Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 7.4.18
Ūti· What drives us to actExtraordinary Power Through Austere Mystic Yoga
“The valleys between the mountains became fields of pleasure for Hiraṇyakaśipu, by whose influence all the trees and plants produced fruits and flowers profusely in all seasons. The qualities of pouring water, drying and burning, which are all qualities of the three departmental heads of the universe — namely Indra, Vāyu and Agni — were all directed by Hiraṇyakaśipu alone, without assistance from the demigods.”
What the purport teaches
- The mountain valleys became Hiraṇyakaśipu’s pleasure grounds, and trees and plants produced fruits and flowers abundantly in every season.
- The material world is conducted through combinations of fire, water and earth. Different demigods direct the activities of material nature.
- Indra pours water, Vāyu dries it, and Agni burns. Through austere mystic yoga, Hiraṇyakaśipu became powerful enough to take charge of these functions without their assistance.
Try this today
Write down the three natural functions described here and the demigod responsible for each.
Ask yourself
What does Hiraṇyakaśipu’s control over natural functions reveal about the extent of his power?
Carry the question through the day, then answer it in your own words before sleep.
The study points, practice and question are short summaries drawn from Śrīla Prabhupāda's translation and purport. Read the full purport to go deeper.