Srimad Bhagavatam — Saptama Skandha, Shloka 53

Nṛsiṁhadeva Appears from the Pillar and Slays Hiraṇyakaśipu

Devanagari script

श्रीकिम्पुरुषा ऊचु: वयं किम्पुरुषास्त्वं तु महापुरुष ईश्वर: । अयं कुपुरुषो नष्टो धिक्कृत: साधुभिर्यदा ॥ ५३ ॥

Transliteration

śrī-kimpuruṣā ūcuḥ vayaṁ kimpuruṣās tvaṁ tu mahā-puruṣa īśvaraḥ ayaṁ kupuruṣo naṣṭo dhik-kṛtaḥ sādhubhir yadā

Translation

The inhabitants of Kimpuruṣa-loka said: We are insignificant living entities, and You are the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the supreme controller. Therefore how can we offer suitable prayers unto You? When this demon was condemned by devotees because they were disgusted with him, he was then killed by You.

Synonyms

• śrī: revered/auspicious
• śrī: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: śrī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyaya; honorific prefix

• kimpuruṣāḥ: the Kimpuruṣas
• kimpuruṣāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kimpuruṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine Nominative Plural

• ūcuḥ: said
• ūcuḥ: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd person, Plural

• vayam: we
• vayam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम)
• Form: Nominative Plural

• kimpuruṣāḥ: (are) Kimpuruṣas
• kimpuruṣāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kimpuruṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine Nominative Plural; predicate nominal to ‘vayam’

• tvam: you
• tvam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (सर्वनाम)
• Form: Nominative Singular

• tu: but
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Contrastive particle (निपात)

• mahā-puruṣaḥ: the Great Person
• mahā-puruṣaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + puruṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine Nominative Singular; karmadhāraya: ‘great person’

• īśvaraḥ: the Lord
• īśvaraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: īśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine Nominative Singular; in apposition to ‘mahā-puruṣaḥ’

• ayam: this (one)
• ayam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम)
• Form: Masculine Nominative Singular

• ku-puruṣaḥ: the wicked person
• ku-puruṣaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ku (अव्यय/उपसर्गवत्) + puruṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine Nominative Singular; karmadhāraya: ‘bad man’

• naṣṭaḥ: destroyed
• naṣṭaḥ: Kriya (क्रियाफल/Result state)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: naś (धातु) → naṣṭa (कृदन्त)
• Form: Past participle (क्त), Masculine Nominative Singular; predicate

• dhik-kṛtaḥ: condemned
• dhik-kṛtaḥ: Kriya (क्रियाफल/Result state)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dhik (अव्यय) + kṛ (धातु) → kṛta (कृदन्त)
• Form: Avyayībhāva-like formation with indeclinable ‘dhik’ + PPP ‘kṛta’; Masculine Nominative Singular; ‘censured’

• sādhubhiḥ: by the saintly
• sādhubhiḥ: Karana (करण/Agent-instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sādhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine Instrumental Plural

• yadā: when
• yadā: Kāla (काल/Time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yadā (अव्यय)
• Form: Temporal adverb (कालवाचक अव्यय)

Purport

The cause of the Supreme Lord’s appearance upon this earth is stated in Bhagavad-gītā (4.7-8) by the Lord Himself:

Characters & Entities

• Kimpuruṣas
• Nṛsiṁhadeva
• Hiraṇyakaśipu
• Sādhus (saintly devotees)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about the destruction of the wicked?

This verse shows that when a person is condemned by the saintly due to persistent cruelty and godlessness, the Lord—Supreme Controller—ultimately destroys that wickedness, restoring dharma.

Why did the Kimpuruṣas glorify Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva after Hiraṇyakaśipu’s death?

Because they recognized Nṛsiṁhadeva as the Mahāpuruṣa (Supreme Person) and saw the immediate result of His protection of the saintly: the tyrant Hiraṇyakaśipu, hated for persecuting devotees, was finally destroyed.

Practical application of divine justice and bhakti in modern life?

Align with sādhus and dharma, avoid cultivating cruelty and ego, and take shelter of the Lord through sincere devotion—trusting that truth and righteousness are ultimately upheld.