The Asura King Hiranyakashipu moved the creator god Brahma through his arduous penance, and Brahma appeared before him to grant a boon. Hiranyakashipu desired immortality, but Brahma declared that all things born must die, and such a boon was beyond his power to bestow. Hiranyakashipu pondered for a moment, then said he would accept death—but under these conditions: he could not be slain by day nor by night; neither indoors nor outdoors; neither upon the earth nor in the sky; he could not be killed by gods, nor by beasts, nor by men; he could not perish by weapons, nor by bare hands. Brahma granted him this boon.
Hiranyakashipu believed himself invincible under such terms, and his arrogance swelled without bounds. He conquered the three realms and proclaimed himself lord of all the world. Yet his own son, Prahlada, was a devoted follower of Vishnu. The boy refused to renounce his faith and refused to acknowledge his father as the supreme lord. Hiranyakashipu tried every means of coercion and enticement, but to no avail. He then resolved to threaten his son with death—casting him from cliffs, piercing him with arrows, consigning him to flames—yet under Vishnu's protection, Prahlada emerged unscathed from every ordeal.
Hiranyakashipu's fury knew no limits. One evening at dusk, he had Prahlada bound to a pillar and demanded to know who the boy considered the true lord of the world. Prahlada answered: "Hari"—one of Vishnu's sacred names. He proclaimed that Hari alone was lord of all, that He was the All-Pervading One, present in all things, even within the very pillar itself, as though embracing him at that moment.
Hiranyakashipu flew into a rage and raised his sword to slay Prahlada. At that instant, Narasimha—the avatar of Vishnu—burst forth from the pillar. He seized Hiranyakashipu and dragged him to the threshold, placed him upon his lap, and declared: "It is now twilight—neither day nor night. You stand upon this threshold—neither indoors nor outdoors. I hold you upon my lap—neither on the earth nor in the sky. I am neither god, nor man, nor beast, nor Asura. I wield neither weapon nor bare hand, yet with these claws I shall tear open your chest. Therefore, your death is just, and it has now come upon you!"
With these words, Narasimha disemboweled Hiranyakashipu, slaying the Asura and delivering his devoted follower from peril.