THE STORY OF PRINCE PRAHLAD

A HINDU STORY TOLD AT THE

TIME OF THE FESTIVAL OF HOLI.

Key Ideas: Hinduism, standing up for your beliefs,

Long ago in India lived a demon king whose name was Haranyakshipu. This was a special name, meaning “dressed in gold.” The king believed he was so powerful and so important that he ordered his people to worship him. They were not to worship God or to spread his name. The king’s sister, Holika, worshipped him as she was told. She was a demoness, and was said to have special powers, given to her by Agni, the god of fire. Her powers protected her from the dangers of flame and fire. She believed she could never be burned.

The king’s son, Prince Prahlad, was a strong minded young man. He believed his father was wrong, and refused to bow down to him. Prahlad knew this was dangerous, but whenever he felt afraid he called out “Vishnu, Vishnu.” Prahlad was devoted to Vishnu, the aspect of the one great God who preserves life. Prahlad knew he was safe in Vishnu’s care.

Haranyakshipu was angry when he heard of his son’s disobedience. The longer he thought about it, the more he became determined to kill his son. In a rage, he ordered the palace guards to sharpen their swords and cut the prince into tiny pieces. As the guards approached Prahlad, he called out “Vishnu, Vishnu.” Suddenly the soldiers lost their strength, and were unable to kill him.

The king was, by now, furious. He called for strong men to throw his son into a pit of poisonous snakes. As the snakes writhed and hissed around him, Prahlad called out “Vishnu, Vishnu.” Suddenly the snakes wriggled away from the prince, and left him alone.

In a rage, Haranyakshipu had Prahlad thrown into the sea, and hoped he would drown. The prince called out “Vishnu, Vishnu.” Suddenly, the waves turned and carried him safely back to the shore.

The king was beside himself. He ordered a herd of giant elephants to be brought to the palace, and commanded his guards to watch until Prahlad had been trampled to death. The elephants arrived, the guards watched. As the herd turned to trample on the prince he called out “Vishnu, Vishnu.” Suddenly the elephants stopped, and left him alone. The guards returned to the king with their news.

In desperation the king summoned his sister, the demoness, Holika. She soothed her brother, and told him she would make sure Prince Prahlad was killed. She decided to call up her special powers, and built a huge bonfire. The guards were set, ready to light the wood as soon as Holika gave the signal. The evil demoness tricked the Prince into climbing to the top of the bonfire. She grabbed him, and held him tight, cackling as she called out to the guards to light the fire.

As soon as Prahlad realised what was happening he cried out to Vishnu for help. “Vishnu, Vishnu,” he called. Vishnu was strong, stronger than the powers of the demoness. The power of Holika was broken. It was she who burned in the flames, and Prahlad was protected.