The story of Prahlada is beloved of all devout Hindus, especially children. Prahlada is the very symbol of absolute faith and unquestioning belief in the Lord.
He is tormented, ill-treated, and tortured by his father Hiranya Kashipu, who expects all his people to worship him as God.
Prahlada refuses. “Father,” he says, “Hari is real, and Him I worship.”
The annoyed king orders Prahlada to be flung amidst serpents. But they do not harm him―for he sees the Lord in them!
The king orders the boy to be trampled over by an elephant. But the elephant refuses to move―for Prahlada sees the Lord in the elephant!
He is thrown from a steep cliff. The earth receives him lovingly in her arms unharmed.
He is flung into the sea. The waves refuse to drown him. He sees the play of the Lord in the rise and fall of the waves.
He is thrown into a roaring fire. In the flames he beholds the face of the Lord―and, of course, the flames do not burn him!
“Where is thy Hari?” roars his infuriated father.
“I see Hari everywhere,” replies the child. “He is behind me, before me, above me, around me. He is in the speck of dust. He is in this mighty pillar!”
In anger, Hiranya Kashipu strikes the pillar―and out of the pillar, Sri Hari appears as Narsimha to protect His beloved devotee, Prahlada!
Dada J P Vaswani was a humanitarian, philosopher, educator, acclaimed writer, powerful orator, messiah of ahimsa, and non-sectarian spiritual leader.
