Sri Nrisimha Chaturdasi

oṁ ajñāna-timirāndhasya
jñānāñjana-śalākayā
chakṣur unmilitaṁ yena
tasmai śrī-gurave namaḥ

vāñchā-kalpatarubhyas’ cha
kṛpā-sindhubhya eva cha
patitānāṁ pāvanebhyo
vaiṣṇavebhyo namo namaḥ

namas te narasiṁhāya
prahlādāhlāda-dāyine
hiraṇyakaśipor vakṣaḥ-
śilā-ṭaṅka-nakhālaye

Jaya Nṛsṁhadeva ki jay. Prahlād Mahārāj ki jay.

Pūra-kāle (in previous age), so long ago in Satya-yuga, this incident happened. [At] that time [the] munis [and the] ṛṣis could go everywhere. And [four such] ṛṣis [were known as the] Chatursana.
Sāgar Mahārāj: Four Kumāras.
Govinda Mahārāj: Four Kumāras, Chatursana: Sanaka, Sanandana, Sanātana and Sanata Kumāra. The four [of them] went to see Lord Viṣṇu in Vaikuṇṭha Dhām. [The] gate-keepers [of Vaikuṇṭha] were Jaya and Vijaya. [Upon arriving] Jaya [and] Vijaya told [them], “Now Lord Viṣṇu [is] resting with Lakṣmīdevī. Take [a] sit [and] later we shall arrange [for you] to see Him.” [The] four ṛṣis were very disappointed and said, “It is Vaikuṇṭha Dhām. When we come here we have [a] right to go [and] see the Lord Viṣṇu. He is also ready to give His darśan (audience), otherwise why [has] He given us entrance in Vaikuṇṭha Dhām to? We think there is no obstacle [for us] to see Him. Don’t [stop us] like this.” But [Jaya and Vijaya said], “It is our duty, sir, what shall we do?”

Then [the] ṛṣis [became] very angry and told, “You are behaving with us like demons, then go to martya-dham, [the] material world, and take birth there as demons.” Then in the meantime, Viṣṇu, [who] knows everything, came out. [When the] ṛṣis gave that curse [Viṣṇu said], “Tathāstu.” Tathāstu means, “What you said, that will be.” And when this divine vibration came out from Viṣṇu’s mouth, [the] ṛṣis were very surprised and Jaya [and] Vijaya were very disappointed. [They said], “Prabhu, You engaged us here [as] Your gate-keepers.” Viṣṇu said, “Yes, it is my wish, otherwise [the] ṛṣis [would] not curse you.” “Your wish?” “Yes, I want to fight, my muscles [are] ‘crunching’, then I need to fight, [to get] some exercise, and with whom shall I fight? You are the perfect fighters against me. Then you go, and I shall go for saving my devotee. It is necessary to create some situation there. You’ll be my devotee’s father and uncle – no problem.” Then they were very unhappy and said, “Prabhu, we want to come back to our duty immediately. Give that opportunity to us.”

And Bhagavān Viṣṇu said, “Yes, if you come immediately, then you will be my enemy there. And if you come [a] little later, by seven births, you will be my friend. What [do] you want?” And they said, “By Your wish we are going, then we want to come back quickly. [So], maybe we will be Your enemy – no problem.” Viṣṇu said, “That is my desire, otherwise why will you fight with me?”

In that way Jaya and Vijaya took birth in the forms of Hiraṇyākṣa and Hiraṇyakaśipu. Both [had a] very demoniacal mentality, because [they were] against [Lord] Viṣṇu. Hiraṇyākṣa wanted to destroy the whole world. [He] took [the] world into the ocean and Bhagavān in the form of Varāhadev dived into the ocean and [saved] the world [and the whole] universe. [Then he] killed that Hiraṇyākṣa, [the] brother of Hiraṇyakaśipu.

Then Hiraṇyakaśipu was very angry and he thought, “Viṣṇu is so powerful.” [The brothers had] forgotten their previous life history. They were thinking, “We are the rulers and controllers of [all the] universes. No-one can oppose us.” [Then Hiraṇyakaśipu thought], “But Viṣṇu [is] opposing us and my brother was very strong, but Viṣṇu killed my brother. Then how much power [does] Viṣṇu have? I can guess something. Then I must be more powerful than Viṣṇu.” [So], he worshiped Brahmā, who was the creator of whole universe. Brahmā was happy with his spiritual austerity, tapasya, and wanted to give him [a] boon. “You take [a] boon from me.” And Hiraṇyakaśipu said, “I want to be immortal. Please give me that.” Brahmā said, “It is not in my hand actually, I cannot give [it to] you. [So, how] can I say ‘Yes’?” Then Hiraṇyakaśipu said, “Then you go.”

Again he tried to satisfy Brahmā with his spiritual austerity. [In] this way, three times [he tried to satisfy Brahmā]. After three times he understood [that] Brahmā could not give immortality, [for] sure. [Then he thought], “I shall take some diplomacy to be immortal.” Then he said, “Okay, but this boon you can give: I shall not die by any animal you created within this universe, by any other man, human [or] animal or anything. [They] cannot kill me.” Brahmā said, “Yes it is. I agree.” “And in the night, [and] in the day, I shall not die.” Brahmā said, “Yes, I agree.” Then he said, “I shall not be killed by any weapon.” Then Brahmā said, “Yes, I agree.”

[In] this way, Hiraṇyakaśipu took boons to avoid the different types of causes of death. Then he was thinking, “Now I am immortal,” and he came back [to] his kingdom. [When he came back he] gave [the] order, “Whoever is [a] devotee of Viṣṇu, kill all [of] them, beat all [of] them, oust all [of] them from my capital! No-one can do Viṣṇu-puja, etc.” He ruled [to the] whole universe: “No-one can do that, no-one can keep connection with Viṣṇu!”

But when he went to [the] jungle for [his] spiritual austerity (tapasya), his wife Kayādhu was pregnant. In the womb of Kayādhu, there was one son and Indra thought [that] this demon’s son must be [another] demon and [that the] demon would get more power. [Hiraṇyakaśipu] had already taken [the demigods’] power and [they] were under his control. [Indra thought], “[If] he will get a good son as a good demon then that will [make] it more difficult for us.” Then Indra wanted to kill that son. [He did not want to kill] Kayādhu, [the mother, but he wanted to kill the son]. [So while] Hiraṇyakaśipu was in the jungle, [Indra] took Kayādhu [away]. [As Indra travelled with Kayādhu], Nārada appeared [on their path].

Nārada said, “Oh Indra, where you are going with this lady? You are doing much wrong, I think.” Indra said, “I shall not do wrong with this lady, but in her womb there is one demon, Hiraṇyakaśipu’s son. When he comes [out], I shall kill him.” And Nārada said, “No, no, no. Inside [is] living a devotee, and he is a devotee of Viṣṇu. Then [it is] not necessary to kill him. For him, [Lord] Viṣṇu will appear in this mundane [world].” Then after hearing from Nārada, [Indra] left Kayādhu and Nārada Goswāmī took her into his āśram. He [wanted to] keep Kayādhu in his āśram until delivery, but Kayādhu asked, “I do not want to give birth to this child before my husband comes back. [Please], give me this boon.” Nārada said, “Yes. When Hiraṇyakaśipu comes back, [at] that time, you will get the son.” “And [my] son will be happy if he will hear Hari-kathā about Viṣṇu and His glories, [that is], what you are chanting and singing in front of me. My son can hear [it] all and he will follow that. As you [are] Guru, please, give him initiation in my womb.” And Nārada gave that [initiation]. Kayādhu [was] also initiated and [when the] boy came out [from] the womb [he was] given [the] name Prahlād. Prahrād and Prahlād, these two names [are] used in Śrīmad Bhāgavatam.

Nārada gave Kayādhu back to her husband and when Hiraṇyakaśipu heard it, he was more angry. He tried to oust [Indra] from heaven. Indra ran away and he conquered heaven also. Hiraṇyakaśipu fought with all the demigods and defeated every one [of them]. Then [the demigods] were very sad and they prayed to Brahmā, “When will our Lord appear?” Brahmā said, “Time is very short, He will come, but in the meantime, all of you pray to Lord Viṣṇu. He will come.”

When Prahlād [reached] the age for learning, [around] four, Hiraṇyakaśipu gave him to his Guru’s āśram. [As] he was the king’s son, he was to be trained as a king. [The] Guru was Śukrāchārya. [In his] house he had two sons, one [was called] Ṣaṇḍa and the other Amarka. Ṣaṇḍa and Amarka were taking care of Prahlād, as he lived in [the] Guru’s kṛpā (house).

Prahlād was so qualified in the Kṛṣṇa conception [that] when he was there he was always thinking [of] Kṛṣṇa and preaching to his friends, [the other] boys, [on the] Kṛṣṇa conception. After one year, Hiraṇyakaśipu [was] thinking [that his] son [had] learnt something, maybe ABCD, etc. He [then] called Ṣaṇḍa and Amarka [to] bring his son [into the] assembly, “I want to see my son.” They brought Prahlād, and Hiraṇyakaśipu took Prahlād on his lap and gave [him] much affection. He then asked Prahlād, “Please tell me what you [have] learned in your Gurudeva’s school. Maybe [it is] ABCD or anything.” But Prahlād [was] thinking [that] his Guru was Nārada Goswāmī [and] he told Hiraṇyakaśipu [the] lesson that he learned from Nārada:

tat sādhu manye ’sura-varya dehināṁ
sadā samudvigna-dhiyām asad-grahāt
hitvātma-pātaṁ gṛham andha-kūpaṁ
vanaṁ gato yad dharim āśrayeta
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 7.5.5)

[Prahlād said], “‘Tat sādhu’ I learned from my Guru, that it is very good for everyone [to] leave mundane attachment, go to the jungle and worship Lord Kṛṣṇa. That is very good, I think.” 0:17:57Hiraṇyakaśipu heard [this and exclaimed], “What are you saying? You are telling [us to] worship Viṣṇu.” Prahlād said, “Yes, father, this is [the] best. Be detached with this material world, and go to the jungle and worship Lord Viṣṇu.” [Hiraṇyakaśipu] was very angry with [Prahlād’s] teachers and chastised them [very] much, “Bhāger kore ghoger bhāṣā!, – You taught this [to] my son! Take [him] back and give [him] perfect lessons [with] perfect teachings. I shall call again after one year and if I see anything wrong, then I shall punish you!”

Prahlād went back and Ṣaṇḍa and Amarka asked [him], “Oh Prahlād, what [have] you told your father? We [did] not teach that to you. We taught [you general knowledge], politics, many things, but [we did not] teach you [this]. Where [did] you learn it?” Prahlād replied, “If I try to learn, I cannot learn without [the] mercy of Lord Viṣṇu. By His mercy and His devotees’ mercy; [that is] the only cause [for] getting that consciousness.” “Mahīyasāṁ pāda-rajo-’bhiṣekaṁ…

naiṣāṁ matis tāvad urukramāṅghriṁ
spṛśaty anarthāpagamo yad-arthaḥ
mahīyasāṁ pāda-rajo-’bhiṣekaṁ
niṣkiñchanānāṁ na vṛṇīta yāvat
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 7.5.32)

“After leaving all mundane attachment, [he] who is always engaging his energy for the service [to] Lord Kṛṣṇa, is the real sādhu. Until [one] takes [the] feet dust [of] that sādhu [on their] head, [they will not] get this conception, this consciousness about Kṛṣṇa. [So, in] some way, I have got [the] mercy of [a] devotee and through that I have got [this conception].” [Ṣaṇḍa and Amarka] had not seen anyone and they did not [know that] in the womb of his mother he [had] heard [this teaching, so how could] Ṣaṇḍa and Amarka understand it?

Anyhow, they then tried [their best] to teach Prahlād, but [in the classes the] other boys did not like to hear the teachings of Ṣaṇḍa and Amarka. [When] Ṣaṇḍa and Amarka left the classroom, Prahlād Mahārāj [would] teach the boys.

kaumāra ācharet prājño
dharmān bhāgavatān iha
durlabhaṁ mānuṣaṁ janma
tad apy adhruvam arthadam
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam  7.6.1)

“[Oh boys], you do not know, but you have got [this] birth and it is not for spending time for mundane happiness. Actually, [it is] necessary to worship Lord Viṣṇu for [His] satisfaction. [It is] necessary to hear the glories of Viṣṇu, to speak the glories of Viṣṇu, to do archan, vandana, etc.”

Prahlād Mahārāj told the boys,

śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ
smaraṇaṁ pāda-sevanam
archanaṁ vandanaṁ dāsyaṁ
sakhyam ātma-nivedanam
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 7.5.23)

“Give yourself to the lotus feet of Viṣṇu and worship Lord Viṣṇu. [Then] you will get [the] super-benefit of your life.”

They heard it from Prahlād and they were very happy. Then they were chanting the Holy Name of Lord Viṣṇu [in the school] and sometimes from afar, Ṣaṇḍa and Amarka heard it. [They] were very angry, but Prahlād was [the] king’s son, [so they] could not beat him. They came and they told [him in] several ways, “Do not do this, [it] is very dangerous, you do not know. [This] whole school will be destroyed by Hiraṇyakaśipu.” Prahlād [would] not hear from them and [the other] boys [would also] not hear from [them].

[Ṣaṇḍa and Amarka] were very fearful. [Then] after two sittings [of the assembly and] their failure to teach Prahlād, they told Hiraṇyakaśipu, “We are unable to teach him. His mind [is] completely crazy and he [is] only [giving] advice to everyone. He [has] taken the chair of teacher and [is giving his] teachings to [the] other demons’ [children]. We cannot control him, sir. Please, excuse our offences.”

Hiraṇyakaśipu was very angry to hear that. In the meantime [he] tried to give some teachings, but [it] was not appropriate for Prahlād. Finally he wanted to kill Prahlād. [He] told his servants, “Take him and throw [him] from the mountain.”

They threw Prahlād from the mountain, but Viṣṇu saved him. “Throw [him] in the ocean.” [They] threw him in the ocean [and again Viṣṇu saved him]. They tried to kill him in many different ways. [They] threw him [in] a well, [but he was saved]. [They] put him in front of [a] mad elephant, [thinking that the] mad elephant would smash him. But [the] elephant took Prahlād to his head and the elephant [began to] dance. [In] this way Hiraṇyakaśipu was [very] disturbed [as] no-one could kill his [son]. [He] was so angry and he said to Ṣaṇḍa and Amarka, “Bring him in front [of me and] I shall kill him.”

Then Prahlād came [with] folded hands in front of his father. [His] father said, “Oh, you are so crazy. Indra, Chandra, Vāyu, Varuṇa, all the demigods are so fearful [of] me. Even that Yamarāja, he is cutting the grass for my horse, and you have no fear [of] me! Where have you got that bal (power)?” Prahlād said,

na kevalaṁ me bhavataś cha rājan
sa vai balaṁ balināṁ chāpareṣām
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 7.8.7)

“It is not only my power, [it is] your power also. What you are saying — you are doing [those things] by His power. By His power everything [has] happened. Why [are] you asking [me] this? Without His mercy, without His power, [the] jīva-soul cannot do anything. I have got power from Viṣṇu.”

[In] this way Hiraṇyakaśipu and Prahlād [discussed] several topics in their conversation. When Hiraṇyakaśipu could no [longer] tolerate, his body was shaking. From that place I am reading something from Śrīmad Bhāgavatam and explaining it....