Srimad Bhagavatam — Saptama Skandha, Shloka 19
Hiraṇyakaśipu’s Austerities and Brahmā’s Boons
The Architecture of ‘Conditional Immortality’
नैतत्पूर्वर्षयश्चक्रुर्न करिष्यन्ति चापरे । निरम्बुर्धारयेत्प्राणान् को वै दिव्यसमा: शतम् ॥ १९ ॥
naitat pūrvarṣayaś cakrur na kariṣyanti cāpare nirambur dhārayet prāṇān ko vai divya-samāḥ śatam
かくも苛烈な苦行は、昔のリシたちも行わず、未来にも誰一人成し得まい。三界のうち、誰が水一滴も飲まずに百の天年、命を保てようか。
It appears that even if a yogī does not drink a drop of water, he can live for many, many years by the yogic process, though his outer body be eaten by ants and moths.
FAQs
This verse states that sustaining life without water for a hundred celestial years is beyond what even ancient sages did, highlighting the extraordinary (and alarming) extremity of Hiraṇyakaśipu’s tapasya.
He emphasizes that neither past sages nor future persons would perform such an act, to show the exceptional intensity of Hiraṇyakaśipu’s determination in pursuit of power and boons.
Discipline is powerful, but the Bhagavatam implies it should be guided by devotion and dharma—otherwise even great austerity can be used for ego, control, or harm.