Thursday 22 August 2013

Srimadh Bagawatham - Prahalada Charitram Part 5



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!’


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.

Monday 12 August 2013

Srimadh Bagawatham Prahalada Charitram Part 4




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?’

Saturday 10 August 2013

Srimadh Bagawatham -n Prahalada Charitram Part 3



 
http://www.maransdog.net/TVG/SMB_PHOTOS/picture_70.php
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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