Text 38] Hiranyakasipu’s Plan to Become Immortal 167
vyasubhir vasumadbhir va
suradsura-mahoragaih
apratidvandvatam yuddhe

aika-patyam ca dehindm
sarvesam loka-palanar
mahimanam yathatmanah
tapo-yoga-prabhavanam
yan na risyati karhicit
vyasubhih—by things that have no life; va—or; asumadbhih—by en-
tities that have life; va—or; sura—by the demigods; asura—the
demons; mahd-uragaih—by the great serpents who live on the lower
planets; apratidvandvatam—without a rival; yuddhe—in battle; aika-
patyam—supremacy; ca—and; dehinadm—over those who have material
bodies; sarvesam—of all; loka-palandm—the predominating deities of
all planets; mahimdnam—the glory; yatha—just as; atmanah—of
yourself; tapah-yoga-prabhavandm—of those whose power is obtained
by austerities and the practice of mystic yoga; yat—which; na—never;
risyati—is destroyed; karhicit—at any time.
TRANSLATION
Grant me that I not meet death from any entity, living or nonliv-
ing. Grant me, further, that I not be killed by any demigod or
demon or by any great snake from the lower planets. Since no one
can kill you in the battlefield, you have no competitor. Therefore,
grant me the benediction that I too may have no rival. Give me sole
lordship over all the living entities and presiding deities, and give
me all the glories obtained by that position. Furthermore, give me
all the mystic powers attained by long austerities and the practice
of yoga, for these cannot be lost at any time.
PURPORT
Lord Brahma obtained his supreme position due to long austerities and
penances, mystic yoga, meditation and so on. Hiranyakasipu wanted a
similar position. The ordinary powers achieved by mystic yoga,
