#278 Narasimha ‘s justice and Prahlada’s devotion ( A story of divine protection)

Prahlada was the young son of Hiranyakashipu, an asura who had tried killing his own son because he was devoted to Bhagavan Narayana.

We had heard/seen of his story in episode 271 – Wisdom Teachings from Prahlada .

Continuing,

Hiranya decided that he would kill his son with his own hands. All the love he had for his son had vanished long ago. The fact that Prahlada was a staunch bhakta of Narayana was enough for him. The king made up his mind to put the boy to death. With a firm voice he shouted: “Bring that son of mine here to my presence at this very instant. I will deal with him and his impertinence.”

Hiranya sent for his son and Prahlada came and stood in front of him with folded palms after taking the dust of his father’s feet. Hiranya spoke harshly to his son. He said: “You are a fool, a stupid fool. You are the son of a great king like me and you talk highly of a mere deva who has not courage to meet me in fight. I have put up with you and your impertinence all these days. But I now realise that you have become a menace. You will be the ruin of the entire family. You do not respect me and my words and I have reached the limits of my patience. I am today going to despatch you to the abode of Yama. Prepare yourself.”

The child stood calm and unruffled as though the words of censure were addressed to someone else. And his imperturbable expression incensed Hiranya more. He furiously said to Prahlada who was standing before him in the same respectful stance and said: “I have had enough of your hypocrisy and this assumption of a false respect for me. You have been harassing me enough with praises of my enemy. How dare you continue to do what you have been forbidden to do? How could you pluck up enough courage to mention his name in my kingdom? I have decided to kill you.”

Prahlada’s eyes met those of his father. His were calm while the father’s were red and burning. There was a look of pity and sadness in the eyes of Prahlada. He said: “My father, you think that I am a bad son. But the truth is, I am not. I only want to help you. Even now, if you listen to me, you will be saved.

Lord, Narayana, is the most powerful of all the gods.

He is greater than all the devas: greater than Brahma, the creator: greater than all the powers which are considered great. He is the Glow which illumines the senses, the mind and the intellect. The world is created by Him: sustained by Him and destroyed by Him. Please accept that He is more powerful than you. Lord Narayana is not your enemy. It is your own mind which is your enemy. It runs riot in wrong paths. Your mind is the enemy which has to be subdued and not Narayana.

“There is no greater enemy than a mind uncontrolled, unsubdued. Please subdue your mind. Infuse equanimity into your mind. Let your mind be rid of the dreaded qualities Raga: Dvesha: love and hatred. That is the only worship dear to the Lord. You say you have conquered the ten quarters. How untrue!

You have not been able to conquer the six dread edenemies which are inside you: Kama, Krodha, Lobha, Moha, Mada and Matsara.

When a man has conquered these enemies, when he has controlled his mind, when he has brought his senses under control, when he is wise enough to know that the same Atman is lodged in the hearts of all, can he have an enemy? You are your enemy, my father. Please conquer yourself.”

Hiranya was furious. He glowered at his son and said: “Indeed, you are very modest. You think you are wise enough to teach Dharma to your father who, in reality, should be treated as a guru: honoured as a god by you. But all that is beside the point. You say that there is a ‘Lord’ who is greater than me. Tell me who he is and where he is.”

 “He is Narayana, my father, and He is everywhere,” said the young child. He was unafraid and there was not even the trace of fear in his voice or in his attitude. He stood with a calm look on his face.

Hiranya could also detect the respect with which his son spoke to him. Only, instead of pleasing him it infuriated the asura since Prahlada’s words were not pleasing to his ears.

“Everywhere?” asked Hiranya. His red eyes came to rest on a huge pillar in the council hall. He sneered at Prahlada and said: “Is he then, inside this pillar?”

Prahlada prostrated before the pillar and said: “Yes, He is. I can see Him there, inside the pillar.”

Hiranyakashipu looked around the pillar: he looked up and down and he could find nothing. He said: “I am now going to kill you. Let the Lord you speak of, your Narayana come out of the pillar and rescue you from death at my hands.”

With a loud cry Hiranyakashipu jumped down from his seat with a drawn sword in his hand. With his strong and powerful fist he hit the pillar.

 NARASIMHA

A terrible noise was heard. It was like the clap of thunder. The entire world trembled in fear on hearing the noise: but Hiranya was not afraid. He kept on staring at the pillar. Even as he was looking, the pillar split into two and out of it emerged the Lord.

The Lord had assumed a terrible form. Glowing like molten gold he stood there. His eyes which were flecked with gold, looked at Hiranya and they were glaring out of the face of a lion. An immense tongue red like blood, was lashing in the huge mouth which was like a cavern. The tongue looked like a sword dipped in blood. The lion had an immense mane. Its chest was immense too and the waist was slender like that of a lion. Waist downwards, however, it was the form of a man, a human being. Everyone who saw it was struck with terror. But not Hiranya.

He stood staring at it and thinking to himself: “What a strange looking thing is this! It is neither a man nor is it an animal.”

Suddenly his mind went back several years. He was standing on the slope of the Mandara mountain and Brahma was before him. He remembered the boon he had asked for: the boon of immortality and he remembered Brahma saying that he was unable to do so.

He had then said: “Grant me that none of your creations will be the cause of my death. None of the things created by you should be able to kill me.” Hiranya came back with a start to the present. This was definitely not a thing created by Brahma. Could it be possible that this was his death?

Hiranya shrugged the thought away and with his weapon upraised he rushed towards the Lord. For a moment he could not be seen because of the glow emanating from Narasimha.

Hiranya hit the Lord with his mace. The Lord lifted him bodily like Garuda would, a snake, Hiranya wriggled out of his grasp and again he attacked Narasimha with his mace. The Lord caught him in his mighty arms. Carrying him to the door of the hall Narasimha paused at the threshold. He placed the asura on his lap after sitting on the threshold.

Hiranya looked helplessly around. The sky was deepening into darkness. It was neither day nor night. He smiled to himself and realised that this was the end.

It was neither day or night, he was on the threshold of the hall which was neither inside the house nor outside it.

He was caught in the arms of this beast which was not a beast and a man who was not a man.

He had placed him on his own lap. That was again one of the boons he had asked. He should die neither in the sky nor on the earth.

With a strange clarity all his words came back to him: like a landscape is reflected in a drop of dew. And yet he was not afraid.

He tried to fight again but the grip of his enemy was too strong. He turned his eyes on his son as if to say: perhaps what you said is right. There seems to be someone stronger and more powerful than me.

Placing Hiranyakashipu on his lap Narasimha tore his entrails out with his nails and his teeth. The sight was dreadful. He plucked the entrails out and placing them round his neck like a garland, Narasimha looked fiercely around.

The world suffered agony as a result of his wrath. The sea was shaken into mighty waves and the earth trembled in fear. The sky and the heavens lost their glow because his lustre swallowed all other light. The clouds were scattered here and there and the planets were all suffering under an eclipse. The oceans were heaving as though there was an upheaval in the nether world.

The elephants guarding the quarters were frightened because of the roar of the lion-god. The earth was quaking since she could not bear up under his powerful stride.

The Lord walked with his dead victim and sat on the throne. No one dared to go near him. No one dared accost his angry form: not the devas, nor Brahma, nor Lakshmi.

Standing far away from him Brahma spoke words of praise. The devas and Brahma along with Mahadeva said: “Strange indeed are the ways of the Lord. You are the motivating force in every thing that happens.

You were the one who originally caused anger in the minds of the Sanaka brothers. It was you who caused your bhaktas Jaya and Vijaya to be hurled into the world of paapa. You are the one who made me deluded enough to grant all the boons which Hiranya asked for. And in the house of this asura was born the greatest of your bhaktas: and that too was because you wanted it.

You made the father try to kill the son and finally to protect your bhakta you have taken upon yourself this task of destroying the wicked asura. Who can gauge the purpose behind your actions? We salute you in all humility.”

Narasimha was anger personified. When the devas with Brahma had gone to him long ago asking him to help them: to rid the world of Hiranyakashipu and his tyranny the Lord had said: “When he hurts his son who will be my bhakta: his son who will be untainted by faults like enmity and cruelty: who will ever be tranquil and unruffled by the sufferings inflicted on him because of his devotion to me, then will I appear in person and destroy Hiranya though he is protected by the many boons you have granted him.”

It was the Lord’s anger against a man who had dared to offend his bhakta which had taken the form of Narasimha. Long after the killing of Hiranya his anger had not abated. The devas led by Brahma were not able to approach him: so terrible was his appearance. Standing at a distance they spoke words in praise of the Lord.

They then went to Lakshmi the goddess and said: “Mother, only you can appease your Lord and his anger. The earth and the skies are suffering as a result of his coming. The clouds are scattered far and wide by the shake of his mane. The planets in the skies are not glowing since they are eclipsed by his glory. The oceans are suffering great upheaval because the waves are being tossed about by his breath.

The elephants which are bearing up the earth in eight quarters are all trembling since they think that thunder and lightning are striking them down and the earth, as a result, is trembling. Not being able to bear the hot breath of the lord, the heavens are receding far away. The mountains are threatening to move since the earth is trembling. Unless the Lord is appeased, the world will come to an end and so will the heavens.”

Lakshmi took one look at her lord and her face went pale with fright and she said: “I do not have the courage to approach him when he is in this mood. I have never seen him like this and I am afraid.”

PRAHLADA’S PRAYER

Narasimha was seated on the throne of Hiranyakashipu and praises were reaching him from a distance. Brahma then went to Prahlada and said:

“Child, the Lord took this form and killed your father because of the

affection he has for you, his dear bhakta. It is up to you to appease his anger. None of us can approach him. Only you can save the world from his wrath.”

Without speaking a word, with his eyes streaming with tears of joy at seeing his beloved Lord, the young child went near Narasimha and fell at his feet, washing them with his tears. The Lord looked at Prahlada and his glance rested tenderly on him. He placed his hand on the head of the child after raising him up. Prahlada felt a thrill running through his entire body at the touch of the Lord’s hand. His paapa-s were all gone and at that moment was revealed to him the Truth about Brahman.

His eyes were closed. His palms were folded together like a lotus bud and his eyes were raining tears incessantly. He stood still like a tree and his voice was choked with sobs as he began to praise the Lord and his glory in his childish treble: “My lord, you are inaccessible to Brahma and the devas: to the rishis who sit in meditation for aeons of time: to wise people whose words flow like water and who are very great and good men: all these are unable to have a glimpse of your form and yet, low born asura as I am, how can I have been blessed by the sight of you? In your infinite love for me, you have shown yourself to me. I am the most fortunate of all beings. They say that twelve qualities are dear to you.

Birth in a noble family,

wealth,

beauty of form,

tapas,

scholarship,

skill in work,

glory,

fame,

strength,

courage,

effort and

intellect.

What is greater than all these is said to be the Ashtanga yoga which is supposed to lead straight to you. But you have shown me and the world that bhakti, mere love for you is enough and, in fact, all these other things stand in the way of reaching you. Even Ashtanga yoga is far inferior to bhakti. I am sure of it. Or else, how could a mere animal, an elephant get your mercy?

“The Lord, I know is pleased only with bhakti. If a man has a beautiful body, or a handsome mate, or wealth as great as the mountain Meru, or great mastery over the use of words: and, if he has no devotion for the Lord what then is the use of all these things which he possesses? Bhakti and nothing else pleases you.

“Lord, all these gods who have assembled here are your bhaktas and they are all dear to you. We asuras worship you but the devotion of the devas is superior to ours. Even they are frightened of you.

Your avatara should bless the world. It is for the sake of increasing the glory of the world and to make everyone happy that you have taken this form. Please shed this anger, my lord.

The asura who incensed you is dead and I am asking you to give up this anger for the sake of others. I am not frightened of you or your anger or your form. But I am afraid of only one thing: the dread ocean called Samsara. That is what is terrible in form and unbearable for one who wants to be with you.

Like the time when the asura servants of my father tied me up and threw me into the waters to be drowned, I am tied by the bonds of

Karma which are of my own making and I am being thrown into the ocean called Samsara. I have had a sight of you and I am praying that my bonds have been burnt away: that I will reach you soon.”

Lord Narasimha abandoned his anger and placing the young child on his lap he said: “Child, I am very fond of you. You are the greatest of the asuras and the noblest. I want to grant you any boon you desire. Ask me. I am here to satisfy all the desires of men. Ask me what you desire most and I will grant it.”

The Lord was trying to tempt the child with the things of the world but Prahlada was not affected by the offer of a boon. He smiled very sweetly and said: “Do not try, my lord, to deceive me and deny me the place by your side which is all I want. I am an asura and the asuric nature runs after the objects of the senses. Knowing this weakness in us you are trying to tell me that I should plunge into this ocean called Samsara of my own accord. No, my lord. I have seen you and you know that I have always loved you. I am afraid of the group of senses and I detest the objects of these. I think you are trying to test the strength of my devotion to you. One who asks a favour of you in return for his devotion is not a bhakta but a trader.

I am only your bhakta without any desires and as for you, you are my lord who does not expect anything from a bhakta except bhakti. Where does the need arise here for the talk about desires and the granting of them?

“And yet, since you have commanded me to ask a boon of you I will not insult you by refusing it. I want a boon from you.

I want your form to be in my heart for ever and thus I should be able to have no place for wordly desires there where you are.

If love for you is steadfast in this heart of mine, then the Indriyas, the mind, the breath of life, the body, Dharma, courage, intellect, shamefacedness, wealth, glory, memory, and even truth will all have to leave the place and become destroyed by the fire which is Bhakti.

When Bhakti is firm the first thing which goes is Ego and with the ego will vanish all the qualities associated with it. When man sheds the desires in his heart he becomes as rich as you are, my lord.

“I salute you, the Ancient Purusha, the Parabrahman, Hari, Narayana, Narasimha.”

Narasimha was now a Shantamurti and everyone came near him, stood in his presence and praised him. Lakshmi came and sat by his side and he became Lakshmi-Narasimha. He said: “My child, you will live till the end of this kalpa. Without getting involved in them you will enjoy the pleasures of the world. You will be free of the bondage of karma and finally you will reach me.”

Prahlada bowed his head and said: “Lord, be gracious to my father. He was ignorant of the glory that is you and he spent his entire life hating you. You were angry with him for his treatment of me. Forgive him and let him be rid of the sin by name: “Bhagavadbhaktanindana” which is an unforgivable sin in your eyes.”

“So be it,” said Narasimha. He smiled and added: “Because you have been born in the line of Hiranya, he and twenty one of his ancestral lines have been purified. He has reached the land of your pitris. You may perform the rites for him. I also want you to know that all your descendants will be dear to me.” Narasimha then told Brahma: “You should not, from now, grant boons indiscriminately to the asuras. It is like feeding the serpents with nectar.”

Narasimha vanished from their sight.

Prahlada then honoured the devas and Brahma and they returned happily to their homes. The thorn which had been lodged in their sides for all their years of suffering had been removed.

In the tenth chapter of Bhagavad Gita called Vibhuti Yoga, Bhagavan speaks of his own glories and shares a sampling of his extraordinary manifestations – Prahladschasmi daityanaam, among the asuras, I am Prahlada.

Prahlada was exalted because of his unwavering devotion.

His resilience and unshaken love for Narayana especially in the face of the trauma of his own father trying to kill him is something to learn from.

He encourages us to remain steady in our devotion to and trust of the law of karma and Bhagavan.

Narsimha Avataar’s form, which is neither fully human nor fully animal, also teaches us that Bhagavan’s shakti can manifest in unexpected forms and he will always rescue his devotees. 

It highlights karma and destiny. Hiranyakashipu’s fate was sealed by his own actions, and Prahlad’s destiny was to be saved by the divine intervention of Lord Vishnu.

Despite being an embodiment of ferocity, Narsimha Avataar ultimately shows compassion towards Prahlad and Hiranyakashipu. This teaches us the importance of compassion and forgiveness, even towards our adversaries.

I don’t know about you but every time I hear this story or share it, I want to do it again. There is something so pure, so innocent and so deep about Prahlada’s devotion. It is a reminder of the triumph of Dharma over Adharma, the power of bhakti and resilience and the importance of surrender to the mysterious ways of Bhagavan in our lives.

(Excerpted from Bhagavatam – Kama Subramaniam)