FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 7.8.17

सत्यं विधातुं निजभृत्यभाषितं व्याप्तिं च भूतेष्वखिलेषु चात्मन: । अद‍ृश्यतात्यद्भ‍ुतरूपमुद्वहन् स्तम्भे सभायां न मृगं न मानुषम् ॥ १७ ॥
satyaṁ vidhātuṁ nija-bhṛtya-bhāṣitaṁ
[satyam vidhaatum nija-bhritya-bhaashitam]
vyāptiṁ ca bhūteṣv akhileṣu cātmanaḥ
[vyaaptim cha bhooteshv akhileshu chaatmanah]
adṛśyatātyadbhuta-rūpam udvahan
[adrishyataatyadbhuta-roopam udvahan]
stambhe sabhāyāṁ na mṛgaṁ na mānuṣam
[stambhe sabhaayaam na mrigam na maanusham]
Word-for-word
satyam — true vidhātum — to prove nija-bhṛtya-bhāṣitam — the words of His own servant (Prahlāda Mahārāja, who had said that his Lord is present everywhere) vyāptim — the pervasion ca — and bhūteṣu — among the living entities and elements akhileṣu — all ca — also ātmanaḥ — of Himself adṛśyata — was seen ati — very adbhuta — wonderful rūpam — form udvahan — taking stambhe — in the pillar sabhāyām — within the assembly na — not mṛgam — an animal na — nor mānuṣam — a human being.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
satyaṁ vidhātuṁ nija-bhṛtya-bhāṣitaṁ
satyam
true
vidhātum
to prove
nija-bhṛtya-bhāṣitam
the words of His own servant (Prahlāda Mahārāja, who had said that his Lord is present everywhere)
vyāptiṁ ca bhūteṣv akhileṣu cātmanaḥ
vyāptim
the pervasion
ca
and
bhūteṣu
among the living entities and elements
akhileṣu
all
ca
also
ātmanaḥ
of Himself
adṛśyatātyadbhuta-rūpam udvahan
adṛśyata
was seen
ati
very
adbhuta
wonderful
rūpam
form
udvahan
taking
stambhe sabhāyāṁ na mṛgaṁ na mānuṣam
stambhe
in the pillar
sabhāyām
within the assembly
na
not
mṛgam
an animal
na
nor
mānuṣam
a human being.
To prove that the statement of His servant Prahlāda Mahārāja was substantial — in other words, to prove that the Supreme Lord is present everywhere, even within the pillar of an assembly hall — the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Hari, exhibited a wonderful form never before seen. The form was neither that of a man nor that of a lion. Thus the Lord appeared in His wonderful form in the assembly hall.
Purport

When Hiraṇyakaśipu asked Prahlāda Mahārāja, “Where is your Lord? Is He present in this pillar?” Prahlāda Mahārāja fearlessly replied, “Yes, my Lord is present everywhere.” Therefore, to convince Hiraṇyakaśipu that the statement of Prahlāda Mahārāja was unmistakably true, the Lord appeared from the pillar. The Lord appeared as half lion and half man so that Hiraṇyakaśipu could not understand whether the great giant was a lion or a human being. To substantiate Prahlāda’s statement, the Lord proved that His devotee, as declared in Bhagavad-gītā, is never vanquished ( kaunteya pratijānīhi na me bhaktaḥ praṇaśyati ). Prahlāda Mahārāja’s demoniac father had repeatedly threatened to kill Prahlāda, but Prahlāda was confident that he could not be killed, since he was protected by the Supreme Lord. By appearing from the pillar, the Lord encouraged His devotee, saying in effect, “Don’t worry. I am present here.” By manifesting His form as Nṛsiṁhadeva, the Lord also preserved the truth of Lord Brahmā’s promise that Hiraṇyakaśipu was not to be killed by any animal or any man. The Lord appeared in a form that could not be said to be fully a man or a lion.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
To prove the words of his servant--that he is present in all objects--to be true, the Lord showed an astonishing form which was neither animal nor human to the assembly. Prahlāda had said that the Lord was present in the pillar. To prove those words of his servant true, to make that truth visible, the Lord appeared. And to make true the statement that his form was spread everywhere, in Nṛsiṁha and other forms, he became visible in the pillar where he had been invisible. He took a form in the assembly which was not related to animal forms nor was it a human form. His servant Hiraṇyakaśipu had prayed not to die from created living being, and also prayed not to die inside or outside, and not by man or beast. The Lord appeared in that form to make that prayer true. He was not a being created by Brahmā, he was not an animal, nor a human, nor was he situated within the assembly hall, nor outside in the yard. Some people also say that he appeared in that form to prove the words of his servants like Nārada to be true. The Lord says “Kaunteya, my devotee never perishes.” (BG 9.31) And Nārada said to Hiraṇyakaśipu, “You will not be able to kill this child.” (SB 7.7.10) Hiraṇyakaśipu said “Perhaps I will die because of my hatred of Prahlāda.” (SB 7.5.47) When Hiraṇyakaśipu made his request, Brahmā had said “Let it be.”
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
To prove that the Lord is everywhere — even in the pillar — Hari manifests in a never-before-seen form, neither human nor lion. The Lord answers a sincere question (and an insincere one) with the exact form needed. Specificity is mercy.
Reflection Questions
  • What question of yours has been answered by an unprecedented form of presence?
  • Where might you be waiting for a familiar form when an unfamiliar one is being offered?
📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

← Read full Chapter 8