By the wondrous play of Brahma and the other gods, the Supreme Lord is adorned with the forms and divisions of their very bodies, unless the Lord himself chooses otherwise. Such is his will and power, that even the highest deities are but instruments in his cosmic dance. Indeed, how could there be liberation for the Brahmins, unless Maheshvara himself bore the tusk? All unfolds according to the Lord’s own design. In ancient times, the elder brother of Hiranyaksha was slain by Narasimha, as the sages have recounted. Now, let me tell you how Hiranyakashipu himself met his end at the hands of the same Lord. Hiranyakashipu had a son named Prahlada, renowned for his wisdom, righteousness, truthfulness, asceticism, and keen intellect. From the moment of his birth, Prahlada devoted himself to worshipping the imperishable Lord of gods—Vishnu, who is all-knowing, all-pervading, and the very source of all the deities. Prahlada offered his unwavering devotion to that primeval person, the embodiment of the Supreme Brahman, the lord of Brahma, the cause behind creation, preservation, and destruction. Witnessing his son’s composed and focused devotion, Prahlada’s father would hear him repeatedly utter, “Salutations to Narayana! Salutations to Govinda!” This constant praise infuriated Hiranyakashipu, the enemy of the gods, whose heart burned with wicked thoughts. He rebuked his son, saying, “You do not know me, foolish boy—I am the eternal lord of all Daityas and gods! Prahlada, misguided son, tormentor of Brahmins and deities, who is this Vishnu you praise? Who is the lotus-born Brahma, or Indra, or even Varuna? Vayu, Soma, Ishana, Pavaka—none are equal to me. Worship me alone with devotion and disregard Narayana as insignificant. If you desire life or have any wish, listen to me!” Yet, even after hearing these harsh words, Prahlada, wise and steadfast, continued to worship, declaring, “Salutations to Narayana!” Not only did he persist in his devotion, but he also taught all the sons of the Daityas to do the same. He instructed them in the splendid knowledge of Brahman—a wisdom so profound that even Indra and the other gods could not surpass it, for Prahlada had realized it himself. Seeing his command defied, Hiranyakashipu, filled with rage, called upon the Danavas, saying, “This wicked son, deserving death in many ways, must be slain by you!” Obeying their leader, the Danavas assailed Prahlada, the imperishable servant of the Lord of gods. But no matter what they did, their efforts were rendered fruitless by the power of the Lord who rests upon the ocean of milk. As Hiranyakashipu’s pride was shattered, the Lord himself appeared in the form of Narasimha—the Man-Lion—to slay him. Before his son’s very eyes, Narasimha tore apart the wretched Daitya with hundreds of sharp claws, ending his tyranny in an instant. Having slain Hiranyakashipu and his kin, the remover of sin raged like a fire at the end of an age, tormenting the Daitya king’s followers. The terrifying roars of Narasimha struck fear into the entire world; even the steadfast ones in Brahma’s realm trembled. Witnessing this, the gods, asuras, great serpents, siddhas, and sadhyas—led by Hari and Brahma—regained their courage and departed in all directions, intent on protecting the asuras. After they had gone, Narasimha stood there, the god of a thousand forms, all-pervading, with a thousand arms and eyes, the moon, sun, and fire as his eyes—pervading all creation, the master of illusion. The best of the gods, stationed throughout the worlds and upon the great mountains, together with Brahma, the Sadhyas, Yama, and the Maruts, gathered and praised him: “You are the Supreme beyond the supreme Brahman, the essence beyond all essences; you are the supreme light among all lights, the supreme self, the one who pervades the universe. Gross, subtle, and most subtle, composed of the sound-Brahman, auspicious, transcending speech, unsupported, beyond duality, and free from disturbance. You are the enjoyer of sacrifices, the very form of sacrifice, the giver of fruits to sacrificers, O Lord; you have assumed the forms of the fish and the tortoise and are established in the world. Assuming the forms of the boar and the lion, you have stood firm, and for the protection of the gods, you slew the lord of the Daityas. By the pretext of a brahmin’s curse, you have descended playfully; for there is nothing other than you, O Lord—all that moves and does not move is you. You are Vishnu, you are Rudra, you are indeed the Grandfather; you are the beginning, you are the end, and you, O Lord, are indeed us. You alone are the entire universe; what is the use of further speech, O Lord? By your maya you exist in many forms, yet you are the non-dual essence, O Master. How shall we praise you, O God of gods, Lord of beasts? Even when praised with various hymns and with manifold feelings, you remain the Lord.” “He who, with devotion, recites or reflects on this hymn to Nrisimha, O twice-born, is freed from the cycle of birth and death. Or if he causes all the twice-born to hear it, he is honored in the world of Vishnu; meanwhile, the gods with Indra and Brahma worship Lord Shiva.” Thus, having approached, they praised him fully, informing the one in the form of a beast. Then Brahma and the others quickly offered their praises to the Supreme Lord. For their protection, they took refuge in the ultimate cause, the great god dwelling on Mandara, sporting with Uma. Served by hosts of Ganas and Gandharvas, by Siddhas and groups of Apsarases, together with the gods, Brahma—greatly afraid and with faltering speech—bowed down flat on the ground and praised the Supreme Lord: “Salutations to you, the ender of time; salutations to you, Rudra, the wrathful; homage to Shiva, to Rudra, to Shankara, to you who are auspicious. You are fierce, the controller of all beings, you are our Shiva; homage to Shiva, to Sharva, to Shankara, the remover of suffering. Homage to the maker of delight, to the all-pervading, to Vishnu, to Brahma; homage to the ender, to you, to the husband of Uma. Homage to the golden-armed, to the lord of gold; homage to Sharva, to the one of all forms, to the Person, repeated homage.” Thus, the gods, sages, and all beings praised the Supreme Lord, recognizing his all-encompassing presence and surrendering to his infinite glory.