The Story of Prahlada and Hiranyakashipu
Long ago, in the kingdom of Hiranyakashipu, there ruled a powerful demon king by the same name. Hiranyakashipu was cruel and tyrannical, and his ambition was boundless. His heart was filled with hatred for the gods, especially Lord Vishnu, whom he saw as his greatest enemy.
Hiranyakashipu wanted to rule over the entire universe, and he believed that by defeating the gods, he could achieve this goal.
In his quest for ultimate power, Hiranyakashipu performed intense penance to please Brahma, the creator god. After many years of rigorous meditation and sacrifice, Brahma appeared before the demon king and granted him a boon.
“What do you seek, Hiranyakashipu?” Brahma asked.
“I wish to be immortal,” Hiranyakashipu replied, “grant me the power that no god, no man, and no animal can defeat me. Let me be free from death, and may no weapon harm me.”
Brahma, impressed by Hiranyakashipu’s devotion, granted his wish. However, Brahma added a condition: “You shall not die by the hand of any god, man, or beast. You will be free from death under certain conditions, but remember, even immortals must face the consequences of their actions.”
Hiranyakashipu, feeling invincible, returned to his kingdom, now filled with immense pride. With his newfound powers, he conquered many realms, defeating gods and destroying temples dedicated to Lord Vishnu. His rule was harsh, and he demanded that everyone worship him as the supreme being. He forbade anyone from worshiping Lord Vishnu and ordered his people to bow before him alone.
But one person, his own son Prahlada, refused to obey his father’s command. Prahlada was a kind and virtuous child, devoted to Lord Vishnu. Even though Hiranyakashipu tried to force his son to worship him, Prahlada remained steadfast in his faith, refusing to turn away from Lord Vishnu. This angered Hiranyakashipu greatly.
“Prahlada!” Hiranyakashipu roared, “You dare defy me? I am the king of the universe, and yet you worship the very god I have sworn to destroy. This insolence shall not go unpunished!”
Despite the king’s fury, Prahlada remained calm. He continued to pray to Lord Vishnu, his faith growing stronger with each passing day. The more Hiranyakashipu tried to punish Prahlada, the more his devotion to Vishnu deepened.
In his rage, Hiranyakashipu ordered his soldiers to throw Prahlada into a pit of venomous snakes, but the snakes refused to harm him. He then had his son thrown into a blazing fire, yet Prahlada remained unharmed. Hiranyakashipu, in his frustration, threw his son from the top of a cliff, but Prahlada was saved by a divine force. Nothing could harm him, and this only made Hiranyakashipu more furious.
Finally, Hiranyakashipu’s patience wore thin. He asked his son, “Prahlada, if your Vishnu is so powerful, tell me—where is your Vishnu? Is he in this pillar? Is he in the air, in the ground, or in the sky?”
Prahlada, with a calm and unwavering faith, replied, “Lord Vishnu is everywhere. He is in all things, and there is no place where He is not. He is present even in this pillar, Father.”
Angered by his son’s defiance, Hiranyakashipu struck the pillar with his mace, shouting, “I will destroy your Vishnu!”
At that moment, a loud, thunderous sound echoed throughout the palace, and the pillar shattered. From within the pillar emerged Narasimha, a fearsome form of Lord Vishnu, with the body of a lion and the face of a man. Narasimha roared, shaking the entire kingdom.
Hiranyakashipu, terrified, tried to fight the divine being, but Narasimha was unstoppable. He was neither a man, nor an animal, and therefore immune to Hiranyakashipu’s boon. He grabbed the demon king and placed him on his lap, where he could neither stand nor sit. Then, with his sharp claws, Narasimha tore Hiranyakashipu apart, fulfilling the prophecy that no god, man, or beast could kill the demon king.
With Hiranyakashipu’s death, the reign of terror ended. Prahlada, the devoted son of Vishnu, was crowned the new king of the kingdom, and he ruled with wisdom, kindness, and righteousness. He continued to worship Lord Vishnu, and his faith became an inspiration for all.
The story of Prahlada teaches us the power of unwavering devotion and faith. Despite the challenges, the hardships, and the fearsome wrath of his father, Prahlada remained true to his beliefs, and in the end, it was his devotion to Lord Vishnu that saved him. The story also reminds us that no matter how strong or powerful a person may become, they are always subject to the will of the divine, and righteousness will always prevail.
More stories:
- Two Short Stories About Animals
- Easy English Stories for Young Learners
- English Stories for Kids: The Midnight Train
- Entertaining English Stories for Children
- Moral Short Stories for Kids
- Short Tenali Raman Stories for Kids
- English Stories for Kids: Whispers in the Library
Resources:
- American Literature – 75 Short-Short Stories
- Project Gutenberg – Short Stories
- The New Yorker – Fiction
- British Council – Story Zone
