Beauty and the Beast

12

She has to admit that his suggestions worked really well. Sure, she had received extra work of making 100% sure that the forest wasn't being harmed much but it was worth the peace that was in the tribe.

Chenchita laid down on her bed and just wondered. His form surely was strange. Why would anyone choose to look like half a man and half an animal?

"Lost in thoughts, chellai?" Aja asked her. She smiled.

"Anna, do you know anything about Hiranyakashyapu?" I asked.

He was taken back by her suddenly curiosity.

"I'm not much aware but I've heard that he used to torture all the devotees of Vishnu. He was the father of King Prahlad. Almost tried to kill him. Overall, just bad."

Chenchita got up and raced towards her father. "Nanna, what do you know about Hiranyakashyapu?"

"Sudden interest?"

"Just like that."

"He was the son of Diti, the mother of asuras. A very powerful son. The eldest one of the twins. Hiranyakashyapu and Hiranyaksha. Both of them terrible demons. Hiranyaksha was killed by Sri Hari in Varaha form. When Hiranyakashyapu found out, he was angry. He vowed to destroy Vishnu. For its sake, he did great tapasya of Brahma. So powerful that it scared the devas. In an attempt to protect themselves, they kidnapped Hiranyakashyapu's pregnant wife. She was then pregnant with their youngest child, Maharaj Prahlad. Narada Muni then saved her and corrected the devas. At the end of tapasya, Hiranyakashyapu asked for the boon of immortality but Brahma said it was not possible. He wasn't capable of making anyone immortal. Then he asked for a boon that no man, no deva, no animal, no Asura, neither in day nor at night, neither with any weapon nor with any Astra should his death arrive. Brahma gave the boon and left. Now, Hiranyakashyapu started to extract revenge for the killing of his brother. He conquered all the three worlds and started to search for Sri Hari but couldn't find him. Then someone said that Hari is found where Vedas are remembered, where cows are protected, where Dharma exists and where Bhakthi exists. So, Hiranyakashyapu started destroying all these places. But one place still existed where Hari was remembered with devotion. His own son. Prahlad. Hiranyakashyapu started torturing the young prince. But the prince didn't budge. Then he decided to kill the prince. He tried several methods but failed. Finally, he challenged Prahlad to show that Vishnu existed. Prahlad confidently claimed that Vishnu was everywhere. Hiranyakashyapu angrily hit a large pillar. Breaking apart the whole pillar into dust, Vishnu emerged. Then he killed Hiranyakashyapu." Sagar explained.

"But how? Didn't he have a boon?"

Chenchita slowly realised that the form suddenly made sense. 

He wasn't a human, he wasn't an animal. He wasn't as Asura. He wasn't exactly a Deva. He didn't carry weapons because his natural weapon were those razon sharp claws which can tear apart the toughest of Asura skins.

"That's why he became half a lion. He's not exactly a Deva. He's not born from Aditi or even belong from those devas that are prayed to technically. While devas are city deities, he lives over the hills." She pointed out.

Sagar smiled and patted on her back.

Chenchita's mind stayed on the idea of Narayana. The deity of Devas taking an odd form to save his devotees.

"They say that he was extremely enraged. So much that nobody could tame that anger. He almost threatened to attack the suras too. Shiva appeared to calm him down but didn't completely destroy the rage." Sagar explained

"But he doesn't seem so angry right now." Aja pointed out.

"Something must have calmed him down. But it is wise not to enrage him. One should be careful."