Prahlada Tells his Story 

Prahlada tells his story 

With a view to removing the doubts of his classmates, Prahlada said, 

“Some time ago, when my father was angry with Lord Visnu for killing his brother, Hiranyaksa, He began to consider, 

‘My brother has been killed by Varahadeva, an incarnation of Visnu. If I take revenge against Visnu now, he will surely kill me. So, I should first become immortal.’ 

He began to perform severe austerities at Mandaracala Mountain, where he fully fasted from eating and drinking. He fasted even from dry leaves, and even water and air, for 60,000 years. He entered into a trance, and was thus oblivious to the fact that his body had been eaten by ants and only his bones remained.”

In Satya-yuga, one’s life could reside in one’s bones, without the rest of the body. Nowadays, if we do not eat anything we will die in two or three days, but at that time it was different.

“In the meantime the demigods became worried. In Hiranyakasipu’s absence, therefore, the demigods, headed by King Indra, made an attempt to subdue all the demons in warfare. A great battle ensued between the demons and demigods, wherein the generals of Hiranyakasipu were smashed. The victorious demigods plundered my father’s palace and destroyed everything within it. Then Indra, King of heaven, arrested my mother, the Queen, planning to take her to a heavenly planet.”

The demigods considered that Prahlada was probably a demon, like his father, so they planned to kill him as soon as he would take birth from his mother’s womb. In the meantime, the sage Narada was coming from heaven and asked them, 

“Why are you doing such nonsense? You are demigods and you are taking a lady in this way? She cannot fight with you, so why are you taking her? Moreover, there is a great devotee in her womb.”

 

Prahlada continued, 

“When the great saint Narada Muni spoke thus, King Indra immediately released my mother. Because of my being a devotee of the Lord, all the demigods circumambulated her. Then, after they left for their celestial kingdom, Narada brought my mother to his asrama, assured her of all protection, and taught me, within her womb, the truths of bhakti.”

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

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