Srimad Bhagavatam — Saptama Skandha, Shloka 17
Hiraṇyakaśipu’s Wrath, the Assault on Vedic Culture, and the Boy-Yamarāja’s Teaching on the Soul
हिरण्यकशिपुर्भ्रातु: सम्परेतस्य दु:खित: । कृत्वा कटोदकादीनि भ्रातृपुत्रानसान्त्वयत् ॥ १७ ॥
hiraṇyakaśipur bhrātuḥ samparetasya duḥkhitaḥ kṛtvā kaṭodakādīni bhrātṛ-putrān asāntvayat
After performing the ritualistic observances for the death of his brother, Hiraṇyakaśipu, being extremely unhappy, tried to pacify his nephews.
FAQs
This verse shows that even Hiraṇyakaśipu, though demoniac by nature, performed the customary rites such as offering water for his deceased brother—indicating the recognized social duty surrounding death rituals.
After completing the funeral observances for Hiraṇyākṣa, Hiraṇyakaśipu comforted the bereaved nephews as part of familial responsibility, setting the scene for his later actions and escalating hostility toward Viṣṇu and devotees.
The shloka highlights that basic duties—supporting grieving relatives and honoring the departed—can be upheld even amid intense emotion; it encourages steadiness and compassion during family loss.