Shloka 17
Nṛsiṁhadeva Appears from the Pillar and Slays Hiraṇyakaśipu
सत्यं विधातुं निजभृत्यभाषितं व्याप्तिं च भूतेष्वखिलेषु चात्मन: । अदृश्यतात्यद्भुतरूपमुद्वहन् स्तम्भे सभायां न मृगं न मानुषम् ॥ १७ ॥
satyaṁ vidhātuṁ nija-bhṛtya-bhāṣitaṁ vyāptiṁ ca bhūteṣv akhileṣu cātmanaḥ adṛśyatātyadbhuta-rūpam udvahan stambhe sabhāyāṁ na mṛgaṁ na mānuṣam
आपल्या भक्त प्रह्लादाच्या वचनाला सत्य ठरवण्यासाठी आणि परमात्मा सर्व भूतांमध्ये सर्वत्र व्याप्त आहेत—सभागृहातील स्तंभावरही—हे सिद्ध करण्यासाठी भगवान हरिने पूर्वी कधी न दिसलेले अद्भुत रूप धारण केले. ते रूप ना मृग होते ना मनुष्य; आणि त्या रूपाने प्रभू सभेत स्तंभातून प्रकट झाले.
When Hiraṇyakaśipu asked Prahlāda Mahārāja, “Where is your Lord? Is He present in this pillar?” Prahlāda Mahārāja fearlessly replied, “Yes, my Lord is present everywhere.” Therefore, to convince Hiraṇyakaśipu that the statement of Prahlāda Mahārāja was unmistakably true, the Lord appeared from the pillar. The Lord appeared as half lion and half man so that Hiraṇyakaśipu could not understand whether the great giant was a lion or a human being. To substantiate Prahlāda’s statement, the Lord proved that His devotee, as declared in Bhagavad-gītā, is never vanquished ( kaunteya pratijānīhi na me bhaktaḥ praṇaśyati ). Prahlāda Mahārāja’s demoniac father had repeatedly threatened to kill Prahlāda, but Prahlāda was confident that he could not be killed, since he was protected by the Supreme Lord. By appearing from the pillar, the Lord encouraged His devotee, saying in effect, “Don’t worry. I am present here.” By manifesting His form as Nṛsiṁhadeva, the Lord also preserved the truth of Lord Brahmā’s promise that Hiraṇyakaśipu was not to be killed by any animal or any man. The Lord appeared in a form that could not be said to be fully a man or a lion.
FAQs
He appeared from the pillar to prove His all-pervading presence and to make true the devotee Prahlāda’s statement that the Lord is everywhere—even within a pillar.
It indicates the Lord’s unique form as Nṛsiṁha—lion-like and human-like—manifested to transcend material categories and to fulfill divine purpose beyond ordinary conditions.
It teaches steadfast faith: when one speaks and lives devotion sincerely, the Lord can protect in unexpected ways, and remembering His presence everywhere strengthens courage and integrity.