KILLING OF HIRANYAKSHIPU

Hiranyakashipu was filled with grief when he heard the news of his brothers’ death. To avenge Hiranyaksha’s death, he started to torment the deities. Becoming homeless, the deities started wandering here and there. Hiranyakashipu was still unsatisfied. He wanted to acquire more power and authority. He went to the Mandarachal mountain and started doing a tremendous penance to please Lord Brahma.

Lord Brahma appeared before him and asked him demand anything he wished to be fulfilled. Hiranyakashipu said-

“O Lord! Bless me so that I do neither die during the day nor during the night; neither on the earth nor in the sky; neither by the deities nor by the demons; neither by a human being nor by an animal. Bless me O Lord! O that I do not get killed by any type of weapon.”

Lord Brahma blessed Hiranyakshipu and said ‘so be it’. Now, Hiranyakashipu became more ruthless and arrogant. He declared himself the almighty God and ordered his subjects to worship him and his idol. His son-Prahlada was a very great devotee of lord Vishnu. He did not pay heed to his father’s command and continued to worship Lord Vishnu. Hiranyakashipu tried to kill Prahlada many times, but each time he survived by the blessings of lord Vishnu.

When Hiranyakashipu’s atrocities crossed all its limits, the deities went to lord Vishnu and requested him to kill Hiranyakashipu. Lord Vishnu appeared in his incarnation of Nrisimha (half lion and half man) and killed Hiranyakashipu with his sharp nails, during the dusk. After giving his kingdom to his son Prahalad, Lord Vishnu went back to his abode.

Leave a Reply