Srimad-Bhagavatam: Canto 3: “The Status Quo”
by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Chapter Nineteen
The Killing of the Demon Hiranyaksa
SB3.19.1
TEXT 1
maitreya uvaca
avadharya virincasya
nirvyalikamrtam vacah
prahasya prema-garbhena
tad apangena so ’grahit
SYNONYMS
maitreyah uvaca—Maitreya said; avadharya—after hearing; virincasya—of Lord Brahma; nirvyalika—free from all sinful purposes; amrtam—nectarean; vacah—words; prahasya—heartily laughing; prema-garbhena—laden with love; tat—those words; apangena—with a glance; sah—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; agrahit—accepted.
TRANSLATION
Sri Maitreya said: After hearing the words of Brahma, the creator, which were free from all sinful purposes and as sweet as nectar, the Lord heartily laughed and accepted his prayer with a glance laden with love.
PURPORT
The word nirvyalika is very significant. The prayers of the demigods or devotees of the Lord are free from all sinful purposes, but the prayers of demons are always filled with sinful purposes. The demon Hiranyaksa became powerful by deriving a boon from Brahma, and after attaining that boon he created a disturbance because of his sinful intentions. The prayers of Brahma and other demigods are not to be compared to the prayers of the demons. Their purpose is to please the Supreme Lord; therefore the Lord smiled and accepted the prayer to kill the demon. Demons, who are never interested in praising the Supreme Personality of Godhead because they have no information of Him, go to the demigods, and in Bhagavad-gita this is condemned. Persons who go to the demigods and pray for advancement in sinful activities are considered to be bereft of all intelligence. Demons have lost all intelligence because they do not know what is actually their self-interest. Even if they have information of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, they decline to approach Him; it is not possible for them to get their desired boons from the Supreme Lord because their purposes are always sinful. It is said that the dacoits in Bengal used to worship the goddess Kali for fulfillment of their sinful desires to plunder others’ property, but they never went to a Visnu temple because they might have been unsuccessful in praying to Visnu. Therefore the prayers of the demigods or the devotees of the Supreme Personality of Godhead are always untinged by sinful purposes. SB3.19.2 TEXT 2 tatah sapatnam mukhatas carantam akuto-bhayam jaghanotpatya gadaya hanav asuram aksajah SYNONYMS tatah—then; sapatnam—enemy; mukhatah—in front of Him; carantam—stalking; akutah-bhayam—fearlessly; jaghana—struck; utpatya—after springing up; gadaya—with His mace; hanau—at the chin; asuram—the demon; aksa-jah—the Lord, who was born from the nostril of Brahma. TRANSLATION The Lord, who had appeared from the nostril of Brahma, sprang and aimed His mace at the chin of His enemy, the Hiranyaksa demon, who was stalking fearlessly before Him. SB3.19.3 TEXT 3 sa hata tena gadaya vihata bhagavat-karat vighurnitapatad reje tad adbhutam ivabhavat SYNONYMS sa—that mace; hata—struck; tena—by Hiranyaksa; gadaya—with his mace; vihata—slipped; bhagavat—of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; karat—from the hand; vighurnita—whirling; apatat—fell down; reje—was shining; tat—that; adbhutam—miraculous; iva—indeed; abhavat—was. TRANSLATION Struck by the demon’s mace, however, the Lord’s mace slipped from His hand and looked splendid as it fell down whirling. This was miraculous, for the mace was blazing wonderfully. SB3.19.4 TEXT 4 sa tada labdha-tirtho ’pi na babadhe nirayudham manayan sa mrdhe dharmam visvaksenam prakopayan SYNONYMS sah—that Hiranyaksa; tada—then; labdha-tirthah—having gained an excellent opportunity; api—although; na—not; babadhe—attacked; nirayudham—having no weapon; manayan—respecting; sah—Hiranyaksa; mrdhe—in battle; dharmam—the code of combat; visvaksenam—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; prakopayan—making angry. TRANSLATION Even though the demon had an excellent opportunity to strike his unarmed foe without obstruction, he respected the law of single combat, thereby kindling the fury of the Supreme Lord. SB3.19.5 TEXT 5 gadayam apaviddhayam haha-kare vinirgate manayam asa tad-dharmam sunabham casmarad vibhuh SYNONYMS gadayam—as His mace; apaviddhayam—fell; haha-kare—a cry of alarm; vinirgate—arose; manayam asa—acknowledged; tat—of Hiranyaksa; dharmam—righteousness; sunabham—the Sudarsana cakra; ca—and; asmarat—remembered; vibhuh—the Supreme Personality of Godhead. TRANSLATION As the Lord’s mace fell to the ground and a cry of alarm arose from the witnessing crowd of gods and rsis, the Personality of Godhead acknowledged the demon’s love of righteousness and therefore invoked His Sudarsana discus. SB3.19.6 TEXT 6 tam vyagra-cakram diti-putradhamena sva-parsada-mukhyena visajjamanam citra vaco ’tad-vidam khe-caranam tatra smasan svasti te ’mum jahiti SYNONYMS tam—unto the Personality of Godhead; vyagra—revolving; cakram—whose discus; diti-putra—son of Diti; adhamena—vile; sva-parsada—of His associates; mukhyena—with the chief; visajjamanam—playing; citrah—various; vacah—expressions; a-tat-vidam—of those who did not know; khe-caranam—flying in the sky; tatra—there; sma asan—occurred; svasti—fortune; te—unto You; amum—him; jahi—please kill; iti—thus. TRANSLATION As the discus began to revolve in the Lord’s hands and the Lord contended at close quarters with the chief of His Vaikuntha attendants, who had been born as Hiranyaksa, a vile son of Diti, there issued from every direction strange expressions uttered by those who were witnessing from airplanes. They had no knowledge of the Lord’s reality, and they cried, “May victory attend You! Pray dispatch him. Play no more with him.” SB3.19.7 TEXT 7 sa tam nisamyatta-rathangam agrato vyavasthitam padma-palasa-locanam vilokya camarsa-pariplutendriyo rusa sva-danta-cchadam adasac chvasan SYNONYMS sah—that demon; tam—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; nisamya—after seeing; atta-rathangam—armed with the Sudarsana disc; agratah—before him; vyavasthitam—standing in position; padma—lotus flower; palasa—petals; locanam—eyes; vilokya—after seeing; ca—and; amarsa—by indignation; paripluta—overpowered; indriyah—his senses; rusa—with great resentment; sva-danta-chadam—his own lip; adasat—bit; svasan—hissing. TRANSLATION When the demon saw the Personality of Godhead, who had eyes just like lotus petals, standing in position before him, armed with His Sudarsana discus, his senses were overpowered by indignation. He began to hiss like a serpent, and he bit his lip in great resentment. SB3.19.8 TEXT 8 karala-damstras caksurbhyam sancaksano dahann iva abhiplutya sva-gadaya hato ’sity ahanad dharim SYNONYMS karala—fearful; damstrah—having tusks; caksurbhyam—with both eyes; sancaksanah—staring; dahan—burning; iva—as if; abhiplutya—attacking; sva-gadaya—with his own club; hatah—slain; asi—You are; iti—thus; ahanat—struck; harim—at Hari. TRANSLATION The demon, who had fearful tusks, stared at the Personality of Godhead as though to burn Him. Springing into the air, he aimed his mace at the Lord, exclaiming at the same time, “You are slain!” SB3.19.9 TEXT 9 pada savyena tam sadho bhagavan yajna-sukarah lilaya misatah satroh praharad vata-ramhasam SYNONYMS pada—with His foot; savyena—left; tam—that mace; sadho—O Vidura; bhagavan—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; yajna-sukarah—in His boar form, the enjoyer of all sacrifices; lilaya—playfully; misatah—looking on; satroh—of His enemy (Hiranyaksa); praharat—knocked down; vata-ramhasam—having the force of a tempest. TRANSLATION O saintly Vidura, while His enemy looked on, the Lord in His boar form, the enjoyer of all sacrificial offerings, playfully knocked down the mace with His left foot, even as it came upon Him with the force of a tempest. SB3.19.10 TEXT 10 aha cayudham adhatsva ghatasva tvam jigisasi ity uktah sa tada bhuyas tadayan vyanadad bhrsam SYNONYMS aha—He said; ca—and; ayudham—weapon; adhatsva—take up; ghatasva—try; tvam—you; jigisasi—are eager to conquer; iti—thus; uktah—challenged; sah—Hiranyaksa; tada—at that time; bhuyah—again; tadayan—striking at; vyanadat—roared; bhrsam—loudly. TRANSLATION The Lord then said: “Take up your weapon and try again, eager as you are to conquer Me.” Challenged in these words, the demon aimed his mace at the Lord and once more loudly roared. SB3.19.11 TEXT 11 tam sa apatatim viksya bhagavan samavasthitah jagraha lilaya praptam garutman iva pannagim SYNONYMS tam—that mace; sah—He; apatatim—flying toward; viksya—after seeing; bhagavan—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; samavasthitah—stood firmly; jagraha—caught; lilaya—easily; praptam—entered into His presence; garutman—Garuda; iva—as; pannagim—a serpent. TRANSLATION When the Lord saw the mace flying toward Him, He stood firmly where He was and caught it with the same ease as Garuda, the king of birds, would seize a serpent. SB3.19.12 TEXT 12 sva-pauruse pratihate hata-mano mahasurah naicchad gadam diyamanam harina vigata-prabhah SYNONYMS sva-pauruse—his valor; pratihate—frustrated; hata—destroyed; manah—pride; maha-asurah—the great demon; na aicchat—desired not (to take); gadam—the mace; diyamanam—being offered; harina—by Hari; vigata-prabhah—reduced in splendor. TRANSLATION His valor thus frustrated, the great demon felt humiliated and was put out of countenance. He was reluctant to take back the mace when it was offered by the Personality of Godhead. SB3.19.13 TEXT 13 jagraha tri-sikham sulam jvalaj-jvalana-lolupam yajnaya dhrta-rupaya viprayabhicaran yatha SYNONYMS jagraha—took up; tri-sikham—three-pointed; sulam—trident; jvalat—flaming; jvalana—fire; lolupam—rapacious; yajnaya—at the enjoyer of all sacrifices; dhrta-rupaya—in the form of Varaha; vipraya—unto a brahmana; abhicaran—acting malevolently; yatha—as. TRANSLATION He now took a trident which was as rapacious as a flaming fire and hurled it against the Lord, the enjoyer of all sacrifices, even as one would use penance for a malevolent purpose against a holy brahmana. SB3.19.14 TEXT 14 tad ojasa daitya-maha-bhatarpitam cakasad antah-kha udirna-didhiti cakrena ciccheda nisata-nemina harir yatha tarksya-patatram ujjhitam SYNONYMS tat—that trident; ojasa—with all his strength; daitya—among the demons; maha-bhata—by the mighty fighter; arpitam—hurled; cakasat—shining; antah-khe—in the middle of the sky; udirna—increased; didhiti—illumination; cakrena—by the Sudarsana disc; ciccheda—He cut to pieces; nisata—sharpened; nemina—rim; harih—Indra; yatha—as; tarksya—of Garuda; patatram—the wing; ujjhitam—abandoned. TRANSLATION Hurled by the mighty demon with all his strength, the flying trident shone brightly in the sky. The Personality of Godhead, however, tore it to pieces with His discus Sudarsana, which had a sharp-edged rim, even as Indra cut off a wing of Garuda. PURPORT The context of the reference given herein regarding Garuda and Indra is this. Once upon a time, Garuda, the carrier of the Lord, snatched away a nectar pot from the hands of the demigods in heaven in order to liberate his mother, Vinata, from the clutches of his stepmother, Kadru, the mother of the serpents. On learning of this, Indra, the King of heaven, hurled his thunderbolt against Garuda. With a view to respect the infallibility of Indra’s weapon, Garuda, though otherwise invincible, being the Lord’s own mount, dropped one of his wings, which was shattered to pieces by the thunderbolt. The inhabitants of higher planets are so sensible that even in the process of fighting they observe the preliminary rules and regulations of gentleness. In this case, Garuda wanted to show respect for Indra; since he knew that Indra’s weapon must destroy something, he offered his wing. SB3.19.15 TEXT 15 vrkne sva-sule bahudharina hareh pratyetya vistirnam uro vibhutimat pravrddha-rosah sa kathora-mustina nadan prahrtyantaradhiyatasurah SYNONYMS vrkne—when cut; sva-sule—his trident; bahudha—to many pieces; arina—by the Sudarsana cakra; hareh—of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; pratyetya—after advancing toward; vistirnam—broad; urah—chest; vibhuti-mat—the abode of the goddess of fortune; pravrddha—having been increased; rosah—anger; sah—Hiranyaksa; kathora—hard; mustina—with his fist; nadan—roaring; prahrtya—after striking; antaradhiyata—disappeared; asurah—the demon. TRANSLATION The demon was enraged when his trident was cut to pieces by the discus of the Personality of Godhead. He therefore advanced toward the Lord and, roaring aloud, struck his hard fist against the Lord’s broad chest, which bore the mark of Srivatsa. Then he went out of sight. PURPORT Srivatsa is a curl of white hair on the chest of the Lord which is a special sign of His being the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In Vaikunthaloka or in Goloka Vrndavana, the inhabitants are exactly of the same form as the Personality of Godhead, but by this Srivatsa mark on the chest of the Lord He is distinguished from all others. SB3.19.16 TEXT 16 tenettham ahatah ksattar bhagavan adi-sukarah nakampata manak kvapi sraja hata iva dvipah SYNONYMS tena—by Hiranyaksa; ittham—thus; ahatah—struck; ksattah—O Vidura; bhagavan—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; adi-sukarah—the first boar; na akampata—did not feel quaking; manak—even slightly; kva api—anywhere; sraja—by a garland of flowers; hatah—struck; iva—as; dvipah—an elephant. TRANSLATION Hit in this manner by the demon, O Vidura, the Lord, who had appeared as the first boar, did not feel the least quaking in any part of His body, any more than an elephant would when struck with a wreath of flowers. PURPORT As previously explained, the demon was originally a servitor of the Lord in Vaikuntha, but somehow or other he fell as a demon. His fight with the Supreme Lord was meant for his liberation. The Lord enjoyed the striking on His transcendental body, just like a fully grown-up father fighting with his child. Sometimes a father takes pleasure in having a mock fight with his small child, and similarly the Lord felt Hiranyaksa’s striking on His body to be like flowers offered for worship. In other words, the Lord desired to fight in order to enjoy His transcendental bliss; therefore He enjoyed the attack. SB3.19.17 TEXT 17 athorudhasrjan mayam yoga-mayesvare harau yam vilokya prajas trasta menire ’syopasamyamam SYNONYMS atha—then; urudha—in many ways; asrjat—he cast; mayam—conjuring tricks; yoga-maya-isvare—the Lord of yogamaya; harau—at Hari; yam—which; vilokya—after seeing; prajah—the people; trastah—fearful; menire—thought; asya—of this universe; upasamyamam—the dissolution. TRANSLATION The demon, however, employed many conjuring tricks against the Personality of Godhead, who is the Lord of yogamaya. At the sight of this the people were filled with alarm and thought that the dissolution of the universe was near. PURPORT The fighting enjoyment of the Supreme Lord with His devotee, who had been converted into a demon, appeared severe enough to bring about the dissolution of the universe. This is the greatness of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; even the wavering of His little finger appears to be a great and very dangerous movement in the eyes of the inhabitants of the universe. SB3.19.18 TEXT 18 pravavur vayavas candas tamah pamsavam airayan digbhyo nipetur gravanah ksepanaih prahita iva SYNONYMS pravavuh—were blowing; vayavah—winds; candah—fierce; tamah—darkness; pamsavam—caused by dust; airayan—were spreading; digbhyah—from every direction; nipetuh—came down; gravanah—stones; ksepanaih—by machine guns; prahitah—thrown; iva—as if. TRANSLATION Fierce winds began to blow from all directions, spreading darkness occasioned by dust and hail storms; stones came in volleys from every corner, as if thrown by machine guns. SB3.19.19 TEXT 19 dyaur nasta-bhaganabhraughaih sa-vidyut-stanayitnubhih varsadbhih puya-kesasrg- vin-mutrasthini casakrt SYNONYMS dyauh—the sky; nasta—having disappeared; bha-gana—luminaries; abhra—of clouds; oghaih—by masses; sa—accompanied by; vidyut—lightning; stanayitnubhih—and thunder; varsadbhih—raining; puya—pus; kesa—hair; asrk—blood; vit—stool; mutra—urine; asthini—bones; ca—and; asakrt—again and again. TRANSLATION The luminaries in outer space disappeared due to the sky’s being overcast with masses of clouds, which were accompanied by lightning and thunder. The sky rained pus, hair, blood, stool, urine and bones. SB3.19.20 TEXT 20 girayah pratyadrsyanta nanayudha-muco ’nagha dig-vasaso yatudhanyah sulinyo mukta-murdhajah SYNONYMS girayah—mountains; pratyadrsyanta—appeared; nana—various; ayudha—weapons; mucah—discharging; anagha—O sinless Vidura; dik-vasasah—naked; yatudhanyah—demonesses; sulinyah—armed with tridents; mukta—hanging loose; murdhajah—hair. TRANSLATION O sinless Vidura, mountains discharged weapons of various kinds, and naked demonesses armed with tridents appeared with their hair hanging loose. SB3.19.21 TEXT 21 bahubhir yaksa-raksobhih patty-asva-ratha-kunjaraih atatayibhir utsrsta himsra vaco ’tivaisasah SYNONYMS bahubhih—by many; yaksa-raksobhih—Yaksas and Raksasas; patti—marching on foot; asva—on horses; ratha—on chariots; kunjaraih—or on elephants; atatayibhih—ruffians; utsrstah—were uttered; himsrah—cruel; vacah—words; ati-vaisasah—murderous. TRANSLATION Cruel and savage slogans were uttered by hosts of ruffian Yaksas and Raksasas, who all either marched on foot or rode on horses, elephants or chariots. SB3.19.22 TEXT 22 praduskrtanam mayanam asurinam vinasayat sudarsanastram bhagavan prayunkta dayitam tri-pat SYNONYMS praduskrtanam—displayed; mayanam—the magical forces; asurinam—displayed by the demon; vinasayat—desiring to destroy; sudarsana-astram—the Sudarsana weapon; bhagavan—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; prayunkta—threw; dayitam—beloved; tri-pat—the enjoyer of all sacrifices. TRANSLATION The Lord, the personal enjoyer of all sacrifices, now discharged His beloved Sudarsana, which was capable of dispersing the magical forces displayed by the demon. PURPORT Even famous yogis and demons can sometimes enact very magical feats by their mystic power, but in the presence of the Sudarsana cakra, when it is let loose by the Lord, all such magical jugglery is dispersed. The instance of the quarrel between Durvasa Muni and Maharaja Ambarisa is a practical example in this matter. Durvasa Muni wanted to display many magical wonders, but when the Sudarsana cakra appeared, Durvasa himself was afraid and fled to various planets for his personal protection. The Lord is described here as tri-pat, which means that He is the enjoyer of three kinds of sacrifices. In Bhagavad-gita the Lord confirms that He is the beneficiary and enjoyer of all sacrifices, penances and austerities. The Lord is the enjoyer of three kinds of yajna. As further described in Bhagavad-gita, there are sacrifices of goods, sacrifices of meditation and sacrifices of philosophical speculation. Those on the paths of jnana, yoga and karma all have to come in the end to the Supreme Lord because vasudevah sarvam iti [Bg. 7.19]—the Supreme Lord is the ultimate enjoyer of everything. That is the perfection of all sacrifice. SB3.19.23 TEXT 23 tada diteh samabhavat sahasa hrdi vepathuh smarantya bhartur adesam stanac casrk prasusruve SYNONYMS tada—at that moment; diteh—of Diti; samabhavat—occurred; sahasa—suddenly; hrdi—in the heart; vepathuh—a shudder; smarantyah—recalling; bhartuh—of her husband, Kasyapa; adesam—the words; stanat—from her breast; ca—and; asrk—blood; prasusruve—flowed. TRANSLATION At that very moment, a shudder suddenly ran through the heart of Diti, the mother of Hiranyaksa. She recalled the words of her husband, Kasyapa, and blood flowed from her breasts. PURPORT At Hiranyaksa’s last moment, his mother, Diti, remembered what her husband had said. Although her sons would be demons, they would have the advantage of being killed by the Personality of Godhead Himself. She remembered this incident by the grace of the Lord, and her breasts flowed blood instead of milk. In many instances we find that when a mother is moved by affection for her sons, milk flows from her breasts. In the case of the demon’s mother, the blood could not transform into milk, but it flowed down her breasts as it was. Blood transforms into milk. To drink milk is auspicious, but to drink blood is inauspicious, although they are one and the same thing. This formula is applicable in the case of cow’s milk also. SB3.19.24 TEXT 24 vinastasu sva-mayasu bhuyas cavrajya kesavam rusopaguhamano ’mum dadrse ’vasthitam bahih SYNONYMS vinastasu—when dispelled; sva-mayasu—his magic forces; bhuyah—again; ca—and; avrajya—after coming into the presence; kesavam—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; rusa—full of rage; upaguhamanah—embracing; amum—the Lord; dadrse—saw; avasthitam—standing; bahih—outside. TRANSLATION When the demon saw his magic forces dispelled, he once again came into the presence of the Personality of Godhead, Kesava, and, full of rage, tried to embrace Him within his arms to crush Him. But to his great amazement he found the Lord standing outside the circle of his arms. PURPORT In this verse the Lord is addressed as Kesava because He killed the demon Kesi in the beginning of creation. Kesava is also a name of Krsna. Krsna is the origin of all incarnations, and it is confirmed in Brahma-samhita that Govinda, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the cause of all causes, exists simultaneously in His different incarnations and expansions. The demon’s attempt to measure the Supreme Personality of Godhead is significant. The demon wanted to embrace Him with his arms, thinking that with his limited arms he could capture the Absolute by material power. He did not know that God is the greatest of the great and the smallest of the small. No one can capture the Supreme Lord or bring Him under his control. But the demoniac person always attempts to measure the length and breadth of the Supreme Lord. By His inconceivable potency the Lord can become the universal form, as explained in Bhagavad-gita, and at the same time He can remain within the box of His devotees as their worshipable Deity. There are many devotees who keep a statue of the Lord in a small box and carry it with them everywhere; every morning they worship the Lord in the box. The Supreme Lord, Kesava, or the Personality of Godhead, Krsna, is not bound by any measurement of our calculation. He can remain with His devotee in any suitable form, yet He is unapproachable by any amount of demoniac activities.