The Battle Between Lord Boar and the Demon Hiranyaksa
3.18.1
maitreya uvaca
tad evam akarnya jalesa-bhasitam
maha-manas tad viganayya durmadah
harer viditva gatim anga naradad
rasatalam nirvivise tvaranvitah
SYNONYMS
maitreyah—the great sage Maitreya; uvaca—said; tat—that; evam—thus; akarnya—hearing; jala-isa—of the controller of water, Varuna; bhasitam—words; maha-manah—proud; tat—those words; viganayya—having paid little heed to; durmadah—vainglorious; hareh—of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; viditva—having learned; gatim—the whereabouts; anga—O dear Vidura; naradat—from Narada; rasatalam—to the depths of the ocean; nirvivise—entered; tvara-anvitah—with great speed.
TRANSLATION
Maitreya continued: The proud and falsely glorious Daitya paid little heed to the words of Varuna.
O dear Vidura, he learned from Narada the whereabouts of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and hurriedly betook himself to the depths of the ocean.
PURPORT
Materialistic warmongers are not even afraid to fight with their mightiest enemy, the Personality of Godhead.
The demon was very encouraged to learn from Varuna that there was one fighter who could actually combat him, and he was very enthusiastic to search out the Supreme Personality of Godhead just to give Him a fight, even though it was predicted by Varuna that by fighting with Visnu he would become prey for dogs, jackals and vultures.
Since demoniac persons are less intelligent, they dare to fight with Visnu, who is known as Ajita, or one who has never been conquered.
3.18.2
dadarsa tatrabhijitam dhara-dharam
pronniyamanavanim agra-damstraya
musnantam aksna sva-ruco ’runa-sriya
jahasa caho vana-gocaro mrgah
SYNONYMS
dadarsa—he saw; tatra—there; abhijitam—the victorious; dhara—the earth; dharam—bearing; pronniyamana—being raised upward; avanim—the earth; agra-damstraya—by the tip of His tusk; musnantam—who was diminishing; aksna—with His eyes; sva-rucah—Hiranyaksa’s own splendor; aruna—reddish; sriya—radiant; jahasa—he laughed; ca—and; aho—oh; vana-gocarah—amphibious; mrgah—beast.
TRANSLATION
He saw there the all-powerful Personality of Godhead in His boar incarnation, bearing the earth upward on the ends of His tusks and robbing him of his splendor with His reddish eyes.
The demon laughed: Oh, an amphibious beast!
PURPORT
In a previous chapter we have discussed the incarnation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead as Varaha, the boar.
While Varaha, with His tusks, engaged in uplifting the submerged earth from the depths of the waters, this great demon Hiranyaksa met Him and challenged Him, calling Him a beast.
Demons cannot understand the incarnations of the Lord; they think that His incarnations as a fish or boar or tortoise are big beasts only.
They misunderstand the body of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, even in His human form, and they deride His descent.
In the Caitanya-sampradaya there is sometimes a demoniac misconception about the descent of Nityananda Prabhu.
Nityananda Prabhu’s body is spiritual, but demoniac persons consider the body of the Supreme Personality to be material, just like ours.
Avajananti mam mudhah: persons who have no intelligence deride the transcendental form of the Lord as material.
3.18.3
ahainam ehy ajna mahim vimunca no
rasaukasam visva-srjeyam arpita
na svasti yasyasy anaya mameksatah
suradhamasadita-sukarakrte
SYNONYMS
aha—Hiranyaksa said; enam—to the Lord; ehi—come and fight; ajna—O fool; mahim—the earth; vimunca—give up; nah—to us; rasa-okasam—of the inhabitants of the lower regions; visva-srja—by the creator of the universe; iyam—this earth; arpita—entrusted; na—not; svasti—well-being; yasyasi—You will go; anaya—with this; mama iksatah—while I am seeing; sura-adhama—O lowest of the demigods; asadita—having taken; sukara-akrte—the form of a boar.
TRANSLATION
The demon addressed the Lord: O best of the demigods, dressed in the form of a boar, just hear me.
This earth is entrusted to us, the inhabitants of the lower regions, and You cannot take it from my presence and not be hurt by me.
PURPORT
Sridhara Svami, commenting on this verse, states that although the demon wanted to deride the Personality of Godhead in the form of a boar, actually he worshiped Him in several words.
For example, he addressed Him as vana-gocarah, which means one who is a resident of the forest but another meaning of vana-gocarah is one who lies on the water Visnu lies on the water, so the Supreme Personality of Godhead can be properly addressed in this way.
The demon also addressed Him as mrgah, indicating, unintentionally, that the Supreme Personality is sought after by great sages, saintly persons and transcendentalists.
He also addressed Him as ajna.
Sridhara Svami says that jna means knowledge and there is no knowledge which is unknown to the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Indirectly, therefore, the demon said that Visnu knows everything.
The demon addressed Him as suradhama.
Sura means the demigods and adhama means Lord of all there is He is Lord of all the demigods; therefore He is the best of all demigods, or God.
When the demon used the phrase in my presence the implied meaning was, In spite of my presence, You are completely able to take away the earth Na svasti yasyasi: unless You kindly take this earth from our custody, there can be no good fortune for us
3.18.4
tvam nah sapatnair abhavaya kim bhrto
yo mayaya hanty asuran paroksa-jit
tvam yogamaya-balam alpa-paurusam
samsthapya mudha pramrje suhrc-chucah
SYNONYMS
tvam—You; nah—us; sapatnaih—by our enemies; abhavaya—for killing; kim—is it that; bhrtah—maintained; yah—He who; mayaya—by deception; hanti—kills; asuran—the demons; paroksa-jit—who conquered by remaining invisible; tvam—You; yogamaya-balam—whose strength is bewildering power; alpa-paurusam—whose power is meager; samsthapya—after killing; mudha—fool; pramrje—I shall wipe out; suhrt-sucah—the grief of my kinsmen.
TRANSLATION
You rascal, You have been nourished by our enemies to kill us, and You have killed some demons by remaining invisible.
O fool, Your power is only mystic, so today I shall enliven my kinsmen by killing You.
PURPORT
The demon used the word abhavaya, which means for killing Sridhara Svami comments that this killin means liberating, or, in other words, killing the process of continued birth and death.
The Lord kills the process of birth and death and keeps Himself invisible.
The activities of the Lord’s internal potency are inconceivable, but by a slight exhibition of this potency, the Lord, by His grace, can deliver one from nescience.
Sucah means miserie; the miseries of material existence can be extinguished by the Lord by His potential energy of internal yogamaya.
In the Upanisads (Svetasvatara Upanisad 6.8) it is stated, parasya saktir vividhaiva sruyate.
The Lord is invisible to the eyes of the common man, but His energies act in various ways.
When demons are in adversity, they think that God is hiding Himself and is working by His mystic potency.
They think that if they can find God they can kill Him just by seeing Him.
Hiranyaksa thought that way, and he challenged the Lord: You have done tremendous harm to our community, taking the part of the demigods, and You have killed our kinsmen in so many ways, always keeping Yourself hidden.
Now I see You face to face, and I am not going to let You go.
I shall kill You and save my kinsmen from Your mystic misdeeds Not only are demons always anxious to kill God with words and philosophy, but they think that if one is materially powerful he can kill God with materially fatal weapons.
Demons like Kamsa, Ravana and Hiranyakasipu thought themselves powerful enough to kill even God.
Demons cannot understand that God, by His multifarious potencies, can work so wonderfully that He can be present everywhere and still remain in His eternal abode, Goloka Vrndavana.
3.18.5
tvayi samsthite gadaya sirna-sirsany
asmad-bhuja-cyutaya ye ca tubhyam
balim haranty rsayo ye ca devah
svayam sarve na bhavisyanty amulah
SYNONYMS
tvayi—when You; samsthite—are killed; gadaya—by the mace; sirna—smashed; sirsani—skull; asmat-bhuja—from my hand; cyutaya—released; ye—those who; ca—and; tubhyam—to You; balim—presentations; haranti—offer; rsayah—sages; ye—those who; ca—and; devah—demigods; svayam—automatically; sarve—all; na—not; bhavisyanti—will exist; amulah—without roots.
TRANSLATION
The demon continued: When You fall dead with Your skull smashed by the mace hurled by my arms, the demigods and sages who offer You oblations and sacrifice in devotional service will also automatically cease to exist, like trees without roots.
PURPORT
Demons are very much disturbed when devotees worship the Lord in the prescribed ways recommended in the scriptures.
In the Vedic scriptures, the neophyte devotees are advised to engage in nine kinds of devotional service, such as to hear and chant the holy name of God, to remember Him always, to chant on beads Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare, to worship the Lord in the form of His Deity incarnation in the temples, and to engage in various activities of Krsna consciousness to increase the number of godly persons for perfect peace in the world.
Demons do not like such activity.
They are always envious of God and His devotees.
Their propaganda not to worship in the temple or church but simply to make material advancement for satisfaction of the senses is always current.
The demon Hiranyaksa, upon seeing the Lord face to face, wanted to make a permanent solution by killing the Personality of Godhead with his powerful mace.
The example of an uprooted tree mentioned here by the demon is very significant.
Devotees accept that God is the root of everything.
Their example is that just as the stomach is the source of energy of all the limbs of the body, God is the original source of all energy manifested in the material and spiritual worlds; therefore, as supplying food to the stomach is the process to satisfy all the limbs of the body, Krsna consciousness, or developing love of Krsna, is the sublime method for satisfying the source of all happiness.
The demon wants to uproot this source because if the root, God, were to be checked, the activities of the Lord and the devotees would automatically stop.
The demon would be very much satisfied by such a situation in society.
Demons are always anxious to have a godless society for their sense gratification.
According to Sridhara Svami, this verse means that when the demon would be deprived of his mace by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, not only the neophyte devotees but also the ancient sagacious devotees of the Lord would be very much satisfied.
3.18.6
sa tudyamano ’ri-durukta-tomarair
damstragra-gam gam upalaksya bhitam
todam mrsan niragad ambu-madhyad
grahahatah sa-karenur yathebhah
SYNONYMS
sah—He; tudyamanah—being pained; ari—of the enemy; durukta—by the abusive words; tomaraih—by the weapons; damstra-agra—on the ends of His tusks; gam—situated; gam—the earth; upalaksya—seeing; bhitam—frightened; todam—the pain; mrsan—bearing; niragat—He came out; ambu-madhyat—from the midst of the water; graha—by a crocodile; ahatah—attacked; sa-karenuh—along with a she-elephant; yatha—as; ibhah—an elephant.
TRANSLATION
Although the Lord was pained by the shaftlike abusive words of the demon, He bore the pain.
But seeing that the earth on the ends of His tusks was frightened, He rose out of the water just as an elephant emerges with its female companion when assailed by an alligator.
PURPORT
The Mayavadi philosopher cannot understand that the Lord has feelings.
The Lord is satisfied if someone offers Him a nice prayer, and similarly, if someone decries His existence or calls Him by ill names, God is dissatisfied.
The Supreme Personality of Godhead is decried by the Mayavadi philosophers, who are almost demons.
They say that God has no head, no form, no existence and no legs, hands or other bodily limbs.
In other words, they say that He is dead or lame.
All these misconceptions of the Supreme Lord are a source of dissatisfaction to Him; He is never pleased with such atheistic descriptions.
In this case, although the Lord felt sorrow from the piercing words of the demon, He delivered the earth for the satisfaction of the demigods, who are ever His devotees.
The conclusion is that God is as sentient as we are.
He is satisfied by our prayers and dissatisfied by our harsh words against Him.
In order to give protection to His devotee, He is always ready to tolerate insulting words from the atheists.
3.18.7
tam nihsarantam salilad anudruto
hiranya-keso dviradam yatha jhasah
karala-damstro ’sani-nisvano ’bravid
gata-hriyam kim tv asatam vigarhitam
SYNONYMS
tam—Him; nihsarantam—coming out; salilat—from the water; anudrutah—chased; hiranya-kesah—having golden hair; dviradam—an elephant; yatha—as; jhasah—a crocodile; karala-damstrah—having fearful teeth; asani-nisvanah—roaring like thunder; abravit—he said; gata-hriyam—for those who are shameless; kim—what; tu—indeed; asatam—for the wretches; vigarhitam—reproachable.
TRANSLATION
The demon, who had golden hair on his head and fearful tusks, gave chase to the Lord while He was rising from the water, even as an alligator would chase an elephant.
Roaring like thunder, he said: Are You not ashamed of running away before a challenging adversary? There is nothing reproachable for shameless creatures!
PURPORT
When the Lord was coming out of the water, taking the earth in His arms to deliver it, the demon derided Him with insulting words, but the Lord did not care because He was very conscious of His duty.
For a dutiful man there is nothing to fear.
Similarly, those who are powerful have no fear of derision or unkind words from an enemy.
The Lord had nothing to fear from anyone, yet He was merciful to His enemy by neglecting him.
Although apparently He fled from the challenge, it was just to protect the earth from calamity that He tolerated Hiranyaksa’s deriding words.
3.18.8
sa gam udastat salilasya gocare
vinyasya tasyam adadhat sva-sattvam
abhistuto visva-srja prasunair
apuryamano vibudhaih pasyato ’reh
SYNONYMS
sah—the Lord; gam—the earth; udastat—on the surface; salilasya—of the water; gocare—within His sight; vinyasya—having placed; tasyam—to the earth; adadhat—He invested; sva—His own; sattvam—existence; abhistutah—praised; visva-srja—by Brahma (the creator of the universe); prasunaih—by flowers; apuryamanah—becoming satisfied; vibudhaih—by the demigods; pasyatah—while looking on; areh—the enemy.
TRANSLATION
The Lord placed the earth within His sight on the surface of the water and transferred to her His own energy in the form of the ability to float on the water.
While the enemy stood looking on, Brahma, the creator of the universe, extolled the Lord, and the other demigods rained flowers on Him.
PURPORT
Those who are demons cannot understand how the Supreme Personality of Godhead floated the earth on water, but to devotees of the Lord this is not a very wonderful act.
Not only the earth but many, many millions of planes are in the air, and this power is endowed upon them by the Lord; there is no other possible explanation.
The materialists can explain that the planes are by the law of gravitation, but the law of gravitation works under the control or direction of the Supreme Lord.
That is the version of Bhagavad-gita, which confirms, by the Lord’s statement, that behind the material laws or nature’s laws and behind the growth, maintenance, production and evolution of all the planeary systems—behind everything—is the Lord’s direction.
The Lord’s activities could be appreciated only by the demigods, headed by Brahma, and therefore when they saw the uncommon prowess of the Lord in keeping the earth on the surface of the water, they showered flowers on Him in appreciation of His transcendental activity.
3.18.9
paranusaktam tapaniyopakalpam
maha-gadam kancana-citra-damsam
marmany abhiksnam pratudantam duruktaih
pracanda-manyuh prahasams tam babhase
SYNONYMS
para—from behind; anusaktam—who followed very closely; tapaniya-upakalpam—who had a considerable amount of gold ornaments; maha-gadam—with a great mace; kancana—golden; citra—beautiful; damsam—armor; marmani—the core of the heart; abhiksnam—constantly; pratudantam—piercing; duruktaih—by abusive words; pracanda—terrible; manyuh—anger; prahasan—laughing; tam—to him; babhase—He said.
TRANSLATION
The demon, who had a wealth of ornaments, bangles and beautiful golden armor on his body, chased the Lord from behind with a great mace.
The Lord tolerated his piercing ill words, but in order to reply to him, He expressed His terrible anger.
PURPORT
The Lord could have chastised the demon immediately while the demon was deriding the Lord with ill words, but the Lord tolerated him to please the demigods and to show that they should not be afraid of demons while discharging their duties.
Therefore His toleration was displayed mainly to drive away the fears of the demigods, who should know that the Lord is always present to protect them.
The demon’s derision of the Lord was just like the barking of dogs; the Lord did not care about it, since He was doing His own work in delivering the earth from the midst of the water.
Materialistic demons always possess large amounts of gold in various shapes, and they think that a large amount of gold, physical strength and popularity can save them from the wrath of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
3.18.10
sri-bhagavan uvaca
satyam vayam bho vana-gocara mrga
yusmad-vidhan mrgaye grama-simhan
na mrtyu-pasaih pratimuktasya vira
vikatthanam tava grhnanty abhadra
SYNONYMS
sri-bhagavan uvaca—the Supreme Personality of Godhead said; satyam—indeed; vayam—We; bhoh—O; vana-gocarah—dwelling in the forest; mrgah—creatures; yusmat-vidhan—like you; mrgaye—I am searching to kill; grama-simhan—dogs; na—not; mrtyu-pasaih—by the bonds of death; pratimuktasya—of one who is bound; virah—the heroes; vikatthanam—loose talk; tava—your; grhnanti—take notice of; abhadra—O mischievous one.
TRANSLATION
The Personality of Godhead said: Indeed, We are creatures of the jungle, and We are searching after hunting dogs like you.
One who is freed from the entanglement of death has no fear from the loose talk in which you are indulging, for you are bound up by the laws of death.
PURPORT
Demons and atheistic persons can go on insulting the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but they forget that they are subjected to the laws of birth and death.
They think that simply by decrying the existence of the Supreme Lord or defying His stringent laws of nature, one can be freed from the clutches of birth and death.
In Bhagavad-gita it is said that simply by understanding the transcendental nature of God one can go back home, back to Godhead.
But demons and atheistic persons do not try to understand the nature of the Supreme Lord; therefore they remain in the entanglement of birth and death.
3.18.11
ete vayam nyasa-hara rasaukasam
gata-hriyo gadaya dravitas te
tisthamahe ’thapi kathancid ajau
stheyam kva yamo balinotpadya vairam
SYNONYMS
ete—Ourselves; vayam—We; nyasa—of the charge; harah—thieves; rasa-okasam—of the inhabitants of Rasatala; gata-hriyah—shameless; gadaya—by the mace; dravitah—chased; te—your; tisthamahe—We shall stay; atha api—nevertheless; kathancit—somehow; ajau—on the battlefield; stheyam—We must stay; kva—where; yamah—can We go; balina—with a powerful enemy; utpadya—having created; vairam—enmity.
TRANSLATION
Certainly We have stolen the charge of the inhabitants of Rasatala and have lost all shame.
Although bitten by your powerful mace, I shall stay here in the water for some time because, having created enmity with a powerful enemy, I now have no place to go.
PURPORT
The demon should have known that God cannot be driven out of any place, for He is all-pervading.
Demons think of their possessions as their property, but actually everything belongs to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who can take anything at any time He likes.
3.18.12
tvam pad-rathanam kila yuthapadhipo
ghatasva no ’svastaya asv anuhah
samsthapya casman pramrjasru svakanam
yah svam pratijnam natipiparty asabhyah
SYNONYMS
tvam—you; pad-rathanam—of foot soldiers; kila—indeed; yuthapa—of the leaders; adhipah—the commander; ghatasva—take steps; nah—Our; asvastaye—for defeat; asu—promptly; anuhah—without consideration; samsthapya—having killed; ca—and; asman—Us; pramrja—wipe away; asru—tears; svakanam—of your kith and kin; yah—he who; svam—his own; pratijnam—promised word; na—not; atipiparti—fulfills; asabhyah—not fit to sit in an assembly.
TRANSLATION
You are supposed to be the commander of many foot soldiers, and now you may take prompt steps to overthrow Us.
Give up all your foolish talk and wipe out the cares of your kith and kin by slaying Us.
One may be proud, yet he does not deserve a seat in an assembly if he fails to fulfill his promised word.
PURPORT
A demon may be a great soldier and commander of a large number of infantry, but in the presence of the Supreme Personality of Godhead he is powerless and is destined to die.
The Lord, therefore, challenged the demon not to go away, but to fulfill his promised word to kill Him.
3.18.13
maitreya uvaca
so ’dhiksipto bhagavata
pralabdhas ca rusa bhrsam
ajaharolbanam krodham
kridyamano ’hi-rad iva
SYNONYMS
maitreyah—the great sage Maitreya; uvaca—said; sah—the demon; adhiksiptah—having been insulted; bhagavata—by the Personality of Godhead; pralabdhah—ridiculed; ca—and; rusa—angry; bhrsam—greatly; ajahara—collected; ulbanam—great; krodham—anger; kridyamanah—being played with; ahi-rat—a great cobra; iva—like.
TRANSLATION
Sri Maitreya said: The demon, being thus challenged by the Personality of Godhead, became angry and agitated, and he trembled in anger like a challenged cobra.
PURPORT
A cobra is very fierce before ordinary persons, but before an enchanter who can play with him, he is a plaything.
Similarly, a demon may be very powerful in his own domain, but before the Lord he is insignificant.
The demon Ravana was a fierce figure before the demigods, but when he was before Lord Ramacandra he trembled and prayed to his deity, Lord Siva, but to no avail.
3.18.14
srjann amarsitah svasan
manyu-pracalitendriyah
asadya tarasa daityo
gadaya nyahanad dharim
SYNONYMS
srjan—giving out; amarsitah—being angry; svasan—breaths; manyu—by wrath; pracalita—agitated; indriyah—whose senses; asadya—attacking; tarasa—quickly; daityah—the demon; gadaya—with his mace; nyahanat—struck; harim—Lord Hari.
TRANSLATION
Hissing indignantly, all his senses shaken by wrath, the demon quickly sprang upon the Lord and dealt Him a blow with his powerful mace.
3.18.15
bhagavams tu gada-vegam
visrstam ripunorasi
avancayat tirascino
yogarudha ivantakam
SYNONYMS
bhagavan—the Lord; tu—however; gada-vegam—the blow of the mace; visrstam—thrown; ripuna—by the enemy; urasi—at His breast; avancayat—dodged; tirascinah—aside; yoga-arudhah—an accomplished yogi; iva—like; antakam—death.
TRANSLATION
The Lord, however, by moving slightly aside, dodged the violent mace-blow aimed at His breast by the enemy, just as an accomplished yogi would elude death.
PURPORT
The example is given herein that the perfect yogi can overcome a deathblow although it is offered by the laws of nature.
It is useless for a demon to beat the transcendental body of the Lord with a powerful mace, for no one can surpass His prowess.
Those who are advanced transcendentalists are freed from the laws of nature, and even a deathblow cannot act on them.
Superficially it may be seen that a yogi is attacked by a deathblow, but by the grace of the Lord he can overcome many such attacks for the service of the Lord.
As the Lord exists by His own independent prowess, by the grace of the Lord the devotees also exist for His service.
3.18.16
punar gadam svam adaya
bhramayantam abhiksnasah
abhyadhavad dharih kruddhah
samrambhad dasta-dacchadam
SYNONYMS
punah—again; gadam—mace; svam—his; adaya—having taken; bhramayantam—brandishing; abhiksnasah—repeatedly; abhyadhavat—rushed to meet; harih—the Personality of Godhead; kruddhah—angry; samrambhat—in rage; dasta—bitten; dacchadam—his lip.
TRANSLATION
The Personality of Godhead now exhibited His anger and rushed to meet the demon, who bit his lip in rage, took up his mace again and began to repeatedly brandish it about.
3.18.17
tatas ca gadayaratim
daksinasyam bhruvi prabhuh
ajaghne sa tu tam saumya
gadaya kovido ’hanat
SYNONYMS
tatah—then; ca—and; gadaya—with His mace; aratim—the enemy; daksinasyam—on the right; bhruvi—on the brow; prabhuh—the Lord; ajaghne—struck; sah—the Lord; tu—but; tam—the mace; saumya—O gentle Vidura; gadaya—with his mace; kovidah—expert; ahanat—he saved himself.
TRANSLATION
Then with His mace the Lord struck the enemy on the right of his brow, but since the demon was expert in fighting, O gentle Vidura, he protected himself by a maneuver of his own mace.
3.18.18
evam gadabhyam gurvibhyam
haryakso harir eva ca
jigisaya susamrabdhav
anyonyam abhijaghnatuh
SYNONYMS
evam—in this way; gadabhyam—with their maces; gurvibhyam—huge; haryaksah—the demon Haryaksa (Hiranyaksa); harih—Lord Hari; eva—certainly; ca—and; jigisaya—with a desire for victory; susamrabdhau—enraged; anyonyam—each other; abhijaghnatuh—they struck.
TRANSLATION
In this way, the demon Haryaksa and the Lord, the Personality of Godhead, struck each other with their huge maces, each enraged and seeking his own victory.
PURPORT
Haryaksa is another name for Hiranyaksa, the demon.
3.18.19
tayoh sprdhos tigma-gadahatangayoh
ksatasrava-ghrana-vivrddha-manyvoh
vicitra-margams carator jigisaya
vyabhad ilayam iva susminor mrdhah
SYNONYMS
tayoh—them; sprdhoh—the two combatants; tigma—pointed; gada—by the maces; ahata—injured; angayoh—their bodies; ksata-asrava—blood coming out from the injuries; ghrana—smell; vivrddha—increased; manyvoh—anger; vicitra—of various kinds; margan—maneuvers; caratoh—performing; jigisaya—with a desire to win; vyabhat—it looked like; ilayam—for the sake of a cow (or the earth); iva—like; susminoh—of two bulls; mrdhah—an encounter.
TRANSLATION
There was keen rivalry between the two combatants; both had sustained injuries on their bodies from the blows of each other’s pointed maces, and each grew more and more enraged at the smell of blood on his person.
In their eagerness to win, they performed maneuvers of various kinds, and their contest looked like an encounter between two forceful bulls for the sake of a cow.
PURPORT
Here the earth plane is called ila.
This earth was formerly known as Ilavrta-varsa, and when Maharaja Pariksit ruled the earth it was called Bharata-varsa.
Actually, Bharata-varsa is the name for the entire plane, but gradually Bharata-varsa has come to mean India.
As India has recently been divided into Pakistan and Hindustan, similarly the earth was formerly called Ilavrta-varsa, but gradually as time passed it was divided by national boundaries.
3.18.20
daityasya yajnavayavasya maya-
grhita-varaha-tanor mahatmanah
kauravya mahyam dvisator vimardanam
didrksur agad rsibhir vrtah svarat
SYNONYMS
daityasya—of the demon; yajna-avayavasya—of the Personality of Godhead (of whose body yajna is a part); maya—through His potency; grhita—was assumed; varaha—of a boar; tanoh—whose form; maha-atmanah—of the Supreme Lord; kauravya—O Vidura (descendant of Kuru); mahyam—for the sake of the world; dvisatoh—of the two enemies; vimardanam—the fight; didrksuh—desirous to see; agat—came; rsibhih—by the sages; vrtah—accompanied; svarat—Brahma.
TRANSLATION
O descendant of Kuru, Brahma, the most independent demigod of the universe, accompanied by his followers, came to see the terrible fight for the sake of the world between the demon and the Personality of Godhead, who appeared in the form of a boar.
PURPORT
The fight between the Lord, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and the demon is compared to a fight between bulls for the sake of a cow.
The earth plane is also called go, or cow.
As bulls fight between themselves to ascertain who will have union with a cow, there is always a constant fight between the demons and the Supreme Lord or His representative for supremacy over the earth.
Here the Lord is significantly described as yajnavayava.
One should not consider the Lord to have the body of an ordinary boar.
He can assume any form, and He possesses all such forms eternally.
It is from Him that all other forms have emanated.
This boar form is not to be considered the form of an ordinary hog; His body is actually full of yajna, or worshipful offerings.
Yajna (sacrifices) are offered to Visnu.
Yajna means the body of Visnu.
His body is not material; therefore He should not be taken to be an ordinary boar.
Brahma is described in this verse as svarat.
Actually, full independence is exclusive to the Lord Himself, but as part and parcel of the Supreme Lord, every living entity has a minute quantity of independence.
Each and every one of the living entities within this universe has this minute independence, but Brahma, being the chief of all living entities, has a greater potential of independence than any other.
He is the representative of Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and has been assigned to preside over universal affairs.
All other demigods work for him; therefore he is described here as svarat.
He is always accompanied by great sages and transcendentalists, all of whom came to see the bullfight between the demon and the Lord.
3.18.21
asanna-saundiram apeta-sadhvasam
krta-pratikaram aharya-vikramam
vilaksya daityam bhagavan sahasra-nir
jagada narayanam adi-sukaram
SYNONYMS
asanna—attained; saundiram—power; apeta—devoid of; sadhvasam—fear; krta—making; pratikaram—opposition; aharya—unopposable; vikramam—having power; vilaksya—having seen; daityam—the demon; bhagavan—the worshipful Brahma; sahasra-nih—the leader of thousands of sages; jagada—addressed; narayanam—Lord Narayana; adi—the original; sukaram—having the form of a boar.
TRANSLATION
After arriving at the place of combat, Brahma, the leader of thousands of sages and transcendentalists, saw the demon, who had attained such unprecedented power that no one could fight with him.
Brahma then addressed Narayana, who was assuming the form of a boar for the first time.
3.18.22-23
brahmovaca
esa te deva devanam
anghri-mulam upeyusam
vipranam saurabheyinam
bhutanam apy anagasam
agas-krd bhaya-krd duskrd
asmad-raddha-varo ’surah
anvesann apratiratho
lokan atati kantakah
SYNONYMS
brahma uvaca—Lord Brahma said; esah—this demon; te—Your; deva—O Lord; devanam—to the demigods; anghri-mulam—Your feet; upeyusam—to those having obtained; vipranam—to the brahmanas; saurabheyinam—to the cows; bhutanam—to ordinary living entities; api—also; anagasam—innocent; agah-krt—an offender; bhaya-krt—a source of fear; duskrt—wrongdoer; asmat—from me; raddha-varah—having attained a boon; asurah—a demon; anvesan—searching; apratirathah—having no proper combatant; lokan—all over the universe; atati—he wanders; kantakah—being a pinprick for everyone.
TRANSLATION
Lord Brahma said: My dear Lord, this demon has proved to be a constant pinprick to the demigods, the brahmanas, the cows and innocent persons who are spotless and always dependent upon worshiping Your lotus feet.
He has become a source of fear by unnecessarily harassing them.
Since he has attained a boon from me, he has become a demon, always searching for a proper combatant, wandering all over the universe for this infamous purpose.
PURPORT
There are two classes of living entities; one is called sura, or the demigods, and the other is called asura, or the demons.
Demons are generally fond of worshiping the demigods, and there are evidences that by such worship they get extensive power for their sense gratification.
This later proves to be a cause of trouble to the brahmanas, demigods and other innocent living entities.
Demons habitually find fault with the demigods, brahmanas and innocent, to whom they are a constant source of fear.
The way of the demon is to take power from the demigods and then tease the demigods themselves.
There is an instance of a great devotee of Lord Siva who obtained a boon from Lord Siva that the head of whomever he touched with his hand would come off its trunk.
As soon as the boon was offered to him, the demon wanted to touch the very head of Lord Siva.
That is their way.
The devotees of the Supreme Personality of Godhead do not, however, ask any favor for sense gratification.
Even if they are offered liberation, they refuse it.
They are happy simply engaging in the transcendental loving service of the Lord.
3.18.24
mainam mayavinam drptam
nirankusam asattamam
akrida balavad deva
yathasivisam utthitam
SYNONYMS
ma—do not; enam—him; maya-vinam—skilled in conjuring tricks; drptam—arrogant; nirankusam—self-sufficient; asat-tamam—most wicked; akrida—play with; bala-vat—like a child; deva—O Lord; yatha—as; asivisam—a serpent; utthitam—aroused.
TRANSLATION
Lord Brahma continued: My dear Lord, there is no need to play with this serpentine demon, who is always very skilled in conjuring tricks and is arrogant, self-sufficient and most wicked.
PURPORT
No one is unhappy when a serpent is killed.
It is a practice among village boys to catch a serpent by the tail and play with it for some time and then kill it.
Similarly, the Lord could have killed the demon at once, but He played with him in the same way as a child plays with a snake before killing it.
Brahma requested, however, that since the demon was more wicked and undesirable than a serpent, there was no need to play with him.
It was his wish that he be killed at once, without delay.
3.18.25
na yavad esa vardheta
svam velam prapya darunah
svam deva mayam asthaya
tavaj jahy agham acyuta
SYNONYMS
na yavat—before; esah—this demon; vardheta—may increase; svam—his own; velam—demoniac hour; prapya—having reached; darunah—formidable; svam—Your own; deva—O Lord; mayam—internal potency; asthaya—using; tavat—at once; jahi—kill; agham—the sinful one; acyuta—O infallible one.
TRANSLATION
Brahma continued: My dear Lord, You are infallible.
Please kill this sinful demon before the demoniac hour arrives and he presents another formidable approach favorable to him.
You can kill him by Your internal potency without doubt.
3.18.26
esa ghoratama sandhya
loka-cchambat-kari prabho
upasarpati sarvatman
suranam jayam avaha
SYNONYMS
esa—this; ghora-tama—darkest; sandhya—evening time; loka—the world; chambat-kari—destroying; prabho—O Lord; upasarpati—is approaching; sarva-atman—O Soul of all souls; suranam—to the demigods; jayam—victory; avaha—bring.
TRANSLATION
My Lord, the darkest evening, which covers the world, is fast approaching.
Since You are the Soul of all souls, kindly kill him and win victory for the demigods.
3.18.27
adhunaiso ’bhijin nama
yogo mauhurtiko hy agat
sivaya nas tvam suhrdam
asu nistara dustaram
SYNONYMS
adhuna—now; esah—this; abhijit nama—called abhijit; yogah—auspicious; mauhurtikah—moment; hi—indeed; agat—has almost passed; sivaya—for the welfare; nah—of us; tvam—You; suhrdam—of Your friends; asu—quickly; nistara—dispose of; dustaram—the formidable foe.
TRANSLATION
The auspicious period known as abhijit, which is most opportune for victory, commenced at midday and has all but passed; therefore, in the interest of Your friends, please dispose of this formidable foe quickly.
3.18.28
distya tvam vihitam mrtyum
ayam asaditah svayam
vikramyainam mrdhe hatva
lokan adhehi sarmani
SYNONYMS
distya—by fortune; tvam—to You; vihitam—ordained; mrtyum—death; ayam—this demon; asaditah—has come; svayam—of his own accord; vikramya—exhibiting Your prowess; enam—him; mrdhe—in the duel; hatva—killing; lokan—the worlds; adhehi—establish; sarmani—in peace.
TRANSLATION
This demon, luckily for us, has come of his own accord to You, his death ordained by You; therefore, exhibiting Your ways, kill him in the duel and establish the worlds in peace.