The demon lord Hiranyakashipu and his queen Kayadhu sat in regal splendour in their magnificent palace in playful mood. They were very happy and feeling on top of all the worlds and domains. The reign of the demons prevailed all over. There was no danger and any problem anywhere in their exalted lives. They lived in grandeur and supreme luxury.
So, the life of the demonic royals was passing by. One day Kayadhu spoke to Hiranyakashipu, “My Lord! Our son Prahlada is now five years old. Have you given any thought to his future?”
“My dear, he is a prince, He lives in the palace, plays around merrily just what a boy of his age must do. What’s there to be getting worried over?” spoke the demon king and looked at the queen with narrowed down eyes, “Don’t tell me you are already thinking of getting him married.”
“Master! You are thinking on wrong lines or are mocking at me,” the queen spoke mirthfully.
“Make yourself clear my dear!”
“My lord, our Prahlada is no more a child. He has begun to understand things. It is about time we arrange for his education.”
“You are correct, my dear,” the demon king spoke suddenly becoming serious. “We will certainly arrange for his education and training. Call out to the boy and let us find out what kind of games he is currently getting interested in.”
“I will get Prahlada,” the queen clapped her hands and a maid rushed in to take order. She was asked to bring the prince Prahlada.
Shortly later, Prahlada came in squealing in delight and sat at the feet of his parents. With due respect he said, “Yes sire, please tell me why did you send for me? Your wish will be my command.”
“My son Prahlada,” the king lifted his son up and took him in his lap saying, “I can see that you are a very intelligent and obedient boy. I am very pleased. I thought you were yet a child.”
“Sire! I am a boy today but I will grow up with time but for you I will always remain a child.”
The remark of the boy pleased the demon king and he said, “Son, that is very clever of you. Our Prahlada has grown up in mind. Very good!”
“Father! Now tell me, why did you wish to see me? Had you something important in your mind?”
“My son, it is about time you go to the gurukul of Guru Shukracharya to learn letters and the things of real wisdom,” spoke Hiranyakashipu and revealed, “All this infinite kingdom you will inherit and rule the universe. For that you need to get educated.”
“As you command, father,” Prahlada said obediently. “When shall I be going to the gurukul of Acharya?”
“Very soon, son,” the sire informed his son. “Our guru Shukracharya has gone to the forest to make penance. But his sons Guru Shanda and Guru Amarka are running the school. You may learn from them.”
“Alright sire, I will do as you command,” Prahlada said to the delight of his father.
So, a few days later Prahlada went to the gurukul ashram of Shukracharya, the guru of the demons.
The education of Prahlada began in earnest. Shanda and Amarka became his initiating preceptors.
One day Guru Amarka told Prahlada, “Prince, today we will teach you who is friend and who’s foe.”
“Sir, that is a very simple fact. I don’t need any teaching on that matter,” Prahlada spoke in a matter of fact way.
“Why son?”
“Because I don’t have any enemy in the universe, not even one I can perceive of,” Prahlada spoke philosophically. “When I don’t have any enemy that fact makes everyone my friend. The differentiation between the friend and the foe does not exist. Then only the sentiment of friendship remains to be explained.”
“Son, according to our denomic philosophy there are many more enemies in this world than we have friends. Then there is also the fact that even the relationship of amity has an element of enmity. So a friend has not to be seen merely as a friend only which can prove dangerous.”
“Sir, I find a deep contradiction in your definition of friend and foe. Kindly explain more clearly.”
“Son, any one who creates hurdles in the way of your progress is your enemy and who acts to the opposite effect is your friend.”
“But sir, what is this way of progress?”
“Dear prince, the path that leads you to victory, glory, power and riches is the way of progress.”
“I can get all these things from my father. He is the mightiest ruler of the universe and there is no end to his riches. When I get them the glory and fame shall automatically follow. I can take way those things from my father.” Prahlada said analysing the teaching of Guru Amarka. “Sir, should I understand that you are advising me to become an enemy of my father?”
“No! We are not suggesting any such diabolic thing. You have misunderstood what I taught you,” Guru Amarka spoke defensively and slightly taken by surprise.
“No sir. I have not misunderstood anything. Infact you are teaching me a flawed lesson which need to be corrected.”
“What are you saying, prince?”
“Guru sir, I tell you the simple universal truth. God is present in everything and everywhere. Vishnu is the manifest God. When God pervades through everything then the question of friend and foe becomes irrelevant. All are uniformly one.”
“Prince, your thoughts are very dangerous. The one Vishnu you are talking about is the assassin of your late uncle Hiranyaksha and an enemy of your father. Infact he hides somewhere frightened of our demon king. How can such cowardly character be omnipresent?”
Prahlada did not contest the point raised by Guru Amarka but he thought, “How can Lord Vishnu be afraid of anything or anyone? He is the creator, sustainer and destroyer.”
Seeing Prahlada in thoughtful mood Guru Amarka did not say anything further. He did not see any point in raking up mud. He did not rebuke his royal pupil or insist on anything. He knew well that the demon lord, Hiranyakashipu was very fond of Prahlada. He won’t easily believe in anything against his son. The punishment of the prince in the gurukul was undesirable. They could not afford to upset the royal family which was very arrogant. Guru Amarka let the matter rest at that.
In this way the education of Prahlada continued at the gurukul. He was very polite and obedient to his gurus besides being respectful. Only some matters of principle he used to engage in debate and reasoning which could not be faulted because the pupil could raise questions and demand explanations from their teacher. It was part of the learning process. At gurukul use of weapons was also taught to the students. The prince Prahlada used to listen to every word carefully his gurus spoke. Guru Shanda and Amarka now avoided the controversial subjects to keep Prahlada in good humour.
After some time Prahlada went to the palace to meet his parents. He made obeisance to his parents and sat down near them.
The demon king patted the back of his son and patronisingly asked, “So prince, you are back from the gurukul. What have you learnt so far?”
“Sire, I could not fully understand the gurukul teachings. Certain matters confuse me,” Prahlada frankly revealed to his parents. “Some things gurus teach me I find it difficult to accept.” He looked at his sire.
“It doesn’t matter son,” Queen Kayadhu caressed the shoulder of her son and assured, “You are yet a child. I think your teachers use a very difficult bookish language which a young boy can not grasp.”
“No mother, their language is not difficult. They use simple language but their thoughts and the principles are flawed. They fail to reach my mind and heart.”
The queen asked, “Well son, on what subject or the theory your gurus talked about?”
“Mother, Guru Amarka was one day telling me about who was my friend and who my foe in the world and how to differentiate between them. But I don’t find any difference between friends and foes. Then how can I understand how to deal with them differently?”
“Come on, son,” Queen Kayadhu said sweetly with a little giggle. “It is easy. Whoever behaves in a friendly manner with you is a friend and who shows enmity to you is your enemy. Isn’t that simple?”
“But mother, I don’t like all that.” Prahlada then suddenly revealed, “All I want is to go to some lonely place and invest my mind in the thoughts of the Lord of the Universe, Shri Vishnu.”
“What?” the words spoken by Prahlada felt like molten lava to the ears of the demon lord. He spoke sternly, “Don’t ever again mention the name of Vishnu in my presence or otherwise. He is our arch enemy of long time. Forget about investing your mind in the thoughts of that devil.”
The Vishnu devotee Prahlada wanted to say something but Hiranyakashipu didn’t allow him to speak. Kayadhu was really stunned and shocked when Prahlada mentioned the name of Vishnu. She could feel the heat of the raging anger in her husband, the demon lord. He had stood up from his throne as if some one had whipped him.
“Master,” Kayadhu tried to calm down her husband who looked in a very foul mood. “Our Prahlada is yet a child who does not understand what he is saying or what is a friend or a foe. Don’t take his ignorance seriously.”
“Yes, my dear Kayadhu,” Hirayakashipu spoke obligingly and remarked, “It is ignorance. Otherwise he would have understood the long standing grievance we have against Vishnu and not talked of putting his mind to the worship of that villain. Let us hope gurukul education will drive away his ignorance.”
“It certainly will,” promised Kayadhu.
“But my dear Queen, one thing puzzles me.”
“What’s that Master?”
“Our Prahlada has been with us always here in our palace where everyone knows our dislike for that Vishnu and his name is unmentionable. So, how did Prahlada get those ideas about Vishnu?”
“Yes Master. That is a pertinent question. How and where from did our Prahlada get ideas about Vishnu?”
Hiranyakashipu scowled. I think our enemy has infiltrated the gurukul where Prahlada is receiving his education as an inmate. That enemy against us putting evil ideas in the minds of the students there.”
The demon king accordingly sent instructions to the gurukul to check the institution and weed out the undesirable elements who were injecting the students with dangerous ideas that were not in the interest of the demonic race. He told the gurus that some enemy agent was putting ideas into the mind of Prince Prahlada in favour of Vishnu who was sworn enemy of the demons. Prahlada had to be protected from the person.
Prahlada was sent back to the gurukul.
