Mounted upon his mighty carrier Garuḍa, the Lord appeared in all His splendor, resembling a second great Meru mountain. The devas, trembling with fear at the approach of the lord of the demons, hastened to report the ominous sounds that reverberated through the heavens. The air was filled with a terrifying roar, unmistakable to those who knew: “It is Him!” they whispered, “the destroyer of immortals draws near.” Meanwhile, Hiraṇyakaśipu, surrounded by his sons led by the valiant Prahlāda, armed and armored for battle, emerged to confront this threat. Before him, he beheld a Man of mountain-like stature, another Nārāyaṇa incarnate, blazing with divine power. “This is that god,” he declared, “the protector of the gods, Nārāyaṇa Himself—our enemy!” Without effort, the Lord swept through the ranks of the asuras, destroying them utterly. Among those present were Prahlāda, Anuhrāda, Saṃhrāda, and Hrāda. Saṃhrāda’s sons, Kaumāra and Āgneya, and Hrāda’s sons also stood ready, yet none among them could inflict the slightest harm upon Viṣṇu, Vāsudeva, the invincible Lord. In the thick of battle, the Lord seized Hiraṇyakaśipu by the feet, lifting him high before hurling him down with a thunderous roar. With a mighty blow, He struck the asura on the chest with His foot. Hiraṇyakaśipu, battered and bewildered, withdrew to recount all that had transpired. Then, in a wondrous and fearsome form, the Lord manifested Himself—half man, half lion—suddenly appearing and confounding the foremost of the Daityas. Nārāyaṇa, the infinite, shone forth like the midday sun, dazzling all who beheld Him. In desperation, the asura sent forth Narasiṃha for the act of killing, but he and all his followers were swiftly destroyed by Maya. Though he fought with all his might, the asura was overcome by Narasiṃha. In a final effort, he invoked the weapon of Paśupati, releasing it with a roar, but even this divine missile could not harm the Lord Śūlin. At last, Hiraṇyakaśipu recognized Vāsudeva, the eternal Lord, as the soul of all beings. With humility, he bowed his head to the Lord, who dwells in the hearts of yogis. Restraining his father and brothers, Prahlāda spoke earnestly to Hiraṇyākṣa: “He is the ancient Person, the divine Lord, the great yogi, the very essence of the universe. He is the Supreme Person, the root of primordial matter, imperishable. Seek refuge in Him—Viṣṇu, the unmanifest, the undecaying.” Yet, deluded by Viṣṇu’s māyā, Hiraṇyākṣa spoke intensely to his son: “Driven by time, He has come to our abode. Do not revile this Lord, the one, imperishable ruler of beings. Viṣṇu, who is time itself and assumes the form of time, is destroyed by time.” Despite his son’s restraint, Hiraṇyākṣa fought on against the imperishable Hari. But before Prahlāda’s very eyes, he was torn apart by the Lord’s nails. Overwhelmed by terror, he abandoned his son and fled, but he did not reach the abode of Yama; instead, he was seized by lions born from the very body of Narasiṃha. At last, the Lord assumed His own supreme form, called Nārāyaṇa, and installed Hiraṇyākṣa in a consecration ceremony. Later, by worshipping Śaṅkara with great austerity, Hiraṇyākṣa obtained Andhaka as a son. He led his wife to Rasātala and made her a singer, radiant as a blue lotus. In the end, they all went to the abode of Viṣṇu and humbly made their petition before Him.