||Om Namo Bhagavathe Vasudevaya||

Chapter – 76 – The legend of Prahladha – 6

Prahlada spoke “ Oh! Preceptor, my mind and intellect is yearning to unite with the Supreme Lord who resides as a soul in all of us, like a magnet; therefore I could not see anything other than him.”  The preceptors were really angry at the child Prahlada who was praising the splendor of Lord Hari.   Hiranyakashipu was furious at the preceptors.  King ordered the preceptors to take back Prahladha and teach to eulogize him.  The preceptors took Prahladha to the school and they tried all means of physical abuse and taught him to praise his father.  But Prahlada was unyielding for any of their threats or abuses.  He was taught Thrivarga about the Purusharththa/lessons on Dharma, Artha, Kama which could elevate the soul to the final state of liberation from repeated births.   He was less taught the practice of the final state of liberation from the worldly existence.   But Prahlada was steadfast, he did not worried about it, because he has already attained the supreme knowledge of Bhramam while he was in mother’s womb.  

The human body endures with the essential elements of Bauthika Loka/Prakrithi, the supreme soul could outlive only with the spiritual advancement, and therefore it is necessary to have worldly pleasures as well as spiritual knowledge to elevate the soul.  The preceptors were quite satisfied with their way of teachings to Prahlada.  Once again, he was brought to the assembly of the King, he was accompanied by his preceptors, and the questions were repeated.  Prahlada looked at his father's eye and said “ Oh! Father, The most favorite lessons I have learned are Shravanam, Keerthanam, Smaranam, Padhasevanam, Archanam, Vandhanam, Dasyam, Sakhyam and Athmanivedhanam, are nine types of devotion to worship supreme Lord Hari.”  Hiranyakashipu felt humiliated, showered all his anger upon the little child Prahladha calling him ‘enemy of his clan’ and threw him from the lap.  Hiranyakashipu blamed the preceptors for all the troubles; they forced the child to tell the truth where he had learned praising Lord Hari.  Prahlada said “ Oh! Ignorant one, you are not going to learn the absolute truth, you will remain the cows/ruminants that keep re- chewing the food consumed.  If you want to bring something new in your life, approach saintly men and soak in the dust from their feet, be in the association with them.  Otherwise, you cannot elevate your soul from the worldly matters.”  Hiranyakashipu was in a rage, ordered the preceptor to leave the Palace, made up his mind to teach a harsh lesson to Prahlada.  Hiranyakashipu thought if Prahladha stays alive, he will become a threat to him; he will destroy the entire clan.   Hiranyakashipu decided to kill Prahladha, called for his men and fastened him with a rope; he compelled his wife to poison the child when Prahladha was asked his mother about the unique color of food, mother consoled him that it is the offerings made to Lord Hari, the poison did not hurt Prahlada.  Hiranyakashipu was mystified, he ordered his men to take Prahladha high in the mountain and hurl down, Alas! he was miraculously escaped.  Prahlada was thrown into the cluster of serpents, but he did not get hurt.   He was tossed to the blazing fire, it did not hurt him.   He was thrown to the ocean, but he did not get hurt and safely returned back on the shore.  Hiranyakashipu understood after several attempts of punishment of death, Prahlada is safe, therefore someone is protecting him.  Hiranyakashipu pulled his sword to cut Prahladha into pieces, was stopped by his preceptors who requested the King to give them a final chance to change the belief of Prahlada.  Thus, Prahlada returned to the Gurukul for the third time.