There was once an Asura (Demon) named Hiranyakashipu. He was the younger brother of Hiranyaksha (who was killed by the Varaha Avatar of Lord Vishnu). In order to avenge the death of his brother, Hiranyakashipu performed severe penances. Lord Brahma was pleased with his austerities and asked him what he wanted. Hiranyakashipu asked for a boon that he should neither be killed by a man nor a beast, neither by day nor by night, neither indoors nor outdoors, neither on earth nor in the sky and finally without any weapon. Brahma granted him this boon. With this boon, Hiranyakashipu became very powerful and troubled everyone in the three worlds. He asked everyone to treat him as God as he felt he was equivalent to one with his new gained powers. Everyone had to obey him as they were afraid of him. But his son, Prahalad, was a great devotee of Lord Vishnu. When he was in the womb of his mother, Kayadu, he listened to many stories of Lord Vishnu from Sage Narada and developed firm faith in him. Once when Hiranyakashipu asked Prahalad to pray to him, he said he would pray only to Lord Vishnu as Vishnu was the supreme deity and that he existed everywhere. This enraged Hiranyakashipu and he pointed to one of the pillar in his palace and asked Prahalad if Vishnu exited inside it. Prahalad nodded. Immediately Hiranyakashipu angrily smashed the pillar with his mace. Lord Vishnu in the form of Narasimha (half man- half lion) appeared from the broken pillar in a fit of rage. He (neither human nor beast) then dragged Hiranyakashipu to the entrance of his palace (which was neither indoors nor outdoor) and it was the twilight hour (neither night nor day) and placed him on his lap (which was neither sky nor earth) and used his nails (no weapon used) to tear open the stomach of Hiranyakashipu. Thus, Hiranyakashipu was killed by him. But Narasimha's fury was not calmed. Only after Prahalad prayed to him he calmed down and blessed him.
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