Shloka 38
Hiraṇyakaśipu’s Austerities and Brahmā’s Boons
The Architecture of ‘Conditional Immortality’
व्यसुभिर्वासुमद्भिर्वा सुरासुरमहोरगै: । अप्रतिद्वन्द्वतां युद्धे ऐकपत्यं च देहिनाम् ॥ ३७ ॥ सर्वेषां लोकपालानां महिमानं यथात्मन: । तपोयोगप्रभावाणां यन्न रिष्यति कर्हिचित् ॥ ३८ ॥
vyasubhir vāsumadbhir vā surāsura-mahoragaiḥ apratidvandvatāṁ yuddhe aika-patyaṁ ca dehinām
Даруй мне славу всех хранителей миров (даже равную Твоей) и также силы аскезы и йоги, чьё действие никогда не утрачивается.
Lord Brahmā obtained his supreme position due to long austerities and penances, mystic yoga, meditation and so on. Hiraṇyakaśipu wanted a similar position. The ordinary powers achieved by mystic yoga, austerities and other processes are sometimes vanquished, but the powers obtained by the mercy of the Lord are never vanquished. Hiraṇyakaśipu, therefore, wanted a benediction that would never be vanquished.
FAQs
This verse shows that tapas and yoga can grant extraordinary worldly influence and status, yet such power is sought as “undiminishing” by the ambitious—implying it is normally subject to decline and is distinct from eternal spiritual attainment.
In Canto 7, Hiraṇyakaśipu performs severe austerities to obtain boons from Brahmā, aiming to surpass cosmic authorities and secure unrivaled dominion that would not deteriorate.
The shloka cautions that spiritual disciplines can be misused for ego and control; a devotee can redirect discipline toward humility and service rather than status-seeking.