Srimad Bhagvata Mahapurana Book 7 Chapter 8:24-32

Book 7: Chapter 8

Srimad Bhagvata Mahapurana: Book 7: Chapter 8: Verses 24-32 Lord Nrsimha extolled on the death of the demon king (at His hands) Thus murmuring and arming himself with a mace, Hiranyakasipu (who was a veritable elephant among the Daityas) rushed roaring towards Nrsimha (the Lord appearing in the form of a man-lion). Fallen into the nimbus of Lord Nrsimha at that time, the said demon vanished like a moth fallen into a flame. Indeed it was no wonder that the demon (who was darkness personified) should have disappeared into that Embodiment of Sattva (unmixed with Rajas and Tamas), who had of yore (at the dawn of creation) actually swallowed up the darkness (in the form of Tamoguna, which was responsible for the dissolution of the universe) by His own effulgence. Then, coming near, the mighty demon angrily assailed Nrsimha with his mace of tremendous force. Nrsimha (who was no other than Lord Visnu, the Wielder of a mace) seized him even as he paced forward, mace in hand, just as Garuda (the son of Tarksya, nicknamed Kasyapa) would catch hold of a huge serpent. At that time the demon slipped from His hand, even as a serpent would from the clutches of Garuda sporting with it. The divinities, including the guardians of all the spheres whose abodes had been usurped (by him) and who stood behind a curtain of clouds, 0 Yudhisthira (a scion of Bharata), regarded this as something not good. Believing Lord Nrsimha, from whose hand he had (just) escaped, to be afraid of his own prowess, the great Asura, who knew no fatigue in battle, encountered Him with vehemence, tightly grasping his sword and buckle. Giving forth a shrill peal of laughter, rendered (more) terrific by a roar (that accompanied it), Sri Hari, who was possessed of extraordinary impetuousity, seized the demon, who was darting up and down with the swiftness of a hawk, brandishing his sword in many ways so as to leave no weak point, but whose eyes had (now) closed (due partly to his enemy's roar and laughter and partly to His dazzling splendour). Throwing down, at the entrance (of the hall) on His thighs, the demon-who was impatient at having been caught and was wriggling all over, and whose skin had remained unscratched (even) by (lndra's thunderbolt)-(just) as a serpent would knock down a rat, Lord Nrsimha tore him with His claws in (mere) sport even as Garuda (the king of the birds) would tear a most venomous snake. Licking with His tongue the corners of His gaping mouth, the Lord, whose frightful eyes were difficult to gaze at due to fury and whose manes and countenance had turned reddish, stained as they were with drops of blood, and who wore a garland of (the demon's) entrails, shone as a lion would by having killed an elephant. Casting off the demon, whose lotus-like heart had been split open by His pointed claws, the Lord, endowed as He was with a multitude of stout arms, slew with His nails, weapons and heels his bodyguards that had followed Him on every side in thousands with uplifted arms. Shaken by His hair, clouds began to scatter away and the planets were robbed of their lustre by His (very) glances. Tossed by His breath, the oceans grew turbulent and, frightened by His roar, the elephants guarding the quarters trumpeted.