Laghu YOGA VASISHTHA - HolyBooks.com

LAGHU YOGA VASISTHA
4. THE STORY OF PRAHLADA
Summary: This story illustrates the theory that
through the grace of Iswara also the higher
spiritual state can be attained.
Now hearken again to another story. One going by
the name of Prahlada also attained the true Self of
Jnana through his intelligence. We shall now
proceed to describe it. After his father
Hiranyakasipu 74, the King of Danavas, expired, the
sore-grieved son gave vent to the following words
with a palpitating heart. „Countless were the
numbers of Danavas born in my race, such as my
father and others. They had bodies which cast into
insignificance even Mahameru itself. They were
able to do or undo even the lotus-born Brahma
with his powers. But before Vishnu wearing the
Tulsi (the holy basil) garland, they fell easy victims
to his fiery ire, like cotton before the wind. Such
Danavas in numbers exceeding the countless fine
74 He is the son of Kasyapa and Diti and subjected his son Prahlada to
untold cruelties for which he was torn to pieces by Vishnu as
Narasimha Avatar.
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