At the signal from Hiranyakashipu, Holika picked up Prahlada in her arms and walked up to the pyre to mount it. The boy asked, “Auntie dear, where are you taking me to?”
“We are going on a very very long journey, my dear nephew,” Holika revealed mysteriously.
“I don’t want to go to any journey with you.” I don’t feel like it.”
“Dear nephew, it is a very interesting journey. You will see creatures you have never seen before. For a child like you it is going to be a great fun.”
“If this journey is so interesting we may take my mother along. She should also see those wonderful creatures you are talking about.”
“But we can’t take her along.”
“Why?”
“There is a reason, my dear. I will tell you about it later.
“Then I won’t come with you on the journey. With mother I would have come along.”
“But son, we are undertaking this journey at the command of your father, the demon lord.”
“I see. If that is the situation I will have to go along with you. I don’t want to disobey the wishes of my dear father.”
“That is like a good boy.” Holika patted the back of Prahlada and said, “Come along.”
She began to mount the stairs that led to the top of that mountain high pyre.
“Auntie dear!” Prahlada looked at the stairs that went up high.” Where do the stairs lead to?”
“Straight up to the heaven, my dear.”
“Heaven! Same place where the gods live?”
“The same place, dear boy.”
“Very good! Shall I be able to meet the gods?”
“Of course, you will. You will be able to talk to them and may be even play with them.”
“Aha! Let us move faster.”
Holika smiled and began to mount the stairs at faster pace. Very soon they came up on the top of the pyre. Holika left the stairs and walked to the middle of the pyre top platform with Prahlada in tow. There she sat down cross legged. Prahlada frowned.
“Auntie! You said the stairs lead to the heaven, I can’t see any heaven here. We are only at the top of this pile up of woods.”
“This is the take off stage, dear boy. Very soon you will see Fire god arrive in his aerial craft and on it we shall proceed to heaven.”
“Really, huh?” Prahlada squealed innocently. He happily sat in the lap of Holika.
Meanwhile Holika signalled to the demons to set the pyre on fire. The staircase was removed and the pyre was set on fire at the command of the demon lord.
The flames leapt up. The pyre turned into an inferno. Flames covered the figures of the sitting Holika and Prahlada in her lap.
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