Canto 7: The Science of GodChapter 8: Lord Nṛsiḿhadeva Slays the King of the Demons

Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 7.8.23

prāyeṇa me 'yaḿ hariṇorumāyinā

vadhaḥ smṛto 'nena samudyatena kim

evaḿ bruvaḿs tv abhyapatad gadāyudho

nadan nṛsiḿhaḿ prati daitya-kuñjaraḥ

SYNONYMS

prāyeṇa — probably; me — of me; ayam — this; hariṇā — by the Supreme Lord; uru-māyinā — who possesses the great mystic power; vadhaḥ — the death; smṛtaḥ — planned; anena — with this; samudyatena — endeavor; kim — what use; evamin this way; bruvan — murmuring; tu — indeed; abhyapatat — attacked; gadā-āyudhaḥ — armed with his weapon, the club; nadan — loudly roaring; nṛ-siḿham — the Lord, appearing in the form of half lion and half man; prati — toward; daitya-kuñjaraḥ — Hiraṇyakaśipu, who was like an elephant.

TRANSLATION

Hiraṇyakaśipu murmured to himself, "Lord Viṣṇu, who possesses great mystic power, has made this plan to kill me, but what is the use of such an attempt? Who can fight with me?" Thinking like this and taking up his club, Hiraṇyakaśipu attacked the Lord like an elephant.

PURPORT

In the jungle there are sometimes fights between lions and elephants. Here the Lord appeared like a lion, and Hiraṇyakaśipu, unafraid of the Lord, attacked Him like an elephant. Generally the elephant is defeated by the lion, and therefore the comparison in this verse is appropriate.

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His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, Founder Ācārya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness