Srimad Bhagavatam. Canto 7: The Science of God

Chapter 2: Hiranyakasipu, King of the Demons. Text 9

तस्मिन् कूटेऽहिते नष्टे कृत्तमूले वनस्पतौ ।
विटपा इव शुष्यन्ति विष्णुप्राणा दिवौकसः ॥९॥

tasmin kūṭe 'hite naṣṭe
kṛtta-mūle vanas-patau
viá¹­apÄ iva Å›uá¹£yanti
viṣṇu-prÄá¹‡Ä divaukasaḥ

 tasmin - when He; kÅ«á¹­e - the most deceitful; ahite - enemy; naṣṭe - is finished; ká¹›tta-mÅ«le - having its roots cut off; vanas-patau - a tree; viá¹­apÄḥ - the branches and leaves; iva - like; Å›uá¹£yanti - dry up; viṣṇu-prÄṇÄḥ - whose life is Lord Viṣṇu; diva-okasaḥ - the demigods.


Text

When the root of a tree is cut and the tree falls down, its branches and twigs automatically dry up. Similarly, when I have killed this diplomatic Viṣṇu, the demigods, for whom Lord Viṣṇu is the life and soul, will lose the source of their life and wither away.

Purport

The difference between the demigods and the demons is here explained. The demigods always follow the instructions of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, whereas the demons simply plan to disturb or kill Him. Nevertheless, sometimes the demons very much appreciate the full dependence of the demigods upon the mercy of the Lord. This is indirect glorification of the demigods by the demons.