SB 3.17.27 · Srimad Bhagavatam

Devanagari

तत्रोपलभ्यासुरलोकपालकं यादोगणानामृषभं प्रचेतसम् । स्मयन् प्रलब्धुं प्रणिपत्य नीचव- ज्जगाद मे देह्यधिराज संयुगम ॥ २७ ॥

Verse text

tatropalabhyāsura-loka-pālakaṁ yādo-gaṇānām ṛṣabhaṁ pracetasam smayan pralabdhuṁ praṇipatya nīcavaj jagāda me dehy adhirāja saṁyugam

Synonyms

tatra — there ; upalabhya — having reached ; asura — loka — of the regions where the demons reside ; pālakam — the guardian ; yādaḥ — gaṇānām — of the aquatic creatures ; ṛṣabham — the lord ; pracetasam — Varuṇa ; smayan — smiling ; pralabdhum — to make fun ; praṇipatya — having bowed down ; nīca — vat — like a lowborn man ; jagāda — he said ; me — to me ; dehi — give ; adhirāja — O great lord ; saṁyugam — battle .

Translation

Vibhāvarī is the home of Varuṇa, lord of the aquatic creatures and guardian of the lower regions of the universe, where the demons generally reside. There Hiraṇyākṣa fell at Varuṇa’s feet like a lowborn man, and to make fun of him he said with a smile, “Give me battle, O Supreme Lord!”

Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)

Having reached Varuṇa, the protector of Pātāla-loka, the king of the aquatics, Hiraṇyākṣa bowed down low before him in jest, and said with a smile, “O king! Give me a fight!” Varuṇa is the protector of Pātāla-loka (asura-loka). Hiranyākṣa bowed down to make fun of Varuṇa.

Purport

The demoniac person always challenges others and tries to occupy others’ property by force. Here these symptoms are fully displayed by Hiraṇyākṣa, who begged war from a person who had no desire to fight.