Bhaktha Prahlada

The Four Kumaras visit Vaikuntha, the abode of Vishnu, seeking entry. Jaya-Vijaya fail to recognise them and refuse them access. In anger, the Kumaras curse the gatekeepers, condemning them to give up divinity and be born as mortals on Earth.

Vishnu offers two remedies to the curse: be his devotees in seven human lives or be his enemies in three demonic lives. The gatekeepers cannot lift the curse and choose the latter path. They accept the challenge of living as demons on Earth.

Hiranyakashipu and Hiranyaksha are born to Kashyapa and Earth goddess Diti at sunset, during an inauspicious time. Hiranyaksha torments the Earth, prompting Bhudevi to seek Vishnu's help. Vishnu descends as Varaha the boar and defeats Hiranyaksha, saving the planet.

Hiranyakashipu prays to Brahma to grant him immortality. He becomes immune to death by various means, including killing by man or beast. This power emboldens him to challenge the celestial order.

Indra attempts to kill Hiranyakashipu's wife Leelavathi and her unborn child. Narada intervenes and brings Leelavathi to his hermitage, where she gives birth to Prahlada. The newborn is destined to become a devout follower of Vishnu.

Hiranyakashipu invades Vaikuntha in search of Vishnu but cannot find him. Having proclaimed himself ruler of all celestial worlds, he returns to Earth. The deities approach Vishnu, who vows to kill Hiranyakashipu at the proper time.

Five years pass before Prahlada is sent to the hermitage of Chanda-Amarka for education. Upon his return, he remains a devout devotee of Vishnu despite his father's hostility. His steadfast faith foreshadows the coming clash.

Hiranyakashipu questions Prahlada and asks him to stop worshipping Srihari. Prahlada politely declines, insisting on his devotion. The father’s disapproval deepens the rift between father and son.

Hiranyakashipu starves Prahlada and imprisons him in a dark room in a bid to break his faith. Prahlada remains steadfast, continuing to praise Vishnu despite the brutality. The tyrant grows increasingly desperate.

When starvation fails, Hiranyakashipu orders soldiers to crush Prahlada with elephants and to hurl him off a cliff. Each deadly attempt is thwarted by Srihari, who protects the boy and carries him through danger. The boy survives each peril to remain steadfast in devotion.

The soldiers summon snake charmers to harm Prahlada with venomous snakes. Prahlada prays to Srihari, and the snakes transform into garlands of roses. The charmers, awed by his immunity, bow to him and declare him their leader.

Hiranyakashipu orders Prahlada's hands and feet bound and casts him into the sea, convinced the boy is dead. Prahlada endures the sea ordeal, and Srihari rescues him, returning him safely to his family. The mother's anguish turns to relief as the devotee survives again.

Hiranyakashipu offers Prahlada poisoned milk to witness his death. Prahlada drinks it and survives, asserting that Srihari is omnipresent. The tyrant grows furious, unable to crush his son’s unwavering faith.

Hiranyakashipu breaks a pillar, and Narasimha, Vishnu's man-lion avatar, erupts from it. He defeats and kills Hiranyakashipu, ending the elder demon's tyranny. Prahlada and the celestial beings praise the avatar's deed.

Narasimhā’s rage subsides as Prahlada and the deities hail the avatar. Vishnu reappears in his divine form and crowns Prahlada as king of the demons, advising him to rule with virtue and wisdom. The cycle of vengeance closes as cosmic order is restored.