As soon as Prahlad came from the Guru's house, Hiranyakashipu called him to the assembly.
Calling him again, Hiranyakashipu asked him what lessons he had learned. Hearing this question from his father, Prahlad ji again told Hiranyakashipu about God. Prahlad ji explained a lot to his father. Enraged at this, Hiranyakashipu said to Prahlad – “O wicked one! Where is that God of yours on the basis of which you talk such nonsense? Is he everywhere? If He is everywhere then why can't I see Him in this pillar?”
Then Prahlad said – “I can see my Lord Vishnu in the pillar also.”
Hearing this, Hiranyakashipu could not control himself due to anger and jumped from the throne with a mace in his hand and punched the pillar with great force.
As soon as he hit the pillar, a terrible sound came from inside of it. The pillar was torn apart by a strange being or creature whose body was half of a lion and half of a human. This was the Narasimha incarnation of Lord Shri Hari. His appearance was very scary. He had eyes as pale as burnished gold, his beard were huge and he was roaring with terrible words. No one had the courage to go near him.
Seeing this, Hiranyakashipu attacked Lord Narasimha with a mace in his hand while roaring on top of his voice. While everyone else were scared of Lord Shri Hari’s incarnation in the form of Lord Narasimha, Hiranyakashipu did not show any fear. The reason behind this was a boon that Hiranyakashipu had attained by performing penance. He asked Brahma ji for blessings and then for his boon. Hiranyakashipu said -
“O my lord, O best of the givers of benediction, if you will kindly grant me the benediction I desire, please let me not meet death from any of the living entities created by you. Grant me that I not die within any residence or outside any residence, during the daytime or at night, nor on the ground or in the sky. Grant me that my death not be brought by any being other than those created by you, nor by any weapon, nor by any human being or animal. Grant me that I not meet death from any entity, living or nonliving. Grant me, further, that I not be killed by any demigod or demon or by any great snake from the lower planets. Since no one can kill you in the battlefield, you have no competitor. Therefore, grant me the benediction that I too may have no rival. Give me sole lordship over all the living entities and presiding deities, and give me all the glories obtained by that position. Furthermore, give me all the mystic powers attained by long austerities and the practice of yoga, for these cannot be lost at any time.”
Brahma ji had no choice but to grant him his boon.
As Hiranyakashipu started the fight, the Lord also continued to fight with him for some time and as evening approached finally caught hold of him and took him to the door of the assembly, made him fall on his thighs and playfully tore his heart with his nails and threw him on the earth. By killing Hiranyakashipu in such a manner, Lord Narasimha made sure that Brahma ji’s boon was not wronged and at the same time killed Hiranyakashipu.