One of the long, great stories told in Hindu mythology is about the conflict between the Asura king Hiranyakshipu and Lord Vishnu.

Hiranyakshipu was filled with hatred for Vishnu, who had killed his brother, and by virtue of extraordinary austerities the Asura king earned a boon from Lord Brahma. By that boon, he was granted enormous power, and apparent invincibility, for he could not be killed by any human or animal, and for a long time he used his strength to terrorise both earth and heaven. Once, he even invaded Vaikuntha, the home of Lord Vishnu, seeking to destroy his enemy. To his surprise, though, he found Vaikuntha empty. Hiranyakshipu searched and searched, but could not find Vishnu anywhere, and at last left disappointed.

Some time after this, the sage Narada Muni visited Lord Vishnu, and asked him about this. “It is told,” he said, “that Hiranyakshipu did not find you in Vaikuntha, Lord Vishnu. Can it be that you fled before his wrath?”

“In no way did I flee,” Lord Vishnu replied. “I was always present during his visit.”

“Then how was it that he did not find you?”

“It is very simple,” said Vishnu. “It was not yet the predestined moment for his destruction, and so I put myself in a place where he did not look.”

Narada Muni shook his head, and said, “Can there be a place in Vaikuntha where the Asura king did not look?”

“Oh, yes,” Vishnu replied, “there is one place he did not look. In his own heart. I concealed myself in his heart, and therefore he could not find me.”