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PRAHLADA I 597 PRAHLADA while Prahlada was repeating his chantings of Visnu's ing the hide of Krsna deer and matted hair on thei name Hiranyaka'ipu Dumped up from his seat with heads. By their side were two divine bows, Sarnga and sword in his hand and asked Prahlada where his Visnu Ajagava with two never-empty quivers. Prahlada mis- was. Prahlada very calmly replied that Visnu was pre- took them for two fake sannyasins and therefore question- sent everywhere even in stones, trees or the pillars of ed them thus : "Why are you thus falsely trading on the palace. Hiranyakasipu in uncontrollable rage struck virtuousness ? What connection is there between matted the nearest pillar with his sword. Then to the shock- hair and penance and weapons of such supreme qual- ing surprise of Hiranyakasipu Mahavisnu in the form of ity ?" Then one of the rsis, Nararsi, said "King of dait- a fierce man-lion (Narasirhha) jumped out from the yas, why do you think like that ? If one is powerful pillar. The figure was terrifying to look at. It had fiery whatever one does will be right. "Prahlada jeered and said fixed limits for virtue and eyes, a dagger-like tongue with blood oozing from it, "When I, who have righte- shaggy neck with trembling eyebrows, two teeth one ousness, am here what power can you wield?" Nara on each side curved like the crescent moon, a black face replied "Oh king, our ability is really supreme. There inside a cave-like heap of manes, hairs strong and point- is nobody in the three worlds to conquer us in a fight." ed like diamond needles, nails white and cup-like and Prahlada got furious on hearing the boasting of the rsi a body as bright and brilliant as a thousand crores of and took a vow thus immediately : "I will fight and suns. Only Prahlada could stand before the figure and win against Naranarayanas." Then the great Prah- look at it. lada keeping aside his army in the forest took his bow The man-lion jumped on the body of Hiranyakasipu and made a thundering noise with it. and tearing open the belly of Hiranyakasipu took the At once Nara took his Ajagava bow and showered arr- bloody intestines out and wearing it round its neck ows on Prahlada with it. But Prahlada broke them all performed a naked dance. Everything happened in no with his gold-plated matchless arrows. Nara got angry time and the Narasimha changing into the form of when he found all his arrows broken to pieces so easily Mahavisnu blessed Prahlada and then disappeared. by Prahlada and he sent different kinds of arrows in (7th Skandha, Bhagavata). quick succession. But the daitya king replied with aston- 7) Prahlada and Naranarayanas. When Hiranyaka'ipu ishing rapidity. For one arrow of Nara the daitya sent was killed Prahlada was crowned as emperor of the two and the fight became grim. Nara covered the whole demons in Patala. At that time, once Cyavana the best of world above with arrows and the daitya emperor smash- the Bhrgus, went to Nagakulesvaratirtha to bathe in the ed them all to pieces by his gold-plated ones. Narmada. He saw Mahadeva there. When he entered The fight then turned to one with divine weapons. The the waters of the river a serpent Kekaralohita by name asura chief took the divine Brahmastra and then Nara bit him and took him to Patala. Cyavana meditated on took the fierce Narayanastra. They met in the air and Visnu when he was bitten by the serpent and so he was fell down powerless. When his Brahmastra got fused not affected by the poison of the serpent. He therefore, Prahlada got wild with anger and taking a mace jump- roamed about in Patala accepting the hospitality of the ed out of his chariot and rushed at Nara. When Nara- serpent maidens. Travelling thus he reached the land yana saw the daitya chief rushing towards Nara with of the danavas. He was worshipped by the daityas there his mace he asked Nara to step aside and faced the and Prahlada finding an ascetic of great saintliness hon- demon himself. Prahlada then attacked Narayana and oured and worshipped by his people received him with hit him with the mace. But the mace broke into a hun- respect and worshipped him and enquired abo.ut him. dred pieces and Prahlada was forced to use other wea- Cyavana said : "I came today to see Nagakulesvara pons. The fight became ghastly and even devas assem- and bathe in the Narmada river. But as soon as I en- bled above to witness the fight. When Prahlada found tered the river I was caught by a serpent and was it was getting more and more difficult for him to defeat brought to Patala. I was thus able to see you. "Hearing the Naranarayanas he prayed to Mahavisnu for help. the words of Cyavana the lord of the daityas said : "Oh, Visnu appeared before him and when Prahlada asked Bhagavan, which are all the sacred tirthas of the earth, him the reason why he could not defeat Naranarayanas, which are in the heavens and which all in Patala ? Visnu replied that they were the sons of Dharmadeva Please do us." who were invincible could be won enlighten Cyavana replied ; "Mighty by weapons. They king, Naimisa is the best of all tirthas on earth, Puskara over only by devotion. in the heavens and Cakratirtha in Patala." Hearing that Prahlada returned to Patfxla and entrust- The daitya emperor turned to the danavas and said ing the administration of his kingdom to his cousin "Make all preparations immediately. We must go to Andhaka, son of Hiranyaksa, Prahlada returned to earth to bathe in the holy tTrtha, Naimisa. We can then Badarikasrama and erecting an asrama there started a see Pundarlkaksa (lotus-eyed) Visnu sitting there as penance to propitiate Naranarayanas. When Nara- Pitambara (robed in yellow)." Hearing this danavas narayanas appeared before him Prahlada requested to with heavy equipments started from Patala with their be pardoned for fighting against them. They pardoned king to the earth. him and blessed him and Prahlada returned to Patala. All the mighty danavas reached the forest of Naimisa Even after his return Prahlada did not take back the and after bathing in the holy pond there went for hunt- administration from Andhaka. He constructed an ing. During their wanderings they found the river Sar- asrama away from the palace and lived there performing asvati, flowing with crystal-like water. On the shore of penance. He spent many years there as an advisor the same they saw a pine tree covered with arrows. The to the asura Kings. (Chapters 7 and 8, Vamana arrows were sticking to it one above another. The arr- Purana). ows looked like serpents and the gruesome sight roused 8) Blessings of Sukra. Andhaka, son of Hiranyaksa, Prahlada's anger. Near that tree sat two ascetics wear- ruled over the empire only for a short time. At that time.
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