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Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 3.17.19
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A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
TEXT 19
- cakre hiraṇyakaśipur
- dorbhyāṁ brahma-vareṇa ca
- vaśe sa-pālāḻ lokāṁs trīn
- akuto-mṛtyur uddhataḥ
cakremade — made; hiraṇyakaśipuḥHiraṇyakaśipu — Hiraṇyakaśipu; dorbhyāmby his two arms — by his two arms; brahmaby the benediction of Brahmā-vareṇaby the benediction of Brahmā — by the benediction of Brahmā; caand — and; vaśeunder his control — under his control; saalong with their protectors-pālānalong with their protectors — along with their protectors; lokānthe worlds — the worlds; trīnthree — three; akutaḥfearing death from no one-mṛtyuḥfearing death from no one — fearing death from no one; uddhataḥpuffed up — puffed up.
The elder child, Hiraṇyakaśipu, was unafraid of death from anyone within the three worlds because he received a benediction from Lord Brahmā. He was proud and puffed up due to this benediction and was able to bring all three planetary systems under his control.
As will be revealed in later chapters, Hiraṇyakaśipu underwent severe austerity and penance to satisfy Brahmā and thus receive a benediction of immortality. Actually, it is impossible even for Lord Brahmā to give anyone the benediction of becoming immortal, but indirectly Hiraṇyakaśipu received the benediction that no one within this material world would be able to kill him. In other words, because he originally came from the abode of Vaikuṇṭha, he was not to be killed by anyone within this material world. The Lord desired to appear Himself to kill him. One may be very proud of his material advancement in knowledge, but he cannot be immune to the four principles of material existence, namely birth, death, old age and disease. It was the Lord's plan to teach people that even Hiraṇyakaśipu, who was so powerful and strongly built, could not live more than his destined duration of life. One may become as strong and puffed up as Hiraṇyakaśipu and bring under his control all the three worlds, but there is no possibility of continuing life eternally or keeping the conquered booty forever. So many emperors have ascended to power, and they are now lost in oblivion; that is the history of the world.