Shloka 2

प्रह्लादचरितम् (हिरण्यकशिपोः स्वर्गापहरणं, प्रह्लादस्य विष्णुभक्तिः, उपदेशः)

Devanagari script

दितेः पुत्रो महावीर्यो हिरण्यकशिपुः पुरा त्रैलोक्यं वशम् आनिन्ये ब्रह्मणो वरदर्पितः

Transliteration

diteḥ putro mahāvīryo hiraṇyakaśipuḥ purā trailokyaṃ vaśam āninye brahmaṇo varadarpitaḥ

Translation

En tiempos antiguos, Hiraṇyakaśipu, el valeroso hijo de Diti, sometió los tres mundos, embriagado por el orgullo nacido del don concedido por Brahmā.

Word by Word

दितेःof Diti

पुत्रःson

महावीर्यःof great prowess

हिरण्यकशिपुःHiraṇyakaśipu

पुराformerly, once

त्रैलोक्यम्the three worlds

वशम्into subjection

आनिन्येbrought, led

ब्रह्मणःof Brahmā

वरदर्पितःmade proud by a boon

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Characters & Entities

Diti

Hiranyakashipu

Brahma

Trailokya (three worlds)

FAQs

What is the significance of Hiranyakashipu bringing the three worlds under his control in the Vishnu Purana?

It signals a cosmic imbalance where power gained through boons becomes oppressive sovereignty, setting the stage for Vishnu’s restoration of dharma through the protection of devotees.

How does Sage Parāśara frame the role of Brahmā’s boon in this episode?

Parāśara presents the boon as a catalyst for arrogance (darpitaḥ): not merely a gift of power, but a narrative cause for moral and cosmic disorder that invites divine intervention.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu in this context, even though he is not named in the verse?

The verse functions as a lead-in to Vishnu’s role as Supreme Preserver—when the three worlds fall under adharma, Vishnu’s protecting grace and re-establishment of order becomes the central resolution.