Vaishampāyana said:—O king, I have thus described to you the boar incarnation of Vishnu. I will next describe the man-lion incarnation in which form the Lord killed Hiranyakashipu. Formerly in the Krita Yuga the founder of the Daitya race, the king Hiranyakashipu practised great penances. Living under water he observed the vow of silence like an immoveable object for five thousand and five hundred years. Pleased with his self-control, mastery over his senses and regulations Brahma was highly pleased. Afterward in his white sunny car drawn by swans the Lord Brahmā himself came there and said to the king of Daityas "O you of firm vows, you are my votary. I am pleased with you for your ascetic penances. May you fare well. Pray for a desirable boon" (1-10).
Thereupon the Dānava-chief Hiranyakashipu, with a delighted heart and folded hands, said:—"O lord, may none, amongst the gods, Asuras, Gandharvas, Yakshas, Uragas, Rakshasas, men and Pisāchas, slay me. May not the Rishis, when angered, curse me. May not my destruction be brought about with a weapon, mountain, tree, dry or wet articles. May not my death take place in heaven, nether region, sky or either in day or in night. May he be my death only who, with the stroke of his own palm, will be able to kill me with my followers, servants and kinsmen. I will discharge the functions of the sun, moon, air, fire, water, sky, stars and ten quarters. I will be Kāma, Krodha, Varuna, Vasava, Yama, Kuvera and the king of Kimpurushas. May huge weapons appear bodily before me in a battle" (11-18).
Brahma said:—"O my son, I grant you these wonderful and celestial boons. These boons are rare and not to be obtained by men. Forsooth, by my favour, you will obtain all desirable objects."
Vaishampāyana said:—Having said this Brahmā went to the Vairāja region through the etherial way. Afterwards hearing of the grant of this boon the gods, Nāgas and Gandharvas went to the Grand-father and said:—"O lord, by virtue of this boon the Asura will oppress us. Do thou concert a measure for his destruction." Hearing their words the Lord Brahmā said:—"O ye gods, he must obtain the fruits of his penances. After he will have enjoyed them the Lord Vishnu will slay him." Delighted with what the lotus-sprung Deity had said the celestials repaired to their respective quarters (19-26).
Vaishampāyana said:—Elated with the power of the boon he had obtained the Daitya-chief Hiranyakashipu began to oppress the creatures. That powerful Daitya assailed the ascetic Munis in the hermitages and the trutuful and self-controlled Brāhmanas. Having vanquished all the gods in the three worlds he brought them under subjection and lived in heaven. Urged on by Destiny and elated with the pride of boon he made the Daityas entitled to sacrifices and deprived the gods therefrom. Thereupon the Adityas, Sādhyas, Vishwās, Vasus, Rudras, all the saints and the Brāhmanas approached the highly powerful and eternal Vishnu adored of the world and sought his shelter. The gods said:—"O Nārāyana, the gods have sought refuge with thee: do thou save them and slay the Daitya-chief Hiranyakashipu. Thou art our protector, great preceptor and the great god. Thou dost please the party of thy friends and destroy the enemies. Do thou help us for slaying Diti's progeny." Vishnu said: "Cast off your fear, O ye immortals, I promise you safety. You will, in no time, attain to the celestial region as before. I will soon kill that Dānava king with his people who is elated with the pride of his boon and is unslayable even by the immortals".
Vaishampāyana said:—Having said this and dismissed the celestials the omniscient Lord thought of the destruction of Hiranyakashipu. Having assumed a body, half-lion and half-man, he arrived at Harinyakashipu’s court. It was highly charming and a hundred yojanas in length and half as much in breadth. There existed neither decrepitude nor sorrow. It was adorned with various flowers and excellent seats (27–48).
CHAPTER XXXVIII. THE ASURAS ARE FILLED WITH SURPRISE AT SEEING THE MAN-LION FORM.
Vaishampāyana said:—O Bhārata, thereupon when Hiranyakashipu and all the Danavas saw that mighty-armed one like unto the wheel of time and fire covered with ashes, the beauty, of that man-lion form covered with matted wells and effulgent like the moon, filled every where of that spacious Hall. Seeing that form resembling a conch-shell, a kunda flower and the moon the Dānavas exclaimed "What a wonderful form!" With their celestial vision however Hiranyakashipu and Pralhāda could perceive that the Lord, in the shape of a lion, had come there. Pralhāda said:—"O large-armed king, the first born amongst the Daityas, we have never seen a man-lion form, nor have we heard of it. How wonderful is this celestial form! My mind says that this dreadful form has appeared for the destruction of the Daityas. The gods, oceans, rivers, Himavān, and other boundary mountains, the moon with the stars, the Adityas, Ashwinis, Varuna, Yama, Indra, Maruts, Rishis, Nagas, Yakshas, Gandharvas, Pishachas and dreadful Rakshasas are all in his body. Brahmā and the Lord Siva appear on his forehead. The mobile and immobile creation, all the Daitayas together with ourselves, this assembly hall, the three worlds, all are visible in him as the moon reflected on a mirror (1-15)".
CHAPTER XXXIX VISHNU KILLS HIRANYAKASHIPU.
Vaishampāyana said:—Hearing the words of Pralhāda Hiranyakashipu said to the Daityas:—"Hold this lion assuming a wonderful form. And if you entertain any doubt kill this forest-ranger." Hearing those words and delighted the Danavas surrounded that huge-bodied lion and showed him fear. Thereupon sending up a leonine shout, that man-lion, like unto Death with his mouth wide open, dispersed the assemblage. Worked up with anger Hiranyakashipu discharged various weapons at the lion. But the highly powerful Lord remained unmoved like the mountain Himalaya. And leaping up into the sky the Man-lion tore Hiranyakashipu into pieces with his nails and killed him. After the destruction of the Diti's son the earth, lunar region, solar region, all the quarters, rivers, oceans and mountains again came into view. Thereupon pleased all the gods chanted the glories of the Eternal Purusha with various hymns (1-10).