The Killing of the Demon Hiraṇyākṣa

The Nineteenth Chapter describes how, after the demon could not kill him by using his illusory powers, the Lord withdrew his weapon and killed him with his hands.

Brahmā’s words were truthful (nirvyalīka), since he said that he had given a boon to the demon. (SB 3.18.22) His words were filled with love (amṛtam) since he told the Lord to kill the demon before the twilight. (SB 3.18.24) This indicates that those words were relished by the Lord. The Lord smiled. Out of prema for me, one can lose all memory, since Brahmā teaches me, the personification of time, to choose the correct time to kill the demon. The Lord accepted those words with a glance filled with love. By this the Lord indicates: “Yes, what you say is true. Just as you instruct, I will kill the demon now. However, I will kill him in the evening today, since I will fully satisfy myself with fighting him.”

Mukhataḥ means “in front of.” He struck him on the lower cheek (hanau). Akṣajaḥ means “he who appeared from Brahmā’s nose.”

The club of the Lord (sā) struck by the club of the demon, fell from the hand of the Lord and rolling about, fell to the earth and glowed. This falling of the Lord’s club (tat) was most astonishing.

Though the demon had the opportunity he did not strike the Lord. The reason is given. He accepted the rules of fighting. He made the Lord angry by this. “Because you know that I am in trouble, by making my club fall by the strength of your arms, you display your sense of dharma, and do not strike me. See! In a moment’s time, I will take the club along with your life!”

When the club fell for his hand, it is not the same as his bow falling from his hand in the fight with Śālva, where other motives are inferred. Because Hirayākṣa was actually an associate of the Lord, and thus equal to the Lord, they had equal strength. Thus, it was possible for the club to fall from the hand of the Lord. Without equal strength, there would be no pleasure in fighting. Thus this action increased the enthusiasm of the Lord to fight. It is thus an ornament of the Lord, not a fault, since the Lord, filled with love for his devotee, many times accepts defeat at the hands of the devotee. This is indicated in the next verse, which explains that the Lord recognized his devotee. The Lord remembered his cakra and previous to that, he remembered his club. That is indicated by the word ca.

The Lord had in his hand the cakra which was eager, arriving in a hurry (vyagra). “:Oh! The Lord is remembering me!” There are three versions: ditiputrābhidhena, ditijābhidhena, and ditiputrādhamena. Seeing the Lord who was associating with the demon and his devotee, the devatās spoke.

First he saw the cakra, and then he saw the Lord present before him. He bit his lip (danta-cchadam).

Saṁcakṣāṇaḥ means “seeing.” “You are dead.” Another meaning is “You are known to me.”

Vāta-raṁhasam means “with the speed of the wind.”

Tām refers to the club.

He threw a lance which was eager to devour everything, like a blazing fire with flames, at the Lord who was the form of sacrifice. An example is given to show how this act was improper.

The Lord cut up the trident which, radiating great light within itself, even lit up the sky, or which radiated light which spread in the sky, with the sharp blade of his cakra, just as Indra (hariḥ) cut off the wing that Garuòa had already rejected. Garuòa, who was carrying the pot of nectar, gave up one of his wings in order to protect the infallibility of the thunderbolt employed by Indra. The trident appeared like the already cut wing of Garuòa, lighting up the sky.

Vṛkne means split. Striking the Lord on the chest and understanding that it was impossible to gain victory by direct fighting, he utilized his illusory powers and disappeared.

Manāk means “not even a little.”

Asṛjat means “he created.” They thought the universe (asya) was being destroyed (upasaṁyamam).

Kṣepaṇaiḥ means “by dispersion weapons.”

From this description it is understood that the Lord, absorbed in the pleasure of fighting, went beyond the auspicious time indicated by Brahmā.

The verb pratyadṛśyanta applies to both the mountains and the witches.

Ativaiśasā means very fierce. Utsṛṣtāḥ means “produced.”

|| 3.1 9.22||

prāduṣkṛtānāṁ māyānām

āsurīṇāṁ vināśayat

sudarśanāstraṁ bhagavān

prāyuḍkta dayitaṁ tri-pāt

To destroy the illusions created by the demon, the Lord, the form of dharma, used his dear cakra.

There are three variations here: vināśanaṁ, vināśakaṁ, and vināśayan. The object is in the genitive case. He who possesses three feet of dharma beginning with austerity is called tripāt. He is the personification of dharma. Or it can mean “he who is the three oblations of sacrifice.” Śruti says trayo ‘sya pādā: the Lord has three feet in the form of these oblations. (Ṛg Veda 4.58.3) This means he is the form of sacrifice.

The prediction of her husband was that her two sons would be killed by the Lord.

Though the demon put the Lord between his arms and squeezed (upagūhamānaḥ), he saw that the Lord was situated beyond his grasp.

Tam refers the demon. Vrāstram is Vṛtrāsura and marutpati is Indra.

Nagendraḥ means a large tree. Lulitaḥ means uprooted.

Saṁsthitim means death.

In this verse it mentions that the Lord’s foot struck the demon. In verse 25 it mentions that the hand of the Lord struck the demon. Since the two front feet of the boar are also his hands there is no contradiction.

Ha indicates “this is clearly because of the sages’ curse.”

Tantave means “unto the distributor or cause.” Aruntudaḥ means “one who pierces the organs.”

Puṣkara-viṣṭara means Brahmā, whose seat is a lotus.

Yathānūktam means “I have said what the guru has said, and did not go beyond that.” Or it can mean “I have gained the meaning of what the guru said (uktam), and then (anu), I have spoken (avādi) it to you.” O Vidura! How are the activities recognized? In that activity, the demon was killed by the Lord in battle.

Puṇyaślokānām means Yudhiṣṭhira and others. He is famous by the name Puṇyaśloka.

What grateful person would not worship the Supreme Lord who quickly rescued the king of the elephants from the material world when he was caught by the crocodile while his wives lamented, as he meditated on the lotus feet of the Lord, and who is willingly worshipped by the sincerely surrendered souls while not worshiped by the crooked?

The Lord delivers humans just by their hearing his pastimes, but he even delivers animals, just by their remembrance of him. Jhaṣa means crocodile. What to speak of delivering the elephant from the crocodile, he delivered the elephant even from the material world (kṛcchrataḥ). Kareṇūnām means “of the female elephants, his wives.” One recognizes that the Lord is the protector of the surrendered souls, one who is grateful (kṛtajñaḥ), should always worship that Lord. He is not worshipped by those who are crooked (asādhubhiḥ), who surrender to someone else.

This verse encourages even those with material desires to listen to this pastime.

Thus ends the commentary on Nineteenth Chapter of the Third Canto of the Bhāgavatam for the pleasure of the devotees, in accordance with the previous ācāryas.