Dear Parents,
Last week, the kids practiced their Nrsimha Prayers.
[Note: Please check the older posts for the prayers.]
Story:
Once, Hiranyakashipu sent for Prahalad and asked him what the best thing was that he had learned from his teachers. Prahalad Maharaj answered that one should do devotional service to reach the Supreme Lord. Hiranyakashipu sent Prahalad to his teachers and then chastised him and taught their best and brought him again to Hiranyakashipu. Again when his father asked him what he learned best, Prahalad talked about the nine processes of devotional service.
sravanam kirtanam visnoh
smaranam paada-sevanamarcanam vandanam daasyam
sakhyam aatma-nivedanam
1. sravanam - hearing about glories of the Supreme Lord
2. Kirtanam - singing/chanting about the glories of the Supreme Lord3. Vishnu smaranam - remembering the Lord
4. Paada sevanam - serving the Lord's lotus like feet
5. Archanam - worshipping Him
6. Vandanam - praying to Him
7. Daasyam - serving Him
8. Sakhyam - considering Him to be our best friend
9. Aatma-nivedanam - surrendering our body, mind and words to Him
Whoever dedicates his life to serving Lord Vishnu by these nine methods is the most learned person.
Enraged at this answer, Hiraṇyakaśipu threw Prahalad from his lap. Since Prahalad had become a devotee of Vishnu, who had killed his uncle Hiranyaksa, Hiraṇyakaśipu asked his assistants to kill him. The assistants of Hiraṇyakaśipu struck Prahalad with sharp weapons, threw him under the feet of elephants, subjected him to hellish conditions, threw him from the peak of a mountain and tried to kill him in thousands of other ways, but they were unsuccessful. Hiraṇyakaśipu therefore became increasingly afraid of his son Prahalad and arrested him. The sons of Hiraṇyakaśipu's spiritual master, Śukrācārya, began teaching Prahalad in their own way, but Prahalad did not accept their instructions. While the teachers were absent from the classroom, Prahalad began to preach Krsna consciousness in the school, and by his instructions all his class friends, the sons of the demons, became devotees like him.
Hiranyakashipu became furious when Prahlad's teachers brought him and described how Prahalad was teaching other students about Lord Vishnu. Hiranyakashipu's whole body trembled and he decided to kill Prahalad himself. He harshly shouted at Prahalad asking where he is getting his power from. Prahalad calmly replied that the source of my power is sameas yours and there's only one source of power- the Supreme Lord. Prahlad calmly asked Hiranyakashipu to stop acting like a demon and become equal minded towards everyone. But Hiranyakashipu would not listen to Prahalad and challenged Prahalad to be saved by Lord Vishnu and asked where He is now. Prahalad answered, He is everywhere. So, Hiranyakashipu pointed to a nearby pillar and asked is He in this pillar. Prahalad simply said yes.
Extremely angy, Hiranyakashipu smashed his fist loudly against the pillar. Then, from inside the column came a frightening sound. Suddenly, a most amazing being, roaring and raging burst out of the pillar. It was neither a man nor a lion, but a combination of both. It was Lord Vishnu's incarnation of Lord Narasingha Dev. Lord Narasingha looked awesome and formidable. Hiranyakashipu grabbed his club and attacked the Lord but Lord Narasingha Dev easily caught the demon and in the assembly-hall doorway placed Hiranyakashipu on His lap and tore the demon with His sharp nails.
Lord Brahma had given Hiranyakashipu several blessings, which made the demon invincible and immortal. But the Supreme Lord, without violating any of Brahma's promises, counteracted them all. For, Hiranyakashipu could not be killed on the land or in the sky, so the Lord killed him on His lap. He could not killed inside or outside, so the Lord killed him in a doorway.He could not be slain during the day or night, so the Lord slew him at dusk. He could not be killed by any weapon or by a person or animal, so the Lord appeared as a half-man, half-lion and killed him with His sharp nails.
After killing all the demons, the Lord sat on the king's throne and all the demigods and goddesses offered their obeisances and prayers to the Lord, glorifying , praising and thanking Him for His mery. Despite the demigods's beautiful prayers, Lord Narasingha remained extremely angy at Hiranyakashipu for abusing Prahalad. So no one dared to approach Him and they asked Prahalad to go and pacify the Lord.
Prahalad approached the Lord with folded hand, Lord Narasingha being affectionate towards him placed His hand on Prahalad's head, blessing him. Prahalad then offered the Lord his most heartfelt prayers, repeatedly praising the glories of loving devotional service as the most important path to true happiness.
Prahalad's prayers completely pacified the Lord and when the Lord said to ask for any blessings, Prahalad just wanted to have no material desires in his heart. The Lord blessed him to enjoy and become the king of the demons as well as think, serve and worship Him.
Finally, Prahalad begged for Lord's mercy on behalf of his father who had committed many offenses against the Lord. The Lord assured him that because of Prahalad being a devotee of Him, not only his father Hiranyakashipu had been purified but also 21 previous fathers in his family had been purified. Since he was a pure devotee, those who follow Prahalad would naturally become His devotees.
So, let all of us follow in Prahalad Maharaj's footsteps and become pure devotees of the Lord. Let us remember Lord Narasingha Dev all the time and go back to Godhead in this lifetime.
Finally, we concluded the class with coloring pictures.
Looking forward to seeing all of you in next class.
Haribol!!!!
Gopala Class Teachers
Radhika Mataji
Amutha
