Prabhupāda: . . . girls who have played the Prahlāda-caritra, Hiraṇyakaśipu-vadha. Today is the appearance day of Lord Nṛsiṁha-deva. It is called Nṛsiṁha-caturdaśī. So I am so pleased that within such a short time these boys have nicely learned how to play, and especially I have to thank Mr. Hiraṇyakaśipu. (applause) (laughs) Mr. Hiraṇyakaśipu has played his part very nicely.
So this is very instructive struggle between the atheist and the theist. This story of Prahlāda Mahārāja is eternally true. There is always a struggle between the atheist and the theist. If a person becomes God conscious, Kṛṣṇa conscious, so he will find many enemies, because the world is full of demons. What to speak of the devotee of Kṛṣṇa, even Kṛṣṇa, when He personally came, He had to kill so many demons. There was His maternal uncle, His mother's brother, very keenly related. Still, he wanted to kill Kṛṣṇa. As soon as any son was born to Devakī, immediately he killed, because he did not know who will be Kṛṣṇa. The prediction was that the eighth child of his sister will kill Kaṁsa. So he began to kill all the children. At last, Kṛṣṇa came. But he could not kill Kṛṣṇa. He was killed by Kṛṣṇa.
So nobody can kill God. The demons, godless society, they simply want to kill God. But actually, God is never killed, but the demon is killed by God. That is the law of nature. This is the instruction from Prahlāda Mahārāja's life. We can understand that, as it is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, mṛtyuḥ sarva-haraś cāham (BG 10.34). In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said that, "I am also death in the shape of taking away everything, whatever you possess." We are very much proud of possessing material things, material acquisitions, but when Kṛṣṇa comes . . . just like Mahārāja . . . Prahlāda Mahārāja saw, Hiraṇyakaśipu, his father, also saw Nṛsiṁha-deva. This Hiraṇyakaśipu was very clever as the materialists, scientists, are very clever. Cleverly they are inventing so many things. What is the idea? The idea is, "We shall live forever and enjoy sense gratification more and more." This is called atheistic advancement of civilization. So Hiraṇyakaśipu was typical materialist. Hiraṇya means gold, and kaśipu means soft bed, cushion. So materialist persons, they are very much fond of gold and enjoying sex. That is their business. So Hiraṇyakaśipu is the typical example of this materialistic person. And Prahlāda Mahārāja, prakṛṣṭa-rūpeṇa āhlāda. Āhlāda means transcendental bliss.
Ānanda-cinmaya-rasa-pratibhāvitābhiḥ (Bs. 5.37). Living entities' real identification is prahlāda, blissfulness. But on account of material association, we are in miserable condition of life.
So . . . (children talking) (aside) Parents stop these children. So this Hiraṇyakaśipu wanted to become immortal, and he underwent penances, severe penances, so much so, the whole universe became trembled, so that Brahmā, Lord Brahmā, had to come to pacify him, "What do you want?" So he wanted to become immortal. Lord Brahmā said that "Although I have got very long duration of life . . ." The duration of life of Brahmājī is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, sahasra-yuga-paryantam arhad yad brahmaṇo viduḥ (BG 8.17). Sahasra-yuga, one group of yugas—Satya, Treta, Dvāpara, Kali—it becomes about forty-three lakhs of years. And multiply these forty-three lakhs of years by one thousand, that duration of time is Brahmā's twelve hours, one day. Sahasra-yuga-paryantam arhad yad brahmaṇo viduḥ. So that Brahmā who lives for millions of trillions of years, still, he has to die.
Janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha-doṣānu-darśanam (BG 13.9). Wherever you go within this material world, either in the Brahmaloka or in the Pātālaloka, you have to die. That is the problem. Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, "Real problem is janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi, birth, death, old age and disease." Just try to . . . so Hiraṇyakaśipu wanted to solve these in a materialistic way, but that is not possible. So in a negative way he wanted that, "I shall not die on the land. I shall not die in the air. I shall not die in the water. I shall not be killed by any man-made weapon." In so many ways, negatively he thought that he has become immortal. But Kṛṣṇa is so intelligent that keeping all the words or the blessings given by Lord Brahmā to Hiraṇyakaśipu, He killed him. Just like Hiraṇyakaśipu wanted that he would not be killed either at day or in night. So Hiraṇyakaśipu was killed neither at day, neither in night, but just in the beginning of evening, which is neither day nor night. Then he wanted that he shall not be killed in the air, in the water or in the land. So Hiraṇyakaśipu was killed on the lap of the Lord. So he wanted that he would not be killed by any weapons made by man, so Lord killed him with His nails. Yes.