Lord Narsimha saves Prahlada

Lord Narsimha and Prahlada’s story teaches us about the greatness of God and how God comes to the rescue of His pure devotee. Here is my poem based on this beautiful story of unalloyed devotion:

Virtuous Devas and the Asuras deceitful

Personifying the Good and the Evil

Both sons of the great sage Kashyapa

Through his two wives Aditi and Diti.

Hiranyakashipu the strong and valiant demon

Forgetting Sage Kashyapa’s teachings and reason

Rose to be a mighty king yet tyrant

And declared himself God in an act of defiance.

To conquer death, he meditated for years

To gain the boon that could temper his fears.

Moved by his intense prayers, Brahma appeared

And he asked for immortality as the death he feared.

His wish was declined for a mortal is doomed to die

“Ask for another wish,” Brahma replied with a sigh.

Thus he asked for death under certain impossible conditions

Which would make him invincible and strengthen his position.

“I should die at the hands of one who is neither man nor God

Nor demon nor animal, at a time when it’s neither night nor day

And I should not be inside nor outside, not on Earth nor in sky

I should be killed with no weapons .” Brahma approved with a nod.

The Ego soared high with the newly acquired boons

Unknown that his pride will ultimately cause his doom

“Nobody will worship Vishnu in my entire Kingdom”

Declaring him as God, he rejoiced in his foolish wisdom.

But destiny’s mysterious plans were yet to unfold

In his absence the queen was kidnapped, he was told.

Rescuing the queen, Narada took her near the ocean

In the sanctity of his ashram where she heard tales of devotion.

Unborn child in her womb lapped up every word

Growing wiser and more devoted with each word he heard.

By the time Hiranyakashipu came back to claim the queen

The profound effect on the unborn child, how could he have seen?

While Hiranyakashipu was busy unleashing terror on his people

The child Prahlada grew up as a devotee, being happy and gleeful.

His misdeeds of chanting the holy name was reported to the King

All hell broke loose! Who could have thought of such a thing?

Summoned to the court, Prahlada was asked to recite the King’s name

For worshipping Vishnu will only bring his family a bad name.

“No name is more sacred than Lord Vishnu’s,” said Prahlada with a smile

Unwavered by the gentle urgings, threats or the fear of an exile.

In his rage, Hiranyakashipu ordered him to be imprisoned

In a dungeon where no food or water to the child to be given.

Young Prahlada was fed by the Lord with love and affection

A week passed yet the child was alive under the Lord’s protection.

“Crush this errant child under the feet of the an angry elephant,”

But the elephant bowed to Prahlada to everyone’s amazement.

Thrown from a mountain and yet he escaped without any harm

His devotion to the Lord protected him from every storm.

In desperation, Holika sat in fire with Prahlada in her lap

Immune by fire, Holika was sure to escape any mishap

She was reduced to ashes while Prahlada came out unscathed

But from a demonic father, how long he could be saved?

Angry beyond compare, Hiranyakashipu shouted at his son

“Where does this Lord of yours reside? Why doesn’t he come?”

“He is omnipresent. He is everywhere, in every single thing-

Animate or inanimate,” Prahlada replied to the King.

“Oh everywhere? Is he here in this pillar?” Hiranyakashipu sneered

And struck the pillar while the courtiers watched in fear.

The pillar cracked with a thundering sound and there appeared

A creature as none had seen before nor ever heard.

Lord Vishnu as Narsimha with the head of a lion roaring in anger

And the body of a human and claws which evoked terror

Dragging Hiranyakashipu to doorstep which was not inside nor outside

In the twilight hour which was neither day nor night.

Placing the demon on his lap which was not Earth nor sky

Narsimha tore him open using no weapon but his claws

Bestowing him death in the terms he had chosen

Taking a form so menacing, so threatening and fearful .

And then Prahlada sang his glories in his sweet, gentle voice

To pacify the Lord who calmed down and smiled

Taking Prahlada in his lap and announcing him as King

And a great devotee whose tales future generations would sing.

 

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