Have you ever found yourself in a conflict with someone much more powerful than you — stronger in position, influence, intellect, or physical power? Have you felt the pressure to give in because of strong opposition? And when you chose not to give in — what gave you the strength to stand?
We revisit the often heard story of Prahlad and his struggle with his own father, to reflect on the lessons it holds for our own lives.
The Story of Hiranyakashipu
This is one of the most ancient and powerful stories from the Vaishnava tradition. Hiranyakashipu was an asura king who performed intense penance and austerities. Pleased with his devotion, Brahma granted him a boon: he could not be killed by anything born of a living womb — neither by a human nor an animal; neither during the day nor at night; neither indoors nor outdoors; neither on land, nor in the air, nor in water; and not by any human-made weapon.
Now that he felt so powerful, he wanted everyone to acknowledge his might — to praise him, to worship him. Many submitted to his power and became part of his band of devotees. Soon, the entire kingdom began to worship him.
No Place for Another
Hiranyakashipu declared that no other God could be worshipped. Everyone complied — except one: his own son, Prahlad.
Prahlad worshipped Vishnu and gently reminded his father that Vishnu was the Creator of all, including Hiranyakashipu himself. Prahlad’s mother grew anxious. She tried to persuade her child not to oppose the “system,” not to anger the king. But nothing could shake the child’s devotion. He continued to pray to the Divine.
Efforts to Crush the Opposition
When Prahlad was sent to school, his teachers, Shanda and Amarka, were given clear instructions: the child must be “corrected” and made to submit to his father’s authority.
The teachers tried many methods. But they were shocked to find that instead of being influenced, Prahlad was now teaching the other children to chant the name of Narayana.
Terrified of the king’s wrath, they reported everything to Hiranyakashipu — not only was Prahlad refusing to obey, he was also “spoiling” other children.
The Persecution Worsens
The king’s anger now knew no bounds. Sterner measures were taken. Prahlad was poisoned. He was thrown off cliffs. He was attacked with weapons and crushed under elephants’ feet. Yet nothing harmed him.
Hiranyakashipu’s sister, Holika, also had a boon — she had a shawl that protected her from fire. She took the child on her lap and sat on a blazing pyre. But as the fire rose, the shawl flew off Holika and covered Prahlad instead. Prahlad was saved; Holika perished.
Through every trial, Prahlad kept chanting the name of the Eternal. He felt the Divine close to him — within him. Protected by this living faith, neither poison, nor arrows, nor incantations could reach him.
The Confrontation
Prahlad was summoned again and asked to explain himself. The child replied, in essence:
Why do you torment me again and again?
The Divine is the Creator of all — rivers, plateaus, and mountains.
I cannot abandon the One my Guru has shown me.
You may throw me into fire, but I will not forsake Him.
— Sant Kabir (Sri Guru Granth Sahib, Ang 1194)
Enraged, the king roared, “Where is your God?”
Prahlad calmly replied, “He is everywhere — even in this pillar.”
Blazing with fury, Hiranyakashipu struck the pillar with his sword. At that very moment, the pillar burst open. From it emerged a being never seen before — neither man nor animal. It was Vishnu in His form as Narasimha, part-human and part-lion.
At dusk, on the threshold of the palace, Narasimha placed Hiranyakashipu on His thighs and tore him apart with His bare claws — fulfilling every condition of the boon. Hiranyakashipu was slain by one who was neither man nor animal, neither inside nor outside, neither by weapon nor in any realm of land, water, or air.
A Story That Plays Out in Every Life
This may be a Puranic story, but it repeats itself in every age. It unfolds in nations, workplaces, and homes. It unfolds within us too.
The earth belongs to every being. Every life has a rightful place under the sun. But again and again, powers arise that want to become “God” in the lives of others. They claim authority through wealth, position, strength, history, or control. They demand obedience. They decide how others should live. Sometimes they even decide who should live.
Prahlad’s story has endured as a symbol of steadfast faith in the face of overwhelming power. It reminds us that no worldly force is greater than the Divine. And that true refuge lies not in submission to fear, but in surrender to the Eternal.
In every age, the Divine Creator protects His devotees and their honour.
He destroys the ego-blinded Hiranyakashipu and ferries Prahlad across.
He turns away from slander and ego,
And turns His face toward devotees like Namdev.
Nanak is in the service of that Eternal One,
Who liberates us in the end.
— Guru Ram Das, Sri Guru Granth Sahib
Reflection question
Have you come across someone who stood tall even in the face of opposition? What did their courage teach you?
References
- Prahlada, Wikipedia
- Sri Guru Granth Sahib — Bhagat Kabir, Ang 1194
- “How Lord Vishnu Saved Bhakt Prahlad,” Sacred Ind
Swami Vivekananda, The Story of Prahlada, Volume 4
Image Credits
- Shrimad Bhagavata Mahapurana, Gita Press, Gorakhpur — illustrated by Maha Muni
- Narasimha, print, Pune, Maharashtra, India (The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Accession No. 2018.276)
- Narasimha Disemboweling Hiranyakashipu, Los Angeles County Museum of Art
The Sabad Project - Wisdom stories 
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