FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 7.3.37-38

व्यसुभिर्वासुमद्भ‍िर्वा सुरासुरमहोरगै: । अप्रतिद्वन्द्वतां युद्धे ऐकपत्यं च देहिनाम् ॥ ३७ ॥ सर्वेषां लोकपालानां महिमानं यथात्मन: । तपोयोगप्रभावाणां यन्न रिष्यति कर्हिचित् ॥ ३८ ॥
vyasubhir vāsumadbhir vā
[vyasubhir vaasumadbhir vaa]
surāsura-mahoragaiḥ
[suraasura-mahoragaih]
apratidvandvatāṁ yuddhe
[apratidvandvataam yuddhe]
aika-patyaṁ ca dehinām
[aika-patyam cha dehinaam]
sarveṣāṁ loka-pālānāṁ
[sarveshaam loka-paalaanaam]
mahimānaṁ yathātmanaḥ
[mahimaanam yathaatmanah]
tapo-yoga-prabhāvāṇāṁ
[tapo-yoga-prabhaavaanaam]
yan na riṣyati karhicit
[yan na rishyati karhichit]
Word-for-word
vyasubhiḥ — by things that have no life vā — or asumadbhiḥ — by entities that have life vā — or sura — by the demigods asura — the demons mahā-uragaiḥ — by the great serpents who live on the lower planets apratidvandvatām — without a rival yuddhe — in battle aika-patyam — supremacy ca — and dehinām — over those who have material bodies sarveṣām — of all loka-pālānām — the predominating deities of all planets mahimānam — the glory yathā — just as ātmanaḥ — of yourself tapaḥ-yoga-prabhāvāṇām — of those whose power is obtained by austerities and the practice of mystic yoga yat — which na — never riṣyati — is destroyed karhicit — at any time.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
vyasubhir vāsumadbhir vā
vyasubhiḥ
by things that have no life
vā
or
asumadbhiḥ
by entities that have life
vā
or
surāsura-mahoragaiḥ
sura
by the demigods
asura
the demons
mahā-uragaiḥ
by the great serpents who live on the lower planets
apratidvandvatāṁ yuddhe
apratidvandvatām
without a rival
yuddhe
in battle
aika-patyaṁ ca dehinām
aika-patyam
supremacy
ca
and
dehinām
over those who have material bodies
sarveṣāṁ loka-pālānāṁ
sarveṣām
of all
loka-pālānām
the predominating deities of all planets
mahimānaṁ yathātmanaḥ
mahimānam
the glory
yathā
just as
ātmanaḥ
of yourself
tapo-yoga-prabhāvāṇāṁ
tapaḥ-yoga-prabhāvāṇām
of those whose power is obtained by austerities and the practice of mystic yoga
yan na riṣyati karhicit
yat
which
na
never
riṣyati
is destroyed
karhicit
at any time.
Grant me that I not meet death from any entity, living or nonliving. Grant me, further, that I not be killed by any demigod or demon or by any great snake from the lower planets. Since no one can kill you in the battlefield, you have no competitor. Therefore, grant me the benediction that I too may have no rival. Give me sole lordship over all the living entities and presiding deities, and give me all the glories obtained by that position. Furthermore, give me all the mystic powers attained by long austerities and the practice of yoga, for these cannot be lost at any time.
Purport

Lord Brahmā obtained his supreme position due to long austerities and penances, mystic yoga, meditation and so on. Hiraṇyakaśipu wanted a similar position. The ordinary powers achieved by mystic yoga, austerities and other processes are sometimes vanquished, but the powers obtained by the mercy of the Lord are never vanquished. Hiraṇyakaśipu, therefore, wanted a benediction that would never be vanquished.

Thus end the Bhaktivedanta purports of the Seventh Canto, Third Chapter, of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, entitled “Hiraṇyakaśipu’s Plan to Become Immortal.”

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
Let me not die by non-living things or living beings, devatās, demons or snakes. Let me not be defeated in battle and have great lordship over all beings and all protectors of planets. Let me have powers of austerity and yoga just as you have, whose potency will never be destroyed! Because it is impossible to mention all species of living entity he recites these verses. Vyasubhiḥ means “by things without life.” Asumadbhiḥ means “by forms with life.” Thus I cannot be killed by objects of any sort. Thinking that he could not die, he then asked for another boon. Let me have no rival in battle and supremacy over all beings. Just as you have (yathā ātmanaḥ) power, give me power by austerity and yoga that cannot be destroyed. Thus ends the commentary on the Third Chapter of the Seventh Canto of the Bhāgavatam for the pleasure of the devotees, in accordance with the previous ācāryas. Chapter Four Hiraṇyakaśipu Conquers the Devatās
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
He asks for invulnerability to every living and nonliving entity, sole lordship, all glories, and undying mystic powers. The demoniac wish list grows to fill all conceivable space. Notice how desire, once granted scope, expands toward absolute control.
Reflection Questions
  • Where, given an open boon, would your wish list start expanding toward control?
  • What single desire — if it were the only one you asked for — would actually free you?
📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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