SRIMAD BHAGAVATAM - Prabhupada

CHAPTER THREEHiral).yakaSipu' sPlan to Become ImmortalThis chapter describes how HiraQ.yakasipu performed a severe type ofausterity for material benefit, thus causing great distress throughout theuniverse. Even Lord Brahrna, the chief personality within this universe,became somewhat disturbed and personally went to see whyHiraQ.yakasipu was engaged in such a severe austerity.HiraQ.yakasipu wanted to become immortal. He wanted not to be conqueredby anyone, not to be attacked by old age and disease, and not to beharassed by any opponent. Thus he wanted to become the absolute rulerof the entire universe. With this desire, he entered the valley of MandaraMountain and began practicing a severe type of austerity and meditation.Seeing HiraQ.yakasipu engaged in this austerity, the demigods returnedto their respective homes, but while HiraQ.yakasipu was thus engaged, akind of fire began blazing from his head, disturbing the entire universeand its inhabitants, including the birds, beasts and demigods. When allthe higher and lower planets became too hot to live on, the demigods,being disturbed, left their abodes in the higher planets and went to seeLord Brahma, praying to him that he curtail this unnecessary heat. Thedemigods disclosed to Lord Brahma HiraQ.yakasipu's ambition to becomeimmortal, overcoming his short duration of life, and to be the master ofall the planetary systems, even Dhruvaloka.Upon hearing about the purpose of HiraQ.yakasipu's austere meditation,Lord Brahma, accompanied by the great sage Bllrgu and great personalitieslike Dak, went to see HiraQ.yakasipu. He then sprinkledwater from his kamar:u;lalu, a type of waterpot, upon HiraQ.yakasipu'shead.HiraQ.yakasipu, the King of the Daityas, bowed down before LordBrahma, the creator of this universe, offering respectful obeisances againand again and offering prayers. When Lord Brahma agreed to give himbenedictions, he prayed not be killed by any living entity, not to be killedin any place, covered or uncovered, not to die in the daytime or at night,129