परिवार्याथ तं जघ्नुर्दंतैः पृथुतरैर्भृशम् । अथ दिग्गजदंताश्च छिन्नमूलाः पतन्भुवि
surrounded him and struck fiercely with their large tusks; then, the elephants’ tusks were broken at the root, and they fell to the ground.
दंतैर्विनाकृता नागा भयार्ता वै प्रदुद्रुवुः । तान्दृष्ट्वाथ महानागान्दैत्येंद्रः कुपितो बली
Deprived of their tusks, the elephants, terrified, fled; seeing those great elephants, the powerful demon king, enraged,
प्रज्वाल्य च महावह्निं चिक्षेप सुतमात्मनः । जलशायिप्रियं दृष्ट्वा प्रह्लादं हव्यवाहनः
kindled a great fire and cast his own son into it; seeing Prahlada, beloved of the Lord who rests on water, Agni,
न ददाह च तं धीरं सुशीतः समभूच्छिखी । अदह्यमानं तं बालं दृष्ट्वा राजा सुविस्मितः
did not burn that steadfast boy, and the flames became cool; seeing the child unharmed by the fire, the king was greatly astonished.
प्रादात्तस्मै विषं घोरं सर्वभूतहितं तदा । तस्य विष्णोः प्रभावाच्च विषमस्यामृतं भवेत्
He gave him dreadful poison, meant to destroy all beings; yet, by the power of Vishnu, the poison became nectar.
अर्पणात्तस्य देवस्य विषं चामृतमश्नुते । एवमाद्यैर्वधोपायैर्घोररूपैः सुदारुणैः
By offering it to that divine one, the poison was transformed into nectar; thus, by various deadly means, terrible and fierce,
मोहयित्वात्मजं राजा तस्यावध्यत्वमीक्ष्य च । ततः साम्ना सुतं प्राह दैत्यराड्विस्मयाकुलः
Having tried to delude his son and seeing his invulnerability, the king, overwhelmed with wonder, then spoke to his son gently.
हिरण्यकशिपुरुवाच- त्वया विष्णोः परत्वं च सम्यगुक्तं ममाग्रतः । व्यापित्वात्सर्वभूतानां विष्णुरित्यभिधीयते
Hiranyakashipu said: 'You have rightly spoken of Vishnu’s supremacy before me; because he pervades all beings, he is called Vishnu.'
योऽसौ सर्वगतो देवः स एव परमेश्वरः । तस्य सर्वगतत्वं वै प्रत्यक्षं दर्शयस्व मे
That god who is all-pervading is indeed the Supreme Lord; show me directly his all-pervasiveness.
ऐश्वर्यशक्तितेजांसि ज्ञानवीर्यबलानि च । परस्य तस्य परमं रूपं गुणविभूतयः
His lordly powers, energies, brilliance, knowledge, strength, and might—these are the supreme form and divine glories of that transcendent one.
सम्यग्दृष्ट्वा प्रयत्नेन विष्णुं मन्ये दिवौकसाम् । मम प्रतिबलो लोके नास्ति देवेषु कश्चन
Having truly and diligently seen Viṣṇu, I consider that among the gods there is no one in the world who can match my power.
ईशानवरदानेन सर्वभूतेष्ववध्यताम् । प्राप्तवान्सर्वभूतानांनदुर्जयत्वं च मानद । ईश्वरत्वं लभेद्विष्णुर्मां जित्वा बलवीर्यतः
By receiving a boon from Īśāna, I have attained invulnerability among all beings, and unconquerability over all creatures, O giver of honor; Viṣṇu could only gain lordship by defeating me in strength and valor.
रुद्र उवाच- इति तस्य वचः श्रुत्वा प्रह्लादः प्राह विस्मितः । हरेः प्रभावं दैन्यस्य कथयामास सुव्रतः
Rudra said—Hearing these words, Prahlāda, amazed and steadfast in his vows, began to speak of the glory of Hari and the humility of the wretched.
प्रह्लाद उवाच- योऽसौ नारायणः श्रीमान्परमात्मा सनातनः । वसनात्सर्वभूतेषु वासुदेवः स उच्यते
Prahlāda said—That illustrious Nārāyaṇa, the supreme soul, eternal, who dwells in all beings, is called Vāsudeva.
सर्वस्यापि जगद्धाता विष्णुरित्यभिधीयते । न किंचिदस्मादन्यं तु जगत्स्थावर जंगमम्
He who is the sustainer of the entire universe is called Viṣṇu; there is nothing else in this world, whether moving or unmoving, apart from him.
सर्वत्र चिदचिद्वस्तु रूपं तस्यैव नान्यथा । त्रिपाद्व्याप्तिः परं व्योम्नि पादव्याप्ति कलाद्भुता
Everywhere, the form of both sentient and insentient things is only his, not otherwise; his threefold pervasion is in the supreme sky, and his single-footed pervasion is a wondrous portion.
योऽसौ चक्रगदापाणिः पीतवासा जनार्दनः । योगिभिर्दृश्यते भक्त्या नाभक्त्या दृश्यते क्वचित्
He who holds the discus and mace in his hands, who wears yellow garments, Janārdana—he is seen by yogis through devotion, but never seen without devotion.
द्रष्टुं न शक्यो रोषाच्च मत्सराद्वा जनार्दनः । देवतिर्यङ्मनुष्येषु स्थावरेष्वपि जंतुषु । व्याप्य तिष्ठति सर्व्वेषु क्षुद्रेष्वपि महत्सु च
Janārdana cannot be seen out of anger or envy; yet, pervading all—gods, animals, humans, even immobile beings—he abides in all, from the smallest to the greatest.
रुद्र उवाच- इति प्रह्लादवचनं श्रुत्वा दैत्यवरस्तदा । उवाच रोषताम्राक्षो भर्त्सयंश्च सुतं मुहुः
Rudra said—Hearing Prahlāda's words, the foremost of the Daityas, his eyes reddened with anger, repeatedly rebuked his son.
हिरण्यकशिपुरुवाच- असौ सर्वगतो विष्णुरपि चेत्परमः पुमान् । प्रत्ययं दर्शयस्वाद्य बहुभिः किं च लापितैः
Hiraṇyakaśipu said—If this Viṣṇu is truly all-pervading and the supreme person, then show me proof today; what use are many words?
महादेव उवाच-। इत्युक्त्वा सहसा दैत्यः प्रासादस्तंभमात्मनः । ताडयामास हस्तेन प्रह्लादमिदमब्रवीत्
Mahādeva said—Having spoken thus, the Daitya suddenly struck the palace pillar with his hand and said this to Prahlāda.
हिरण्यकशिपुरुवाच- अस्मिन्दर्शय तं विष्णुं यदि सर्वगतो भवेत् । अन्यथा त्वां वधिष्यामि मिथ्यावाक्यप्रलापिनम्
Hiraṇyakaśipu said—Show me Viṣṇu here in this pillar, if he is truly all-pervading; otherwise, I will kill you, you who speak false words.
रुद्र उवाच- इत्युक्त्वा सहसा खङ्गमाकृष्य दितिजेश्वरः । प्रह्लादोरसि चिक्षेप हंतुं खङ्गेन तं रुषा
Rudra said—Having said this, the lord of the Daityas swiftly drew his sword and hurled it at Prahlāda's chest, intending to kill him in anger.
तस्मिन्क्षणे महाशब्दः स्तंभे संश्रूयते भृशम् । संवर्ताशनिसंरावैः खमिव स्फुटितांतरम्
At that moment, a great sound was heard from the pillar, resounding fiercely, like the splitting of the sky by the roar of doomsday thunderbolts.
तेन शब्देन महता दैत्यश्रोत्रविघातिना । सर्वे निपातिता भूमौ छिन्नमूला इव द्रुमाः
By that tremendous sound, which shattered the Daityas' ears, all fell to the ground like uprooted trees.
बिभ्यंतः संप्लुतं दैत्या मेनिरे वै जगत्त्रयम् । ततः स्तंभे महातेजा निष्क्रांतो वै महाहरिः
Terrified, the Daityas scattered, thinking the three worlds were destroyed; then from the pillar emerged the great, radiant Hari.
चकार स महाघोरं जगत्क्षयनिभं स्वनम् । तेन नादेन महता तारकाः पतिता भुवि
He made a most terrible sound, like the destruction of the world; by that great roar, the stars fell to the earth.
नृसिंहवपुरास्थाय तत्रैवाविरभूद्धरिः । अनेककोटिसूर्य्याग्नि तेजसा स समावृतः
There, Hari appeared, assuming the form of Narasimha, enveloped in the radiance of countless millions of suns and fires.
मुखे पंचाननप्रख्यः शरीरे मानुषाकृतिः । दंष्ट्राकरालवदनः स्फुरज्जिह्वाम्बरोद्धतः
His face resembled that of five lions, his body was human in shape; his mouth was fierce with protruding fangs, his tongue flickering and raised to the sky.
ज्वालावलितकेशांतस्तप्तालातेक्षणो विभुः । सहस्रबाहुभिर्दीर्घैः सर्वायुधसमन्वितैः
His hair blazed with flames, his eyes shone like heated gold; the Lord had a thousand long arms, each equipped with every weapon.