page_title: Prahlada
section_title: The story of Prahlāda
hierarchical_section_title: Prahlada / Story / The story of Prahlāda
caption_attribution_description: English: THESE ARE FROM A 100 YEAR OLD BOOK, available in the British library in London.
context_page_description: Prahlada was a king, the son of Hiranyakashipu and Kayadhu, and the father of Virochana. He belonged to the Kashyapa gotra. He is described as a saintly boy from the Puranas known for his piety and bhakti to Vishnu. Despite the abusive nature of his father, Hiranyakashipu, he continued his devotion towards God Vishnu. He is considered to be a mahājana, or great devotee, by followers of Vaishnava traditions and is of special importance to devotees of Narasimha avatar. A treatise is accredited to him in the Bhagavata Purana in which Prahlāda describes the process of loving worship to Vishnu. The majority of stories in the Puranas are based on the activities of Prahlāda as a young boy, and he is usually depicted as such in paintings and illustrations.
context_section_description: Prahlāda—while being in his mother's womb—got to hear sweet Narada's chants. He was taught by Narada in early childhood. As a result, he was devoted towards Vishnu. His father didn't like his Spiritual inclination and tried to warn Prahlāda.
  Despite several warnings from his father Hiranyakashipu, Prahlāda continued to worship Vishnu instead. His father then decided to commit filicide and poison Prahlāda, but he survived. He then trampled the boy with elephants, but the boy still lived. Then he put Prahlāda in a room with venomous snakes, and they made a bed for him with their bodies.
  Prahalada was then thrown from a valley into a river but was saved by Vishnu.
  Holika, the sister of Hiranyakashipu, was blessed in that she could not be hurt by fire. Hiranyakashipu put Prahlāda on the lap of Holika as she sits on a pyre. Prahlāda prayed to Vishnu to keep him safe. Holika then burned to death as Prahlāda is left unscathed. This event is celebrated as the Hindu festival of Holi.
   
  After tolerating abuse from Hiranyakashipu, Prahlāda is eventually saved by Narasiṁha, Vishnu in the form of a man-lion chimera, who emerges from within a stone pillar, who places the king on his thighs, and kills him with his sharp nails at the entrance to his home at dusk, thus nullifying all of Hiranyakashipu's boon of virtual immortality.
  Prahlāda eventually becomes king of the daityas and attains a place in the abode of Vishnu (Vaikuntha) after his death.
caption: Prahlada showing his father that Vishnu exists everywhere
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