The Story of Devotee Prahlad - Holika's Tale
The Indian mythology stories. Hindi & English Indian mythological stories Prahlad & Holika.
On the fourteenth day of the bright half of the month of Vaishakha, Lord Narasimha manifested himself, slaying the demon Hiranyakashipu and protecting his devotee Prahlad. Hence, this date is celebrated as a festival. We wonder why we celebrate Holi; behind it lies a mythological story.
The tale goes like this: Sage Kashyapa had two sons named Hiranyaksha and Hiranyakashipu, whose mother was Diti. Hiranyaksha was mighty and was made the king of demons. However, he was a cruel ruler who tormented the devotees of Lord Narayana. As his tyranny grew, he took the earth to the netherworld. But then, Lord Narayana's Varaha avatar slew Hiranyaksha. His brother Hiranyakashipu, incensed by this act, became even more vehement and aggressive. Since Lord Narayana had slain his brother in the form of a boar, Hiranyakashipu began to persecute Narayana's devotees and challenged Narayana that he would soon eradicate all his devotees from the world.
To humble Hiranyakashipu's arrogance and pride, Lord Leeladhar created a play. When Hiranyakashipu went to seek a boon, a tiny devotee of Vishnu entered the womb of his wife Kayadhu, who was about to give birth to Prahlad. To teach devotion to the child growing in Kayadhu's womb, Lord Narayana sent the sage Narada. Narada began narrating tales of Narayana's exploits to the pregnant Kayadhu every day, and Prahlad, still in the womb, listened attentively, thus developing traits of devotion.
Meanwhile, Hiranyakashipu performed severe penance to Brahma and demanded a bizarre boon: he couldn't be killed during the day or night, indoors or outdoors, by any weapon, by any man or beast. In a way, he made himself invincible. With the boon in hand, Hiranyakashipu declared himself the lord of all three worlds and forced everyone to worship him as God. However, blinded by his own power and pride, Hiranyakashipu didn't realize that the playful Vishnu was about to send his greatest enemy's devotee into his own house.
.jpg "God's Narsimha Avtar : The Story of Devotee Prahlad - Holika's Tale & Holi festival")
After some time, Prahlad was born into the great Asura lineage. Prahlad's name means the one who fills the mind with joy. The responsibility of educating Prahlad was given to Shukracharya's sons, Shanda and Amarka. But when Prahlad went to Gurukul, he began his devotion to Vishnu there. Initially, due to being the king's son, both sons of Shukracharya tried to dissuade Prahlad, but his devotion to Hari did not diminish. When Prahlad returned from gurukul to the royal palace, Father Hiranyakashipu tried to test his knowledge by asking him many questions, but Prahlad responded each time by uttering the name of Lord Hari with profound love and devotion. Amazed by his son's knowledge, Hiranyakashipu tried to convince Prahlad that he was the lord of this world. But when Prahlad repeatedly proclaimed Narayana as the ultimate master, Hiranyakashipu began punishing him.
At first, Prahlad was given mild punishments in hopes that he would relent, but when Prahlad didn't give up his devotion to Narayana, he was subjected to severe punishment, from being thrown off a cliff to being trampled by an elephant. In this series, sometimes he was thrown into a boiling pot of oil, and sometimes other attempts were made. When Hiranyakashipu couldn't kill Prahlad, the responsibility of killing him was given to Holika, Hiranyakashipu's sister. Holika had a boon cloak that protected her from fire. To burn Prahlad in the fire, Holika sat with Prahlad in her lap. But through the divine play, Vayu (the wind god) showed a miracle, as a result of which the cloak, which was supposed to protect Prahlad's body, wrapped around him, and Holika was burnt to ashes in the fire. It was due to Holika turning into ashes in the fire that this mythological incident later became the festival of Holi.
As Hiranyakashipu's tyranny escalated, eventually, the Lord's Narasimha avatar ended Hiranyakashipu's life and made Prahlad the king of the demons. However, Prahlad was born not to become a king but to become a true devotee. Although he tried to rule the Asura dynasty in his own way, his mentor, Shukracharya, who had immense disdain for Vishnu, did not want the path Prahlad was treading, which led Prahlad to renounce his throne and go to meditate on Mount Mandara. After Prahlad, Virochana became the king, followed by Bali, who became the king of the Asuras.
This tale of Prahlad signifies the victory of devotion over tyranny and the ultimate triumph of good over evil.
In Hindi Roman Bhakt Prahlad's story Jo Holika & Holi see judi hui hai.
Vaishakh Shukl Chaturdashi ke din Bhagwan Nrisingh ke roop mein prakat hue the jinhone Hiranyakashipu ka vadh kar apne bhakt Prahlad ki raksha ki thi. Isliye yeh tithi ek parv ke roop mein manayi jaati hai. Hum Holi ka parv kyun maante hain iske peeche ek puranik katha hai...
Katha: ( Indian mythology stories)
Rishi Kashyap ke Hiranyaksha aur Hiranyakashipu naamak do putra the jinka mata ka naam Diti tha. Hiranyaksha bada tha isliye use asuron ka raja banaya gaya... Lekin Hiranyakashipu bada hi krur raja tha jo Bhagwan Narayan ke bhakton ko prataadit karta tha... Jab uski atyant badhti gayi toh woh dharti ko samundar ke rasatal mein le gaya... Lekin phir Bhagwan Narayan ke Varah avatar ne Hiranyaksha ka vadh kar diya... Bhai ke vadh se Hiranyakashipu aur adhik utsukh aur ugra ho utha... Kyunki Bhagwan Narayan ne Varah roop mein Hiranyakashipu ke bhai ka vadh kiya tha isliye Hiranyakashipu ne Narayan bhakton ko prataadit karna shuru kiya aur Bhagwan Narayan ko ye chunauti di ki woh bahut jaldi poore sansar se uske sabhi bhakton ko samapt kar dega...
Hiranyakashipu ke isi ghamand aur ahankar ko choor karne ke liye Bhagwan ne ek leela rachi... Jab Hiranyakashipu varadan paane ke liye tap karne gaya toh Bhagwan Vishnu ka ek nanha sa bhakt Hiranyakashipu ki patni Kayadhu ke garbh mein aa gaya jo Prahlad ke roop mein janam lene wala tha... Kayadhu ke garbh mein pal rahe ek asur ke bachche ko bhakti ka paath padhane ke liye Bhagwan Narayan ne Devrishi Narad ko bheja... Devrishi Narad ne roz garbhavati Kayadhu ko Bhagwan Narayan ki leelaon ki katha sunani shuru ki jinhein maa ke garbh mein pal rahe bachcha Prahlad bhi sunta raha jisse usme Hari bhakti ke gun aate gaye...
Idhar Hiranyakashipu ne Brahmadev ki ghorr sadhana ki aur unse ek aisa vichitra varadan maanga jis varadan ke karan Hiranyakashipu ko na toh din mein mara ja sakta tha na raat mein...na ghar ke bheetar na baahar...na kisi pashu ke dwara na maanav ke dwara. Ek tarah se usne swayam ko har prakaar se avdhy kar liya tha... Varadan paakar Hiranyakashipu ne swayam ko teeno lokon ka Bhagwan ghoshit kar liya aur sabko use Bhagwan maankar pooja karwane ke liye badhy karne shuru kar diya...
Lekin uski shakti ke mad ke choor Hiranyakashipu ko ye nahi pata tha ki Leeladhar Vishnu unhi ke ghar mein uske sabse bade shatru ke bhakt ko bhejne wale the... Ek nishchit samay ke baad mahaan asur vansh mein Prahlad ka janam hua. Prahlad jiska matlab hi tha jo man ko ahladit arthat aanand se bhar de... Prahlad ke liye vidya adhyayan ki jimmedaari asuron ke guru Shukracharya ne unke do putron Shand aur Amark ko di... Lekin jab Prahlad gurukul gaya toh wahaan Vishnu ki bhakti shuru kar di... Raja ka putra hone ke kaaran pehle toh Shukracharya ke dono putron ne Prahlad ko samjhaakar is baat ko taalte rahe lekin Prahlad ki Hari bhakti kam nahi hui... Jab Prahlad gurukul se raj mahal lautaa toh pita Hiranyakashipu ne Prahlad ke gyaan ko parakhne ke liye usse kai sawaal jawab kiye lekin Prahlad ne har baar Shri Hari Vishnu ka naam lekar uske prati agaad prem aur bhakti dikhayi...
Apne putra ke is gyaan se achambhit Hiranyakashipu ne Prahlad ko bahut samjhaaya ki uske pita hi is sansaar ke Bhagwan hain. Lekin jab Prahlad ne baar baar Narayan ko hi sarve sarva maana toh phir Hiranyakashipu ne Prahlad ko dand dena shuru kar diya... Pehle pehel toh Prahlad ko chhode-chhote dand diye gaye taaki woh maan jaaye lekin jab Prahlad ne Narayan bhakti nahi chhodi toh use kabhi pahaad se fikvaaya gaya toh kabhi haathi se kuchalwane ki koshish ki gayi. Isi kram mein kabhi use garam tel ke kadahe mein daala gaya toh kabhi kuch aur koshish kiye gaye.
Jab Hiranyakashipu Prahlad ko maar nahi paaya toh Prahlad ko maarne ki jimmedaari Hiranyakashipu ki behen Holika ne li. Holika ke paas ek varadani kambal thi jo agni se rakshit thi... Prahlad ko agni mein bhashm karne ke liye Holika Prahlad ko god mein lekar baith gayi... Lekin ishwar ki leela se vaayudev ne chamatkar dikhaya jiske parinaam swaroop kambal bhakt Prahlad ki deh se lipat gayi aur Holika agni mein jal kar bhashm ho gayi... Holika ke agni mein bhashm hone ke kaaran hi baad mein ishi puranik ghatna ne Holi parv ka roop liya... Hiranyakashipu ki jab ati badhti gayi toh phir antatah Bhagwan Narayan ke Nrisingh avatar ne Hiranyakashipu ka bhi ant kar diya aur Prahlad ko asuron ka raja banaya gaya. Lekin Prahlad raja banne ke liye nahi
balki ek saccha bhakt banne ke liye janma tha. Halanki usne apne tareeke se asur kul ke shasan ko chalane ki bahut koshish ki magar asuron ke guru Shukracharya jinhein Vishnu se apaar ghrina thi unhein asuron ki unnnati ke liye woh marg nahi chahiye tha jis par Prahlad chal rahe the... Baad mein ishi karan Prahlad ne singhasan chhod diya aur Mandarachal parvat par tap karne chale gaye. Prahlad ke baad Virochan raja bana, uske baad raja Bali asuron ke raja bane.
