The Story of Prahlad: Devotion and Faith towards Lord Vishnu
Long ago, there was a demon king named Hiranyakashipu. He was strong, proud, and thought no one could defeat him. After years of prayers, he got a blessing from Lord Brahma that made him very hard to kill. He could not die by a man or an animal, inside or outside, during day or night, on the ground or in the air. Feeling powerful, he made everyone worship him instead of the gods.
The Birth of Prahlad
But one person refused to obey him—his own son, Prahlad.
Prahlad was special. Even before he was born, he learned about Lord Vishnu from the wise sage Narada Muni. His mother, Kayadhu, listened to Narada’s teachings, and Prahlad absorbed them while still in her womb.
As he grew up, Prahlad always chanted Vishnu’s name. He prayed, sang, and spoke about Vishnu’s greatness. This made Hiranyakashipu very angry.
Hiranyakashipu’s Anger
The king tried everything to stop Prahlad. He scolded him, sent him to teachers, and even threatened him. But Prahlad stayed devoted.
Finally, Hiranyakashipu decided to kill his own son. He ordered his soldiers to throw Prahlad from a mountain, but he landed safely, still praying. He gave him poison, but it turned into nectar. He sent wild elephants to crush him, but they bowed before him.
Desperate, Hiranyakashipu called his sister, Holika, who had a special gift that made her safe from fire. He asked her to sit in a fire with Prahlad on her lap. But as the fire burned, Holika died, while Prahlad came out unharmed.
The Arrival of Lord Vishnu
Now, Hiranyakashipu was furious. He pointed to a pillar and shouted, “If your Vishnu is everywhere, is he in this pillar too?”
Prahlad calmly said, “Yes, father. Vishnu is everywhere.”
Enraged, Hiranyakashipu hit the pillar. Suddenly, the pillar broke, and from it came Lord Narasimha—half-man, half-lion. He was neither man nor animal, solving the problem of the king’s blessing.
At sunset (neither day nor night), Narasimha placed Hiranyakashipu on his lap (neither land nor sky) and used his claws (neither weapon nor hand) to end him.
The Victory of Faith
With Hiranyakashipu gone, peace returned. Prahlad became the new king and ruled wisely, always remembering Vishnu’s teachings.
His story shows us that faith is stronger than fear, good always wins over evil, and devotion brings protection and strength.
Lessons from the Story
- Faith is more powerful than fear.
- Good always wins over evil.
- True devotion can overcome any challenge.