FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 7.4.13

तमङ्ग मत्तं मधुनोरुगन्धिना विवृत्तताम्राक्षमशेषधिष्ण्यपा: । उपासतोपायनपाणिभिर्विना त्रिभिस्तपोयोगबलौजसां पदम् ॥ १३ ॥
tam aṅga mattaṁ madhunoru-gandhinā
[tam anga mattam madhunoru-gandhinaa]
vivṛtta-tāmrākṣam aśeṣa-dhiṣṇya-pāḥ
[vivritta-taamraaksham ashesha-dhishnya-paah]
upāsatopāyana-pāṇibhir vinā
[upaasatopaayana-paanibhir vinaa]
tribhis tapo-yoga-balaujasāṁ padam
[tribhis tapo-yoga-balaujasaam padam]
Word-for-word
tam — him (Hiraṇyakaśipu) aṅga — O dear King mattam — intoxicated madhunā — by wine uru-gandhinā — strong-smelling vivṛtta — rolling tāmra-akṣam — having eyes like copper aśeṣa-dhiṣṇya-pāḥ — the principal men of all the planets upāsata — worshiped upāyana — full with paraphernalia pāṇibhiḥ — by their own hands vinā — without tribhiḥ — the three principal deities (Lord Viṣṇu, Lord Brahmā and Lord Śiva) tapaḥ — of austerity yoga — mystic power bala — bodily strength ojasām — and power of the senses padam — the abode.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
tam aṅga mattaṁ madhunoru-gandhinā
tam
him (Hiraṇyakaśipu)
aṅga
O dear King
mattam
intoxicated
madhunā
by wine
uru-gandhinā
strong-smelling
vivṛtta-tāmrākṣam aśeṣa-dhiṣṇya-pāḥ
vivṛtta
rolling
tāmra-akṣam
having eyes like copper
aśeṣa-dhiṣṇya-pāḥ
the principal men of all the planets
upāsatopāyana-pāṇibhir vinā
upāsata
worshiped
upāyana
full with paraphernalia
pāṇibhiḥ
by their own hands
vinā
without
tribhis tapo-yoga-balaujasāṁ padam
tribhiḥ
the three principal deities (Lord Viṣṇu, Lord Brahmā and Lord Śiva)
tapaḥ
of austerity
yoga
mystic power
bala
bodily strength
ojasām
and power of the senses
padam
the abode.
O my dear King, Hiraṇyakaśipu was always drunk on strong-smelling wines and liquors, and therefore his coppery eyes were always rolling. Nonetheless, because he had powerfully executed great austerities in mystic yoga, although he was abominable, all but the three principal demigods — Lord Brahmā, Lord Śiva and Lord Viṣṇu — personally worshiped him to please him by bringing him various presentations with their own hands.
Purport

In the Skanda Purāṇa there is this description: upāyanaṁ daduḥ sarve vinā devān hiraṇyakaḥ. Hiraṇyakaśipu was so powerful that everyone but the three principal demigods — namely Lord Brahmā, Lord Śiva and Lord Viṣṇu — engaged in his service. Madhvācārya says, ādityā vasavo rudrās tri-vidhā hi surā yataḥ. There are three kinds of demigods — the Ādityas, the Vasus and the Rudras — beneath whom are the other demigods, like the Maruts and Sādhyas ( marutaś caiva viśve ca sādhyāś caiva ca tad-gatāḥ ). Therefore all the demigods are called tri-piṣṭapa, and the same word tri applies to Lord Brahmā, Lord Śiva and Lord Viṣṇu.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
O King! Being the abode of austerity, yoga, physical and sensual strength, intoxicated with strong smelling liquor, with rolling, red eyes, Hiraṇyakaśipu was worshipped with offerings by all the devatās except for Brahmā, Viṣṇu and Śiva, He was worshipped by devatās, who brought gifts, but by not Brahmā, Viṣṇu or Śiva. Though he was fixed in adharma like King Vena, in his kingdom the lands gave products without cultivation. However, that was out of fear, because they would be immediately killed if they did not do so. Vena did not have such power. Thus he was turned to ashes by Bhṛgu and other sages. Hiraṇyakaśipu however took the powers of Bhṛgu and others in the beginning.
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
Drunk on strong wine, eyes coppery and rolling, the demon king still receives the worship of nearly all demigods. Power earned by austerity can be deployed in a state of intoxication. Discipline that produces power without producing wisdom is a danger.
Reflection Questions
  • Where in your life has hard-won power been deployed under the influence of some 'intoxication'?
  • How does your tradition train wisdom to keep pace with growing power?
📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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