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ABOUT LORD NARASIMHA - PAGE 2
HIRANYAKASHIPU
When he saw that his brother Hiranyaksha had been killed by Narayanaya who had assumed the form of a boar, Hiranyakashipu became very unhappy and very angry. His eyes were red and he caught his throbbing lips between his teeth. He raised his trident aloft and said “My comrades you all know how terrible has been the fate of my brother. He is killed and killed by our arch enemy Narayanaya. I cannot brook this. I will plunge this trident of mine into the neck of that Narayanaya and with his blood I will pacify the soul of my dead brother. Only then will be I be rid of this gnawing pain that is eating at my vitals.
Once Narayanaya is dead all his devotees will take thought and die of their accord like creepers dry up when the tree is up rooted: the tree to which they have been clinging. At the present moment this is what you should all do. Go to the earth which is crowded with Brahmins and the Kshatriya’s. Destroy all those who are bent on tapas, yagna, learning and penance. Narayanaya is said to be the abode of dharma and he is said to be present where yagna’s are being performed: where the Devas are ever present. Wherever you see Brahmins, cows, Vedas and rituals being performed according to the Vedic dicta, go to that spot and destroy everything. Burn everything. Kill everyone. Uproot the sacred trees. Do everything you possibly can to make Narayanaya homeless.”
HIRANYAKASHIPU IS GRANTED A BOON
Hiranyakashipu had but one desire. He wanted to be invincible. He wanted to be immortal. He wanted to be the sole Lord of all the three worlds. He decided to perform tapas. With the power of his tapas, which would be intense. he thought of pleasing Brahma so that his desire would be granted by Him. Hiranya went to the Mandara mountain and with intense concentration he performed tapas for years together. When he was absorbed in his tapas the Devas came back to their abode abandoning their disguises. As days passed, the tapas of Hiranya became so intense that he began to glow like the sun at noon. Every lock on his head was spitting fire. The entire world was feeling the heat and the sea became turbulent. The earth quaked and the mountains threw up fire. Stars fell to earth and the quarter began to burn because of the tapas of Hiranyakashipu.
The Devas, as usual, went to Brahma and said: “My Lord, it is time you went to your Bhakta and grant him whatever he desires. We are unable to bear the heat emanating from his tapas and its glory. As for what he desires. It is not as though you do not know it. Still we give you a word of warning. Hiranya seems to have said: ‘Brahma, with the power of his tapas, was once able to create the universe and His own abode, the Satyaloka which is far superior to any other abode of the Devas. I know that if I try hard enough I will be able to become Brahma. I will then be able to take Satyaloka for myself. I will create a new world were the laws will all be changed. The laws which have existed so far will all be changed, they will be abolished altogether. What was all these days considered to be sin will thereafter be holy. The asuras will become devas and as for the devas , they will be asuras when I am Brahma.’ That is the purpose that Hiranya is performing tapas so intensely. Please be sure to remember all this, my lord when you go to him and grant him his boon.
Brahma who was so overcome with joy at the devotion of his bhakta must, evidently, have forgotten the words of warning spoken by the Devas. Hiranya fell at the feet of Brahma who sprinkled water on him from His kamandalu. At once the asura regained all the strength, freshness and beauty of form which he had neglected all these years. He now glowed like molten gold. He spoke with a faltering voice and with tears in his eyes. He was overcome with joy at the sight of Brahma. He spoke words of praise and then said ”I want one boon from you: only one. I had several other desires but the moment I saw you in person I know that they have been granted even without my asking. The only boon I want is: I want to be immortal.”
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