Bhakta Prahallada: God Emerged as Man-Lion from the Pillar as Narasimha Avatar

By K. L. N. Swami

Prahallada was my childhood hero. I heard the play when I was seven years old through gramophone records brought home by my Father. The story brought a change in my life style.

I heard Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba mention briefly about Prahallada and his excellent character in His Discourses. I was very much inspired hearing from Him.

Bhagavan Baba in His infinite compassion blessed this Book when I showed it to Him.

• Language: English
• Publisher: iUniverse
• Release date: Mar 10, 2015
• ISBN: 9781491747650

K. L. N. Swami

I was born in India on 2 December 1929 at Aska in Orissa. I received my higher education from Presidency College Madras and later in Utkal University, Bhubaneswar, India. I obtained Ph.D. for my work on Walt Whitman. I have an experience of 46 years of teaching in three Indian Universities. I served for 15 years in Sri Sathya Sai University before I retired towards the end of 2002.

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Copyright © 2015 K. L. N. Swami.

Author Credits: K.L.N.Swami and his children

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ISBN: 978-1-4917-4764-3 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4917-4765-0 (e)

iUniverse rev. date: 07/11/2015

CONTENTS

Foreword

Preface

Acknowledgements

Bhakta Prahallada

Glossary

FOREWORD

This long poem blends Dr K.L.N.Swami’s insight into philosophy with his aptitude for poetry. The canvas is of epic proportions. The poem is not merely the rendition of the myth of Prahallada’s devotion to Vishnu and His Man-Lion Incarnation; it is also an exploration of the inner landscape of the characters. Readers of the poem, I have no doubt, will find in it, apart from the myth, an attempt to unravel the real meaning of this life we have to live.

RAMAKANT RATH

Former Chairman of Sahitya Academy

New Delhi

India

PREFACE

Bhakta Prahallada (1450-1510) is an extract from the Epic Purana Srimadbhagavatam written in Sanskrit. Bammera Potana, a great Telugu scholar of the 15th century translated this work into Telugu.

Potana was born at Bammera in Telengana in India. He was a great devotee of Sri Ramachandra, the Hero of the Epic Ramayana. He dedicated all his works to Sri Ramachandra.

He was a farmer and he earned his livelihood by cultivating his small piece of land. The King of that area invited him to dedicate his work to him. He rejected the offer and told him that his Lord was Sri Ramachandra and he didn’t need the King’s patronage for a life of luxury.

He suffered much which his wife shared by making him happy with whatever they had. Their faith in Sri Rama was their wealth. They spent much of their time in contemplating on his form.

It is believed that the poet got stuck up at a particular stage of his work while writing. He went out to relax and when he returned he found to his great amazement that the unfinished portion was completed.

Potana was amazed and could hardly contain his delight. When he asked his wife if anyone entered the house in his absence, she expressed her surprise telling him that he was so forgetful. She told him that he himself had just come, wrote something and left.

This was Sri Ramachandra who entered the house in disguise of Potana and completed the unfinished work. Potana’s joy knew no bounds as he was confirmed in his belief that it was his Lord Sri Ramachandra who came down to finish the incomplete portion.

It is by sheer Grace of God that I could complete this work undertaken with the Blessings of Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba.

I dedicate this work to Bhagavan Baba with love and humility.

K.L.N.Swami

Melbourne, Florida

USA

12th September 2014

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I thank all my Family Members for their kind encouragement.

I am grateful to Sri Ramakant Rath for spending his precious hours to study the script and write the Foreword to the book.

I thank my student friend Sri R.N.Dash for his interest and his great help.

I thank my son Raj and our friend Sanjeevan Thanasingam for helping me on the computer.

BHAKTA PRAHALLADA

It is God that speaks through me,

I take down in verse, Srimadbhagavatam,

Speaks in chiseled prose like verse,

I take it down as ordained!

You are like a creeper connecting paths,

Resplendent like huge dark shining light,

Shining blue, shedding rays, soothing,

Sri Ramachandra, the Lord of lords!

PROSE

The Sage is narrating episodes from Srimad Mahabhagavatham: Parikshit, Suka Maharishi, and Sounaka Maharishi were eager listeners:

God, the all knowing, is the leveller, the supreme judge,

Apparently partial to Indra, put an end to the daityas! (demons)

What benefits Him by such action in taking sides!

Are Daityas a threat to the Liberator?

Strange are His ways so divisive in approach!

Confusion confounds me, still torn with doubts

Reconciliation doesn’t steady me

Haunted by evil propensities;

I pray for clarification and guidance!

PROSE

Suka said to Parikshit Maharaja:

"Your doubts, natural and so your questions.

I wish you were aware of divine leelas (miracles) of Vishnu,

The one adored by his consort; strange they seem,

On enquiry, dawns the truth! Such are the mysteries!

"Tales tell the glory of the Lord to be adored

They could destroy the knots of samsara (family life)

They could bring peace by mere association

Of the inner conscience giving strength and valour!

Prose:

"Your Majesty! The Lord separated angels from sages, demons and yakshas, yakshas and rakshasas (demons). Lord Hari, the Omnipotent and the Omniscient help