Text 3] Hiranyakasipu Terrorizes the Universe 171
Sri-brahmovaca
tateme durlabhah pumsam
yan vrnise varan mama
tathapi vitaramy anga
vardn yadyapi durlabhan
Sri-brahma uvaca—Lord Brahma said; tata—O dear son; ime—all
these; durlabhah—very rarely obtained; pumsadm—by men; yan—
those which; vrnise—you ask; varan—benedictions; mama—from me;
tathapi—still; vitarami—I shall deliver; anga—O Hiranyakasipu;
varan—the benedictions; yadyapi—although; durlabhan—not
generally available.
TRANSLATION
Lord Brahma said: O Hiranyakasipu, these benedictions for
which you have asked are difficult to obtain for most men. None-
theless, O my son, I shall grant you them although they are
generally not available.
PURPORT
Material benedictions are not always exactly worthy of being called
benedictions. If one possesses more and more, a benediction itself may
become a curse, for just as achieving material opulence in this material
world requires great strength and endeavor, maintaining it also requires
great endeavor. Lord Brahma informed Hiranyakasipu that although he
was ready to offer him whatever he had asked, the result of the benedic-
tions would be very difficult for Hiranyakasipu to maintain. Nonetheless,
since Brahma had promised, he wanted to grant all the benedictions
asked. The word durlabhdn indicates that one should not take benedic-
tions one cannot enjoy peacefully.
TEXT 3
aM aA Araraaargyel fy: |
qatsaain Kaa: THe: 11 3 I
