birth of Prahlada

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Dear Guru Maharaja,

 

please accept my humble oebisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

 

Thank you very much for giving me the oportunity to serve you.

 

This story is described in the Narasimha purana, chapter 41 'Birth of

Prahlada and Hiranyakasipu's worries to notice his devotion to Visnu' (The

Narasimha Puranam, dr. Siddheswar Jena, published by Nag Publishers, Delhi).

 

Sahasranika said: 'O revered sage Markandeya, you are very wise and you are

well-versed in all the scriptures. It behoves you to give me a correct

account of the man-lion incarnation of Lord Visnu. O sinless sage, please

tell me in detail the life history of Prahlada. It is only through your

grace, O great yogin, we would drink the nectar of discourse on Lord Visnu,

so rare indeed for the common man. O revered sage, in fact we are extremely

fortunate to get this opportunity.'

 

Markandeya said: 'In days of yore when the great demon Hiranyakasipu started

for the forest to practice penance, there were ominous portents like fire in

all the quarters and earthquake. Then all his friends, relatives and

attendants, his wellwishers disuaded him with these words - 'O king, there

are evil portents all around, it is not nice for you to start now; you are

the master of the three worlds and you have subdued all the gods, you do not

apprehend fear from any quarter; O gentle sir, what is the use of penance?

All of us have thought over the matter and we don't find and need for

penance.' Even though dissuaded by his friends, the haughty demon

intoxicated with pride started for the peak of the Kailasa mountain and a

couple of his friends accompanied him. When on the peak of the Kailasa

mountain the demon practiced rigorous activities, O king, the lotus-born

Brahma got worried. He thought to himself - 'Alas! What should I do now? How

can I dissuade the demon from penance?'

 

(note by: this is the second time Hiranyakasipu went to perform austerities,

after he already got the boons from Brahma. GDD)

 

When Lord Brahma was just worried over the matter, O king, the revered sage

Narada born from the limbs of the Lord at once bowed down to Him and said -

'O revered sir, you are a devotee of Lord Narayana, why do you worry? All

the people used to meditate upon Govinda, need not worry for anything. I

would persuade the demon to desist from his penance. Narayana, the Lord of

the universe would guide me in the matter.'

 

Markandeya said: 'Having said thus Narada bowed down to Brahma (the

progenitor of the world); absorbed in the thought of Vaasudeva, in the

company of the sage Parvata he left the place. Then both the sages (Narada

and Parvata) assumed the form of the sparrows and went to the holy mountain

Kailasa where Hiranyakasipu practiced penance in the company of a couple of

his friends. The sage Narada (in the form of the sparrow) finished his

ablutions; and seated upon the branch of a tree there in a deep sonorous

voice he began to recite the holy name of Narayana with the motive of making

it audible to the demon. For three times the wise sage Narada (in the form

of the sparrow) repeatedly chanted aloud the holy mantra 'namo Narayanaya'

(obeisance to Lord Narayana) and remained silent.

When Hiranyakasipu listened to the recitation of the holy name by the

sparrow with so much devotion, in a fit of rage he took up the bow. He fixed

his arrow to the bow and aimed at the birds; but O king, the birds (Narada

and Parvata in disguise) instantaneously flew away. Very much enraged for

his failure to hit the birds, HIranyakasipu left the hermitage and started

for his capital city.

There in his palace he had his beutiful wife (a lady with beautiful hips or

buttocks) called Kayadhu and it just so happened that her menstrual period

was over and she had bathed after the courses. And at night his wife Kayadhu

privately enquired of the demon-king, 'O lord, at the time of starting for

the penance you assured me that your penance would continue for ten thousand

years, O sovereign lord, how is that now you have given up your penance?

Just out of my attachment for you I would like to know the fact.'

 

Hiranyakasipu replied: 'O lovely lady, listen to me. I am telling you the

truth for which I have to give up my vow. The incident as it happened,

enraged me very much though the gods were extremely delighted at it. O

queen, in the great pleasure-grove on the top of the mount Kailasa, there

appeared two birds; they used to recite the holy mantra 'namo Narayanaya'; O

gracious lady, after listening to their recitation twice or thrice I got

enraged and fixed the arrow to my bow. But just on the point of discharging

the arrow, O charming lady, the birds got frightened and flew away. Then

destiny being all powerful I ceased practicing penance and came back.'

 

Markandeya continued: 'In course of his conversation Hiranyakasipu was

united with his wife. And Kayadhu with her menstruation period just over,

conceived. The foetus in the womb of the mother gradually developed and at

last the baby-boy was born. The baby-boy happened to be a devotee of Visnu

because of the plan of wise Narada (Narada in the form of the sparrow had

made Hiranyakasipu listen to the recitation of the mantra 'namo Narayanaya';

and at the time of co-habitation with his wife HIranyakasipu had narrated

the episode of the sparrow when the demon had referred to the manra 'namo

Narayanaya'. In consequence the boy born of the womb came to be a devotee of

Visnu).

 

Later I would tell you all about that. NOw O king, you listen to me with

attention. The boy Prahlada, son of the demon Hiranyakasipu was a devotee of

Visnu since his birth. ...... '

 

 

But I still couldn't find the sastric reference for the other story about

Prahlada in his previous life and the prostitute and that he became Prahlada

in his next life because of fasting on Nrsimha Caturdasi. Does anyone know

that reference?

 

HAre Krsna! Jaya SRi Prahlada-LAksmi-Narasimha!

 

your servant Gauracandranana devi dasi

 

> In sastra there is a story of how Prahlada, a great devotee, came to be

> born to his demon father because the latter heard birds chanting harinama.

> Anyone having details of that story, please post it to me.

>

> Thankyou. Hare Krishna.

>

> dasa, BVS