Srimad Bhagavatam — Saptama Skandha, Shloka 39
Hiraṇyakaśipu’s Wrath, the Assault on Vedic Culture, and the Boy-Yamarāja’s Teaching on the Soul
य इच्छयेश: सृजतीदमव्ययो य एव रक्षत्यवलुम्पते च य: । तस्याबला: क्रीडनमाहुरीशितु- श्चराचरं निग्रहसङ्ग्रहे प्रभु: ॥ ३९ ॥
ya icchayeśaḥ sṛjatīdam avyayo ya eva rakṣaty avalumpate ca yaḥ tasyābalāḥ krīḍanam āhur īśituś carācaraṁ nigraha-saṅgrahe prabhuḥ
The boy addressed them: “O weak women! By the will of the Supreme Lord, who never diminishes, this entire world is created, maintained, and again withdrawn—such is the verdict of the Vedas. All that moves and does not move is but His plaything; as the Supreme Master, He is fully able to protect and to destroy.”
In this regard the queens might argue, “If our husband was protected by the Supreme Personality of Godhead when in the womb, why has he not been given protection now?” To this question the answer is, ya icchayeśaḥ sṛjatīdam avyayo ya eva rakṣaty avalumpate ca yaḥ. One cannot argue with the activities of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The Lord is always free, and therefore He can protect and can also annihilate. He is not our order carrier; whatever He likes He will do. Therefore He is the Supreme Lord. The Lord does not create this material world at anyone’s request, and therefore He can annihilate everything merely by His will. That is His supremacy. If one argues, “Why does He act in this way?” the answer is that He can do so because He is supreme. No one can question His activities. If one argues, “What is the purpose of this sinful creation and annihilation?” the answer is that to prove His omnipotence He can do anything, and no one can question Him. If He were answerable to us concerning why He does something and why He does not, His supremacy would be curtailed.
FAQs
This verse explains that creation, protection, and dissolution happen by the Lord’s will, and the powerless conditioned souls describe the entire cosmos as the Lord’s pastime.
Prahlāda teaches that the Supreme Lord alone controls everything—so one should stop trusting material power and instead take shelter of devotion to the true Controller.
See successes and setbacks as under divine governance; practice humility, reduce ego-driven anxiety, and focus on steady bhakti rather than trying to control everything.