Srimad Bhagavatam — Saptama Skandha, Shloka 15
Brahmā’s Boons, Hiraṇyakaśipu’s Cosmic Tyranny, and Prahlāda’s Transcendental Qualities
स एव वर्णाश्रमिभि: क्रतुभिर्भूरिदक्षिणै: । इज्यमानो हविर्भागानग्रहीत् स्वेन तेजसा ॥ १५ ॥
sa eva varṇāśramibhiḥ kratubhir bhūri-dakṣiṇaiḥ ijyamāno havir-bhāgān agrahīt svena tejasā
وحين كان الذين يلتزمون بدقة بسنن الفَرْنَة والآشرم يعبدونه بقرابين يَجْنَة مع عطايا وافرة، لم يكن هيرانيكاشيبو يقدّم للآلهة نصيبهم من القرابين، بل كان يأخذها لنفسه بقوة بهائه وسلطانه.
FAQs
This verse shows that an asura like Hiraṇyakaśipu can be worshiped through elaborate rituals, yet he uses that social-religious system to seize the demigods’ rightful shares, turning yajña into a tool of domination rather than devotion.
In the narrative, Hiraṇyakaśipu’s overwhelming political and mystical power created fear and coercion; many participated in rituals for him as a matter of survival, even though such worship opposed the intended divine order of yajña.
External religiosity can be captured by ego, fear, or authoritarian power; the verse urges aligning spiritual practice with genuine devotion and righteousness, not merely with spectacle, wealth, or social pressure.