Prahlad

I was very uncomfortable inside my mother’s womb. I totally detested being cooped up inside the confined environment and in the midst of the body fluids. I repeatedly wondered why I was sitting in this unfortunate state when I heard the words clearly and loudly and serenely, the chant ”Om Namo Narayana”.My whole being attained a peace in just that moment. I then knew the purpose of my going to take this birth.I wondered where from such a voice sounded and to my utter happiness the voice continued to talk about the greatness of Lord Narayana and the wonders of his divine grace. I continued to hear the voice whom then I identified as Sage Naradar in the presence of my mother Kayadu.
Sage Narada had intervened to save Kayadu when her home with her husband Hiranyakashipu was attacked by Indra and other devas. I listened long and eagerly to what the Sage had to say about Lord Narayana. Needless to say my stay inside the womb and my birth thereafter was totally dedicated to the Lord and in chanting the divine name did I find peace and purpose and pure bliss.Once outside in the world of Hiranyakashipu, I realized that the world inside the confinement of the womb and the world outside at large were two different worlds.
Mainly because inside the womb I could dedicate my mind to Lord Narayana and my mouth and heart to the chanting of the divine name in peace but outside I was rudely awakened to the fact that my father did not want anything to do with the divine.I was subjected to many tortures to abandon my use of the divine name. I could not. For me it was the sight and sound of Lord Narayana every where. However I could not understand why the divine name bothered my father so.My father poisoned me and got me to be trampled by elephants and put me in a room with venomous snakes but I prayed to my Lord Narayana to save me and he did.This only served to anger my father further as he considered Vishnu his enemy. My father then resolved to eliminate me himself. He asked me to acknowledge himas the supreme lord of the universe.
I was mind boggled and baffled at this demand. Did not my father see that my Lord Narayana could be the ONLY supreme power in earth and heaven.? Why then did my father demand so? Why then did my father not accept this truth?I refused with my whole heart that there was any other supreme lord but Lord Narayana.This infuriated my father so much that he asks me pointing to a nearby pillar, “Is your Vishnu in this pillar?”. I answer with the calmness that pervades in every soul on this earth who have accepted the Narayana within ,”He was, He is and He will be”.
My father unable to control his anger and madly infuriated then smashes the pillar with his mace. There followed a tumultuous sound and Vishnu in the form of Narasimha appears from it and in defense of me he moves to attack my father and destroys Hiranyakashipu. I stand in awe , my hands folded in greeting unbeknown to me and I pray. Lord Narasimha accepts my prayers kindly and crowns me king before he departs.With tears in my eyes for the Lord’s kindness and love in my heart for his greatness, I wait till I would be with my Lord Narayana again.