PRAHLADA CHARITAM. From Narayaneeyam)

PRAHLADA CHARITAM

(From Narayaneeyam)

Given below is a reproduction of Dasakas 24 and 25 from Narayaneeyam which summarise the story of Prahlada narrated in detail in chapters 2-10 of the 7th Canto of Srimad Bhagavatam. A simple transalation in English is given for the benefit of those who cannot follow the original.

प्रह्लादचरितम्

दशकम् २४

हिरण्याक्षे पोत्रिप्रवरवपुषा देव ! भवता

हते शोकक्रोधग्लपितधृतिरेतस्य सहजः।

हिरण्यप्रारंभः कशिपुरमरारातिसदसि

प्रतिज्ञामातेने तव किल वधार्थं मुररिपो ॥१॥

O Lord ! Slayer of Mura! when Hiranyaksha was killed by you in your incarnation as the great boar, his brother Hiranyakashipu, overcome by grief and anger, vowed in the assembly of asuras that he would kill you.

विधातारं घोरं स खलु तपसित्वा न चिरतः

पुरः साक्षात्कुर्वन्सुरनरमृगाद्यैरनिधनम् ।

वरं लब्ध्वा दृप्तो जगदिह भवन्नायकमिदं

परिक्षुन्दन्निन्द्रादहरत दिवं त्वामगणयन् ॥२॥

By his severe austerities (tapas), before long, he made Brahma appear before him and, having obtained from him the boon of not meeting his death at the hands of devas, humans or animals, became arrogant and, disregarding you, destroyed the worlds ruled over by you and snatched the kingdom of heaven from Indra.

निहन्तुं त्वां भूयस्तव पदमवाप्तस्य च रिपो-

र्बहिर्दृष्टेरन्तर्दधित हृदये सूक्ष्मवपुषा ।

नदन्नुच्चैस्तत्राप्यखिलभुवनान्ते च मृगयन्

भिया यातं मत्वा स खलु जितकाशी निववृते ॥३॥

When he came to your abode to kill you, you disappeared from his outward-looking eyes and lodged yourself in his heart in microscopic form. The asura searched You in your abode and all over the worlds and, not finding you, thought You had run away in fear and returned home priding himself on his (supposed) victory over you.

ततोऽस्य प्रह्लादः समजनि सुतो गर्भवसतौ

मुनेर्वीणापाणेरधिगतभवद्भक्तिमहिमा ।

स वै जात्या दैत्यः शिशुरपि समेत्य त्वयि रतिम्

गतस्त्वद्भक्तानां वरद! परमोदाहारणतां ॥४॥

O Giver of boons ! After a few years, Hiranyakashipu begot a son Prahlada who, while still in the womb of his mother, had understood from Narada Muni, who always carries a Veena in his hands, the greatness of devotion to you. Though born in the asura clan, child Prahlada, who had developed deep love for you, set a great example to your devotees.

सुरारीणां हास्यं तव चरणदास्यं निजसुते

स दृष्ट्वा दुष्टात्मा गुरुभिरशिशिक्षच्चिरममुम् ।

गुरुप्रोक्तं चासाविदमिदमभद्राय दृढमि-

त्यपाकुर्वन् सर्वं तव चरणभक्त्यैव ववृधे ॥५॥

Seeing in his son devotion to Your lotus-feet and knowing that such devotion is mocked by the asuras, the wicked Hiranyakashipu tried to discipline him through his teachers. But Prahlada firmly rejected whatever was taught by his teachers (relating to dharma, artha or Kama) saying these were not good or auspicious and grew up with loving devotion to you in his heart.

अधीतेषु श्रेष्ठं किमिति परिपृष्टेऽथ तनये

भवद्भक्तिं वर्यामभिगदति पर्याकुलधृतिः ।

गुरुभ्यो रोषित्वा सहजमतिरस्येत्यभिविदन्

वधोपायानस्मिन् व्यतनुत भवत्पादशरणे ॥६॥

Asked by his father what was the best thing he had learned Prahlada replied that Bhakti, loving devotion to You, was the best thing he had learned. Hearing this Hiranyakashipu was completely upset and he got angry with the teachers. Then he understand that it (Bhakti) was the natural instinct of Prahlada (and not the fault of his teachers). He then resorted to methods of killing Prahlada who had taken refuge at your feet.

स शूलैराविद्धः सुबहुमथितो दिग्गजगणै-

र्महासर्पैर्द्दष्टोऽप्यनशनगराहारविदुतः ।

गिरीन्द्रावक्षिप्तोऽप्यहह! परमात्मन्नयि! विभो!

त्वयि न्यस्तात्मत्वात् किमपि न पीडामभजत॥७॥

O Lord ! O Paramatman ! Prahlada, whose mind always rested in you in complete surrender, did not experience any pain though pierced by tridents several times, trampled over by the elephants from the eight quarters, bitten by deadly poisonous serpents, made to starve, fed poisoned food and thrown from the top of mountains

ततः शङ्काविष्टः स पुनरतिदुष्टोऽस्य जनको

गुरूक्त्या तद्गेहे किल वरुणपाशैस्तमरुणत् ।

गुरोश्चासान्निद्ध्ये स पुनरनुगान् दैत्यतनयान्

भवद्भक्तेस्तत्त्वं परममपि विज्ञानमशिषत् ॥८॥

Hiranyakashipu was frustrated (at the failure of his attempts to kill his son Prahlada) and, at the instance of the teachers, Prahlada was incarcerated in the house of the guru, bound by varuna pasha. In the absence of the guru Prahlada taught the asura children the greatness of bhakti and imparted to them the highest knowledge about the atman.

पिता शृण्वन् बालप्रकरमखिलं त्वत्स्तुतिपरं

रुषांधः प्राहैनं कुलहतक ’कस्ते बलमिति’ ।

बलं मे वैकुण्ठस्तव च जगतां चापि स बलम्

स एव त्रैलोक्यं सकल’मिति धीरोऽयमगदीत् ॥९॥

O Lord! Hearing that all the asura boys had taken to praising you, Hiranyakashipu was blind with anger. He asked Prahlada “You the disgrace of the asura clan ! who is the power behind you?” The courageous Prahlada said “ The power behind me is Lord Vishnu, he is the power behind you and all those in this world. He is all the three worlds”.

’अरे क्वासौ क्वासौ सकलजगदात्मा हरि’रिति

प्रभिन्ते स्म स्तंभं चलितकरवालो दितिसुतः ।

अतः पश्चाद्विष्णो न वदितुमीशोऽस्मि सहसा

कृपात्मन्! विश्वात्मन्! पवनपुरवासिन् मृडय माम् ॥१०॥

“Where is this Hari who is the soul of all these worlds?” saying thus Hiranyakashipu broke open one of the pillars in the hall with a blow of his sword. O Lord Vishnu ! What happened afterwards I am unable to narrate immediately. O Embodiment of compassion! Indwelling spirit of all the worlds! Lord of Guruvayoor! protect me (your devotee).

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