The gods, troubled by the rise of evil, approached the blessed Lord, praising him as the primal creator of all beings, the master of creation, the giver of offerings to gods and ancestors, and the wise one who knows the secrets of unmanifest nature. Their words, spoken for the welfare of all worlds, reached Prajāpati, who comforted the gods with gentle words as soothing as cool water. He reassured them that the fruits of their prayers and austerities would not be in vain. At the conclusion of his penance, the blessed Viṣṇu would surely slay the demon Hiraṇyakaśipu. Hearing these promises from the Lotus-born, all the gods, hearts uplifted with joy, returned to their own celestial abodes. Meanwhile, Hiraṇyakaśipu, having received his boon, grew arrogant and began to oppress all beings. He violated the hermitages of great sages—those steadfast in their vows, devoted to truth and righteousness, gentle of nature. With his newfound power, he defeated the gods dwelling in all three worlds, bringing them under his control and establishing himself in heaven. Intoxicated by his boon and compelled by the inexorable law of time, Hiraṇyakaśipu turned the order of sacrifice upside down: he made the demons fit for sacrifice, and cast the gods out from their rightful place. Distressed, the Ādityas, Sādhyas, Viśvedevas, Vasus, Indra and all the gods, Yakṣas, Siddhas, twice-born sages, and great seers gathered together and approached Viṣṇu—the mighty refuge of all, the god of gods, the embodiment of sacrifice, Vāsudeva, the eternal one—seeking his protection. They prayed, “O Nārāyaṇa, greatly fortunate one, the gods have taken refuge in you. Protect us, O Lord, and slay the king of the demons, Hiraṇyakaśipu. You are indeed our supreme creator, our supreme teacher, the highest among Brahmā and all the other gods.” Viṣṇu spoke words of reassurance: “Abandon fear, O immortals; I grant you freedom from fear. O gods, quickly reclaim your heavenly realm without delay. This demon, proud because of his boon and surrounded by his followers, though invulnerable to the lords of immortals, I shall slay, the lord of the demons.” Having spoken thus, the blessed Lord dismissed the gods and resolved to destroy Hiraṇyakaśipu. The mighty-armed Lord, Viṣṇu, swiftly took the sacred syllable Oṃ as his aid, preparing himself for the task ahead. Hari, radiant as the sun in splendor and as the moon in beauty, went to the abode of Hiraṇyakaśipu. Assuming a marvelous form—half-man, half-lion, with the body of both man and lion—Nṛsiṃha touched his own hand in readiness. He beheld the vast, divine, delightful, and charming assembly hall of Hiraṇyakaśipu, shining brightly and filled with every desire. The hall was immense, a hundred and a half yojanas long, celestial and traversed at will, five yojanas wide. It was free from old age, sorrow, and fatigue; unwavering, auspicious, pleasant, splendid as a palace, radiant as if blazing with brilliance. Joined with inner waters and fashioned by the divine architect Viśvakarman, it was adorned with trees made of divine gems, bearing fruits and flowers. There were trees of blue, yellow, white, dark, black, and red hues, as well as shrubs, all bearing hundreds of flower clusters. The hall appeared like a mass of white clouds, floating and radiant, suffused with delightful divine fragrance. It was exceedingly pleasant—neither cold nor hot; those who reached it felt no hunger, thirst, or fatigue. Adorned with various forms and wondrous, brilliant pillars, yet not supported by them, the hall was eternal and always undiminished. Surpassing the brilliance of the moon, sun, and fire, it was self-luminous, shining at the summit of heaven, as if illuminating even the sun itself. All desires, both divine and human, were fulfilled there; food and drink, rich in taste and plentiful, were endless. Fragrant garlands hung everywhere, and trees always bore flowers and fruits. In heat, cool waters were found; in cold, warm waters existed. Trees with blossoming tops and great branches, tender shoots, and creeper canopies graced the rivers and lakes. The mighty Lord saw many kinds of trees with fragrant flowers and flavorful fruits. He saw lakes that were neither too cold nor too hot, and all the sacred waters within the assembly hall. These waters were covered with lotuses, water lilies, hundred-petaled fragrant flowers, red kuvalayas, and blue kumudas. Beautiful birds—dhārtarāṣṭras, royal swans, beloved kāraṇḍavas, chakravākas, sārasas, and kuraras—filled the lakes. Spotless birds resembling crystal, pale-plumed, sung by many swans, mingled with the cries of sārasas. He saw auspicious, fragrant creepers with abundant flower clusters, bearing various blossoms atop mountain peaks. There were ketaka, aśoka, sarala, puṃnāga, tilaka, arjuna, mango, nipa, prasthapuṣpa, kadamba, bakula, and dhava trees. Priyaṅgu, pāṭala, śālmalī, haridra, sāla, tāla, tamāla, and delightful campaka trees flourished. Other blossoming trees shone in the assembly hall, and coral trees glowed with the brilliance of blazing fire. There were trees with sturdy trunks and beautiful branches, towering like palm trees, and many trees of varied colors, such as ebony and ashoka. Thus, Viṣṇu, in his wondrous Nṛsiṃha form, beheld the splendor of Hiraṇyakaśipu’s celestial abode, preparing to fulfill his promise and restore balance to the worlds.