Prahlad and Narasimha Bhagwan

Long ago, there was an asura king named Hiranyakashipu. After a long tapasya, he asked Brahma ji for a strange boon: "Let no human be able to kill me, and no animal. Not inside a house, and not outside. Not by day, and not by night. Not on the ground, and not in the sky. And not with any weapon." Brahma ji granted the boon. Now Hiranyakashipu became very proud. He said, "I am God. No one shall worship Vishnu."

But his own son, Prahlad, was a gentle and calm child. From a very young age he loved Bhagwan Vishnu and always chanted the name "Hari".

One day, Hiranyakashipu sat his son on his lap and asked, "Son, what is the best thing you have learnt at school?" Prahlad said, "Father, the best thing is to listen to stories of Bhagwan, to sing his name and to remember him every moment." Hearing this, the king flew into a rage.

Prahlad also taught his classmates to love Bhagwan. The children would leave their toys to listen to him.

Hiranyakashipu tried many harsh ways to stop Prahlad, but each time nothing happened to him. He simply stayed calm and kept chanting Hari's name.

One evening, the king shouted in anger, "Where is your Vishnu? You say he is everywhere. Is he in this pillar too?" Prahlad folded his hands and said, "Yes, Father, he is in this pillar too. He is everywhere."

The king struck the pillar hard with his fist. At once there was a mighty roar, the pillar broke, and out came a wonderful form, half human and half lion! This was Narasimha Bhagwan.

It was twilight, neither day nor night. Narasimha Bhagwan sat on the doorstep of the palace, neither inside nor outside. He held the king on his lap, neither on the ground nor in the sky. He was neither fully human nor fully animal, and he held no weapon. In this way Brahma ji's boon stayed true, and Hiranyakashipu's cruelty came to an end.

Narasimha Bhagwan's anger had still not cooled. The devtas were afraid to go near him. Then Brahma ji said to Prahlad, "Child, you go." Little Prahlad went forward without fear and bowed. The moment Bhagwan saw him, his anger melted away. He lovingly placed his hand on Prahlad's head and said, "Ask for any boon."

Prahlad said, "Prabhu, I want nothing. Only let my mind always rest in you. And please forgive my father." Bhagwan was pleased and said, "Because of a son like you, your father and your whole family have been made pure."