The All-Conquering Faith of Prahlada
The following is an excerpt from a discourse given by Bhagavan Baba on May 25th 1995.
Prahlada [devotee of Vishnu] remained unshaken in his faith in Lord Narayana [primordial personality of the godhead] despite the ordeals to which his father, Hiranyakashipu, subjected him. Hiranyakashipu hated Narayana because Narayana killed his brother.
Vishnu in His incarnation as Varaha (boar) killed Hiranyaksha, the younger brother of Hiranyakashipu. To acquire invincible power, Hiranyakashipu left for Mount Mandara to perform a rigorous penance. While Hiranyakashipu was away doing penance, sage Narada took his wife, Leelavati, to his [Narada’s] Ashram to protect her and the child she was carrying from the onslaught of devas [gods]. Narada conveyed to her his knowledge of Narayana’s exploits. Though Leelavati did not pay much attention to Narada’s teachings, the child in her womb absorbed them and started meditating on the Maha mantra [potent formula], “Om Namo Narayanaya,” while still in the womb.
Brahma was pleased with Hiranyakashipu’s penance and granted him the boon that he would not meet with his death either during day or night, either on earth or sky, either from man or beast or from the gods. With this boon, Hiranyakashipu became lord of the universe and decreed that he alone should be worshipped.
When Prahlada was five years old, he was entrusted to the care of two teachers, Chanda and Amarka, both sons of the sage Kripacharya, with strict instructions to impart all demonic traits to the child and banish Vishnu’s name from his mind. The teachers taught him about artha (wealth) and kama (desire), and abstained from teaching about the other two goals of human life, dharma (righteousness) and moksha (liberation). In spite of their best efforts, the teachers could not create a single negative thought in Prahlada’s mind. He persisted in his own belief that Lord Narayana was the Supreme Master of the world to be worshipped by nine modes of devotion, beginning with listening to the glories of the Lord and culminating in total surrender of the self.
Hiranyakashipu tried all means of gentle persuasion to coax Prahlada to accept him as the supreme master and forget Narayana. Prahlada replied that although his father had mastered the entire external world, he could not master his senses. Enraged at his son’s unshakable devotion to his archenemy, Hiranyakashipu decided to put an end to him. However, Prahlada was totally devoid of body consciousness and was always in a state of bliss chanting the name of Hari.
Prahlada survived all tortures inflicted on him and came out unscathed. In utter exasperation, Hiranyakashipu finally asked Prahlada, “Who is this God that protects you? Where is he?” Prahlada realized the omnipresence of God, and told his father that God was everywhere in the cosmos, from the tiniest microcosm to the mighty macrocosm. He added, “One who is a slave to his senses cannot see Him. As long as you have ego and attachment you cannot see Hari, though He is within and outside every being.” Hiranyakashipu then asked Prahlada, “Is He in this pillar?” When Prahlada said, “Yes, He is,” Hiranyakashipu smote the pillar with his mace. The pillar split into two and the Lord emerged from it in the dreadful form of Narasimha (half-lion and half-man). He seized the demon [Hiranyakashipu] by the throat, placed him on his lap and tore his entrails with his nails.
Though everyone trembled at the sight of Narasimha’s awe-inspiring form, Prahlada cheerfully stood beside the Lord in adoration. When the Lord asked him if he had no fear, Prahlada replied, “To me, You are the embodiment of love. I believe in your Divine form of love and not this physical form.” Lord Narasimha then commanded Prahlada to take over the reigns of the kingdom, transform the demons into virtuous beings, and then come back to His divine abode. Prahlada requested the Lord to pardon his father and take him to heaven. The Lord granted the boon. Prahlada ruled over the world for a long time with justice and righteousness.
Students must imbibe at least one quality of the great devotee, Prahlada, and practice it in daily life. You should always remember God and chant His name and have His Form in mind in any situation.
Source: Sathya Sai Speaks, Vol. 28
