Bhagavata Purana 7.3.15-16
Srimad Bhagavatam · 3 · Verse 15-16
Sanskrit Original
न ददर्श प्रतिच्छन्नं वल्मीकतृणकीचकै: । पिपीलिकाभिराचीर्णं मेदस्त्वङ्मांसशोणितम् ॥ १५ ॥ तपन्तं तपसा लोकान् यथाभ्रापिहितं रविम् । विलक्ष्य विस्मित: प्राह हसंस्तं हंसवाहन: ॥ १६ ॥
na dadarśa praticchannaṁ valmīka-tṛṇa-kīcakaiḥ pipīlikābhir ācīrṇaṁ medas-tvaṅ-māṁsa-śoṇitam
Lord Brahmā, who is carried by a swan airplane, at first could not see where Hiraṇyakaśipu was, for Hiraṇyakaśipu’s body was covered by an anthill and by grass and bamboo sticks. Because Hiraṇyakaśipu had been there for a long time, the ants had devoured his skin, fat, flesh and blood. Then Lord Brahmā and the demigods spotted him, resembling a cloud-covered sun, heating all the world by his austerity. Struck with wonder, Lord Brahmā began to smile and then addressed him as follows.