Srimadh Bagawatham - Prahalada Charitram Part 5

Continued From: http://thoughtsonsanathanadharma.blogspot.ca/2013/08/800x600-normal-0-false-false-false-en_12.html#!/2013/08/800x600-normal-0-false-false-false-en_12.html

In the last post Hiranyakashipu asked Prahaladan to summarize the best amongst everything he had learnt at school.

‘Which is the best amongst the things you have learnt?’

‘Shravanam is to listen to the glories of the Lord, Keerthanam is the act of singing the Lord’s praise, Smaranam is to think about Him with constant uninterrupted devotion like an oil stream which never splatters, Pada Sevanam is the act of serving the Lord and His Bagawathas, Archanam is a way to worship the Lord with flowers, Vandanam is to prostrate before Him, dasyam is to know that we always depend on him and that He is our master, Sakhyam is the  act of staying the true friend of the Lord and atmanivedanam is the ultimate act of offering oneself to the Lord. Even any one amongst the nine acts is enough to obtain the Lord’s divine grace.’

Thus Prahladan lectured Hiranyakashipu about the nava vidha Bakthi. Parikshit Maharaja performed the act of shravanam while Sukabrahmam Maharishi performed keerthanam, Prahladan practiced smaranam, PiraTTi(Goddess Lakshmi) performs pada sevanam, Prithu Maharaja who was born in the lineage of Dhruvan performed archanai, Akrurar performed vandanam, Lord Hanuman practiced daasyam, Arjuna practiced sakhyam and Bali Chakravathi did atmanivedanam when he offered himself to be measured by the Lord’s feet.

Hiranyakashipu’s eyes turned red with anger. He felt steam come out of his ears as Prahladan narrated the nine devotional acts by which the grace of Lord Vishnu could be obtained.

‘You are not my son but my enemy!’ he thundered. ‘You have come to destroy my clan but you won’t be able to harm me while I am alive! Soldier, come here immediately!’ commanded Hiranyakashipu. ‘Dig a large fire pit. Line the pit with thousands of dry firewood. Let me know after setting fire to the pit.’

As soon as the fire pit was ready, Hiranyakashipu dragged Prahladan to the pit. ‘Child, I give you one more chance. Do you want to alter your statement about the best thing you have learned?’

The guards of Hiranyakashipu watched Prahaladan being threatened by his father.

‘Listen to your father. He always has the best intention for you in his heart. Say that which will please your father,’ one of the guards advised.

‘What I told you earlier is the best thing I have learned.’

‘Then may you burn in the all-consuming fire!’ yelled Hiranyakashipu as he threw Prahladan inside the burning pit.

 Smoke from the pit raised high and Hiranyakashipu’s eyes burned. Unable to stand near the pit, he moved away coughing loudly. All of a sudden he realized that he had thrown his son in the fire. Remorse grasped his heart and he cried. ‘Prahlada!’

‘Father,’ answered Prahladan to the amazement of Hiranyakashipu. ‘You are the best father in this world. Who else would make a mattress of lotus petals and place their son in the midst of cool gentle breeze and apply cooling sandalwood paste on their child in order to escape from the midday heat?’

Hiranyakashipu ordered the fire to be put-out and found that Prahladan was unharmed. There was not even a single burn mark on his body.

‘I felt remorse in vain for you are definitely evil!’ he cried. ‘Round up all the poisonous serpents present in this country! We will make the angry serpents bite Prahladan!’

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To the serpents Prahladan appeared like Garudazhwar. They retreated in fear but Hiranyakashipu’s men forced them to proceed towards Prahladan. As they bit Prahladan, their fangs shattered into pieces and Prahladan was unharmed.

‘You may have escaped the serpents but I will get the elephants to trample you!’

Hiranyakashipu released eight angry elephants but the elephants too ran away in fear from Prahaladan.

Hiranyakashipu called for two of his strongest soldiers. ‘Take this boy to the top of the mountain and throw him down so that he may smash his head on rocks and die.’

As Prahladan was thrown from the mountain peak, the child hugged his chest not because he was afraid of falling but he wanted to protect the Antaryami(Lord Vishnu) residing in his heart.

‘We have thrown the boy per your orders,’ said the soldiers.

‘Father,’ called Prahladan and Hiranyakashipu saw his son standing behind the soldiers.

‘The earth felt like velvet,’ said Prahladan.

‘Come with me,’ said Hiranyakashipu as he dragged Prahladan back to his court.

Kayathu was waiting for them in the court. As soon as she saw the unharmed Prahladan she rushed forward and embraced him.

‘What terrible things I heard!’ she said. ‘I am glad you are okay!’

‘Don’t get too attached to your son!’ yelled Hiranyakashipu as he forced a glass of milk in her hands. ‘This milk is laced with the venom of Karkotakan (most deadly snake). Feed this milk to Prahladan this instant!’

‘Why do you hold such a grudge against this innocent child? He is just a child and doesn’t realize the consequences.’

‘Mother don’t worry,’ said Prahladan. ‘Jaganathan is in me and He will protect me,’ said Prahladan as he snatched the milk from his mother’s hands and drank it so  that she need not bear the blame of having fed him poison.

Continued On: http://thoughtsonsanathanadharma.blogspot.ca/2013/09/srimadh-bagawatham-prahalada-charitram.html