Prahlada

Told in English, Telugu.

Long, long ago, there lived a mighty demon king named Hiranyakashipu. He was strong, he was proud, and he was very, very angry with Lord Vishnu.

One day, Hiranyakashipu went deep into the forest and prayed to Lord Brahma for many, many years. At last Brahma appeared and said, "Ask for a boon."

The king smiled a crafty smile. "Let no man and no animal be able to defeat me. Not in the day, and not in the night. Not inside a house, and not outside. Not on the ground, and not in the sky. And let no weapon ever harm me."

Brahma granted the boon. Now Hiranyakashipu felt he could never be beaten. He told the whole world, "From today, nobody prays to Vishnu. Everyone must pray only to me!"

But in his very own palace lived a little boy who did not agree. His name was Prahlada, and he was the king's own son.

Even before Prahlada was born, his mother Leelavati had stayed in the ashram of the wise sage Narada. Narada told her beautiful stories of Lord Vishnu, and the baby inside her listened to every word. So when Prahlada was born, his heart was already full of love for Vishnu.

When Prahlada was old enough, the king sent him to two teachers, Chanda and Amarka. "Teach my son to be a strong ruler," he said. "And teach him that I am the greatest of all."

One day the king called Prahlada and set him on his knee. "Tell me, my dear son, what is the best thing you have learned?"

Prahlada's eyes shone. "Father, the best thing is to love Lord Vishnu. He is kind, He is everywhere, and He takes care of everyone."

The king's face turned red with anger. "Who taught you this nonsense?" he roared at the teachers. The poor teachers trembled. "Not us, Your Majesty! We never said that name!"

They took Prahlada back and tried again and again. But whenever they turned their backs, Prahlada gathered the other children and said softly, "Friends, shall we sing the name of Hari?" And the children sang happily together.

Now the king grew truly furious. "If my son will not listen, then he must be stopped!"

He told his guards to send great elephants towards the boy. The elephants came stamping and trumpeting. But Prahlada simply closed his eyes and said, "Narayana." And the huge elephants stopped, lowered their heads, and walked gently away.

The king tried to frighten him with hissing snakes. But Prahlada was calm, and the snakes slid quietly into the grass.

The king had him taken to a high mountain. But Prahlada floated down softly, as if Mother Earth herself had caught him in her arms.

Then the king's sister Holika came forward. She had a magic cloth that kept her safe from fire. "Brother, I will sit in the fire with the boy on my lap," she said. But when the flames rose up, a wind blew the magic cloth away from Holika and wrapped it around Prahlada. The fire could not touch him at all, and Holika's wicked plan came to nothing. That is one reason why, even today, people light bonfires at Holi, to remember that goodness wins.

At last the king stood before his son in the great palace hall. It was evening, and the sky was turning orange and purple.

"Prahlada!" he thundered. "Where is this Vishnu of yours? Where is He?"

Prahlada answered gently, "Father, He is everywhere. He is in the sky, in the water, in the trees, in you and in me."

There is a famous Telugu poem by the great poet Pothana, in which Prahlada says this to his father. It goes like this. Indugalan dandu ledani sandehamu valadu, chakri sarvopagatundu, endendu vedaki choochina, andande galadu, danavagrani vinte.

It means, do not doubt and think that He is here but not there. The Lord who holds the discus is everywhere. Wherever you search for Him, there you will find Him. Listen, O king. Isn't that a lovely thought?

The king laughed a scornful laugh. He pointed at a big stone pillar. "Everywhere, you say? Then is He in this pillar too?"

"Yes, Father," said Prahlada. "He is in this pillar too."

The king lifted his mace and struck the pillar with all his might. Crack!

The whole palace shook. And out of the pillar came a wonderful sight. It was Lord Vishnu, but in a form nobody had ever seen. He had the body of a man and the head of a mighty lion, with a shining golden mane. This was Lord Narasimha.

Now think about the boon. Narasimha was not a man and not an animal. It was evening, not day and not night. He sat on the threshold of the palace door, not inside and not outside. He placed the king on His lap, not on the ground and not in the sky. And He used only His own claws, not any weapon. Every part of the boon was kept, and yet Hiranyakashipu's cruel rule came to an end that very evening.

But Narasimha was still roaring with a great and fiery power. The gods were afraid to come near. Even Goddess Lakshmi waited.

Then little Prahlada walked up, with folded hands and no fear at all. He climbed onto the Lord's lap and said softly, "Swami, please be calm. I am here. Thank you for protecting me."

Narasimha looked at the little boy, and His fierce eyes became soft and kind. He stroked Prahlada's head and said, "My child, ask for any boon you wish."

Prahlada thought for a moment. "Please forgive my father, and let me always love You."

The Lord smiled. "So it shall be."

Prahlada grew up to be a wise and gentle king, and his people were happy all their lives.

So, my dear, when you feel scared, remember little Prahlada. Close your eyes, take a slow breath, and know that you are never alone. Goodnight.