SRIMAD BHAGAVATAM: CANTO 7

(1) S'rî Nârada said: 'Lord Brahmâ who sees everywhere, thus being solicited then, pleased by Hiranyakas'ipu's austerities, granted him the benedictions that are so rarely achieved. (2) Lord Brahmâ said: 'My son, all the boons you asked for are very rarely by men obtained from me, but despite of the fact that these blessings are normally not available, I will award them to you, my best.'

(3) Thereupon departed the mighty Lord, whose grace knows no faults, being worshiped by the most exalted asura as the Almighty One praised by all rulers of manhood. (4) The Daitya who thus obtained his desired boon and had acquired a body with a golden luster, maintained a constant contemplation of hatred against the Lord who had killed his brother. (5-7) He, the greatest asura, conquering all places high, low and middle in all directions, brought under his control the masters of all worlds: god, demon and man, the kings, the indwellers of heaven, the reciters of the

spirits, the wild men and the madmen and the dead and the ghosts and their leaders; as the conqueror of the world he usurped the power of rule of all authorities everywhere. (8) In the paradise of the godly remaining in the riches of all opulence, lived he in the highest world, in the palace of the king of heaven as designed by Vis'vakarmâ the great asura architect himself; in control of all the wealth of the world lived he in the abode of Lakshmî. (9-12) There the steps were of coral, the floors of emerald, the walls of crystal and the rows of pillars of vaidûrya stone. Also were there the most wonderful canopies and seats bedecked with rubies and was the bedding as white as the foam of milk with pearls on its borders. In the quarters, left and right, adorned with jewels and gems, made the celestial ladies sweet sounds with their jingling ankle bells and showed they their nice teeth to their beautiful faces. In that royal residence with the greatest might and mind ruling with a most severe oppression enjoyed the dictator, having everyone under his control, the worship by the godly entourage at his feet. (13) He, o best one, the harbor of all austerity, yoga, strength and good sense, who, except for by the three principal deities, with all glory was honored with presentations from the hands of all the important men, was in reality intoxicated by strong scented wines to which he rolled his eyes red as copper. (14) On the seat of Indra being glorified by Vis'vâvasu, Tumburu [the greatest Gandharvas] and also by me, were time and again prayers offered by all the singers and girls of heaven, the perfected, the saints and the ones of knowledge, o son of Pându. (15) And he, factually being worshiped with gifts in abundance by all classes and agegroups, reserved in the exercise of his power every portion of the oblations for himself. (16) As if she was the cow of plenty herself, yielded the earth under his rule on all continents spontaneously crops in a great abundance, while in the sky all the wonders of the universe could be observed. (17) The seas and oceans of salt and sweet water, wine, ghee, cane-juice, yogurt and milk, and their wives the rivers as well, carried all kinds of precious stones in their waves. (18) The valleys between the mountains and hills were his pleasure grounds offering throughout all seasons all the good of plant and tree; he alone stood for all the different qualities of all the different gods. (19) He, thus having conquered all directions as the one and only ruler enjoying all the pleasures one can think of, was not satisfied though being out of control with his senses. (20) Intoxicated in his great pride over his opulence thus passed a long period of living in offense with the scriptures and was the curse of the brahmin met [see also B.G. 16: 23-24].

(21) Disturbed by his painful rebuke was there for all the worlds and their leaders no place were they were safe and thus approached they the Infallible One to seek shelter with Him [compare B.G. 5.: 29]. (22-23) To that they prayed: 'Let there be our obeisances in that direction where the Supersoul of Hari, the Supreme Controller is found and from where, approaching Him, the peaceful, renounced and pure never return.' With their minds controlled that way they steadied and purified their intelligence, feeding on air only in worshiping the Master of the Senses without taking to sleep.

(24) To them all then appeared a loudly resonating voice without a form that, driving away their fear, stirred the saintly in all their pores: (25-26) 'Do not fear, o best of learning, may there be all good fortune for you. The presence of Me indeed is there for all living beings to attain all the good. The nefarious activities of this great demon are known to Me and I shall put an end to them, just await that time. (27) When one is averse to the gods, the Vedas, the cows, the brahmins, the saints, the regulative principles and to Me, will one indeed soon be vanquished. (28) When he is of violence unto his peace loving son who has no enemies, that great soul, Prahlâda, shall I kill him, whatever the blessings he has received [see also 3.25: 21].'

(29) S'rî Nârada said: 'Thus addressed by the spiritual master of all, turned the godly back to their places offering Him their obeisances, in their hearts relieved of all their anxieties and considered they the asura as good as killed [2.3: 10]. (30) Of him, the daitya king there were four most qualified sons of whom the one named Prahlâda was the greatest with all the qualities of a great devotee [see 5.18: 12]. (31-32) As a good brahmin being of full control over the senses and the mind, had he all the talent of understanding the Absolute of the Truth. Like the Supersoul was he the beloved, best friend of all living beings, like a menial servant obeyed he always at the feet of the great, like a father he was kind to the poor, like a brother was he to his equals, he was full of affection for the spiritual masters whom he held as high as the Supreme Controller Himself; he was of education, purpose, beauty, nobility and completely free from arrogance and impudence [compare B.G. 12: 13-19 and B.G. 18: 42]. (33) Even though he was born from an asura was he in the midst of danger of an unperturbed consciousness and had he no desire whatsoever to what is heard and what is seen [with the Vedic knowledge]; things of the modes of matter he considered insubstantial and controlling the senses and life force, were the lusts of his body and his mind always quieted; he was completely void of the demoniac nature. (34) The qualities of him are, like those found in the Supreme Lord our Controller, by the advanced always glorified as being the greatest, o King, and not so much the ones one is so confused about today [in Kali-yuga]. (35) In gatherings for the sake of the saintly would even the godly of enmity [with the asuric], o ruler of man, take him for an example; then why shouldn't you or others? (36) The greatness of the countless qualities of him who is known for his natural attachment to Vâsudeva, the Supreme Lord, defies all description. (37) As a boy having forsaken all child play seemed he to be listless, fully absorbed with his mind in the world of Krishna as he was; completely of that attraction was he not interested in the ways of the world. (38) As he sat and walked, ate and lied down, drank or talked, was he, embraced by Govinda, impervious to anything that went on outside of it. (39) Sometimes he cried thinking of Vaikunthha, sometimes he laughed to the follies of the mind and sometimes chanted he thinking of Him gladly, very loud. (40) Sometimes he exclaimed anxiously, sometimes without shame he danced and sometimes did he, lost in thoughts about Him, imitate Him thinking to be Him. (41) At times with his hair standing on end and his half closed eyes filled with tears, fell he completely silent rapt with joy being caught in His loving association of transcendental bliss. (42) He by his constant service to the lotus feet as glorified in the hymns, obtained of expanding on the association with the liberated the highest ecstasy, bestowing constantly from the spiritual soul peace upon the ones poor in spirit and association. (43) Unto him that exalted and most fortunate broad minded devotee, o King, who was his own son, committed Hiranyakas'ipu the greatest sin.'

(44) S'rî Yudhishthhira said: 'O saint of God vowed to the best, we would like to know from you the following: how could the father give his own son, such a saint of purity and goodness, any trouble? (45) Sons going against the will of their fathers are chastised out of love. For the sake of their education, they can't be punished like an enemy, can they? (46) Please dissipate the doubts we have, o brahmin, about this father being so mean in hating to the point of death his own so very obedient son, a great devotee of the sort that honors his father as his guru, o master.'

S'rî Nârada said: 'Lord Brahmâ who sees everywhere, thus being solicited then, pleased by Hiranyakas'ipu's austerities, granted him the benedictions that are so rarely achieved.

S'rî Nârada said: 'Lord Brahmâ who sees everywhere, thus being solicited then, pleased by Hiranyakas'ipu's austerities, delivered him the benedictions that are so rarely achieved. (Vedabase)

Text 2

Lord Brahmâ said: 'My son, all the boons you asked for are very rarely by men obtained from me, but despite of the fact that these blessings are normally not available, I will award them to you, my best.'

Lord Brahmâ said: 'My son, all the boons you asked for are very seldom by men obtained from me, but despite of the fact that these blessings are normally not available, I will grant them you, my best.'(Vedabase)

Text 3

Thereupon departed the mighty Lord, whose grace knows no faults, being worshiped by the most exalted asura as the Almighty One praised by all rulers of manhood.

Thereupon departed the mighty Lord, whose grace knows no faults, being worshiped by the most exalted asura as the Almighty One praised by all rulers of manhood. (Vedabase)

Text 4

The Daitya who thus obtained his desired boon and had acquired a body with a golden luster, maintained a constant contemplation of hatred against the Lord who had killed his brother.

The Daitya who thus obtained his desired boon and had acquired a body with a golden luster, maintained a constant contemplation of hatred against the Lord who had killed his brother. (Vedabase)

Text 5-7

He, the greatest asura, conquering all places high, low and middle in all directions, brought under his control the masters of all worlds: god, demon and man, the kings, the indwellers of heaven, the reciters of the verses and the serpentine, the ones of perfection, of culture and knowledge, the saints, the leading forefathers, the founding fathers, the evil spirits, the wild men and the madmen and the dead and the ghosts and their leaders; as the conqueror of the world he usurped the power of rule of all authorities everywhere.

He, the greatest asura, conquering all places high, low and middle in all directions brought under his control the masters of all worlds: god, demon and man, the kings, the indwellers of heaven, the reciters of the verses and the serpentine, the ones of perfection, of culture and knowledge, the saints, the leading forefathers, the founding fathers, the evil spirits, the wild men and the madmen and the dead and the ghosts and their leaders; as the conqueror of the world he usurped the power of rule of all authorities everywhere. (Vedabase)

Text 8

In the paradise of the godly remaining in the riches of all opulence, lived he in the highest world, in the palace of the king of heaven as designed by Vis'vakarmâ the great asura architect himself; in control of all the wealth of the world lived he in the abode of Lakshmî.

In the paradise of the godly remaining in the riches of all opulence, lived he in the highest world, in the palace of the king of heaven as conceived by Visvakarmâ the great asura-architect himself, in the abode of Laxmî, in control over all the wealth of the world. (Vedabase)

Text 9-12

There the steps were of coral, the floors of emerald, the walls of crystal and the rows of pillars of vaidûrya stone. Also were there the most wonderful canopies and seats bedecked with rubies and was the bedding as white as the foam of milk with pearls on its borders. In the quarters, left and right, adorned with jewels and gems, made the celestial ladies sweet sounds with their jingling ankle bells and showed they their nice teeth to their beautiful faces. In that royal residence with the greatest might and mind ruling with a most severe oppression enjoyed the dictator, having everyone under his control, the worship by the godly entourage at his feet.

There the steps were of coral, the floors of emerald, the walls of crystal and the rows of pillars of vaidûrya stone. Also were there the most wonderful canopies and seats bedecked with rubies and was the bedding as white as the foam of milk with pearls on its borders. In the quarters, left and right, adorned with jewels and gems, made the celestial ladies sweet sounds with the jingling of their ankle bells and showed they their nice teeth to their beautiful faces. In that royal residence with the greatest might and mind enjoyed the dictator, having everyone under his control, the worship by the godly entourage at his feet under a rule far more severe than one had expected. (Vedabase)

Text 13

He, o best one, the harbor of all austerity, yoga, strength and good sense, who, except for by the three principal deities, with all glory was honored with presentations from the hands of all the important men, was in reality intoxicated by strong scented wines to which he rolled his eyes red as copper.

He, o best one, the harbor of austerity, yoga, strength and sense, being honored with all glory by the hands of all the important men with the exception of the three principal deities, rolled with his eyes red as copper, intoxicated by strong scented wines. (Vedabase)

Text 14

On the seat of Indra being glorified by Vis'vâvasu, Tumburu [the greatest Gandharvas] and also by me, were time and again prayers offered by all the singers and girls of heaven, the perfected, the saints and the ones of knowledge, o son of Pându.

On the seat of Indra being glorified by Vis'vâvasu, Tumburu [the greatest gandharva's] and also by me were time and again prayers offered by all the singers and girls of heaven, the perfected, the saints and the ones of knowledge, o son of Pându. (Vedabase)

Text 15

And he, factually being worshiped with gifts in abundance by all classes and agegroups, reserved in the exercise of his power every portion of the oblations for himself.

And he factually being worshiped with gifts in abundance by all classes and agegroups reserved by his own prowess all portions of the oblations for himself. (Vedabase)

Text 16

As if she was the cow of plenty herself, yielded the earth under his rule on all continents spontaneously crops in a great abundance, while in the sky all the wonders of the universe could be observed.

As if she was the cow of plenty herself yielded the earth of him on all continents spontaneously crops in great abundance while in the sky all the wonders of the universe could be seen. (Vedabase)