The Story of Hiranyakashipu and Prahlada (Narasimha Avatar)
From Srimad Bhagavatam, Canto 6: The Duties of Man
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Long ago, there lived a powerful king named Hiranyakashipu. He was the mightiest of demons and had gained great boons from Lord Brahma. Because of this, he could not be harmed by any man or animal, inside or outside, by any weapon, in the day or night, on land or in the sky. With such strength, Hiranyakashipu became proud and demanded that everyone worship only him.
But in the very palace of this fearsome king, there lived his own son, Prahlada. Prahlada was gentle, kind, and full of devotion to Lord Vishnu. No matter what happened, he always remembered the Lord and sang His holy names with love.
Hiranyakashipu could not understand why his own son loved Lord Vishnu, whom he saw as an enemy. He tried again and again to convince Prahlada to forget Vishnu and worship him instead. But Prahlada, even as a small boy, stood firm and calmly told his father, “Father, the greatest happiness is found in loving Lord Vishnu. He is everywhere and loves all living beings.”
Hiranyakashipu’s Attempts to Harm Prahlada
Hiranyakashipu grew furious. He tried many ways to make Prahlada afraid or force him to give up his faith. He ordered his soldiers to throw Prahlada from the top of a mountain—but Prahlada was unharmed. He was thrown into a pit of snakes, but the snakes would not bite him. He was placed in a room with wild, hungry elephants, but they left him alone. Even when he was forced to drink poison or put into fire, Prahlada calmly chanted Lord Vishnu’s name, and nothing could harm him.
His aunt Holika, who had a boon that made her immune to fire, tried to burn Prahlada by sitting with him in a blazing fire. But, by Lord Vishnu’s grace, Prahlada was protected, and Holika was burned instead.
No matter what dangers he faced, Prahlada never stopped trusting in the Lord. He showed no anger, only patience, forgiveness, and love.
The Appearance of Lord Narasimha
One day, in a fit of rage, Hiranyakashipu demanded, “If your Lord is everywhere, is He in this pillar?” Prahlada nodded and said, “Yes, Father, He is everywhere.”
In a furious rage, Hiranyakashipu struck the pillar with his mace. Suddenly, the pillar cracked open, and from it burst a wondrous and fearsome form—Lord Narasimha, half-man, half-lion. His eyes blazed like the sun, and He roared with power and love.
Narasimha was neither man nor animal, neither inside nor outside—He had come just as Brahma’s boon allowed! With His mighty claws, Narasimha lifted Hiranyakashipu onto His lap, at the doorway, as the sun was setting (neither day nor night), and destroyed him, ending his cruelty once and for all.
Afterward, Lord Narasimha was still full of anger, but Prahlada, with folded hands and gentle prayers, calmed the Lord. Narasimha’s fierce face softened, and He placed His hand on Prahlada’s head, blessing him with love and protection.
From that day, the world celebrated the power of faith and the Lord’s promise to protect His devotees.
Moral for Young Vaishnavs:
Never be afraid to stand up for truth and love, even if you are alone. The Lord always protects those who have pure hearts and steady faith, just as He protected Prahlada.
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Prahlada and Narasimha: A Gentle Bedtime Story of Faith’s Triumph
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