Shloka 12
Nṛsiṁhadeva Appears from the Pillar and Slays Hiraṇyakaśipu
यस्त्वया मन्दभाग्योक्तो मदन्यो जगदीश्वर: । क्वासौ यदि स सर्वत्र कस्मात् स्तम्भे न दृश्यते ॥ १२ ॥
yas tvayā manda-bhāgyokto mad-anyo jagad-īśvaraḥ kvāsau yadi sa sarvatra kasmāt stambhe na dṛśyate
हे दुर्दैवी प्रल्हादा, तू नेहमी माझ्याव्यतिरिक्त दुसऱ्या कोणातरी 'जगदीश्वरा'चे वर्णन केले आहेस, जो सर्वांच्या वर आहे, सर्वांचा नियंता आहे आणि सर्वव्यापी आहे. पण तो आहे कुठे? जर तो सर्वत्र आहे, तर मला या खांबात का दिसत नाही?
Demons sometimes declare to a devotee that they cannot accept the existence of God because they cannot see Him. But what the demon does not know is stated by the Lord Himself in Bhagavad-gītā (7.25) : nāhaṁ prakāśaḥ sarvasya yoga-māyā-samāvṛtaḥ. “I am never manifest to the foolish and unintelligent. For them I am covered by yoga-māyā. ” The Lord is open to being seen by devotees, but nondevotees cannot see Him. The qualification for seeing God is stated in Brahma-saṁhitā (5.38) : premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santaḥ sadaiva hṛdayeṣu vilokayanti. A devotee who has developed a genuine love for Kṛṣṇa can always see Him everywhere, whereas a demon, not having a clear understanding of the Supreme Lord, cannot see Him. When Hiraṇyakaśipu was threatening to kill Prahlāda Mahārāja, Prahlāda certainly saw the column standing before him and his father, and he saw that the Lord was present in the pillar to encourage him not to fear his demoniac father’s words. The Lord was present to protect him. Hiraṇyakaśipu marked Prahlāda’s observation and asked him, “Where is your God?” Prahlāda Mahārāja replied, “He is everywhere.” Then Hiraṇyakaśipu asked, “Why is He not in this pillar before me?” Thus in all circumstances the devotee can always see the Supreme Lord, whereas the nondevotee cannot.
FAQs
This verse shows the debate point: Prahlāda affirms the Lord is everywhere, and Hiraṇyakaśipu mocks it—setting the stage for the Lord proving His omnipresence by manifesting from the pillar as Nṛsiṁhadeva.
He spoke out of pride and disbelief, intending to humiliate Prahlāda’s faith; the question becomes the immediate cause for the Lord’s dramatic appearance to protect His devotee.
It cautions against arrogant skepticism and encourages steady faith: the Divine may not be perceived by ordinary vision, yet sincere devotion and humility open one’s awareness to God’s presence everywhere.