We saw in the previous story how Hiranyaksha was killed by the Varaha incarnation of Lord Vishnu. Hiranyaksha’s brother, Hiranyakashipu, succeeded him to the throne. His dominion spread over the entire earth, and he ruled with tyranny and terror. If people had rejoiced at the death of the cruel Hiranyaksha, hoping for relief, Hiranyakashipu quickly crushed these hopes with an even harsher reign of oppression. His hatred for Vishnu, who had killed his brother, drove his every action. He forbade everyone in his realm from worshiping Vishnu, under penalty of death.
Hiranyakashipu’s Rule and His Son Prahalada
Hiranyakashipu’s son, Prahalada, was a great devotee of Vishnu. Despite his father’s animosity toward the deity, Prahalada secretly prayed to Vishnu. His devotion was so steadfast that it deeply troubled his teachers, who brought the matter to Hiranyakashipu’s attention. The king, shocked and enraged, summoned his son.
“O Prahalada,” he said, “do you not know that Vishnu is the sworn enemy of our clan? He always sides with the Devas in their battle against us Asuras. How can you worship that coward who killed your uncle Hiranyaksha? He uses deceitful tactics, unbecoming of a warrior, to destroy our kin. Do you worship him out of fear, like so many others? You should know that he is powerless against me. I shall one day destroy him and bring ultimate victory to our clan!”
Prahalada’s Response and Devotion
Prahalada responded with calm devotion, “Dear father, it pains me to hear you speak so unbecomingly about the Lord of the universe. He is Janardhana (lord of the world), without beginning and without end. He always was and always will be. He is the source from which all life sprang, peerless and eternal. Vishnu killed my uncle to save the world from a tyrant. It is not too late for you to turn toward his devotion. Give up your hatred, and you too may yet achieve salvation.”
This enraged Hiranyakashipu further. Despite numerous attempts to turn Prahalada away from Vishnu, the boy’s devotion remained unwavering. In his fury, the king ordered his own son’s death. According to the custom of the time, Prahalada was buried neck-deep in sand, and an elephant was brought in to trample him. But as Prahalada meditated on Vishnu, the elephant, instead of killing him, knelt before the boy in respect.
Hiranyakashipu, baffled by this, ordered Prahalada to be thrown from a cliff. Again, Vishnu saved his devotee.
Hiranyakashipu’s Boon from Brahma
Hiranyakashipu decided to take matters into his own hands. Despite his hatred for Vishnu, he was not afraid of him. This confidence stemmed from a powerful boon he had received from Lord Brahma. After Hiranyaksha’s death, Hiranyakashipu sought immortality by performing severe penance toward Brahma. When Brahma appeared, Hiranyakashipu asked for immortality, but Brahma refused, explaining that immortality was not possible.
Instead, Hiranyakashipu asked for a boon that, in his mind, would make him invincible: “Let me not die by day or night, by man or beast, by Devas or Asuras. Let me not die on earth, in the sky, or in water. Let me not be killed inside a house or outside it, nor by any weapon.” Brahma granted this boon, and Hiranyakashipu believed he was now immortal.
Boon | Conditions |
---|---|
No death | By man, beast, Devas, or Asuras |
No death | During day or night |
No death | Inside or outside a house |
No death | On earth, sky, or water |
No harm | By any weapon |
Hiranyakashipu’s Last Challenge
Hiranyakashipu tried one last time to persuade Prahalada, reminding him of their Asura lineage and the fate of his uncle Hiranyaksha at Vishnu’s hands. But Prahalada remained steadfast in his devotion. In a fit of rage, Hiranyakashipu taunted his son, “I shall kill you now. Do you truly believe Vishnu will come to save you? If that coward dares to show himself, I will take my revenge for my brother’s death. Where is he hiding? Behind this pillar, perhaps?”
Prahalada calmly replied, “The Lord is everywhere, father. He pervades the entire universe. He is in this pillar, in the soil, all around us. He is omniscient and omnipotent.”
Furious, Hiranyakashipu struck the nearby pillar, shouting, “If Vishnu is in this pillar, let him show himself!” With a mighty blow, the pillar split open, and from within emerged a terrifying figure—Narasimha, Vishnu’s man-lion avatar. His form was neither man nor beast, perfectly fulfilling the conditions of Hiranyakashipu’s boon.
Narasimha let out a deafening roar that shook the palace, and with a single leap, he seized Hiranyakashipu. He carried him to the threshold of the palace, which was neither inside nor outside. It was evening, neither day nor night. Narasimha placed Hiranyakashipu on his thigh, which was neither earth, sky, nor water, and tore him apart with his claws, which were not weapons.
Thus, Vishnu, in his Narasimha form, fulfilled every condition of Brahma’s boon and killed the tyrant, putting an end to his reign of terror.
Condition | Narasimha’s Fulfillment |
---|---|
Not by man or beast | Narasimha was half-man, half-lion |
Not during day or night | He killed Hiranyakashipu at twilight |
Not inside or outside | He killed him on the threshold of the palace |
Not on earth, sky, or water | He placed him on his thigh |
Not by a weapon | He used his claws to kill the Asura |
Aftermath: Narasimha’s Wrath and Prahalada’s Devotion
Even after killing Hiranyakashipu, Narasimha’s anger was not pacified. He turned his fury toward the other Asuras, threatening to annihilate them. But Prahalada, ever devoted to Vishnu, chanted the Lord’s praises and calmed Narasimha’s wrath. Moved by Prahalada’s devotion, Vishnu spared the lives of the Asuras and blessed Prahalada to rule his father’s kingdom with righteousness and dharma.
After a long reign, Prahalada eventually attained salvation. His lineage continued, and among his descendants, his grandson Bali became the most famous. Bali himself played a crucial role in another of Vishnu’s incarnations—the Vamana avatar—where Vishnu humbled the king’s pride with his dwarf form, reminding the world that even the most powerful rulers must submit to divine will.
Connection to Other Mythological Stories
The story of Hiranyakashipu and Narasimha is deeply interwoven with other key narratives in Hindu mythology. The rivalry between the Asuras and Devas is a constant theme, with Vishnu often intervening to restore balance.
- Hiranyaksha and Varaha: Vishnu’s previous incarnation as Varaha, the boar, saved Bhudevi (the Earth) from Hiranyaksha. Hiranyakashipu’s animosity toward Vishnu stems from this very event.
- Prahalada and Bhakti: Prahalada’s unshakable devotion to Vishnu became a symbol of Bhakti (devotion), representing the victory of faith over tyranny, a theme that reappears in the lives of devotees like Dhruva and Mirabai.
- Bali and Vamana: Prahalada’s grandson, Bali, was humbled by Vishnu in his Vamana avatar, where the deity once again restored cosmic balance by limiting Bali’s dominion and sending him to rule the netherworld.
Avatars of Vishnu | Purpose | Connection to Other Stories |
---|---|---|
Varaha (Boar) | Rescue Earth from Hiranyaksha | Connected to Hiranyakashipu’s hatred for Vishnu |
Narasimha (Man-Lion) | Protect Prahalada and kill Hiranyakashipu | Fulfilled the conditions of Brahma’s boon |
Vamana (Dwarf) | Humbled Bali, Prahalada’s grandson | Connects Prahalada’s lineage to future avatars of Vishnu |
This narrative, showcasing Narasimha’s victory over Hiranyakashipu, is a powerful example of how Vishnu’s incarnations ensure that Dharma (righteousness) prevails over Adharma (evil). Vishnu’s role as the protector of the universe, upholder of cosmic order, and guardian of his devotees remains central to many of these mythological stories, connecting them in an intricate web of divine intervention and restoration of balance