Prahlada- Hindu HeroHero"Devotee of Vishnu"

Origins of Faith

Prahlada's devotion began before birth. While his father Hiranyakashipu performed austerities to gain power for revenge against Vishnu, his pregnant wife Kayadhu sheltered in the hermitage of the sage Narada. The unborn child absorbed Narada's teachings about Vishnu. When Hiranyakashipu returned triumphant with his boon of near-immortality, he found his own son worshipping the very god he had sworn to destroy.

The Father's Rage

Hiranyakashipu assigned demonic teachers to educate Prahlada in proper asura values. Every lesson ended with Prahlada teaching his classmates about Vishnu instead. Enraged, Hiranyakashipu ordered his son killed. Prahlada was thrown from cliffs and trampled by elephants. Each time he emerged unharmed, chanting Vishnu's names.

Hiranyakashipu's sister Holika, who possessed a garment that made her immune to fire, sat with the boy in a pyre. The garment flew from her body to his. She burned. He sat unharmed.

The Confrontation

Hiranyakashipu demanded to know where this protector god was hiding. Prahlada replied that Vishnu was everywhere, in every atom of creation. The demon pointed to a pillar and asked if Vishnu was there too. When Prahlada said yes, Hiranyakashipu struck it with his mace. Narasimha, the man-lion avatar, burst from the stone and tore the demon apart on his lap at twilight, on the threshold of the palace, with his claws: neither indoors nor out, neither day nor night, neither weapon nor bare hand. Every condition of Hiranyakashipu's protective boon was met and broken at once.

Prahlada became king of the Asuras and ruled with devotion to Vishnu unbroken.