The Killing of the Demon Hiranyaksa
3.19.1
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.
3.19.2
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.
3.19.3
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.
3.19.4
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.
3.19.5
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.
3.19.6
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.
3.19.7
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.
3.19.8
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.
3.19.9
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.
3.19.10
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.
3.19.11
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.
3.19.12
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.
3.19.13
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.
3.19.14
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 planes 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.
3.19.15
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.
3.19.16
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.
3.19.17
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.
3.19.18
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.
3.19.19
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.
3.19.20
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.
3.19.21
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.
3.19.22
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 planes 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.
3.19.23
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.
3.19.24
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.
3.19.25
tam mustibhir vinighnantam
vajra-sarair adhoksajah
karena karna-mule ’han
yatha tvastram marut-patih
SYNONYMS
tam—Hiranyaksa; mustibhih—with his fists; vinighnantam—striking; vajra-saraih—as hard as a thunderbolt; adhoksajah—Lord Adhoksaja; karena—with the hand; karna-mule—at the root of the ear; ahan—struck; yatha—as; tvastram—the demon Vrtra (son of Tvasta); marut-patih—Indra (lord of the Maruts).
TRANSLATION
The demon now began to strike the Lord with his hard fists, but Lord Adhoksaja slapped him in the root of the ear, even as Indra, the lord of the Maruts, hit the demon Vrtra.
PURPORT
The Lord is explained here to be adhoksaja, beyond the reach of all material calculation.
Aksaja means the measurement of our senses and adhoksaja means that which is beyond the measurement of our senses
3.19.26
sa ahato visva-jita hy avajnaya
paribhramad-gatra udasta-locanah
visirna-bahv-anghri-siroruho ’patad
yatha nagendro lulito nabhasvata
SYNONYMS
sah—he; ahatah—having been struck; visva-jita—by the Supreme Personality of Godhead; hi—though; avajnaya—indifferently; paribhramat—wheeling; gatrah—body; udasta—bulged out; locanah—eyes; visirna—broken; bahu—arms; anghri—legs; sirah-ruhah—hair; apatat—fell down; yatha—like; naga-indrah—a gigantic tree; lulitah—uprooted; nabhasvata—by the wind.
TRANSLATION
Though struck indifferently by the Lord, the conqueror of all, the demon’s body began to wheel.
His eyeballs bulged out of their sockets.
His arms and legs broken and the hair on his head scattered, he fell down dead, like a gigantic tree uprooted by the wind.
PURPORT
It does not take even a moment for the Lord to kill any powerful demon, including Hiranyaksa.
The Lord could have killed him long before, but He allowed the demon to display the full extent of his magical feats.
One may know that by magical feats, by scientific advancement of knowledge or by material power one cannot become the equal of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
His one signal is sufficient to destroy all our attempts.
His inconceivable power, as displayed here, is so strong that the demon, despite all his demoniac maneuvers, was killed by the Lord when the Lord desired, simply by one slap.
3.19.27
ksitau sayanam tam akuntha-varcasam
karala-damstram paridasta-dacchadam
ajadayo viksya sasamsur agata
aho imam ko nu labheta samsthitim
SYNONYMS
ksitau—on the ground; sayanam—lying; tam—Hiranyaksa; akuntha—unfaded; varcasam—glow; karala—fearful; damstram—teeth; paridasta—bitten; dat-chadam—lip; aja-adayah—Brahma and others; viksya—having seen; sasamsuh—admiringly said; agatah—arrived; aho—oh; imam—this; kah—who; nu—indeed; labheta—could meet; samsthitim—death.
TRANSLATION
Aja (Brahma) and others arrived on the spot to see the fearfully tusked demon lying on the ground, biting his lip.
The glow of his face was yet unfaded, and Brahma admiringly said: Oh, who could meet such blessed death?
PURPORT
Although the demon was dead, his bodily luster was unfaded.
This is very peculiar because when a man or animal is dead, the body immediately becomes pale, the luster gradually fades, and decomposition takes place.
But here, although Hiranyaksa lay dead, his bodily luster was unfaded because the Lord, the Supreme Spirit, was touching his body.
One’s bodily luster remains fresh only as long as the spirit soul is present.
Although the demon’s soul had departed his body, the Supreme Spirit touched the body, and therefore his bodily luster did not fade.
The individual soul is different from the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
One who sees the Supreme Personality of Godhead when he quits his body is certainly very fortunate, and therefore personalities like Brahma and the other demigods eulogized the death of the demon.
3.19.28
yam yogino yoga-samadhina raho
dhyayanti lingad asato mumuksaya
tasyaisa daitya-rsabhah padahato
mukham prapasyams tanum utsasarja ha
SYNONYMS
yam—whom; yoginah—the yogis; yoga-samadhina—in mystic trance; rahah—in seclusion; dhyayanti—meditate upon; lingat—from the body; asatah—unreal; mumuksaya—seeking freedom; tasya—of Him; esah—this; daitya—son of Diti; rsabhah—the crest jewel; pada—by a foot; ahatah—struck; mukham—countenance; prapasyan—while gazing on; tanum—the body; utsasarja—he cast off; ha—indeed.
TRANSLATION
Brahma continued: He was struck by a forefoot of the Lord, whom yogis, seeking freedom from their unreal material bodies, meditate upon in seclusion in mystic trance.
While gazing on His countenance, this crest jewel of Diti’s sons has cast off his mortal coil.
PURPORT
The process of yoga is very clearly described in this verse of Srimad-Bhagavatam.
It is said here that the ultimate end of the yogis and mystics who perform meditation is to get rid of this material body.
Therefore they meditate in secluded places to attain yogic trance.
Yoga has to be performed in a secluded place, not in public or in a demonstration on stage, as nowadays practiced by many so-called yogis.
Real yoga aims at ridding one of the material body.
Yoga practice is not intended to keep the body fit and young.
Such advertisements of so-called yoga are not approved by any standard method.
Particularly mentioned in this verse is the word yam, or unto whom indicating that meditation should be targeted on the Personality of Godhead.
Even if one concentrates his mind on the boar form of the Lord, that is also yoga.
As confirmed in Bhagavad-gita, one who concentrates his mind constantly in meditation upon the Personality of Godhead in one of His many varieties of forms is the first-class yogi, and he can very easily attain trance simply by meditating upon the form of the Lord.
If one is able to continue such meditation on the Lord’s form at the time of one’s death, one is liberated from this mortal body and is transferred to the kingdom of God.
This opportunity was given to the demon by the Lord, and therefore Brahma and other demigods were astonished.
In other words, the perfection of yoga practice can be attained by a demon also if he is simply kicked by the Lord.
3.19.29
etau tau parsadav asya
sapad yatav asad-gatim
punah katipayaih sthanam
prapatsyete ha janmabhih
SYNONYMS
etau—these two; tau—both; parsadau—personal assistants; asya—of the Personality of Godhead; sapat—because of being cursed; yatau—have gone; asat-gatim—to take birth in a demoniac family; punah—again; katipayaih—a few; sthanam—own place; prapatsyete—will get back; ha—indeed; janmabhih—after births.
TRANSLATION
These two personal assistants of the Supreme Lord, having been cursed, have been destined to take birth in demoniac families.
After a few such births, they will return to their own positions.
3.19.30
deva ucuh
namo namas te ’khila-yajna-tantave
sthitau grhitamala-sattva-murtaye
distya hato ’yam jagatam aruntudas
tvat-pada-bhaktya vayam isa nirvrtah
SYNONYMS
devah—the demigods; ucuh—said; namah—obeisances; namah—obeisances; te—unto You; akhila-yajna-tantave—the enjoyer of all sacrifices; sthitau—for the purpose of maintaining; grhita—assumed; amala—pure; sattva—goodness; murtaye—form; distya—fortunately; hatah—slain; ayam—this; jagatam—to the worlds; aruntudah—causing torment; tvat-pada—to Your feet; bhaktya—with devotion; vayam—we; isa—O Lord; nirvrtah—have attained happiness.
TRANSLATION
The demigods addressed the Lord: All obeisances unto You! You are the enjoyer of all sacrifices, and You have assumed the form of a boar, in pure goodness, for the purpose of maintaining the world.
Fortunately for us, this demon, who was a torment to the worlds, has been slain by You, and we too, O Lord, are now at ease, in devotion to Your lotus feet.
PURPORT
The material world consists of three modes—goodness, passion and ignorance—but the spiritual world is pure goodness.
It is said here that the form of the Lord is pure goodness, which means that it is not material.
In the material world there is no pure goodness.
In the Bhagavatam the stage of pure goodness is called sattvam visuddham.
Visuddham means pure In pure goodness there is no contamination by the two inferior qualities, namely passion and ignorance.
The form of the boar, therefore, in which the Lord appeared, is nothing of the material world.
There are many other forms of the Lord, but none of them belong to the material qualities.
Such forms are nondifferent from the Visnu form, and Visnu is the enjoyer of all sacrifices.
The sacrifices which are recommended in the Vedas are meant to please the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
In ignorance only, people try to satisfy many other agents, but the real purpose of life is to satisfy the Supreme Lord, Visnu.
All sacrifices are meant to please the Supreme Lord.
The living entities who know this perfectly well are called demigods, godly or almost God.
Since the living entity is part and parcel of the Supreme Lord, it is his duty to serve the Lord and please Him.
The demigods are all attached to the Personality of Godhead, and for their pleasure the demon, who was a source of trouble to the world, was killed.
Purified life is meant to please the Lord, and all sacrifices performed in purified life are called Krsna consciousness.
This Krsna consciousness is developed by devotional service, as clearly mentioned here.
3.19.31
maitreya uvaca
evam hiranyaksam asahya-vikramam
sa sadayitva harir adi-sukarah
jagama lokam svam akhanditotsavam
samiditah puskara-vistaradibhih
SYNONYMS
maitreyah uvaca—Sri Maitreya said; evam—thus; hiranyaksam—Hiranyaksa; asahya-vikramam—very powerful; sah—the Lord; sadayitva—after killing; harih—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; adi-sukarah—the origin of the boar species; jagama—returned; lokam—to His abode; svam—own; akhandita—uninterrupted; utsavam—festival; samiditah—being praised; puskara-vistara—lotus seat (by Lord Brahma, whose seat is a lotus); adibhih—and the others.
TRANSLATION
Sri Maitreya continued: After thus killing the most formidable demon Hiranyaksa, the Supreme Lord Hari, the origin of the boar species, returned to His own abode, where there is always an uninterrupted festival.
The Lord was praised by all the demigods, headed by Brahma.
PURPORT
The Lord is spoken of herewith as the origin of the boar species.
Vedanta-sutra (1.1.2), the Absolute Truth is the origin of everything.
Therefore it is to be understood that all 8,400,000 species of bodily forms originate from the Lord, who is always adi, or the beginning.
In Bhagavad-gita Arjuna addresses the Lord as adyam, or the original.
Similarly, in the Brahma-samhita the Lord is addressed as adi-purusam, the original person.
Indeed, in Bhagavad-gita (10.8) the Lord Himself declares, mattah sarvam pravartate: From Me everything proceeds In this situation the Lord assumed the shape of a boar to kill the demon Hiranyaksa and pick up the earth from the Garbha Ocean.
Thus He became adi-sukara, the original boar.
In the material world a boar or pig is considered most abominable, but the adi-sukara, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, was not treated as an ordinary boar.
Even Lord Brahma and the other demigods praised the Lord’s form as a boar.
This verse confirms the statement in Bhagavad-gita that the Lord appears as He is from His transcendental abode for the sake of killing the miscreants and saving the devotees.
By killing the demon Hiranyaksa He fulfilled His promise to kill the demons and always protect the demigods headed by Brahma.
The statement that the Lord returned to His own abode indicates that He has His own particular transcendental residence.
Since He is full of all energies, He is all-pervasive in spite of His residing in Goloka Vrndavana, just as the sun, although situated in a particular place within the universe, is present by its sunshine throughout the universe.
Although the Lord has His particular abode in which to reside, He is all-pervasive.
The impersonalists accept one aspect of the Lord’s features, the all-pervasive aspect, but they cannot understand His localized situation in His transcendental abode, where He always engages in fully transcendental pastimes.
Especially mentioned in this verse is the word akhanditotsavam.
Utsava means pleasure Whenever some function takes place to express happiness, it is called utsava.
Utsava, the expression of complete happiness, is always present in the Vaikunthalokas, the abode of the Lord, who is worshipable even by demigods like Brahma, to say nothing of other, less important entities such as human beings.
The Lord descends from His abode to this world, and therefore He is called avatara, which means one who descends Sometimes avatara is understood to refer to an incarnation who assumes a material form of flesh and bone, but actually avatara refers to one who descends from higher regions.
The Lord’s abode is situated far above this material sky, and He descends from that higher position; thus He is called avatara.
3.19.32
maya yathanuktam avadi te hareh
krtavatarasya sumitra cestitam
yatha hiranyaksa udara-vikramo
maha-mrdhe kridanavan nirakrtah
SYNONYMS
maya—by me; yatha—as; anuktam—told; avadi—was explained; te—to you; hareh—of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; krta-avatarasya—who assumed the incarnation; sumitra—O dear Vidura; cestitam—the activities; yatha—as; hiranyaksah—Hiranyaksa; udara—very extensive; vikramah—prowess; maha-mrdhe—in a great fight; kridana-vat—like a plaything; nirakrtah—was killed.
TRANSLATION
Maitreya continued: My dear Vidura, I have explained to you the Personality of Godhead’s coming down as the first boar incarnation and killing in a great fight a demon of unprecedented prowess as if he were just a plaything.
This has been narrated by me as I heard it from my predecessor spiritual master.
PURPORT
Here the sage Maitreya admits that he explained the incident of the killing of Hiranyaksa by the Supreme Personality of Godhead as a straight narration; he did not manufacture anything or add interpretation, but explained whatever he had heard from his spiritual master.
Thus he accepted as bona fide the system of parampara, or receiving the transcendental message in disciplic succession.
Unless received by this bona fide process of hearing from a spiritual master, the statement of an acarya or preceptor cannot be valid.
It is also stated here that although the demon Hiranyaksa was unlimited in prowess, he was just like a doll for the Lord.
A child breaks so many dolls without real endeavor.
Similarly, although a demon may be very powerful and extraordinary in the eyes of an ordinary man in the material world, to the Lord, killing such a demon is no difficulty.
He can kill millions of demons as simply as a child plays with dolls and breaks them.
3.19.33
suta uvaca
iti kausaravakhyatam
asrutya bhagavat-katham
ksattanandam param lebhe
maha-bhagavato dvija
SYNONYMS
sutah—Suta Gosvami; uvaca—said; iti—thus; kausarava—from Maitreya (son of Kusaru); akhyatam—told; asrutya—having heard; bhagavat-katham—the narration about the Lord; ksatta—Vidura; anandam—bliss; param—transcendental; lebhe—achieved; maha-bhagavatah—the great devotee; dvija—O brahmana (Saunaka).
TRANSLATION
Sri Suta Gosvami continued: My dear brahmana, Ksatta (Vidura) the great devotee of the Lord achieved transcendental bliss by hearing the narration of the pastimes of the Supreme Personality of Godhead from the authoritative source of the sage Kausarava (Maitreya), and he was very pleased.
PURPORT
If anyone wants to derive transcendental pleasure by hearing the pastimes of the Lord, he must hear from the authoritative source, as explained here.
Maitreya heard the narration from his bona fide spiritual master, and Vidura also heard from Maitreya.
One becomes an authority simply by presenting whatever he has heard from his spiritual master, and one who does not accept a bona fide spiritual master cannot be an authority.
This is clearly explained here.
If one wants to have transcendental pleasure, he must find a person with authority.
It is also stated in the Bhagavatam that simply by hearing from an authoritative source, with the ear and the heart, one can relish the pastimes of the Lord, otherwise it is not possible.
Sanatana Gosvami, therefore, has especially warned that one should not hear anything about the personality of the Lord from the lips of a nondevotee.
Nondevotees are considered to be like serpents; as milk is poisoned by a serpent’s touch, so, although the narration of the pastimes of the Lord is as pure as milk, when administered by serpentlike nondevotees it becomes poisonous.
Not only does it have no effect in transcendental pleasure, but it is dangerous also.
Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu has warned that no description of the pastimes of the Lord should be heard from the Mayavada, or impersonalist, school.
He has clearly said, mayavadi-bhasya sunile haya sarva nasa: if anyone hears the Mayavadis’ interpretation of the pastimes of the Lord, or their interpretation of Bhagavad-gita, Srimad-Bhagavatam or any other Vedic literature, then he is doomed.
Once one is associated with impersonalists, he can never understand the personal feature of the Lord and His transcendental pastimes.
Suta Gosvami was speaking to the sages headed by Saunaka, and therefore he addressed them in this verse as dvija, twice-born.
The sages assembled in Naimisaranya hearing Srimad-Bhagavatam from Suta Gosvami were all brahmanas, but to acquire the qualifications of a brahmana is not everything.
Merely to be twice-born is not perfection.
Perfection is attained when one hears the pastimes and activities of the Lord from a bona fide source.
3.19.34
anyesam punya-slokanam
uddama-yasasam satam
upasrutya bhaven modah
srivatsankasya kim punah
SYNONYMS
anyesam—of others; punya-slokanam—of pious reputation; uddama-yasasam—whose fame is spread everywhere; satam—of the devotees; upasrutya—by hearing; bhavet—may arise; modah—pleasure; srivatsa-ankasya—of the Lord, who bears the mark Srivatsa; kim punah—what to speak of.
TRANSLATION
What to speak of hearing the pastimes of the Lord, whose chest is marked with Srivatsa, people may take transcendental pleasure even in hearing of the works and deeds of the devotees, whose fame is immortal.
PURPORT
Bhagavatam literally means the pastimes of the Lord and the Lord’s devotees.
For example, there are pastimes of Lord Krsna and narrations of devotees like Prahlada, Dhruva and Maharaja Ambarisa.
Both pastimes pertain to the Supreme Personality of Godhead because the devotees’ pastimes are in relation with Him.
The Mahabharata, for example, the history of the Pandavas and their activities, is sacred because the Pandavas had a direct relationship with the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
3.19.35
yo gajendram jhasa-grastam
dhyayantam caranambujam
krosantinam karenunam
krcchrato ’mocayad drutam
SYNONYMS
yah—He who; gaja-indram—the king of elephants; jhasa—an alligator; grastam—attacked by; dhyayantam—meditating upon; carana—feet; ambujam—lotus; krosantinam—while crying; karenunam—the female elephants; krcchratah—from danger; amocayat—delivered; drutam—quickly.
TRANSLATION
The Personality of Godhead delivered the king of the elephants, who was attacked by an alligator and who meditated upon the lotus feet of the Lord.
At that time the female elephants who accompanied him were crying, and the Lord saved them from the impending danger.
PURPORT
The example of the elephant in danger who was saved by the Supreme Lord is especially cited here because even if one is an animal he can approach the Personality of Godhead in devotional service, whereas even a demigod cannot approach the Supreme Person unless he is a devotee.
3.19.36
tam sukharadhyam rjubhir
ananya-saranair nrbhih
krtajnah ko na seveta
duraradhyam asadhubhih
SYNONYMS
tam—unto Him; sukha—easily; aradhyam—worshiped; rjubhih—by the unpretentious; ananya—no other; saranaih—who take shelter; nrbhih—by men; krta-jnah—grateful soul; kah—what; na—not; seveta—would render service; duraradhyam—impossible to be worshiped; asadhubhih—by the nondevotees.
TRANSLATION
What grateful soul is there who would not render his loving service to such a great master as the Personality of Godhead? The Lord can be easily pleased by spotless devotees who resort exclusively to Him for protection, though the unrighteous man finds it difficult to propitiate Him.
PURPORT
Every living entity, especially persons in the human race, must feel grateful for the benedictions offered by the grace of the Supreme Lord.
Anyone, therefore, with a simple heart of gratefulness must be Krsna conscious and offer devotional service to the Lord.
Those who are actually thieves and rogues do not recognize or acknowledge the benedictions offered to them by the Supreme Lord, and they cannot render Him devotional service.
Ungrateful persons are those who do not understand how much benefit they are deriving by the arrangement of the Lord.
They enjoy the sunshine and moonshine, and they get water free of charge, yet they do not feel grateful, but simply go on enjoying these gifts of the Lord.
Therefore, they must be called thieves and rogues.
3.19.37
yo vai hiranyaksa-vadham mahadbhutam
vikriditam karana-sukaratmanah
srnoti gayaty anumodate ’njasa
vimucyate brahma-vadhad api dvijah
SYNONYMS
yah—he who; vai—indeed; hiranyaksa-vadham—of the killing of Hiranyaksa; maha-adbhutam—most wonderful; vikriditam—pastime; karana—for reasons like raising the earth from the ocean; sukara—appearing in the form of a boar; atmanah—of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; srnoti—hears; gayati—chants; anumodate—takes pleasure; anjasa—at once; vimucyate—becomes freed; brahma-vadhat—from the sin of killing a brahmana; api—even; dvijah—O brahmanas.
TRANSLATION
O brahmanas, anyone who hears, chants, or takes pleasure in the wonderful narration of the killing of the Hiranyaksa demon by the Lord, who appeared as the first boar in order to deliver the world, is at once relieved of the results of sinful activities, even the killing of a brahmana.
PURPORT
Since the Personality of Godhead is in the absolute position, there is no difference between His pastimes and His personality.
Anyone who hears about the pastimes of the Lord associates with the Lord directly, and one who associates directly with the Lord is certainly freed from all sinful activities, even to the extent of the killing of a brahmana, which is considered the most sinful activity in the material world.
One should be very eager to hear about the activities of the Lord from the bona fide source, the pure devotee.
If one simply gives aural reception to the narration and accepts the glories of the Lord, then he is qualified.
The impersonalist philosophers cannot understand the activities of the Lord.
They think that all His activities are maya; therefore they are called Mayavadis.
Since everything to them is maya, these narrations are not for them.
Some impersonalists are reluctant to hear Srimad-Bhagavatam, although many of them are now taking an interest in it just for monetary gain.
Actually, however, they have no faith.
On the contrary, they describe it in their own way.
We should not hear, therefore, from the Mayavadis.
We have to hear from Suta Gosvami or Maitreya, who actually present the narrations as they are, and only then can we relish the pastimes of the Lord; otherwise the effects on the neophyte audience will be poisonous.
3.19.38
etan maha-punyam alam pavitram
dhanyam yasasyam padam ayur-asisam
pranendriyanam yudhi saurya-vardhanam
narayano ’nte gatir anga srnvatam
SYNONYMS
etat—this narrative; maha-punyam—conferring great merit; alam—very; pavitram—sacred; dhanyam—conferring wealth; yasasyam—bearing fame; padam—the receptacle; ayuh—of longevity; asisam—of the objects of one’s desire; prana—of the vital organs; indriyanam—of the organs of action; yudhi—on the field of battle; saurya—the strength; vardhanam—increasing; narayanah—Lord Narayana; ante—at the end of life; gatih—shelter; anga—O dear Saunaka; srnvatam—of those who listen.
TRANSLATION
This most sacred narrative confers extraordinary merit, wealth, fame, longevity, and all the objects of one’s desire.
On the field of battle it promotes the strength of one’s vital organs and organs of action.
One who listens to it at the last moment of his life is transferred to the supreme abode of the Lord, O dear Saunaka.
PURPORT
Devotees are generally attracted by the narratives of the pastimes of the Lord, and even though they do not prosecute austerities or meditation, this very process of hearing attentively about the pastimes of the Lord will endow them with innumerable benefits, such as wealth, fame, longevity and other desirable aims of life.
If one continues to hear Srimad-Bhagavatam, which is full of narratives of the pastimes of the Lord, at the end of this life, one is sure to be transferred to the eternal, transcendental abode of the Lord.
Thus hearers are benefited both ultimately and for as long as they are in the material world.
That is the supreme, sublime result of engaging in devotional service.
The beginning of devotional service is to spare some time and listen to Srimad-Bhagavatam from the right source.
Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu also recommended five items of devotional service, namely to serve the devotees of the Lord, to chant Hare Krsna, to hear Srimad-Bhagavatam, to worship the Deity of the Lord and to live in a place of pilgrimage.
Just performing these five activities can deliver one from the miserable condition of material life.