Character

Prahlada

प्रह्लादPrahlāda

Also called Prahlad

verses
1,251
books
24
chapters
316
Child of
Hiranyakashipu

What the texts say

In the Bhagavata Purana, Prahlada is a great devotee of Vishnu, son of Hiranyakashipu, king of the demons. Bhagavatam 7.1.42, 7.5.6 Hiranyakashipu tried to kill him with elephants, snakes and poison, but failed. Bhagavatam 7.5.43 The Lord appeared in a wonderful form, neither man nor lion, to prove Prahlada's word that He is present even within a pillar. Bhagavatam 7.8.17 Prahlada's prayers pacified Narasimha, the Lord in that form, who gave up His anger. Bhagavatam 7.9.51 Bali, Prahlada's grandson, recalls that Prahlada declined Narasimha's offer of his father's kingdom and liberation, asking only to serve the Lord's servant. Bhagavatam 5.24.25

Where to read

Every verse that names Prahlada, book by book.

  1. Bhagavatam

    389 verses · 39 chapters

    All 389 verses in the Bhagavatam
    • 7.5.2

      Prahlāda Mahārāja was already educated in devotional life, but when his father sent him to those two sons of Śukrācārya to be educated, they accepted him at their school along with the other sons of the asuras.

    • 7.9.3

      Thereafter Lord Brahmā requested Prahlāda Mahārāja, who was standing very near him: My dear son, Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva is extremely angry at your demoniac father. Please go forward and appease the Lord.

    • 7.7.1

      Nārada Muni said: Although Prahlāda Mahārāja was born in a family of asuras, he was the greatest of all devotees. Having thus been questioned by his class friends, the sons of the asuras, he remembered the words spoken to him by me and…

  2. Skanda Purana

    216 verses · 72 chapters

    All 216 verses in the Skanda Purana
    • 7.2.18.66

      That dull-witted one tormented his sons, headed by Prahlāda. While lessons were being drilled into the sons, Prahlāda too recited that teaching.

    • 7.4.17.1

      Prahlāda said: “Having duly performed the bathing-rites at the tīrthas and having given the proper priestly honorarium, one should then worship the Lord—the Supreme Person known as Kṛṣṇa.”

    • 7.4.4.1

      Prahlāda said: Thus honored and duly worshipped by Hari, that foremost of brāhmaṇas, fully satisfied, said to Keśava, “Speak—choose a boon.”

  3. Mudgala Purana

    104 verses · 39 chapters

    All 104 verses in the Mudgala Purana
    • 2.39.1

      Chapter 39: The Narration of the Origin of Cyavana. Salutations to Ganesha. Mudgala said: Then Prahlada became king among the Daityas, a devotee of Vishnu. He, having abandoned enmity, shone, honored by the gods.

    • 2.73.6

      Worship Him, O noble Prahlada, according to the rites. You shall be freed from the curse by the grace of Ekadanta.

    • 2.58.1

      Chapter 58 begins... Prahlad said: Listen, O Gritsamada, protector of the lowly, tell me now, who is this sage named Bhrushundi?

  4. Narasimha Purana

    83 verses · 5 chapters

    All 83 verses in the Narasimha Purana
    • 1.43.1

      Then, even while residing in the guru's house, he (Prahlada), who knew everything and whose pure mind was attached to the Infallible Lord (Achyuta), moved about like a dullard in external activities, constantly seeing the entire universe…

    • 1.42.1

      The son of the demon king (Prahlada), whose true ornament was devotion to Hari, was quickly taken to the guru's house by the demons. In due course of time, that yogi attained youth along with the acquisition of all branches of knowledge.

    • 1.41.2

      'Tell me the story of Prahlada in detail, O sinless one. We are blessed, O great yogi, by your grace, O great sage.'

Also named in

Key chapters

The chapters where Prahlada matters most.

  1. Prahlāda Rejects Demonic Diplomacy and Proclaims Navadhā Bhakti

    Bhagavatam 7.5 · 53 verses

    Devotee-son who overturns asuric pedagogy by defining true…

  2. Prahlāda-stuti and the Lord’s Benediction Offer

    Bhagavatam 7.9 · 47 verses

    Chosen emissary who alone can approach the Lord

  3. Nārada’s Protection of Kayādhu and Prahlāda’s Womb-Instructions: Ātma-tattva and the Path of Bhakti

    Bhagavatam 7.7 · 35 verses

    Recipient and later transmitter of womb-instructions

  4. Prahlāda Rejects Material Boons; Forgives His Father; Tripura and the Power of Remembrance

    Bhagavatam 7.10 · 33 verses

    Embodiment of niṣkāma-bhakti

  5. Prahlāda Instructs the Sons of Demons: Begin Bhakti from Childhood; Household Attachment as Bondage; Nārāyaṇa as the All-Pervading Supersoul

    Bhagavatam 7.6 · 19 verses

    Teacher-preacher among asura boys

  6. Nṛsiṁhadeva Appears from the Pillar and Slays Hiraṇyakaśipu

    Bhagavatam 7.8 · 14 verses

    The devotee-witness whose truthful siddhānta forces the Lord’s…

  7. सभा-पर्व, अध्याय ६१ · द्रौपदी-प्रश्नः, सभाधर्मः, सत्यवचन-नियमः

    Mahabharata 2.61 · 13 verses

    Model interlocutor in a didactic legal-moral dialogue

  8. Prahlada's Instructions, Persecution, and the Divine Vision of Lord Vishnu

    Narasimha Purana 1.43 · 48 verses

  9. Vāmana’s Yogic Instruction, Tattva Taxonomy, and the Bali-Trivikrama Episode

    Skanda Purana 7.2.18 · 25 verses

  10. Śīla-prāpti and Śīla-lakṣaṇa (शीलप्राप्ति-शीललक्षणम्) · On the Acquisition and Marks of Character

    Mahabharata 12.124 · 24 verses

    Central exemplar: ruler whose dominion is explicitly attributed…

Key episodes

  1. Prahlada, the Child Devotee

    Bhagavatam 7.4-7.10

  2. Narasimha Appears from the Pillar

    Bhagavatam 7.8-7.9

  3. Vamana and King Bali: The Three Steps

    Bhagavatam 8.15-8.23

Also known to Wikipedia · Wikidata Q2361316