Srimadh Bagawatham - Prahalada Charitram Part 8

Continued From: http://thoughtsonsanathanadharma.blogspot.ca/2013/09/srimadh-bagawatham-prahalada-charitram_18.html

Srirangam Mettu Azhagiyasingar seen with Hiranyakashipu on lap & Prahaladan standing below Perumal : murpriya.blogspot.com

Esoteric Meaning Of Narasimha Avataram:

Hiranyakashipu is the jeevatma who is also the sacrificer. His control over the Devas and the Asuras is his control over his senses and desires. His son Prahaladan represents his firm faith. Prahaladan is also the soma creeper. The most supreme offering to be offered as oblation by the sacrificer is the soma juice. The soma juice is extracted from the creeper by crushing it; this is represented by Hiranyakashipu persecuting Prahalada (as the crushing of the soma creeper is seen as a violent act). The soma juice is offered as oblation to show that the sacrificer is offering himself as the oblation (atma nivedanam). All oblations in a sacrifice reach the Lord since He is the Ultimate Enjoyer of all sacrifices. Hence offering the self as oblation reaches the Lord who is also the proprietor of the self. Such a jeevatma who has realized that it depends upon the Lord and that the Lord is the only saviour locates the Lord residing as antaryami in the heart. The heart is often called as the pillar of the hall called as body. To such a jeevatma the Lord reveals Himself and releases the jeevatma from its samsaric body which is shown by the Lord tearing Hiranyakashipu’s belly. The belly is the seat of hunger and thirst and is hence the symbol of samsara. Notice that the Lord didn’t tear Hiranyakashipu’s jugular vein or snap his neck but used His nails to tear Hiranyakashipu’s belly; thus, the Lord is putting an end to Hiranyakashipu’s samsaric existence. The Lord’s form of half lion and half man is to show that He exists as antaryami in everyone be they a beast or man.

Lord Narasimha is hence sought by people seeking Moksha.

Moral Of Prahalada Charitram:

We learn about Sri Vaishnava Lakshananm (identifying marks) from Prahalada Charitram. The identifying marks are not just wearing the thiruman srichurnam and bearing the marks of chakram and conch on one’s shoulders. The person’s attitude indicates if he/she is a Sri Vaishnavan or not. They should regard everyone as equal. Prahaladan didn’t want to attend school because they tried to teach him to hate the Devas. A Sri Vaishnavan must love one and all as himself. To them their birth place is the birth place of the Azhwar saints; they belong to the family of Perumal. Irrespective of gender they know that the atmas are all female and only the Lord is the true male. They fear for the Lord’s protection because of their love for Him. They think of only atma bandhus as their relatives and do not worry about sareera bandhus. They consider the Lord as father and Piratti as mother. Their occupation is Bagawatha Kaimkaryam and the fruit they expect from this is to get more kaimkaryam. They know that the Lord is the means as well as the end and rely on His divine feet as upayam. 

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Srimadh Bagawatham - Prahalada Charitram Part 7

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

The Glories Of Narasimhavataram (Namudaya Nam Perumal):

The Lord’s Narasimhaavataram is glorious because He appeared to uphold the words of a five year old child! He appeared with the face of a lion and not that of any other animal because Hiranyakashipu threatened to pounce on Prahladan like a lion. Lord Narasimha appears instantly to help anyone who calls Him during an emergency.

Marichan warned Ravanan not to proceed with the plans to abduct Sita Piratti by saying that she was seated on the lap of Narasimhan. Lord Hanuman consoled Piratti by saying that he will soon return with Narasimhan. Lord Rama revealed Himself as Narasimhan when He informed Sugreevan that, with just the tip of His nails He can desroy the hosts of any beings be they asuras, rakshashas, devas or gandharvas. During other incarnation the Lord has to hold His weapons in His hands while as Narasimhan the weapons never leave His hands!

Rukmini Piratti addressed Lord Krishna as Narasimhan in the seven slokams she wrote to Him asking Him to come and wed her.

Andal Nachiar informed her friends happily that she dreamt that she sat next to Narasimhan while He held her hands and performed laja homam at their wedding.

Bhishmacharya started the Vishnusahasranamam with Narasimha Avataram by mentioning “Narasimha vabhu Sriman”. He is Sriman because He is always with Sri. He is Sundara Simhan also known as Azhagiya Simhan. The Vishnu sahasranamam ends with “sarva pragadanayudha” which means capable of using anything as a weapon and according to Adi Sankaracharyar this name is also about Lord Narasimhan. Thus the entire Vishnu sahasranamam is about Lord Narasimhan.

Adi Sankaracharyar transmigrated in to a king’s body per a bet he had accepted from the king. The king’s ministers found out about this bet and ordered the body of Adi Sankaracharyar to be destroyed in fire so that he would have to remain as their king. Adi Sankaracharyar found out about their plot and returned to his body immediately but by then they had thrown his body on the funeral pyre. From amidst the burning fire, adi Sankaracharyar composed the karavalambham stothram as lord Narasimhan was the only one who appears instantly to save His devotees. Thus Adi Sankaracharyar was saved by the Lord.

Lord Narasimha is often sought by people seeking Moksha.

Lord Ranganathan is known as Peria Perumal because He was worshiped by lord Rama whereas Lord of Ahobilam is Peria Peria Perumal since He was worshiped by both Lord Rama as well as Srinivasan. Lord Srinivasan ordered food preparred for His thirukalyana utsavam to be offered to lord of Ahobilam first. Thus even today if archai murthies of the Lord’s many incarnations are present in the same place, offerings should be first given to Lord Narasimha.

Lord Ranganathan is known as Namperumal while Lord of Ahobilam is Namudaya namPerumal i.e “our own namperumal” to show the ease with which He is available to His devotees.

Sukacharyar said, ‘as soon as Naradhar completed this naration, your grand father cried and wished that he had been Prahaladan so that he too could have been blessed by Lord Narasimhan. Sage Naradar reminded your grandfather that the same Lord as Krishna was helping them with their many chores. While Lord Narasimha appeared for only 1 muhurtham, Lord Krishna stayed with the Pandavas for many years.’

Anyone who listens/chants this narration during Ekadashi, Dwadashi, fullmoon nights etc will reap the merit of having performed 100 ashwamedha Yagam.

The Lord doesn’t like to be called as “Prahalada Priyan” since it means that He exclusively favours only Prahadan. He will shower His compassionate grace upon anyone who approaches Him like Prahaladan.
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Srimadh Bagawatham - Prahalada Charitram Part 6

Continued From: http://thoughtsonsanathanadharma.blogspot.ca/2013/08/srimadh-bagawatham-prahalada-charitram.html

 In the last post Hiranyakashipu made Prahaladan drink the venom of Karkotakan.

Time passed but nothing seemed to happen to Prahladan. At Namakkal, Lord Ranganatha is seen to be reclined on Karkotakan as Karkotakan wished the Lord to lie on his coils for a change. The cave face is charred since it was entered by Karkotakan and his toxic breath burnt the rock. Even the toxic venom which burnt rock couldn’t harm Prahaladan.

‘Take this as a sign and spare this child,’ begged Kayathu.

‘Alright I will send him back to school,’ said Hiranyakashipu. ‘I will give him one more chance to turn in to a new leaf.’

Within a week Shandan and Amarkan returned with Prahladan.

‘We give up,’ they said. ‘Earlier we only had to deal with Prahladan but now he has got all the other children perform Hari Nama Sankeerthanam!’

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‘Brat!’ yelled Hiranyakashipu in rage. ‘I will kill you with my own hands! Who is He? Where is He?’

‘Why do you have this doubt father that if he is here or not? He is everywhere! There is not a single place in which He is not present. In fact He is even present in you, in me and even in your words!’

‘Do you see this pillar?’ asked Hiranyakashipu. ‘I built this pillar with my own hands! Every inch of this pillar was built by me. Do you see Him in this pillar?’

‘I see Him in this pillar as well since He is present everywhere.’

 ‘Liar! Why do you pretend to see things which I can’t see! I will cut your head! If He is there in this pillar let Him come and put your head back on your body!’

‘He won’t do this task.’

‘If He won’t do this task why do you keep singing His praise? Come to me your father for I will protect you!’

‘You misunderstand me; He won’t do the task of putting my head back on my body because He is not going to sit by and watch while you lay your hand on my head!’

‘I will break this pillar with my mace! If He is not there, I will break open your head like a lion breaking open an elephant’s skull and will drink your blood!’

Hiranyakashipu raised his mace and hit the pillar hard. From the place where he hit the pillar and the very instant he hit the pillar appeared the Lord as Narasimha with the face of a lion and the body of the man. 

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The Lord appeared with the head of a lion because Hiranyakashipu had threatened to crush Prahaladan’s head like a lion crushing an elephant’s head. Lord Narasimha appeared out of the very built which had been built personally by Hiranyakashipu. Since Hiranyakashipu had sculpted the pillar with his own hands he could not say that Prahaladan was playing a trick by concealing this fearsome form within the pillar!

The Lord laughed loudly. Hiranyakashipu’s attendants ran away in fear while the Lord picked the trembling Hiranyakashipu in His hands and carried Him to the front porch. There, sitting on top of the stairs which were neither part of the inside nor of the outside, the Lord placed Hiranyakashipu on His lap. Hiranyakashipu realized that he was neither lying on the ground nor was he hanging from the sky and as he looked at the setting Sun he knew that it was neither day nor night as twilight had set in. Fearfully Hiranyakashipu looked at the Lord’s nail as the Lord tore Hiranyakashipu’s belly with His nails which were neither living nor dead. A person’s nails can be cut without feeling pain and yet they grow long indicating the presence of life.

The Lord’s half human half animal form was to depict the animal nature present in Hiranyakashipu and the human nature present in Prahaladan.

The Lord laughed loudly while killing Hiranyakashipu. At Satya Lokam Lord Brahma was meditating while Goddess Saraswati was playing the veena. The vibration from the Lord’s laugh knocked Lord Brahma down but the vibration didn’t affect any of the other celestials. Only Lord Brahma fell down and it was the Lord’s way of cautioning Lord Brahma to be careful in the future while confering boons upon evil minded people like Hiranyakashipu.

The Lord incarnated not to protect Prahladan as He could have done this task without having to incarnate but to protect Prahaladan’s words. Earlier the Lord had protected Prahladan from fire, snakes, elephants and poison without incarnating. He incarnated now because with firm faith Prahladan told Hiranyakashipu that the Lord was present inside the pillar. Thus to uphold Prahladan’s faith He incarnated the instant Hiranyakashipu’s mace touched the pillar. Like Prahladan we should worship the Lord with faith in our pooja and temples and feel the presence of the Lord in the archa muthies.

The Lord also protected Brahma’s words by incarnating with a face of lion and a body of man. Such a being was never created by Lord Brahma. He used His nails to finish Hiranyakashipu as nails can neither be classified as living or non-living. The time was twilight hour and He killed Hiranyakashipu on the porch stairs which were neither inside not outside.

All the celestials gathered and marveled at the Lord’s incarnation. After killing Hiranyakashipu the Lord went inside the court and sat on Hiranyakashipu’s throne in order to bless the throne as it would now belong to Prahaladan.

All the celestials were afraid to approach the Lord and requested Sridevi Nachair to approach Him but she too refused not because she was afraid but to reveal the qualities of Prahaladan.

Prahaladan approached the Lord with his palms joined. The Lord looked at Prahaladan with love like a lion looking at its cub with love after hunting prey. The Lord placed his hand on Prahladan’s head and blessed Him.

‘Child, ask me any boon you want.’

‘Please forgive my father so that he may go to a good abode.’

‘I have already forgiven your father. Don’t worry about him. Ask me something else.’

‘All evil doers on earth must turn a new leaf and become good.’

‘Granted. Ask me something else.’

‘I don’t wish for any boons for myself from you as I have already got your Supreme Grace. What else could I want?’

‘I insist. Ask me something else.’

‘I should always stay true to you in any birth I might take and never ask you any boon as a bargain for my devotion.’

The Lord was pleased with Prahladan. ‘In addition to what you havea asked me, I promise that I will never kill anyone belonging to your lineage.’

As per His promise, the Lord did not kill Bali, Namuchi and Banasura.

Continued On:http://thoughtsonsanathanadharma.blogspot.ca/2013/09/srimadh-bagawatham-prahalada-charitram_18.html

Srimadh Bagawatham - Prahalada Charitram Part 5

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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.

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Srimadh Bagawatham Prahalada Charitram Part 4

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Hiranyakashipu asked Prahaladan to summarize everything he had learned at school.

‘I have learnt that men should not lust after wealth but dedicate themselves to the service of Lord Narayana for this world is not permanet,’ started lecturing Prahlada to the utter horror of Hiranyakashipu. ‘There was a man who was chased through a thick jungle by a tiger. As it ws very dark, the man couldn’t see the path clearly and soon fell inside a deep well. Fear grasped the man’s heart as he fell through the deep well and frantically tried to grab at anything which would stop his fall. At last he caught hold of a tree branch which extended in to the well. Heaving a sigh of relief the man looked down in to the well as he heard loud hissing. He was terrified to see a large python lying in wait for him. As the man looked up towards the mouth of the well, he found the tiger waiting for him to climb out. He heard crunching noises. He turned towards the direction the noise was coming from and saw two gophers chewing the branch he was holding on to. He realised that very soon they will chew through the branch and he will have to fall into the mouth of python. He decided to swing to the opposite wall and climb out side the well in order to avoid the tiger. As he swung himself from the tree branch, he smashed against a large bee hive and was soon under attack as angry bees attacked him from all sides. As he yelled in pain, a drop of honey from the hive fell on his tongue. He licked his mouth in delight and exclaimed how tasty the honey drop was. This is our life! The tiger is our past karmas and it chases us forcing us to run through the forest of samsara. We fall in to the deep well called home. Hunger, thirst and desire lie in wait for us like the python while family members pester us like the bees. Time in the form of old age and disease attack our body like the gophers chewing through the tree. Any enjoyment we feel is like that single drop of honey which is not permanent. Hence we should leave home, go to the forest and meditate upon the divine feet of Lord Narayana.’

‘Nonsense!’ yelled Hiranyakashipu. ‘Who has been feeding you this garbage? Don’t you know that it was Narayana who killed your uncle? What’s the use of making you understand all this? After all you are a child who is easily impressed. Send for Shandan and Amarkan immediately!’ thundered Hiranyakashipu.

The two teachers denied the accusations laid on them by Hiranyakashipu. ‘We only teach about your glories! Why would we take the name of Narayana when you are there?’

‘Alright, I give you one more chance. Take my son back to school but if I find that you have been influencing his mind, I will cut your heads with my sword!’

Again after a few months Hiranyakashipu sent for his son. Kayathu was afraid that Hiranyakashipu might lose his temper with Prahladan. She dressed the child in nice clothes before sending him to see Hiranyakashipu. He once again placed the boy on his lap with love especially since Prahladan resembled his beloved wife Kayathu.

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

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Srimadh Bagawatham -n Prahalada Charitram Part 3

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As soon as Lord Brahma granted him the boons, Hiranyakashipu waged war against the Devas. He soon brought their kingdoms under his dominion. He then proceeded to go to Sri Vaikuntham in order to wage war against Perumal. The Lord along with His consorts and attendants vanished from view. The Lord could have killed Hiranyakashipu then and there but He wanted to protect the promise made by Lord Brahma to Hiranyakashipu. If He overruled Lord Brhma’s boons, no one will ever respect Lord Brahma. Thus the Lord with His attendants entered the heart of Hiranyakashipu for that was the one place he would never think to look for the Lord.

Hiranyakashipu assumed that the Lord had run away. He laughed happily and declared himself to be the sovereign of everyone. Per his decree everyone had to make offerings only to him and chant manthrams only about him. He then returned home to his city after taking Kayathu from the ashram of Sage Narada. Soon Prahladan took birth to the delight of Hiranyakashipu. He doted on his child. As the child soon came of age to start school, Hiranyakashipu wished to perform the ritual of Aksharabhyasam. He wished to do the ritual in privacy of his home without turning it into a big affair. As he entered his court with his son to perform Aksharabhyasam he was surprised to see Sage Naradar along with all the other sages. As sage Naradar had protected his wife and child, he didn’t turn the sages away. He let them witness the event.

‘Prahlada my sweet child,’ said Hiranyakashipu as he took hold of the child’s right arm and guided Prahladan to write the words “Hiranyakashipu Namaha”. After completing the statement Hiranyakashipu looked down to see the words but to his utter horror he saw “Haraye namaha”. He hid the writings from the sages.  After they had left, he sent for Shandan and Amarkan the two sons of his guru Sukracharyar.

‘This child seems to be under the malevolent influence of some planet which might very well be that Vishnu. Take this child to school and save this child from this evil influence.’

After many months Hiranyakashipu wished to see his son. He sent for Prahladan. As soon as Prahladan entered the court, Hiranyakashipu rushed to embrace Prahladan. He hoisted the child on to his lap.

‘Tell me my child, what have you learnt?’

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