The mighty weapon unleashed against Lord Śūlin failed to harm him in any way. With deep reverence, he regarded Vāsudeva, the eternal Lord, as the very soul of all beings. Bowing his head to the Lord who dwells in the hearts of yogis, he restrained his own father and brothers, and then addressed Hiraṇyākṣa. He spoke of the ancient Person, the divine Lord, the great yogi who is the essence of the universe itself. “He is the Supreme Person of primordial matter, the fundamental nature, imperishable,” he declared. “Go to him for refuge—Viṣṇu, the unmanifest and undecaying.” But, deluded by Viṣṇu’s māyā, he spoke these words intensely to his son. “Driven by time, Viṣṇu has now 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 efforts to restrain him, he fought against the imperishable Hari. Before Prahlāda’s very eyes, he was torn apart by the nails. Overwhelmed by fear, he abandoned his son Prahlāda and fled. Yet he did not reach the abode of Yama, for lions born from the body of Narasiṃha seized him. Then, assuming his own supreme form called Nārāyaṇa, the Lord installed Hiraṇyākṣa through a consecration ceremony. By worshipping Śaṅkara through austerity, he obtained Andhaka as a great son. He led her to Rasātala, making her a singer radiant like a blue lotus. They approached Viṣṇu’s abode and made their petition. The Lord assumed the spotless form of the Boar, composed of all the gods, and with his tusk lifted up the earth at the beginning of the kalpa. Viṣṇu then entered his own divine nature and attained the supreme abode. Having abandoned the asuric disposition, he governed his own kingdom. Through Viṣṇu’s glory, his kingdom became free from rivals. Yet, through illusion, he did not honor the ascetic nor the gods. With eyes reddened by anger, he cursed the king of the asuras: “That divine Vaiṣṇava devotion will bring about your destruction.” Attached to his kingdom, he became deluded by the power of the curse. Remembering his father’s killing, he grew angry at Hari—at Nārāyaṇa the god, and at Prahlāda, the enemy of the immortals. Yet knowledge arose in him, and he sought refuge in the protector. He attained great yoga in Nārāyaṇa, the supreme person. Andhaka, foremost among asuras, obtained that great kingdom. He desired Umā, the goddess dwelling on Mandara, daughter of the mountain. For the sake of worshipping the Lord, thousands performed austerities. A very fierce drought arose, destroying living beings. Driven by hunger, they begged for food to sustain life. All the sages ate, their minds free from doubt. Then a great rain occurred, and the world became as it was before.