The great Lord declared, “I alone am the master of all worlds, the ruler of the three realms. Worship me, O Govinda, and abandon that formidable enemy.” Yet he added, “Or, you may worship Shankara—Rudra, the teacher of the universe, the supreme master, chief among the demons, Shiva who bestows all prosperity. Adorn yourself with the sacred three lines of ash as the demons do, and worship Mahadeva in accordance with the path taught by Pashupati.” Hearing these words of counsel from the lord of the demons, the demon priests responded, “So be it, O fortunate one. Obey your father’s command. Turn away from the enemy who slew Kaitabha and worship the three-eyed one. There is no god higher than Rudra; he grants all boons to men. Even your father rose to lordship by his grace.” Yet, as these words were spoken, Prahlada, born in the Vaishnava lineage, listened intently. He marveled, “Ah, how wondrous is the Supreme Lord, whose maya bewilders the world! How honored are those learned in Vedanta everywhere! Even Brahmins, swayed by fickleness and pride, speak thus. But truly, Narayana is the supreme Brahman; he is the highest essence. Narayana alone is the supreme object of meditation; meditation itself is Narayana, the highest. He is the eternal, auspicious, and unchanging refuge of the universe. “Vasudeva, eternal, is the creator and ordainer of all. This universe is indeed that Person; the world rests upon him. He is everlasting, with a golden form, lotus-like eyes, the lord of Sri and Bhumi, gentle, pure, and ever-auspicious. In creation, Brahma and Shiva—those two supreme gods—exist only by upholding his command; Brahma and Shankara act according to his will. Out of fear of him the wind blows, the sun rises; out of fear, fire, the moon, and Yama move forth. “In the beginning, there was only one divine Hari, the supreme god Narayana; there was no Brahma, no Indra, no Ishana, nor the moon or the sun. Neither heavens nor earth existed, nor stars or celestial beings; the sages always behold that supreme abode of Vishnu. So, O best of the twice-born, having abandoned the true meaning of all the Upanishads, whether out of passion, greed, or fear, what do you now say before me? “How could I abandon Hari, the protector and lord of all, and take refuge in heresy to worship Shankara? The consort of Lakshmi, god of gods, infinite, the supreme person, dark as a blue lotus petal, with eyes wide as lotus leaves—his chest marked by Srivatsa, adorned with all ornaments, ever youthful, lord of all, bestower of eternal bliss and happiness—the great-souled yogis such as Sanaka meditate upon Krishna; Brahma, Shiva, Indra, and other hosts of gods worship him. “By a mere sidelong glance from his beloved, the dwellers of heaven—Brahma, Indra, Rudra, Varuna, Yama, Soma, and Kubera—are seen. By merely remembering his name, even the sinful quickly attain liberation—a liberation difficult even for beings like Brahma to obtain. He alone is the protector, the lord of Sri, always for the gods; I will worship only him, the infallible one, united with Lakshmi. I will surely attain that supreme abode of Vishnu.” When Prahlada had spoken thus, Hiranyakashipu, his father, was seized by a great fury. His anger blazed like fire as he looked upon the Daityas, and maddened by rage, he thundered, “With your terrifying weapons, kill Prahlada, the evildoer, at my command—he who is devoted to worshiping our enemy. If Hari alone is his protector and saves him out of affection, then today I shall see the fruit of that protection by Hari.” At their king’s command, the Daityas, weapons raised, surrounded Prahlada, the great-souled son of their lord. Yet Prahlada, standing unshaken like a mountain, meditated upon Vishnu in the lotus of his heart, reciting the eight-syllabled mantra. The warriors closed in and struck him with spears, javelins, and lances, but Prahlada’s body, blessed by remembrance of Hari, remained untouched. By the power of Vishnu, his form became unassailable, like adamant. The mighty weapons of the enemies of the gods, striking his limbs, fell harmlessly to the ground, scattered like blue lotus petals. The demons could not harm him in the least. Astonished and speechless, the warriors stood before the king of the demons, beholding the greatness and power of Prahlada. Filled with wonder and rage, Hiranyakashipu then ordered all the venomous serpents. In his wrath, he commanded the fierce serpents led by Vasuki: “Devour him!” Thus instructed, those mighty serpents, with blazing mouths and terrifying forms, attacked the powerful devotee of Garuda’s banner, biting him with their venom. But their venom was rendered powerless, their fangs broken; they became mere wind-eaters. Their bodies bore wounds from a thousand attacks by Vainateya, and they were greatly distressed. Blood flowing, they fled in all directions. Witnessing this, the lord of the demons, his anger unabated, ordered next the elephants of the quarters, mighty and intoxicated, to attack Prahlada. Thus, the elephants, maddened with pride, prepared to obey their king’s command.