Holika

Holika

Hiranyakasipu’s very dear sister named Holika approached him and said, 

“My dear brother, why are you so anxious and worried? Can I help you?”

 He replied, 

“No one in this world can help me.”

Holika then said, 

“I can help you. What do you want?”

He said, 

“I want my son to be killed.”

She said, 

“I can do this very easily. I performed severe austerities and received a benediction that I will not burn in fire. I now have this power, so I will bring that boy into a fire and he will burn very easily.”

Hiranyakasipu began to laugh and said, 

“O sister, you have saved me.”

Holika replied, 

“Yes. Tomorrow, you should arrange a heap of dry wood. I will then take that boy on my lap and sit on the heap of wood. Some ghee and oil should be poured on the wood, and at once the fire will go so high that in a minute he will be burned. I will then come out of the flames.”

The next morning, a very big heap of dry wood was brought and abundant ghee poured on it. Holika took Prahlada and said, 

“My dear nephew, nephew, nephew; please come and sit on my lap. I will give you much milk to drink.” 

She then sat comfortably in the midst of the dry wood, and took Prahlada Maharaja on her lap. At once a fire was started all around, and the flames very quickly created a great sound and began to touch the sky.

All the spectators watched as both Holika and Prahlada were covered by fire, and considered that they must both have been burned to death. Hiranyakasipu was quite satisfied, thinking that his sister would come to him laughing, and that Prahlada would be finished.

However, everyone present very soon saw Prahlada Maharaja walk out of the fire. Holika, on the other hand, was burned to ashes, never to return.

Hiranyakasipu asked Prahlada, 

“How were you saved?”

Prahlada replied, 

“When I was sitting there, I saw my aunty burn within a moment. At the same time, someone came to me and clothed me in an ice-like covering. I was easily saved, but I was so worried for my dead aunty.” 

Hiranyakasipu’s fury rose.

This is a section of the book “Brilliant As the Sun”(English).

To buy the complete book, click here