THE STORY OF PRAHLADA.
Summary. This story illustrates the theory that through the grace of Eswara also, will the higher spiritual state be attained. Now hearken again to another story. One going by the name of Prahlada also attained the true Self of Jnana through his intelligence. We shall now proceed to describe it. After his father Hiranyakasipu*, the King of Danavas, expired, the sore-grieved son gave vent to the following words with a palpitating heart. “ Countless were the num bers of Danavas born in my race, such as my father and others. They had bodies which cast into insignificance even Mahameru itself. They were able to do or undo even the lotus-born BrahmS. with his powers. But before Vishnu wearing the Tulsif garland, they fell easy victims to his fiery ire, like cotton before the wind.
Such Danavas in numbers exceeding the countless fine sands of a river, perished like hills pulverised by the fierce gales of the wind at the end of time. There is none now who is not afraid of Vishnu. There is only one means of conquering the efful gent Vishnu, my enemy, wearing the discus. Think however we may, there is no higher goal than this. The real refuge can be sought only in Vishnu residing in the ocean of milk* Therefore let my mind from this moment seek an asylum in the seat of Narayana (Vishnu).
May I through devo tional meditation, be “ He” and inseparable from Him. May the grand Mantra * Narayana namah*” which confers upon its devotees whatever they long for, be inextricably inter woven and commingled within me, like the Akasa pervaded by the wind. Those who salute and worship Vishnu will be able to attain their desired results of emancipation, only when they contemplate upon Vishnu as themselves. Otherwise such results will not accrue. Following that path, I will worship and meditate upon Vishnu as myself.
This body is no other than the form (or manifestation) of Vishnu. He who is bound by this body in the form of Prana-Vayu is Vishnu, the supreme of the supreme. That which goes before Prana-Vayu abides externally as the second Vishnu. Therefore collecting mentally all articles of worship, I shall always worship Vishnu as above. With this purpose in view, he created, through his mind, rubied vessels, incense, lamp, waving lights, golden cloths, rubied ornaments, unfading golden flowers, nectar- like food and other innumerable articles of worship and then worshipped with them, Vishnu as resting in the lap of Adisesha (serpent) both within and without, with true love in its divine place. From that time forward, be began to ever worship the feet of Vishnu, the one partless Brahman. Thereafter, all the Danavas bearing axes began like Prahlada to be the slave of Hari (Vishnu), abandoning all their bad qualities. Are not thus the qualities (good or bad) of a king imbibed by his subjects ?
On hearing which, their king- Prahlada after giving- up their anger against Vishnu became his devout followers. Indra and the other Devas marvelled with fear at this unprecedented event and were sceptical as to how these vicious personages were able to secure the love of Vishnu. Therefore they went to Vishnu, sleeping his long (Yoga) sleep in the sea of milk and having seen and eulogised him, addressed him thus : “ If all the Daityas of fiery nature after meditating upon thee become merged in thee, then there cannot be but Maya everywhere. The murderous tendencies of the powerful Daityas are diametrically opposed to the extinction of re-births in Samsara or devotion to Vishnu, as any two opposites are. To say that extremely wicked persons merge into the virtuous qualities is nothing but empty words. Oh all-permeant Vishnu, will it be possible for all Chand^las (out-castes) to be filled with devotion towards thee ?”
These words of the Devas were replied to by our Lord Vishnu thus, “ Oh Devas, do not be afraid. The victorious Prahlada has rendered himself no more liable to re-births^ Freed from his murderous propensities, he has reached Moksha through his Tatwa Jnana vision. Therefore do not suppose that there is any deception practised by him. If good persons incline their minds towards vice, then manifold evils will ensue ; but if the vicious incline towards the virtuous path, then incalculable good will result. Therefore may all of you fare well.” With this blessing, the great Vishnu disap peared at that very spot. Thereupon all the Devas left the Milky ocean full of surging waves for Suvarloka and there be came quite friendly to their antagonists, the Danavas. With unceasing devotion towards the Lord, the cooling effect of which infiltrated deep into his marrow, Prahlncla was filled with a rapturous and ever-increasing love and always worship ped Him.
Through the steady application of his whirling organs in such a worship supreme discrimination, bliss and indiffe rence towards objects, etc., were greatly developed. With the development of the four means (of salvation), &c., all his mind s attractions towards sensual objects ceased. Will a pearl encased in the mother-o -pearl be attracted and blurred by the mud in which it lies ? Therefore his mind became quiescent, without sinking into sensual objects.
Finding that the mind of the beneficent Prahlada was oscillating like a cradle between the cognition of the all-full Reality and the enjoyment of sensual pleasures, Vishnu the lord of the three worlds manifested himself in the solitary worshipping seat (viz., the heart of Prahlada) from which prayers were offered through his mind and acquainted him with his visit, when the Lord of the Asuras doubled his worship to the Primeval Cause of the Trinity and eulogised him thus with true love “Oh thou, the original seat of all rare things in the incomparable mansion of the three worlds ; Oh thou, the ever-resplendent Brahman without the dawning and the setting of the sun in thee ; Oh thou who art the eye of mercy to all thy votaries, salutation, salutations, a thousand salutations to thee.
Oh thou who art Jnana itself with Lila (thy consort) by thee to create the world ; Oh thou beneficent Principle, who dost not depend for thy existence upon the 14 worlds;* Oh tjjjou who slept the sleep of yoga on the banian treef; Oh thou who art the Tatwa (Reality , the prototype of all grace and the lord of all earths, salutations, salutations, a thousand salutations to thee. Oh thou, who art the blighting frost to the lotus con taining the petals of malevolent Asuras ; O : thou, who art the sun to the full blown lotus of Devas walking in the path of the Vedas ; O thou, who art the bee in the grand lotus of the heart of those who have destroyed all ideas of heterogeneity; Oh thou, who art the Lord of all souls, salu tations, salutations, a thousand salutations to thee.”
At these various eulogies of Prahlada, Vishnu with a gladsome look deigned to speak thus * Oh Prahlada of true love, thou art free to demand of me a boon which will not make thee be subject to the trammels of re-births.”
To which Prahlada said thus * O thou Supreme Principle who residest in the hearts of all, please vouchsafe to confer on me that bliss wherein there are no pains.”
Thereupon Vishnu blessed him by laying his lotus-like hand upon his head with these words : ** May the final Atmic enquiry arise in thee in order that thou mayest attain quiescence in the Brahmic bliss of the pure Parabrahm, after thy mind is freed from the delusions of the world.”
