Srimad Bhagavatam — Saptama Skandha, Shloka 3
Nṛsiṁhadeva Appears from the Pillar and Slays Hiraṇyakaśipu
कोपावेशचलद्गात्र: पुत्रं हन्तुं मनो दधे । क्षिप्त्वा परुषया वाचा प्रह्रादमतदर्हणम् । आहेक्षमाण: पापेन तिरश्चीनेन चक्षुषा ॥ ३ ॥ प्रश्रयावनतं दान्तं बद्धाञ्जलिमवस्थितम् । सर्प: पदाहत इव श्वसन्प्रकृतिदारुण: ॥ ४ ॥
kopāveśa-calad-gātraḥ putraṁ hantuṁ mano dadhe kṣiptvā paruṣayā vācā prahrādam atad-arhaṇam
When Hiraṇyakaśipu understood the entire situation, he was extremely angry, so much so that his body trembled. Thus he finally decided to kill his son Prahlāda. Hiraṇyakaśipu was by nature very cruel, and feeling insulted, he began hissing like a snake trampled upon by someone’s foot. His son Prahlāda was peaceful, mild and gentle, his senses were under control, and he stood before Hiraṇyakaśipu with folded hands. According to Prahlāda’s age and behavior, he was not to be chastised. Yet with staring, crooked eyes, Hiraṇyakaśipu rebuked him with the following harsh words.
When one is impudent toward a highly authorized devotee, one is punished by the laws of nature. The duration of his life is diminished, and he loses the blessings of superior persons and the results of pious activities. Hiraṇyakaśipu, for example, had achieved such great power in the material world that he could subdue practically all the planetary systems in the universe, including the heavenly planets (Svargaloka). Yet now, because of his mistreatment of such a Vaiṣṇava as Prahlāda Mahārāja, all the results of his tapasya diminished. As stated in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.4.46) :
FAQs
Because Prahlāda remained devoted to Lord Viṣṇu, rejecting his father's atheistic pride; this devotion triggered Hiraṇyakaśipu’s rage and desire to punish him.
It shows that a genuine devotee may face unjust hostility, yet such persecution highlights the contrast between adharma (sinful rage) and bhakti (innocent devotion).
Like Prahlāda, remain steady, avoid retaliating in anger, and keep your mind anchored in higher principles—truth, devotion, and self-control.