Narayaneeyam Dashakam 24
The story of Prahlada
This Dashakam introduces Prahlada, one of the greatest devotees, for whom the Lord took the form of Narasimha.
हिरण्याक्षे पोत्रिप्रवरवपुषा देव भवता
हते शोकक्रोधग्लपितधृतिरेतस्य सहज: ।
हिरण्यप्रारम्भ: कशिपुरमरारातिसदसि
प्रतिज्ञमातेने तव किल वधार्थं मधुरिपो ॥१॥
hiraNyaakshe pOtripravaravapuShaa deva bhavataa
hate shOka krOdha glapita dhR^itiretasya sahajaH |
hiraNya praarambhaH kashipuramaraaraati sadasi
pratij~naamaatene tava kila vadhaarthaM madhuripO || 1||
The Varaha Avatar of Lord Vishnu destroyed Hiŕanyaksha. Blinded by grief and rage over his brother’s passing, Hiranyakashipu, Hiranyaksha’s brother, declared at the Asuran assembly that he would kill the Lord.
विधातारं घोरं स खलु तपसित्वा नचिरत:
पुर: साक्षात्कुर्वन् सुरनरमृगाद्यैरनिधनम् ।
वरं लब्ध्वा दृप्तो जगदिह भवन्नायकमिदं
परिक्षुन्दन्निन्द्रादहरत दिवं त्वामगणयन् ॥२॥
vidhaataaraM ghOraM sa khalu tapasitvaa nachirataH
puraH saakshaatkurvan suranara mR^igaadyairanidhanam |
varaM labdhvaa dR^iptO jagadihabhavannaayakamidaM
parikshundannindraadaharata divaM tvaamagaNayan ||2||
Hiranyakashipu performed Thapas until Brahma granted his wish to be immune from death at the hands of both humans and gods. A specific condition of the blessing bestowed by Brahma was that his death will not take place at night or in the morning. Having been given divine power, Hiranyakashipu became conceited and began tormenting God’s world. His actions escalated to the point where he overthrew Indra and took control of the heavens.
निहन्तुं त्वां भूयस्तव पदमवाप्तस्य च रिपो-
र्बहिर्दृष्टेरन्तर्दधिथ हृदये सूक्ष्मवपुषा ।
नदन्नुच्चैस्तत्राप्यखिलभुवनान्ते च मृगयन्
भिया यातं मत्वा स खलु जितकाशी निववृते ॥३॥
nihantuntvaaM bhuuyastava padamavaaptasya cha ripOH
bahirdR^iShTerantardadhita hR^idaye suukshmavapuShaa |
nadannuchchai statraapyakhila bhuvanaante cha mR^igayan
bhiyaa yaataM matvaa sa khalu jitakaashii nivavR^ite || 3||
Bhattathiri satirically recounts how Lord Mukund deceived Hiranyakashipu in the third sloka of the twenty-third Dashakam. Lord entered Hiranyakashipu’s heart in nano form when he arrived in Vaikunta on a murderous rampage. Oh Jagathprabhu, Hiranyakashipu is a fool. He looked for the Lord in the Trilokas and then went back to his place and declared himself the winner, not realizing that the Lord is within him.
ततोऽस्य प्रह्लाद: समजनि सुतो गर्भवसतौ
मुनेर्वीणापाणेरधिगतभवद्भक्तिमहिमा ।
स वै जात्या दैत्य: शिशुरपि समेत्य त्वयि रतिं
गतस्त्वद्भक्तानां वरद परमोदाहरणताम् ॥४॥
tatO(a)sya prahlaadaH samajani sutO garbhavasatau
munerviiNaapaaNeH adhigata bhavad bhaktimahimaa |
sa vai jaatyaa daityaH shishurapi sametya tvayi ratiM
gatastvadbhaktaanaaM varada paramOdaaharaNataam ||4||
“Every child begins the world anew; bringing with them the innocence and wonder of a fresh start.” True to these words, an innocent child was born to Hiranyakashipu. Prahlada, an asura child by birth, ended up becoming the Lord’s greatest devotee, as evidenced by the conversation between Sage Narada and his mother regarding Sreemad Narayana while he was still in the womb. A child who hears the teachings of the Lord will grow wise even if he is born to evil parents.
सुरारीणां हास्यं तव चरणदास्यं निजसुते
स दृष्ट्वा दुष्टात्मा गुरुभिरशिशिक्षच्चिरममुम् ।
गुरुप्रोक्तं चासाविदमिदमभद्राय दृढमि-
त्यपाकुर्वन् सर्वं तव चरणभक्त्यैव ववृधे ॥ ५ ॥
suraariiNaaM haasyaM tava charaNadaasyaM nijasute
sa dR^iShTvaa duShTaatmaa gurubhirashishikshachchiramamum |
guruprOktaM chaasaavidamidamabhadraaya dR^iDhamiti
apaakurvan sarvaM tava charaNa bhaktyaiaiva vavR^idhe || 5||
Hiranyakasipu learned of Prahlada’s love for you. Asuras did not approve of such conduct. Hiranyakasipu made arrangements for Prahlada to receive instruction from a variety of teachers. Upon realizing that every instruction he received from his teachers steered him in the direction of evil, he rejected all of these teachings. He developed a strong faith and grew up dedicated to you.
अधीतेषु श्रेष्ठं किमिति परिपृष्टेऽथ तनये
भवद्भक्तिं वर्यामभिगदति पर्याकुलधृति: ।
गुरुभ्यो रोषित्वा सहजमतिरस्येत्यभिविदन्
वधोपायानस्मिन् व्यतनुत भवत्पादशरणे ॥६॥
adhiiteShu shreShThaM kimiti paripR^iShThe(a)tha tanaye
bhavadbhaktiM varyaamabhigadati paryaakuladhR^itiH |
gurubhyOrOShitvaa sahajamatirasyetyabhividan
vadhOpaayaanasmin vyatanuta bhavatpaada sharaNe || 6||
When asked what he learned the most, Prahlada said that his devotion to Narayana was the greatest. Hiranyakashipu was calmed by the teachers, who claimed that his son had acted in this way without any guidance. When Hiranyakashipu suddenly realized how devoted Prahlada was, he began to think of ways to murder him because the boy had served the Lord with devotion and sought refuge under His feet. This sloka beautifully illustrates how a man’s pride and anger cause him to forget his own flesh and blood.
स शूलैराविद्ध: सुबहु मथितो दिग्गजगणै-
र्महासर्पैर्दष्टोऽप्यनशनगराहारविधुत: ।
गिरीन्द्रवक्षिप्तोऽप्यहह! परमात्मन्नयि विभो
त्वयि न्यस्तात्मत्वात् किमपि न निपीडामभजत ॥७॥
sa shuulairaaviddhaH suvahu mathitO diggajagaNaiH
mahaasarpairdaShTOpyanashana garaahaara vidhutaH |
giriindraavakshiptO(a)pyahaha paramaatmannayi vibhO
tvayi nyastaatmatvaat kimapi na nipiiDaamabhajata || 7||
Bhattathiri exclaims Hey Guruvayoorappa! What a wonder! Prahlad’s thoughts remained fixed on you even as he was repeatedly pierced by tridents, trampled by elephants with their enormous herds, and repeatedly bitten by great serpents. He was not hurt by poison, starvation, or falling from mountain tops.
तत: शङ्काविष्ट: स पुनरतिदुष्टोऽस्य जनको
गुरूक्त्या तद्गेहे किल वरुणपाशैस्तमरुणत् ।
गुरोश्चासान्निध्ये स पुनरनुगान् दैत्यतनयान्
भवद्भक्तेस्तत्त्वं परममपि विज्ञानमशिषत् ॥८॥
tataH shankaaviShTaH sa punarati duShTO(a)sya janakaH
guruuktyaa tadgehe kila varuNapaashaistamaruNat |
gurOshchaasaannidhye sa punaranugaan daityatanayaan
bhavadbhaktestattvaM paramamapi vij~naanamashiShat || 8||
Hiranyakashipu was frightened at this. As instructed by his teacher, Hiranyakashipu bound Prahlaad with ropes inside the teacher’s house. In the absence of his teacher, Prahlaad taught the Asura boys about love and the Supreme knowledge.
पिता शृण्वन् बालप्रकरमखिलं त्वत्स्तुतिपरं
रुषान्ध: प्राहैनं कुलहतक कस्ते बलमिति ।
बलं मे वैकुण्ठस्तव च जगतां चापि स बलं
स एव त्रैलोक्यं सकलमिति धीरोऽयमगदीत् ॥९॥
pitaa shR^iNvan baala prakaramakhilaM tvatstutiparaM
ruShaa(a)ndhaH praahainaM kulahataka kaste balamiti |
balaM me vaikuNThastava cha jagataaM chaapi sa balaM
sa eva trailOkyaM sakalamiti dhiirO(a)yamagadiit || 9||
Hiranyakashipu became enraged upon discovering that all the boys now adored you. Hiranyakashipu became enraged with Prahlaad and demanded to know who gave him his authority. The courageous boy declared Lord Vishnu served as his strength while simultaneously being his father’s strength and the strength of the entire universe. Prahlaad stated that the three worlds were the Lord’s divine manifestation.
अरे क्वासौ क्वासौ सकलजगदात्मा हरिरिति
प्रभिन्ते स्म स्तंभं चलितकरवालो दितिसुत: ।
अत: पश्चाद्विष्णो न हि वदितुमीशोऽस्मि सहसा
कृपात्मन् विश्वात्मन् पवनपुरवासिन् मृडय माम् ॥१०॥
are kvaasau kvaasau sakalajagadaatmaa haririti
prabhintesma stambhaM chalita karavaalO diti sutaH |
ataH pashchaadviShNO na hi vaditumiishO(a)smi sahasaa
kR^ipaatman vishvaatman pavanapuravaasin mR^iDaya maam ||10||
Where is he? Where is he? The soul of all the worlds who is known as Hari? With a roar, Hiranyakashipu, son of Diti, struck the pillar with his sword. O Vishnu! O Lord! What followed, according to Bhatrathiri, is indescribable. Hiranyakashipu insisted on facing the Lord head-on.Out of the pillar came Lord Narasimha’s ferocious form. Hiranyakashipu’s arrogance on his boons were shattered when Lord Narasimha( Neither God, nor human) killed Hiranyakashipu at twilight which is neither in the morning nor at night. O All Merciful! O All pervading One! O Guruvaayurappa! Please cure me.