Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 8.19.6
Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devoteesLord Viṣṇu’s Victory in a Severe Fight
“When delivering the earth from the Garbhodaka Sea, Lord Viṣṇu, in His incarnation as a boar, killed Hiraṇyākṣa, who had appeared before Him. The fight was severe, and the Lord killed Hiraṇyākṣa with great difficulty. Later, as the Lord thought about the uncommon prowess of Hiraṇyākṣa, He felt Himself victorious indeed.”
What the purport teaches
- Lord Viṣṇu, in His incarnation as a boar, was delivering the earth from the Garbhodaka Sea.
- Hiraṇyākṣa appeared before Him, and a severe fight took place. The translation describes the Lord killing him with great difficulty.
- Later, the Lord remembered Hiraṇyākṣa’s uncommon prowess and felt Himself victorious indeed.
Try this today
Spend a quiet minute remembering Lord Viṣṇu delivering the earth.
Ask yourself
How does the description of Hiraṇyākṣa’s prowess emphasize the Lord’s victory?
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.