When the two mighty gatekeepers, Jaya and Vijaya, transgressed the will of the Supreme Lord, they stood before him, awaiting their fate. The Lord, with infinite compassion, declared, “This decree cannot be set aside, O gatekeepers. For seven births you may serve as my flawless devotees, bound in devotion and servitude. Or, if you choose, you may be born as my enemies for three births, though even then you will worship me.” Hearing these words, the two, strong and resolute, spoke humbly to the Lord: “O bestower of honor, we cannot bear to remain long away from your presence on earth. Therefore, let us be born as your enemies for three births, so that, by being slain by your divine hand, we may swiftly return to you.” Thus resolved, Jaya and Vijaya descended to earth, reborn as the mighty sons of Kaśyapa and Diti—Hiraṇyakaśipu, the elder, and Hiraṇyākṣa, the younger. These two, famed throughout the worlds for their strength and pride, became powerful demons. Hiraṇyākṣa, whose body was vast beyond measure and whose arrogance knew no bounds, grew especially formidable. With thousands of arms, he uprooted the very earth itself, lifting mountains, oceans, islands, and all living beings, and placed the earth upon his head. Then he entered the netherworld, causing terror among the gods, who cried out in fear. Seeking refuge, the gods approached Nārāyaṇa, the untroubled Lord. Knowing the wondrous deed of Hiraṇyākṣa, the Supreme Lord—he who bears the conch, discus, and mace—assumed the form of the great boar, Varāha, and manifested the universal form, whose body has neither beginning, middle, nor end, the very essence of all divinity. With hands and eyes everywhere, with mighty tusks and arms, the Lord, in his boar form, slew the demon Hiraṇyākṣa with a single tusk. The wicked son of Diti fell, his massive body crushed, and the earth, which had fallen, was gently lifted by the Lord’s tusk once more. Establishing the earth upon Śeṣa, the divine serpent, the Lord then took the form of a tortoise. All the gods and sages, beholding the great Hari in the form of the boar, bowed in devotion and praised him with reverence: “Salutations to the sacrificial boar, to you of a hundred arms! Salutations to the God of gods, to you who possess the universal form! Salutations to you, embodiment of preservation, the form of all sacrifices, the very form of time measured by moments, minutes, and hours! Salutations to you, soul of all beings, form of the Ṛg Veda and Sāma Veda, embodiment of Om, form of the Yajur Veda, and the four Vedas together! Salutations to you, who are the Vedas and their limbs, without beginning or end, Govinda! Salutations to you, knower of the Vedas, supreme and unique, Lord of Śrī and Bhū, father of the world!” Thus, the gods praised the Lord in his boar form and worshipped him with scents, flowers, and offerings. Pleased by their devotion, Hari granted them the boons they desired. Gandharvas and Apsarases sang joyfully, while the great sages continued their praise. At last, the Lord vanished from their sight. Whoever praises Varāha with devotion, especially at dawn, will be blessed with abundant earth, flourishing with crops and fruits. Such is the glory of Varāha. Now, listen to the tale of Nārasiṃha. Knowing that his brother Hiraṇyākṣa had been slain, Hiraṇyakaśipu, the great demon, was consumed by fury and grief. He resolved to gain invincible power and performed severe austerities beside Mount Meru, directing his devotion to Rudra. For thousands of divine years, subsisting on air alone and chanting the five-syllable mantra, he worshipped Rudra with unwavering strength. Pleased by such devotion, Rudra appeared before Hiraṇyakaśipu and said, “Choose a boon, O Daitya, whatever lies within your heart.” The Daitya replied, “Grant me invulnerability from all the gods, asuras, humans, gandharvas, serpents, rākṣasas, cattle, birds, wild animals, perfected beings, yakṣas, vidyādharas, kinnaras, from all diseases and weapons, and from all the foremost sages.” “So be it,” Rudra granted, and Hiraṇyakaśipu, empowered by this boon, conquered Mahendra and the gods, seizing lordship over the three worlds and claiming all the shares of sacrifice for himself. The gods, defeated and bereft of protection, became his servants, as did the gandharvas, dānavas, yakṣas, nāgas, siddhas, and sādhyas. In time, Hiraṇyakaśipu married Kalyāṇī, the daughter of Uttānapāda, and from their union was born the radiant Prahlāda, noble among the Daityas. Even while in the womb, Prahlāda was devoted to Hṛṣīkeśa, to Hari; in every circumstance, by mind, speech, and body, he recognized none but the eternal Lord of the gods, his heart pure and steadfast. As a child, dwelling in his teacher’s house, Prahlāda remained humble and wise, mastering all the Vedas and treatises. After some time, he returned to his father, accompanied by his teacher, and bowed with humility. Hiraṇyakaśipu embraced his auspicious son and seated him on his lap, asking in amazement, “Prahlāda, you have long dwelt in the house of your teacher. Tell me, steadfast one, what knowledge has your teacher imparted to you?” Thus questioned, Prahlāda, born of the Vaiṣṇava line, spoke to his father, the lord of the Daityas, with words full of affection and purity, words that dispel all impurity.