Srimad Bhagavatam — Saptama Skandha, Shloka 16
Hiraṇyakaśipu’s Austerities and Brahmā’s Boons
The Architecture of ‘Conditional Immortality’
न ददर्श प्रतिच्छन्नं वल्मीकतृणकीचकै: । पिपीलिकाभिराचीर्णं मेदस्त्वङ्मांसशोणितम् ॥ १५ ॥ तपन्तं तपसा लोकान् यथाभ्रापिहितं रविम् । विलक्ष्य विस्मित: प्राह हसंस्तं हंसवाहन: ॥ १६ ॥
na dadarśa praticchannaṁ valmīka-tṛṇa-kīcakaiḥ pipīlikābhir ācīrṇaṁ medas-tvaṅ-māṁsa-śoṇitam
白鳥の乗り物に乗る梵天は、諸天とともに最初ヒラニヤカシプを見いだせなかった。彼の身は蟻塚と草と竹の小枝に覆われ、長き苦行のため蟻が皮・脂・肉・血までも食らっていたからである。やがて彼らは、雲に覆われた太陽のごとく苦行の熱で諸世界を灼く彼を見つけ、梵天は驚きつつ微笑み、彼に語りかけた。
The living entity can live merely by his own power, without the help of skin, marrow, bone, blood and so on, because it is said, asaṅgo hy ayaṁ puruṣaḥ — the living entity has nothing to do with the material covering. Hiraṇyakaśipu performed a severe type of tapasya, austerity, for many long years. Indeed, it is said that he performed the tapasya for one hundred heavenly years. Since one day of the demigods equals six of our months, certainly this was a very long time. By nature’s own way, his body had been almost consumed by earthworms, ants and other parasites, and therefore even Brahmā was at first unable to see him. Later, however, Brahmā could ascertain where Hiraṇyakaśipu was, and Brahmā was struck with wonder to see Hiraṇyakaśipu’s extraordinary power to execute tapasya. Anyone would conclude that Hiraṇyakaśipu was dead because his body was covered in so many ways, but Lord Brahmā, the supreme living being in this universe, could understand that Hiraṇyakaśipu was alive but covered by material elements.
FAQs
This verse describes how Hiraṇyakaśipu’s austerity was so severe and prolonged that his body became covered by an anthill and overrun by ants, showing an extreme level of bodily neglect for a desired boon.
Because Hiraṇyakaśipu was completely concealed by an anthill, grasses, and bamboo shoots, and his body was infested with ants—making him unrecognizable at first glance.
It cautions that intense effort without pure purpose can lead to self-harm; discipline should be guided by wisdom and devotion rather than ego-driven ambition.