Dashaka 24

हिरण्याक्षे पोत्रिप्रवरवपुषा देव भवता
हते शोकक्रोधग्लपितधृतिरेतस्य सहज: ।
हिरण्यप्रारम्भ: कशिपुरमरारातिसदसि
प्रतिज्ञमातेने तव किल वधार्थं मधुरिपो ॥१॥

O Lord! Slayer of Madhu! When Hiranyaaksha was killed by Thee, incarnate as the Divine Boar, his brother named Hiranyakashipu was smitten with sorrow and anger. In the assembly of the Asuras he swore to kill Thee.

विधातारं घोरं स खलु तपसित्वा नचिरत:
पुर: साक्षात्कुर्वन् सुरनरमृगाद्यैरनिधनम् ।
वरं लब्ध्वा दृप्तो जगदिह भवन्नायकमिदं
परिक्षुन्दन्निन्द्रादहरत दिवं त्वामगणयन् ॥२॥

He quickly compelled Brahmaa to appear before him by performing severe austerities and made him give a boon that he would not be killed by god, man or beast etc. As a result of the boon he became arrogant and tormented the whole world which has Thee as its Lord. Disregarding Thee, he even snatched the heavens from Indra.

निहन्तुं त्वां भूयस्तव पदमवाप्तस्य च रिपो-
र्बहिर्दृष्टेरन्तर्दधिथ हृदये सूक्ष्मवपुषा ।
नदन्नुच्चैस्तत्राप्यखिलभुवनान्ते च मृगयन्
भिया यातं मत्वा स खलु जितकाशी निववृते ॥३॥

To kill Thee, he even went to Thy abode Vaikuntha. Thou disappeared from his gross vision and entered into his heart in a subtle form. Roaring aloud he searched for Thee in all the three worlds, and not finding Thee, he thought that Thou had fled in fear. Considering himself the winner he returned home.

ततोऽस्य प्रह्लाद: समजनि सुतो गर्भवसतौ
मुनेर्वीणापाणेरधिगतभवद्भक्तिमहिमा ।
स वै जात्या दैत्य: शिशुरपि समेत्य त्वयि रतिं
गतस्त्वद्भक्तानां वरद परमोदाहरणताम् ॥४॥

To him was born a son named Prahlaad. Even when he was in the womb, he had learnt the glory of devotion to Thee from sage Naarada. Though by birth he was an Asura, and just a child, O Bestower of Boons! He had intense love for Thee, and became the most outstanding example for all Thy devotees.

सुरारीणां हास्यं तव चरणदास्यं निजसुते
स दृष्ट्वा दुष्टात्मा गुरुभिरशिशिक्षच्चिरममुम् ।
गुरुप्रोक्तं चासाविदमिदमभद्राय दृढमि-
त्यपाकुर्वन् सर्वं तव चरणभक्त्यैव ववृधे ॥ ५ ॥

The evil minded Hiranyakashipu had Prahlaad brain washed by competent instructors for long, because he saw signs of devotion to Thee and also the ridicule of the Asuras in his son. He however rejected all their teachings as leading only to evil and grew up with his devotional zeal.

अधीतेषु श्रेष्ठं किमिति परिपृष्टेऽथ तनये
भवद्भक्तिं वर्यामभिगदति पर्याकुलधृति: ।
गुरुभ्यो रोषित्वा सहजमतिरस्येत्यभिविदन्
वधोपायानस्मिन् व्यतनुत भवत्पादशरणे ॥६॥

On being asked about what was the best that he had learned, he answered that devotion to Thee was the greatest. Agitated at this, Hiranyakashipu was very angry with the teachers, but they told him that this was his son's natural inclination. At this he started planning ways to kill Prahlaad who was Thy great devotee, having taken refuge at Thy feet.

स शूलैराविद्ध: सुबहु मथितो दिग्गजगणै-
र्महासर्पैर्दष्टोऽप्यनशनगराहारविधुत: ।
गिरीन्द्रवक्षिप्तोऽप्यहह! परमात्मन्नयि विभो
त्वयि न्यस्तात्मत्वात् किमपि न निपीडामभजत ॥७॥

O All Pervading Supreme Being! What a wonder! Though he was pierced with tridents many times, trampled again and again by herds of huge elephants, bitten by great serpents, starved, poisoned and thrown down from the mountain peaks,he did not feel any suffering as his mind was completely fixed on Thee.

तत: शङ्काविष्ट: स पुनरतिदुष्टोऽस्य जनको
गुरूक्त्या तद्गेहे किल वरुणपाशैस्तमरुणत् ।
गुरोश्चासान्निध्ये स पुनरनुगान् दैत्यतनयान्
भवद्भक्तेस्तत्त्वं परममपि विज्ञानमशिषत् ॥८॥

The very cruel father was frightened at this. At the advice of the teacher, Prahlaad was tied up with ropes at the teacher's house. But whenever the teacher was away, Prahlaad began to teach the Asura boys, who were with him, the doctrine of love for, and knowledge of Thee.

पिता शृण्वन् बालप्रकरमखिलं त्वत्स्तुतिपरं
रुषान्ध: प्राहैनं कुलहतक कस्ते बलमिति ।
बलं मे वैकुण्ठस्तव च जगतां चापि स बलं
स एव त्रैलोक्यं सकलमिति धीरोऽयमगदीत् ॥९॥

Hearing that all the boys were now singing Thy praise, Hiranyakashipu became blind with rage. He shouted at Prahlaad that the traitor that he was, who was his strength? That courageous boy replied that Lord Vishnu was his strength, in as much as He was also his (father's) strength and of the whole universe. Also that the three worlds were his manifestation indeed.

अरे क्वासौ क्वासौ सकलजगदात्मा हरिरिति
प्रभिन्ते स्म स्तंभं चलितकरवालो दितिसुत: ।
अत: पश्चाद्विष्णो न हि वदितुमीशोऽस्मि सहसा
कृपात्मन् विश्वात्मन् पवनपुरवासिन् मृडय माम् ॥१०॥

O where is he? Where is he? The soul of all the worlds who is known as Hari? The son of Diti asking struck the pillar brandishing the sword. O Vishnu! O Lord! What happened then I am unable to describe immediately. O All Merciful! O All pervading One! O resident of Guruvaayur! Deign to make me whole.