Chinu Meenu: Celebration

Saturday, March 3, 2018

Bhakt Prahlad भक्त प्रहलाद

The Asura Hiranyakshipu Through many years of penance he had been granted a boon that he could not be killed of anything born from a living womb, neither be killed by a man nor an animal, neither during the day nor at night, neither indoors nor outdoors, neither on land, nor in the air nor in water and of no man made weapon.

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 elephant, but the boy still lived. Then he put Prahlāda in a cave with venomous snakes, and they made a bed for him with their bodies

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.