The charged atmosphere greatly worried the gurus. All their pupils were openly expressing faith in Bhagwat Dharma. For them Vishnu had become their divine idol. The gurus admonished the boys and asked them who was doing all that antidemonic acts although they knew well who could be behind all that. The boys truthfully admitted that Prahlada was the one who had converted them into Vishnu faithfuls. All that trust teachers had put in Prahlada had gone to waste. Now they understood Prahlada was an incorrigible boy as far as devotion to Vishnu was concerned. And now it was dangerous to let him stay in the gurukul. He could spoil all the boys and gurus will pay the price for his adamance. The demon lord would not spare them. Now gurus wanted to get rid of the boy. In this regard Guru Shanda decided to meet the demon lord Hiranyakashipu.
He went to court of the demon lord and sadly informed, “My Lord! We tried everything with Prince Prahlada to reform him but now we realise that he is beyond any reforms. Like an addiction his mind is committed to his Vishnu.”
“Guru, how did you reach this decision which has a ring of finality to it. Something has happened. Why?”
“Yes, my lord. We had gone out for a few days on an important mission. We trusted Prahlada to stay the straight course he had been on for quite some time. He hadn’t uttered the name of Vishnu. We were assured. When we returned to our shock we found our gurukul turned into a centre of worship of Vishnu. In our absence he had converted all our pupil into Vishnu devotees.”
“That is very bad,” Hiranyakashipu said and he snarled, “That traitor boy is very determined to work against the interests of the demonic race. He is a stigma on my dynasty. We will deal ourselves with that bundle of treachery.”
Guru Shanda looked at the terribly angry face of Hiranyakashipu and shuddered.
The demon lord ordered, “Soldiers! Bring that menace of a boy from the gurukul to our presence!
“As you command, Lord,” said the soldiers and at once departed to bring the culprit.
In a very short time the soldiers brought the boy from the gurukul to the court using a fast chariot.
The demonic court was on. Hiranyakashipu was seething in anger. Others sat apprehensively fearing some dreadful thing to happen. It was a lull before the storm.
“Traitor boy!” Hiranyakashipu looked at his son with burning eyes and thundered, “You refuse to mend yourself even after so many warnings and punishments. That is extreme adamance.”
“Forgive me, father. I am not adamant. Infact I hate adamance and indiscipline.”
“Fine! And we have heard that you are spoiling the other pupil of the gurukul by converting them into the faithfuls of our enemy! A teacher you have become to propagate anti-demonic theories!”
“Respected father, I did tell my mates the wisdom of devotion to Lord Vishnu. They were convinced and began to follow my advice. I did not deliver any sermon. I just told them the truth that Bhagwata was the true religion worth following. It is the sustainer of the creation and every one must worship him as a common sense. That is all.”
“Agent of my enemy!” Hiranyakashipu roared, “Here I stand before you who has conquered all the three worlds and who is feared by all the kings of the various domains. Yet you sing the praises of that coward Vishnu who is holed up somewhere for fear of me. What inspires you to do it? And how dare you?”
“Father, one who goes in the fold of Vishnu he is freed of all fears. Nothing scares him. He knows the truth that all the powers of the world are insignificant before the infinite force of the Power Eternal whose manifestation Vishnu is. Such knower of truth bows only before the Almighty and none else.”
“I see! You are not going to mend ways. I will burn down the very source of your courage and daring. You will see how I will do it. Watch out!”
Hiranyakashipu ordered his soldiers to heat up an iron pillar that stood in the demonic court. It was erected there just to punish the traitors and heinous criminals. The culprit was tied to the red hot pillar and killed causing extremely tortuous death. Hiranyakashipu wanted his son Prahlada to meet the same fate.
Very soon the iron pillar was heated red hot. In intense heat it radiated in pink glow.
Hiranyakashipu guffawed, “Today we will destroy all your miracle powers. We will see how strong your mysterious power is! There is still time boy. You can denounce Vishnu and come into my fold to save yourself from the torture.”
Prahlada shook his head. “I have full faith in the powers of my Almighty Lord.”
The demon lord ordered the executioners, “Soldiers! Tie this boy to the red hot pillar!”
“As you command, lord!” the soldiers said.
Prahlada looked at the terrifying red hot pillar. Strangely he felt no terror. He closed his eyes and thought of his Lord Vishnu. If he was destined to die in this way he was ready for it.
He felt that the demonic soldiers had come close to him and were trying to hold him from his flanks. He looked at the red hot pillar and something there astonished him. He stared at the scene with more concentration to make sure it was no illusion.
The lines of red, white and black ants were creeping over that red hot surface of the pillar. They were not getting burnt or suffering in any way. It was perhaps a divine message to Prahlada that he need not fear from the red hot pillar. It had no terrors for him.
He invoked the name of Vishnu, signalled to the soldiers to stand away and walked to the pillar at his own free will and embraced it as everyone around watched stunned. With bulging eyes the demon lord stared at his defiant son.
Prahlada stood with pillar in his tight embrace. No harm had come to him. It appeared as if Prahlada were holding a long lost friend in his loving embrace.
The assemblage of the demons watched in pin drop silence. No words came out of their mouths. All were looking at Prahlada in silent admiration and then at Hiranyakashipu to see what the next move of the demon lord could be.
After a lot of mulling over, Hiranyakashipu said, “We can see that someone has taught you some kind of sorcery or illusion trick. But these magic or the sorcery powers do not impress me. I have conquered all the godly, demonic and illusion powers of maya. Silly boy, you can fool others with your tricks but not me. If black magic was real power then these worlds would have been under the rule of bugglers and witches.”
“Father, believe me. I am not using any black magic or illusion. I don’t have any maya.” Prahlada had turned to face Hiranyakashipu and stood leaning against the red hot pillar.
“Then, tell me, how come no weapons work against your body? Is it made of thin air or is diamond hard.”
“My body is ordinary. It is made of bones and the flesh just like anyone’s.”
“So, why can’t fire burn it, water drown it, swords cut it, spears impale it, fall from heights does not harm it and weight of elephants does not crush it?” Hiranyakashipu screamed, “I am sure you have gained some sorcery powers from someone. Someone who is our enemy and wants to use you against me by instigating you with magic powers. Reveal the name of that instigator and we might pardon you for your devilish pranks.”
“Father,” Prahlada spoke with due respect to his sire,” Whatever power I have is the gift of my revered Lord Vishnu to enable me to face the demonic excesses. The name of my Lord, prayer to him and thinking of him infuses me with powers to defeat the torments of the dark forces.”
“Now enough of that! Don’t say a word more in praise of that coward Vishnu. Today I must see where your Almighty Vishnu hides? Tell me where is he?”
“Lord Vishnu is omnipresent. He is every where and in every particle of this universe. He is present in his faithfuls to protect them from all woes and troubles.”
“So your Vishnu is everywhere and in every particle. He should be in that hot iron pillar as well. Call him out of it!” Hiranyakashipu thundered. You are proud of him and he will materialise to rescue you from any adverse situation?”
“Father, he deserves to be proud of. I am very proud of him and have full faith in him,” the boy spoke with commitment and confidence.
“So, today we will shatter your pride and faith in Vishnu to pieces. You shall no more be proud of him,” Hiranyakashipu roared, “Suppose you are in a dire situation and you need the help of your Lord very urgently. Call out to him to walk out of that iron pillar for your benefit. Let everyone here see for himself the shape of your revered Lord.”
By now angry Hiranyakashipu was talking like a rumbling cloud. The demons stared in fright at their lord. The walls of the court and the floor trembled.
He groaned like a wounded animal and drew out his sword from the sheath. In the light the metals of his sword glinted and flashed. From his throne he walked forward towards the steps that led from the stage to the court floor. Step by Step the demon lord descended. The sword in his hand swayed as he walked menacingly. The demon lord had a face darkened in rage. He truly looked a terrifying demon no one would like to come across.
Hiranyakashipu reached the pillar and looked at his son as if he were sizing up a dangerous creature.
Any mortal would have fainted out of fear in face of the furious demon lord. But Prahlada was not impressed. He stood calmly like before.
Others watched the confrontation between the father and his son with growing apprehension. They had a foreboding that something terrible was imminent.
For a long time Hiranyakashipu walked around the pillar examining his son from different angles with a scowling face. Then he realised that he was making no impression on the boy. He felt challenged. Hiranyakashipu screamed, “You are one disgraceful boy that is proving a woe for his sire. You are a traitor, Prahlada!”
“Please calm down father,” Prahlada spoke with folded hands, “Acts committed in anger are never correct and they leave a bad sore behind. It is no good.”
“You advise me to stay calm after having destroyed my peace! My sword will cut you into pieces and then you will rest in peace.”
