्मिंस्तपस्तप्यमाने देवाः स्थानानि भेजिरे ॥ ३॥
तस्य मूर्ध्नः समुद्भूतः सधूमोऽग्निस्तपोमयः ।
तीर्यगूर्ध्वमधो लोकानतपद्विष्वगीरितः ॥ ४॥
चुक्षुभुर्नद्युदन्वन्तः सद्वीपाद्रिश्चचाल भूः ।
निपेतुः सग्रहास्तारा जज्वलुश्च दिशो दश ॥ ५॥
तेन तप्ता दिवं त्यक्त्वा ब्रह्मलोकं ययुः सुराः ।
धात्रे विज्ञापयामासुर्देवदेव जगत्पते ॥ ६॥
दैत्येन्द्रतपसा तप्ता दिवि स्थातुं न शक्नुमः ।
तस्य चोपशमं भूमन् विधेहि यदि मन्यसे ।
लोका न यावन्नङ्क्ष्यन्ति बलिहारास्तवाभिभूः ॥ ७॥
तस्यायं किल सङ्कल्पश्चरतो दुश्चरं तपः ।
श्रूयतां किं न विदितस्तवाथापि निवेदितः ॥ ८॥
सृष्ट्वा चराचरमिदं तपोयोगसमाधिना ।
अध्यास्ते सर्वधिष्ण्येभ्यः परमेष्ठी निजासनम् ॥ ९॥
तदहं वर्धमानेन तपोयोगसमाधिना ।
कालात्मनोश्च नित्यत्वात्साधयिष्ये तथाऽऽत्मनः ॥ १०॥
अन्यथेदं विधास्येऽहमयथापूर्वमोजसा ।
किमन्यैः कालनिर्धूतैः कल्पान्ते वैष्णवादिभिः ॥ ११॥
इति शुश्रुम निर्बन्धं तपः परममास्थितः ।
विधत्स्वानन्तरं युक्तं स्वयं त्रिभुवनेश्वर ॥ १२॥
तवासनं द्विजगवां पारमेष्ठ्यं जगत्पते ।
भवाय श्रेयसे भूत्यै क्षेमाय विजयाय च ॥ १३॥
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Nārada resumed : Hiraṇyakaśipu, O king (Yudhiṣṭhira), (now) wished to make himself invincible, free from old age and death and the sole monarch of the three worlds, having no rival. (1)
In the valley of Mount Mandara he practised asceticism of the severest type, keeping (both) his arms lifted up and his gaze fixed on the sky, and touching the ground with his great toes. (2)
With the (dazzling) splendour of his matted locks he shone as the sun with its rays at the time of final dissolution. While he was (thus) practising austerities, the gods (that had been dislodged from their home took advantage of his absence and) returned to their (respective) abodes. (3)
The smoky fire of asceticism sprung from the crown of his head spread on all sides and began to scorch the higher and the lower worlds as well as the intermediate region. (4)
The rivers and the oceans swelled; the earth with its (seven) main divisions and mountains shook; stars and planets shot out (from their respective positions) and (all) the ten directions flamed forth. (5)
Scorched by that fire, the gods left heaven and went to the realm of Brahmā and submitted to the creator (as follows):—"Tormented by the asceticism of Hiraṇyakaśipu (the chief of the demons), O god of gods, O lord of the universe, we can no longer stay in heaven. (Pray,) devise some remedy against it, O perfect one, if you think fit, before the worlds that bear tributes to you perish, O universal lord ! (6-7)
The following is his avowed purpose in practising the austerities so hard to perform. Although it is not unknown to you, yet listen to what is being submitted (by us). (8)
'Having evolved this mobile (animate) and immobile (inanimate) creation by virtue of his devotion to asceticism and Yoga (contemplation), Brahmā (the supreme deity) occupies his abode (Satyaloka), higher than all (other) spheres. (9)
Through increasing devotion to austerities and Yoga (concentration of mind) and because time and the soul are eternal, I shall likewise secure that very position for myself. (10)
By (sheer) strength of asceticism I shall change the world order (by exalting sin and depreciating virtue and by driving away the gods and the Ṛṣis to the subterranean regions and placing the demons in the higher spheres) so completely as to make it (look altogether) different from what it was before. What shall I do with other spheres such as the realms of Viṣṇu and so on, which are destroyed by Time at the end of a Kalpa* (the period covering the entire life of the three worlds)?' (11)
We hear of his resolution in this behalf and it is with this intention that he has undertaken austerities of the severest type. (Kindly) do yourself at once what is advisable (under the circumstances), O lord of the three spheres ! (12)
Your supremely exalted position, O lord of the universe, is conducive to the growth, happiness, prosperity, protection and triumph of the Brāhmaṇas and the cows. (If he succeeds in replacing you, there is no hope for the Brāhmaṇas and the cows.)" (13) (1-13)
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इति विज्ञापितो देवैर्भगवानात्मभूर्नृप ।
परीतो भृगुदक्षाद्यैर्ययौ दैत्येश्वराश्रमम् ॥ १४॥
न ददर्श प्रतिच्छन्नं वल्मीकतृणकीचकैः ।
पिपीलिकाभिराचीर्णमेदस्त्वङ्मांसशोणितम् ॥ १५॥
तपन्तं तपसा लोकान् यथाभ्रापिहितं रविम् ।
विलक्ष्य विस्मितः प्राह प्रहसन् हंसवाहनः ॥ १६॥
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Thus addressed by the gods, O king (Yudhiṣṭhira), and accompanied by the sage Bhrgu, Dakṣa and others, the glorious Brahmā (the self-born) went to the hermitage of Hiraṇyakaśipu (the lord of the Daityas). (14)
(At first) he did not find the Daitya, who was covered all over with ant-hills, grass and bamboos and whose fat, skin, flesh and blood had been consumed by ants. (15)
Brahmā (who was mounted on a swan) was (later) amazed to see him scorching the worlds with his asceticism, like the sun wholly screened by clouds, and spoke laughingly (as follows). (16)
- Even though the divine abode of Lord Viṣṇu and other manifestations of the Supreme Deity are all eternal, Hiraṇyakaśipu regards them as limited by time because of his perverted intellect, which showed him everything upside down.
(14-16)
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ब्रह्मोवाच ।
उत्तिष्ठोत्तिष्ठ भद्रं ते तपःसिद्धोऽसि काश्यप ।
वरदोऽहमनुप्राप्तो व्रियतामीप्सितो वरः ॥ १७॥
अद्राक्षमहमेतत्ते हृत्सारं महदद्भुतम् ।
दंशभक्षितदेहस्य प्राणा ह्यस्थिषु शेरते ॥ १८॥
नैतत्पूर्वर्षयश्चक्रुर्न करिष्यन्ति चापरे ।
निरम्बुर्धारयेत्प्राणान् को वै दिव्यसमाः शतम् ॥ १९॥
व्यवसायेन तेऽनेन दुष्करेण मनस्विनाम् ।
तपोनिष्ठेन भवता जितोऽहं दितिनन्दन ॥ २०॥
ततस्त आशिषः सर्वा ददाम्यसुरपुङ्गव ।
मर्त्यस्य ते अमर्त्यस्य दर्शनं नाफलं मम ॥ २१॥
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Brahmā said : Arise, arise, O son of Kaśyapa ! May good betide you; you have achieved your purpose through austerities. (It is therefore that) I, the bestower of boons, have come over to you ! Any boon desired by you may (now) be asked. (17)
I have witnessed this extraordinary and marvellous stamina of yours, that your body having been eaten away by gnats, your life actually hangs on your bones (alone). (18)
Neither did the former sages practise such asceticism nor will the coming ones do it. Indeed, who can support life without water for a hundred celestial years (or 36,000 human years)? (19)
Through this perseverance of yours, (which is) hard to practise even for those who have controlled their mind. I have been conquered by you, intent as you are on austerities, O delighter (son) of Diti. (20)
Therefore, I bestow on you all your desired blessings, O chief of the demons. My sight, immortal as I am, cannot go in vain for you, a mortal. (21) (17-21)
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नारद उवाच ।
इत्युक्त्वाऽऽदिभवो देवो भक्षिताङ्गं पिपीलिकैः ।
कमण्डलुजलेनौक्षद्दिव्येनामोघराधसा ॥ २२॥
स तत्कीचकवल्मीकात्सहओजोबलान्वितः ।
सर्वावयवसम्पन्नो वज्रसंहननो युवा ।
उत्थितस्तप्तहेमाभो विभावसुरिवैधसः ॥ २३॥
स निरीक्ष्याम्बरे देवं हंसवाहमवस्थितम् ।
ननाम शिरसा भूमौ तद्दर्शनमहोत्सवः ॥ २४॥
उत्थाय प्राञ्जलिः प्रह्व ईक्षमाणो दृशा विभुम् ।
हर्षाश्रुपुलकोद्भेदो गिरा गद्गदयागृणात् ॥ २५॥
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Nārada continued : Having spoken thus, Brahmā (the first-born deity) sprinkled the demon, whose body had been eaten away by ants, with the water of his Kamaṇḍalu (a water-pot made of wood or the hard shell of a coconut)—water which was supernal (in substance and of unfailing virtue. (22)
From the ant-hill covered by bamboos, he then emerged like fire from fuel, endowed with potency of mind, keenness of the senses and strength of body, perfect in all limbs, possessed of an adamantine frame, youthful and brilliant as molten gold.(23)
Perceiving the god Brahmā (who was mounted on a swan) standing in the air, the demon greeted him with his head resting on the ground, transported with joy at his sight. (24)
(Then) rising with joined palms in a suppliant posture and gazing at the powerful god with unwinking eyes, he offered (his) praises in faltering words (as follows) with tears of joy (in his eyes) and hair standing on end. (25)
(22-25)
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हिरण्यकशिपुरुवाच ।
कल्पान्ते कालसृष्टेन योऽन्धेन तमसाऽऽवृतम् ।
अभिव्यनग्जगदिदं स्वयञ्ज्योतिः स्वरोचिषा ॥ २६॥
आत्मना त्रिवृता चेदं सृजत्यवति लुम्पति ।
रजःसत्त्वतमोधाम्ने पराय महते नमः ॥ २७॥
नम आद्याय बीजाय ज्ञानविज्ञानमूर्तये ।
प्राणेन्द्रियमनोबुद्धिविकारैर्व्यक्तिमीयुषे ॥ २८॥
त्वमीशिषे जगतस्तस्थुषश्च
प्राणेन मुख्येन पतिः प्रजानाम् ।
चित्तस्य चित्तेर्मन-इन्द्रियाणां
पतिर्महान् भूतगुणाशयेशः ॥ २९॥
त्वं सप्ततन्तून् वितनोषि तन्वा
त्रय्या चातुर्होत्रकविद्यया च ।
त्वमेक आत्माऽऽत्मवतामनादि-
रनन्तपारः कविरन्तरात्मा ॥ ३०॥
त्वमेव कालोऽनिमिषो जनाना-
मायुर्लवाद्यावयवैः क्षिणोषि ।
कूटस्थ आत्मा परमेष्ठ्यजो महां-
स्त्वं जीवलोकस्य च जीव आत्मा ॥ ३१॥
त्वत्तः परं नापरमप्यनेज-
देजच्च किञ्चिद्व्यतिरिक्तमस्ति ।
विद्याः कलास्ते तनवश्च सर्वा
हिरण्यगर्भोऽसि बृहत्त्रिपृष्ठः ॥ ३२॥
व्यक्तं विभो स्थूलमिदं शरीरं
येनेन्द्रियप्राणमनोगुणांस्त्वम् ।
भुङ्क्षे स्थितो धामनि पारमेष्ठ्ये
अव्यक्त आत्मा पुरुषः पुराणः ॥ ३३॥
अनन्ताव्यक्तरूपेण येनेदमखिलं ततम् ।
चिदचिच्छक्तियुक्ताय तस्मै भगवते नमः ॥ ३४॥
यदि दास्यस्यभिमतान् वरान् मे वरदोत्तम ।
भूतेभ्यस्त्वद्विसृष्टेभ्यो मृत्युर्मा भून्मम प्रभो ॥ ३५॥
नान्तर्बहिर्दिवा नक्तमन्यस्मादपि चायुधैः ।
न भूमौ नाम्बरे मृत्युर्न नरैर्न मृगैरपि ॥ ३६॥
व्यसुभिर्वासुमद्भिर्वा सुरासुरमहोरगैः ।
अप्रतिद्वन्द्वतां युद्धे ऐकपत्यं च देहिनाम् ॥ ३७॥
सर्वेषां लोकपालानां महिमानं यथात्मनः ।
तपोयोगप्रभावाणां यन्न रिष्यति कर्हिचित् ॥ ३८॥
इति श्रीमद्भागवते महापुराणे पारमहंस्यां संहितायां
सप्तमस्कन्धे हिरण्यकशिपुवरयाचनं नाम तृतीयोऽध्यायः ॥ ३॥
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Hiranyakaśipu said : Hail to the all-pervading Supreme, the Ground of (the three modes of Prakṛti, viz.,) Sattva, Rajas and Tamas (the principles of harmony, activity and inertia respectively), who—self-effulgent as He is—manifests (again) by His native splendour this universe, enveloped at the end of a Kalpa (the life-time of the three worlds) in blinding Tamoguna evolved by Time, and who by His own Self—associated with the (aforesaid) three Guṇas—creates, protects and destroys it. (26-27)
Salutations to the First Cause, who is an embodiment of both (scriptural) knowledge and wisdom and who has (objectively) manifested Himself in the form of the vital airs, the Indriyas (the five senses of perception and the five organs of action), the mind and intellect and the (five gross) elements (which are modifications of the five subtle elements). (28)
(It is) You (who) rule over the mobile (animate) and immobile (inanimate) creation with the Prāṇa (the life-breath), the foremost of the five vital airs, and are (thus) the lord of created beings. (Nay,) You are the Controller of their reason and consciousness (the modification of reason) as well as of the mind and the Indriyas and are (thus) supreme, being the ruler of the (five gross) elements and their properties (viz., sound, touch, sight, taste and smell), the internal senses (viz., the mind, intellect, reason and ego) as well as of (their) cravings. (29)
Through Your body in the form of the three Vedas and the science of rituals conducted with the help of four officiating priests (viz., Hotā, Adhwaryu, Udgātā and Brahmā) You popularize the seven types of sacrificial performances (namely, Agniṣṭoma, Atyagniṣṭoma, Uktha, Ṣoḍaśī, Atirātra, Āptoryāma and Vājapeya). You are the Soul as well as the Inner Controller of (all) embodied beings; for You are omniscient, indivisible, without beginning or end and unlimited (in space). (30)
You alone are the unwinking Time and (as such) shorten the duration of life of (all) men by Your divisions such as a Lava (the sixteenth part of the twinkling of an eye). (Nay,) You are the immutable Self, occupying the most exalted position, birthless and all-pervading, the Life-giver and Controller of the (entire) animate creation. (31)
There is nothing apart from You, cause or effect, mobile or immobile; nay, all the branches of knowledge (such as the Vedas and Upavedas) and sciences auxiliary to the Vedas (Grammar and so on) are Your bodies; for You are (no other than) Brahma (the Infinite) holding the (entire) universe (in the form of a golden egg) within You, existing beyond Prakṛti (consisting of the three Guṇas). (32)
This visible universe, O all-pervading Lord, is (nothing but) Your physical Body, with which You enjoy the objects of the senses, the vital airs and the mind, though continuing in Your most exalted state; while You are (as a matter of fact) the unmanifest Spirit and the most ancient Person (the Inner Controller of all). (33)
Hail to that almighty Lord (viz., Yourself), endowed with the faculties of illumination and obscuration (both), by whom in His infinite and unmanifest state all this stands pervaded. (34)
If you will confer on me (my) desired blessings, O Chief among the bestowers of boons, let not my death occur at the hands of (any of the) living beings created by You, O Lord. (35)
Let there be no (fear of) death (to me) indoors or outdoors, by day or by night, even from anyone else (than those beings of Your creation) and even through weapons, neither on earth nor in the air and neither from men nor from animals. Nor should I meet my death at the hands of animate or inanimate beings, gods, demons or great serpents. (Also be pleased to) grant me the boon of having no adversary in battle as well as undisputed lordship over (all) embodied beings, (towering) glory like Your own in the midst of all the guardians of the spheres and unfailing mystic powers enjoyed by those who have risen to pre-eminence through austerities and concentration of mind. (36—38)
Thus ends the third discourse entitled "Hiraṇyakaśipu asks a number of boons (of Brahmā)", in Book Seven of the great and glorious Bhāgavata-Purāṇa, otherwise known as the Paramahamsa-Sarhhitā. (26-38)
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