Aug 12, 2007

Chapter 22: Prahallada thrown from hill-top

Senapathi & Co led by Swarbhanu reach tapas-point. The Question. The Reply. They tie him and take him atop a hill and throw away Prahallada. Prahallada chants. Lakshmi worries. Vishnu smiles.

Vishnu with magical powers encounters Prahallada half way down and acts as an elevator for the comfortable journey down. Prahallada is unaware. Vishnu places Prahallada’s still alive body on a rice cart, then standing nearby. Vishnu returns back to his abode. Lakshmi scolds him for what he had done. Vishnu is perplexed. So she explains that the cart was bound to HK’s place. Vishnu admits that his job was just to save Prahallada’s life which he had done.

Meanwhile Kayadu is in hysteria. Senapathi informs the whole event. But HK is angered when Senapathi tells him that they do not have the conclusive evidence of having seen Prahallada’s dead body. But Senapathi says the fall was steep. HK is assured Prahallada is dead. He laughs the usual devilish laugh.

No great man has trodden the path of flowers. To become great, difficulties, determination and hard work are a core necessity. So with Prahallada, who is brought to HK’s court along with rice cart owner in whose cart Prahallada was laid down by Vishnu. Owner assures HK of his innocence and that he was not giving ‘Aashraya’ (haven) for Prahallada, the fugitive. HK lets him go scot-free but puts Prahallada in palace jail.

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