ਹਰਣਾਖਸ (har-ṇaa-khas)
Meaning: noun: Harnakhas or Hiranyakashipu, a ‘demon’ king and father of Bhagat Prahlad.
Quote:
ਦੁਰਮਤਿ ਹਰਣਾਖਸੁ ਦੁਰਾਚਾਰੀ॥ ਪ੍ਰਭੁ ਨਾਰਾਇਣੁ ਗਰਬ ਪ੍ਰਹਾਰੀ॥ ਪ੍ਰਹਲਾਦ ਉਧਾਰੇ ਕਿਰਪਾ ਧਾਰੀ॥
durmat har-ṇaa-khas duraa-chaaree. prabh naaraaiṇ garab prahaaree.
prah-laad udhaare kirpaa dhaaree.
Due to his evil-mindedness, Harnakhas turned wicked.
The Divine is the destroyer of pride. He (broke the pride of Harnakhas and) saved Prahlad by His grace. – Guru Nanak Sahib, Guru Granth Sahib, 224
Message: Overreaching
According to legend, King Harnakhas was very egoistic and sought undisputed lordship over the material world.
Disbelieving the supremacy of the Divine, he started considering himself to be the Divine.
Then, in his arrogance, he began committing evil deeds and decreed that his subjects should worship him instead of the Divine. He even went to the extent of trying to kill his own son Prahlad, who refused to abandon worship of the Divine.
As the legend goes, ultimately the Divine came to the rescue of Prahlad and killed Harnakhash. Hence, the Guru says that the Divine is the destroyer of arrogance. He broke the pride and arrogance of Harnakhash and showed mercy on Prahlad, his devotee, and saved him.
The moral of the story is: Overly arrogant people do not survive for long. Their pride becomes the cause of their fall – pride comes before a fall. It is best always to be modest and walk in humility.
Etymology: Probably from Sanskrit hiranyakashipu (clothed in gold, one having much of wealth), blend of Sanskrit hiranya (gold) + kashipu (soft cushion).
