SB 7.2.6
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
TEXT 6
- sapatnair ghātitaḥ kṣudrair
- bhrātā me dayitaḥ suhṛt
- pārṣṇi-grāheṇa hariṇā
- samenāpy upadhāvanaiḥ
SYNONYMS
sapatnaiḥ—by the enemies; ghātitaḥ—killed; kṣudraiḥ—insignificant in power; bhrātā—brother; me—my; dayitaḥ—very dear; suhṛt—well-wisher; pārṣṇi-grāheṇa—attacking from the rear; hariṇā—by the Supreme Personality of Godhead; samena—equal to everyone (both the demigods and demons); api—although; upadhāvanaiḥ—by the worshipers, the demigods.
TRANSLATION
My insignificant enemies the demigods have combined to kill my very dear and obedient well-wisher, my brother Hiraṇyākṣa. Although the Supreme Lord, Viṣṇu, is always equal to both of us—namely, the demigods and the demons—this time, being devoutly worshiped by the demigods, He has taken their side and helped them kill Hiraṇyākṣa.
PURPORT
As stated in Bhagavad-gītā (BG 9.29), samo 'haṁ sarva-bhūteṣu: the Lord is equal to all living entities. Since the demigods and demons are both living entities, how is it possible that the Lord was partial to one class of living beings and opposed to another? Actually it is not possible for the Lord to be partial. Nonetheless, since the demigods, the devotees, always strictly follow the Supreme Lord's orders, because of sincerity they are victorious over the demons, who know that the Supreme Lord is Viṣṇu but do not follow His instructions. Because of constantly remembering the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Viṣṇu, the demons generally attain sāyujya-mukti after death. The demon Hiraṇyakaśipu accused the Lord of being partial because the demigods worshiped Him, but in fact the Lord, like the government, is not partial at all. The government is not partial to any citizen, but if a citizen is law-abiding he receives abundant opportunities from the state laws to live peacefully and fulfill his real interests.