Sri Vasista
O Rama, sunk into grief by the disaster perpertrated by Hari, and with his danavas almost annihilated, Prahalada started ruminating about the event. He mused:
-11 'Now who is our saviour and protector? Every time the sprout, called asuras, is growing strong with flowers, fruits and leaves, it is being eaten away by a monkey called Vishnu. The valourous danavas are unable to settle down (undisturbed) in their own land Patala! They are getting decimated, almost as soon as they are born. with all their brilliant forms like waves in a sea which rise and fall in a transient manner. What an unusual darkness (that has overtaken us)! Enemies have become strong now. We are beaten both internally and externally. My friends are like shrivelled lotuses of the night with all their riches plundered. Their hearts are full of grief. These gods were touching the feet of my father. Such polluted minds - they have now occupied all our lands. It is like a deer occupying a whole forest. My people are now like burnt lotuses. They have lost their splendour. Their houses are now full of smoke and darkish winds. My people are miserable like the gods of earlier days (when they were vanquished and ruled by us).
-22 . Our women are scared even by a little quiver of a leaf. Trees which were bearing charming flower bunches, which were worn as ear rings by the danava ladies are now totally shattered to pieces by Narasimha. On the otherhand, all the 'kalpa' trees in the Nandana gardens are now revived to green grandeour and flowerfull opulence. Earlier the danavas were staring into the faces of heavenly damsels. Now the reverse is happining. Now the elephants in heaven must be shedding virile flows down their cheeks, while ashcoloured watery flows must be slipping down the faces of our elephants. Rare now are the asuras bodies enjoying the fragrant breeze flowing past their enoromous bodies. Oh what a misery! Now the celestial dancers are threatning to beat my father's courtesans in the dance competitions. All the fans that were used to fan my father are now, perhaps, being used to fan Indra. All this catastrophe, holocaust and misery occured because of the mighty Vishnu.
-30 . Gods are taking refuge in the shade of that tree like shoulders of Vishnu. And so they are never grieved. Like Himalayas they always stay aloft and high. Suras are always throwing and chasing asuras into Patala like monkeys which chase dogs away. Because of Vishnu's valour, tears flow down the cheeks of lotus-like faces of asura women. This great palace of world, which has been continuously struck by the might of asuras, is lifted into position on the shoulders of Vishnu. Vishnu is lifting the celestial armies to their spirits like the way he lifted the Mandara mountain from sinking into the ocean of milk. All my people, including my father have been killed by Vishnu. Vishnu is the best of warriors. He is invincible. Indra and others are harassing asuras because of Vishnu's backing.
-36 . The lotus - eyed Vishnu is invincible even without his carrying any arms. He is hard to break. No mantric arrow can shatter him. He is well trained and practiced in throwing even great mountains (against enemies). He was a match to my ancestors in all the fierce wars fought with him. Why should he be scared of any such war now? The only way to seize him. is to yield to him. I do not see any other strategy. To seek refuge in him in all actions is the only way. It must be total in all aspects. There is no one greater than him in all the three worlds. He is the prime cause of creation, sustenance and destructions.
All is pervaded by Narayana, From this moment, I shall take refuge in Narayana.
From now onwards the mantra 'Namo Narayanaya' shall not leave the cave of my heart. It will be like air which never leaves space.
Hari is the quarters. Hari is sky. Hari is earth. Hari is this world. I am Hari, the infinite Self. I have become Hari.
Without being Vishnu, if one worships Vishnu, the fruits of worship will not accrue. I should become a Vishnu and worship. Then I will be filled by Vishnu and shall abide as Vishnu.
-48 . 'Hari has taken the name - 'Prahlada'. There is no separate Hari'. Since I have resolved so, I am now all-pervading. I have filled this entire sky. The golden eagle Garuda is my vehicle. My limbs are like great emerald trees glowing with the bright beams of light 'called nails'. On the branches, called my shoulders, the birds, called weapons, are resting. My arms are decorated with bracelets that are rubbed by the Mandara mountain during the churning of milk ocean. Lakshmi is near me with a fan which is white like moon beam. The fame of Vishnu, which is spread all over universe and is blemishless, is near me in an embodied form. Similarly Vishnu maya, which is the cause of all creation, is near me. Jaya, the companion of Lakshmi who spreads her presence all over the forests and gardens in a mood of play is near me.
-56 . Moon and sun are gods whose nature is to be cold and hot respectively. They are now liminously shining as my eyes. My body halo is blue like a beautiful cloud. It is spread allover tinging the space and quarters blue. In my hand is the conch 'Panchajanya' which is spotlessly white like the milk ocean. This conch is the very embodiment of sound with glorious vibrations. In my hand is the lotus sprouting from my deep navel. In it is Brahma seated like a bee. This is my mace which is like the great 'sumeru' mountain. It is studded with diamonds and is gold coloured. This is effective in shattering the gods and Titans. This is my 'sudarsana' disc which is like the Sun-disc and full of luminous rays shining the quarters. It's sheen makes the quarters look bloody red. This is my sword 'Nandaka' which works like a menacing axe to the trees, called demons, and delightful to gods. It is like a flame surrounded. Here is my bow, called 'Sarngna', which is beautiful like a rainbow and luminous like 'sesha'.
-58 . I am holding all these universes in me for a long time. This earth is my two feet. This sky is my head The three worlds are my body. The quarters are my stomach.
-66 . I am now, indeed, Lord Vishnu, of cloud -halo, mounted on the mountain- sized bird, Garuda, and holding the conch sword and bow. All these villanous creatures Rakshasas, are fleeing away from me. I am the Achyuta in silken robes of yellow glow. I am capable of dissolving all the worlds. Who can dare me? If he dares, he invites total decimation. People with belmished eye sight cannot tolerate the glare of light. Similarly all these gods and demons cannot withstand the brilliance of my luminosity. Brahma, Kubera, Rudra, Agni and Indra are now singing praises of me the, lord of the hordes, the great Vishnu. I now resemble the great Vishnu of all powers and plenitudes. The one beyond dualities, I salute to myself - the Vishnu.
