|
Description of: NRISIMHADEVA
Artist: Jadurani
Devi Dasi
Prahlada was the saintly son of Hiranyakashipu,
an evil king. Hiranyakashipu had received a benediction from Lord Brahma that he could not be killed in the day or night,
on the land or in the sky; in the inside or outside. He could not be killed by any animal, man or demigod, or killed by any
weapon. In so many ways Hiranyakashipu tried to circumvent death. When Prahlada was five years old, he instructed his father
to worship Lord Krishna. Hiranyakashipu became enraged and tried to kill his son. When he asked his son if Krishna was in
a nearby pillar, Prahlada replied that Krishna was everywhere and, yes, He was in that pillar. Hiranyakashipu struck the pillar
with a sword, and the Lord appeared from the column as a half-man, half-lion. The Lord took Hiranyakashipu on his lap in a
doorway, which was neither land nor sky, nor inside or outside. Lord Nrisimhadeva was neither man, animal or demigod. The
Lord killed Hiranyakashipu with His nails which was not a weapon. In this way the Lord killed the demon circumventing all
the benedictions given by Brahma. No one can cheat death. The pastime is mentioned in the Srimad-Bhagavatam,
7th canto, chapters 2-10.
|
