CHAPTER TWO
Hiranyakasipu, King of the Demons

As described in this chapter, after the annihilation of Hiranyaksa,
Hiranyaksa’s sons and his brother Hiranyakasipu were very much ag-
grieved. Hiranyakasipu reacted very sinfully by trying to diminish the
religious activities of people in general. However, he instructed his
nephews about a history just to diminish their aggrievement.

When the Supreme Personality of Godhead appeared as the boar and
killed Hiranyakasipu’s brother Hiranyaksa, Hiranyakasipu was very
much aggrieved. In anger, he accused the Supreme Personality of God-
head of being partial to His devotees and derided the Lord’s appearance
as Varaha to kill his brother. He began to agitate all the demons and Rak-
sasas and disturb the ritualistic ceremonies of the peaceful sages and
other inhabitants of earth. For want of the performance of yajna,
sacrifice, the demigods began wandering unseen on earth.

After finishing the ritualistic funeral ceremonies of his brother,
Hiranyakasipu began speaking to his nephews, quoting from the sastras
about the truth of life. To pacify them, he spoke as follows: “‘My dear
nephews, for heroes to die before the enemy is glorious. According to
their different fruitive activities, living entities come together within
this material world and are again separated by the laws of nature. We
should always know, however, that the spirit soul, which is different
from the body, is eternal, inadjustable, pure, all-pervading and aware of
everything. When bound by the material energy, the soul takes birth in
higher or lower species of life according to varying association and in this
way receives various types of bodies in which to suffer or enjoy. One’s
affliction by the conditions of material existence is the cause of happiness
and distress; there are no other causes, and one should not be aggrieved
upon seeing the superficial actions of karma.”

Hiranyakasipu then related a historical incident concerning a King
Suyajiia who resided in the country named Usinara. When the King was
killed, his queens, overwhelmed with grief, received instructions, which

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