Rishi Kashyap was the father of Hiranyakashyap and Hiranyaaksh. Their mother was Diti. Aditi was also the wife of Rishi Kashyap. The sons of Mother Diti were demons, and those of Mother Aditi were the demigods. Though both were the sisters, but the sons, they bore were completely antagonistic. The reason is hidden in the time of Brahma muhurta. Mother Diti was fostering in the thoughts of lust during the Brahma Muhurta, thus she bore the demonic sons. Hiranyakashyap grew up as a young bold demon, and he thought of performing penance, for he is blessed with the boon of immortality. He was married with Kayadhu, a young lady. He took the permission from his parents and his wife, and left for practicing his goal. His wife smiled at his consort’s decision.

He left the place, and performed tough penances for several years. Even, Kayadhu had conceived, and was bearing a baby. Indra, the king of the heavens decided to kill Kayadhu, for the demonic race shall perish. But, as Indra infiltrated the borders of Hiranyakashyap’s kingdom and tried to kill Kayadhu, Brahmarishi Narad appeared before him, and made him realize his mistake. Narad Ji told him that she was bearing a great devotee of Narayan in her womb, and even Indra saw the Divine light.

Narad Ji initiated Kayadhu and even, the boy received the divine initiation, when he was in the womb. She remained in the state of Divine remembrance during the gestation. As the true dissipation of knowledge was progressing in the ashrama of Narad Ji, Hiranyakashyap was progressing towards his target with leaps and bounds. Soon, Brahma Ji appeared before him, pleased with his penances, and asked him for the boon, he wished for. He bowed before Brahma Ji, and asked Him to give him the blessing of immortality. As Hiranyakashyap uttered those words, Shiva Ji appeared before him. Brahma Ji said that all the persons who were born, had to leave the physical abode. If we wish for the true oneness, we can be truly immortal. He expressed his wish and asked that he wanted to be killed neither by a demigod nor a demon, neither in day nor in night, neither inside or outside the house, not in any of the twelve months, not by the weapons, neither by immortals nor by animals. Brahma Ji smiled and granted the boon. He felt that he was immortal. He returned home with vigor, and met Rishi Narad. He was annoyed by Indra’s behavior, but he was happy seeing his wife. Rishi Narad bid adieu to Kayadhu and Hiranykashyap. Even, the subjects of the kingdom rejoiced, celebrated the return of their king and queen.

When the baby boy was delivered and Hiranyakashyap lifted him up in his arms, he was filled with deep delight. As the boy generated delight and serenity in his heart, Hiranyakashyap named him Prahlaad.

Hiranyakashyap was happy seeing his young boy growing up as a grand successor. When Prahlaad ventured the age group for being enrolled in Gurukul, he was sent to the Gurukul, for he might gather the knowledge of treachery and crimes, and other qualities of an ideal demon. When the other students of the Gurukul met Prahlaad, they were also delighted by his virtues, and soon their negativities began dissolving. One day, Hiranyakashyap sent the message to Gurukul, for he wished to test the quality of education his boy had received. He lifted up five-year old Prahlaad in his arms and asked about the knowledge he had gathered. Prahlaad enunciated a beautiful verse, “Shravanaam kirtam bhajanam smaranam sakha dasya bhavanam narayanam, padsevam….“. The verse created several turbulences in his father’s mind. He thought that Prahlaad should be sent again, for he mends his strategies of gaining knowledge. But, the boy told his father that he wished to elucidate the meaning of the verse. The dumbfound father was forced to listen.

• Shravanam– Everything in the world is Narayan. Some are deluded, but some know it. I received the knowledge from Rishi Narad, when I was in my mother’s womb. Shravanam means that once we listen the Name of Lord, we are freed, and receive the blessings.
• Kirtanam– When we listen about any person again and again, we start enunciating the Name.
• Bhajanam– It is said He loves us seventy times more than a mother’s love. We start visualizing the love and we carve the incarnation in our minds, be it Shiv, Kali, Ganesh, Krishna or any other form.
• Smaranam– Then, we start remaining in the Divine reminiscence. We feel the Divine presence, without efforts. We feel that we are neither the body nor the mind, we are the soul, the reality.
• Sakha daasya bhavanam Narayanam– We develop the personal relationship with our Lord. Rama and Lakshman, Rama and Hanuman (daasya roop), Shabari and Rama (vaatsalya roop), Arjun and Krishna or Draupadi and Krishna (sakhaa roop) indicate the personal relationships.
• Padsevam- We remember the teachings of our Guru, and the transcendental dust of His feet blesses us tremendously.

Hiranyakashyap sent Prahlaad for further education, but he couldn’t gather the superficial clutter. He was deeply piqued by Prahlaad’s virtues, and finally decided to kill him. He tried to throw him off a high cliff, but Prahlaad landed on a lotus flower, and was saved. He faced a mad elephant, but the elephant bowed before him, in return. He was thrown into a lion’s den, but was saved. He was placed on the burning pyre, on the lap of his aunt, Holika, but he was saved. Finally, he was adamant to kill the boy, by his strengths. He proclaimed that he wished to see Narayan out of the pole. Soon, a humanoid being emerged out, the Narsimha Avtar of Narayana. He was neither a demigod, nor a demon, he was neither a human, nor an animal. He arrived in the thirteenth month, in Purushottam Maas. He lifted up Hiranyakashyap in his arms, and took him to the gallery, placed him on His lap. Sandhyaa adorned the sky. Narsimha Avtar tore the body of Hiranyakashyap, and blood spurted out of his body. After the grand death of Hiranyakashyap, all the people saw a fearsome changes in Narsimha Avtar. He was quite aggressive at that moment. Brahma Ji and Shiva Ji appeared before Prahlaad and asked him to take few steps to calm down the majestic aggression in Narsimha Avtar. Prahlaad took few steps towards Narayan and enunciated Thy Name, with deep love, as if he wished to suggest that Narayan loved him seventy times more than a mother’s love. Narsimha Avtar calmed down and lifted Prahlaad in His arms. Narsimha Ji asked for the wish. Prahlaad was in the Divine ecstasy, as he was on the lap of his true father. Narsimha Ji asked him again. He replied that he wished only for true devotion and love for Narayan, in his all succeeding births, or in his future generations. Prahlaad ruled as a wise king, and his generations were true devotees of Narayana.

We saw that we have to cherish the Brahma Muhurta. If not saved, we may land up in several troubles. Thus, sleeping in Brahma Muhurta is a grave sin. Though Prahlaad was the son of a demon, but the character and virtues of his mother made him truly immortal. There are millions of children in the present era, who are five years old, but how many of them are Prahlaad? Mother can make her child become a human, or a demigod, or a demon, or even Narayana. Presence of Guru is inevitable in the life, for we can be united with Narayan. The verse is actually the extract of all the scriptures of the cosmos. If one practices it, one can attain it. Though Hiranyakashyap was a demon, but he was the son of Rishi Kashyap and his son was Prahlaad, thus he was killed by Narayan, on the Divine lap. Hiranyakashyap had virtues, as the soul is one in all.