FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 7.3.36

नान्तर्बहिर्दिवा नक्तमन्यस्मादपि चायुधै: । न भूमौ नाम्बरे मृत्युर्न नरैर्न मृगैरपि ॥ ३६ ॥
nāntar bahir divā naktam
[naantar bahir divaa naktam]
anyasmād api cāyudhaiḥ
[anyasmaad api chaayudhaih]
na bhūmau nāmbare mṛtyur
[na bhoomau naambare mrityur]
na narair na mṛgair api
[na narair na mrigair api]
Word-for-word
na — not antaḥ — inside (the palace or home) bahiḥ — outside the home divā — during the daytime naktam — during the night anyasmāt — from any others beyond Lord Brahmā api — even ca — also ayudhaiḥ — by any weapons used within this material world na — nor bhūmau — on the ground na — not ambare — in the sky mṛtyuḥ — death na — not naraiḥ — by any men na — nor mṛgaiḥ — by any animal api — also.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
nāntar bahir divā naktam
na
not
antaḥ
inside (the palace or home)
bahiḥ
outside the home
divā
during the daytime
naktam
during the night
anyasmād api cāyudhaiḥ
anyasmāt
from any others beyond Lord Brahmā
api
even
ca
also
ayudhaiḥ
by any weapons used within this material world
na bhūmau nāmbare mṛtyur
na
nor
bhūmau
on the ground
na
not
ambare
in the sky
mṛtyuḥ
death
na narair na mṛgair api
na
not
naraiḥ
by any men
na
nor
mṛgaiḥ
by any animal
api
also.
Grant me that I not die within any residence or outside any residence, during the daytime or at night, nor on the ground or in the sky. Grant me that my death not be brought by any being other than those created by you, nor by any weapon, nor by any human being or animal.
Purport

Hiraṇyakaśipu was very much afraid of Viṣṇu’s becoming an animal to kill him because his brother had been killed by Viṣṇu when the Lord took the shape of a boar. He was therefore very careful to guard against all kinds of animals. But even without taking the shape of an animal, Viṣṇu could kill him by hurling His Sudarśana cakra, which can go anywhere without the Lord’s physical presence. Therefore Hiraṇyakaśipu was careful to guard against all kinds of weapons. He guarded against all kinds of time, space and countries because he was afraid of being killed by someone else in another land. There are many other planets, higher and lower, and therefore he prayed for the benediction of not being killed by any resident of any of these planets. There are three original deities — Brahmā, Viṣṇu and Maheśvara. Hiraṇyakaśipu knew that Brahmā would not kill him, but he also wanted not to be killed by Lord Viṣṇu or Lord Śiva. Consequently, he prayed for such a benediction. Thus Hiraṇyakaśipu thought himself securely protected from any kind of death caused by any living entity within this universe. He also carefully guarded against natural death, which might take place within his house or outside of the house.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
Grant me that I not die within any residence or outside any residence, during the daytime or at night, not by any weapon or something other than a weapon, nor on the ground or in the sky, nor by man or animal. Death should happen naturally. If all places and times are excluded for death, the natural death will also be excluded. The forms of Viṣṇu such as Varāha are all created by Brahmā, but Viṣṇu is without form. If he, without form, throws his cakra or other weapons, my boon will be useless. This is my worry. Thus let me not be destroyed by any weapon or anything else! Though the words inside and outside covers all places, Viṣṇu could think of some particular loophole related to the meaning of the two words. Thus particular places must also be excluded. “Not on earth” refers to all the seven lower planets down to Pātala. “Not in the sky” refers to all the upper planets. All these are excluded. Fearing other beings like Dakṣa, he then says that all men should be excluded as well.
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
Hiraṇyakaśipu adds: not inside or outside, not day or night, not on ground or sky, not by any creature or weapon. Fear of Viṣṇu drives elaborately layered conditions. The mind that fears the Lord most thoroughly is the one that crafts the cleverest defenses.
Reflection Questions
  • What elaborate conditions have you placed around an outcome you secretly fear?
  • Where might your defensive cleverness be the surest sign of underlying dread?
📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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