Text 4] The Lord Slays the King of the Demons 121
kopavesa-calad-gatrah
putram hantum mano dadhe
ksiptva parusaya vaca
prahradam atad-arhanam
aheksamanah papena
tirascinena caksusa
prasrayavanatam dantam
baddhaiyjalim avasthitam
sarpah padahata iva
Svasan prakrti-darunah
kopa-dvesa—by a very angry mood; calat—trembling; gatrah—the
whole body; putram—his son; hantum—to kill; manah—mind;
dadhe—fixed; ksiptva—rebuking; parusayd—with very harsh; vaca —
words; prahradam—Prahlada Maharaja; a-tat-arhanam—not fit to be
chastised (due to his noble character and tender age); aha—said;
iksamanah—looking at him in anger; papena—because of his sinful ac-
tivities;  tiraScinena—crooked; caksusa—with eyes; prasraya-
avanatam—very gentle and mild; dantam—very restrained; baddha-
anjalim—having folded hands; avasthitam—situated; sarpah—a snake;
pada-ahatah—being trampled by the foot; iva—like; svasan—hissing;
prakrti—by nature; darunah—very evil.
TRANSLATION
When Hiranyakasipu understood the entire situation, he was ex-
tremely angry, so much so that his body trembled. Thus he finally
decided to kill his son Prahlada. Hiranyakasipu was by nature very
cruel, and feeling insulted, he began hissing like a snake trampled
upon by someone’s foot. His son Prahlada was peaceful, mild and
gentle, his senses were under control, and he stood before
Hiranyakasipu with folded hands. According to Prahlada’s age and
behavior, he was not to be chastised. Yet with staring, crooked
eyes, Hiranyakasipu rebuked him with the following harsh words.
PURPORT
When one is impudent toward a highly authorized devotee, one is
punished by the laws of nature. The duration of his life is diminished,
