Bhaktha Prahlada's previous life

5/7/09

In Bhagavad Gita Bhagavan said:

 

 "Antha kale cha smaran mukthva kalebaram ya: prayaathi sa madbhaavam yaathi naasthi athra samshaya:"

 

"One who thinks of me at the time of death will attain me. This is beyond doubt."

 

Also Bhagavan clarifies further by saying: 

"What you are thinking at the time of your death shapes your next janma because you would have meditated or continuously thought about that for a long time in your life and because of that vaasana you would be able to think only of that."

 

In Bhagavatham Jadabharatha's story illustrates this point. Bharatha, son of Rishabha Deva  was a great devotee of Bhagavan. But he was deeply attached to a deer and ended up thinking of it at the time of death. He was born as a deer and later got a human janma and got salvation.

 

It is interesting to note that Bhaktha Prahlada was born as an Asura, as the son of the greatest enemy of Vishnu Bhagavan. Why such a saatvic soul was born in the asura woman Kayadhu's womb? Here is the story behind Prahlada's birth in the demon family.

 

There lived a scholar called Sivasharman. He had a son by the name Somasharman. Somasharman was a very pious boy and was not interested in worldly matters. So after his education, he lived in the village of Salagramam worshipping God by doing yoga and meditation. Not far from Salagramam, a group of asuras lived and often they made lot of noises by celebrating their auspicious moments. They drank, danced and their loud noises polluted the atmosphere. Somasharman ignored this disturbance and continued to live there.

 

Somasharman's time of death was approaching and he did meditation and went into samadhi. At that time, these asuras started their celebrations and unfortunately Somasharman woke up from samadhi due to the terrible noises around him. In his death bed he was frightened by the terrible sounds made by them and could not think of his Ishtadevatha amidst the fear and unrest. Poor Somasharman died hearing these inauspicious and scary sounds made by the asuras.

 

Since he died with the fear of Asuras, he was born as an asura boy to demon King Hiranyakashipu. Because of his past pious life, he was fortunate to listen to the whole of Bhagavatham from Narada Muni when he was in his mother's womb. Even though he was born as an Asura boy he had absolutely no demonic or aasuric nature and as we know he became the greatest devotee of Vishnu Bhagavan.

 

 This shows that even the nearness of evil people can drag us into unpleasant situations. Likewise, satsangam or nearness of sajjanaas helps us to get closer to God.

 

Sreekrishnaarpanamasthu.