प्रह्लाद

[[chitr:Holi-Holika-Dahan-Mathura.jpg|holika dahan, mathura
HoliKa Dahan, Mathura|thumb|250px]] prachin bharatiy sahity mean prahlad ki katha ati hai, jo isaka mahattv batati hai. rakshasaraj prahlad ne apani tapasya evan achchhe karyoan ke bal par devataoan ke raja indr ko gaddi se hata diya aur svayan raja ban gaya. indr pareshan hokar devataoan ke guru achary brihaspati ke pas gaye aur unhean apani samasya batayi. brihaspati ne kaha ki prahlad ko taqat ke bal par to haraya nahian ja sakata. isake lie koee aur upay karana p dega. vah yah hai ki prahlad pratidin prat:kal dan dete haian. us samay vah kisi yachak ko khali hath nahian lautate. unake is gun ka upayog kar hi unhean parajit kiya ja sakata hai. indr dvara jijnasa karane par achary brihaspati ne age bataya ki prat:kal dan-puny ke is samay mean tum ek bhikshuk ka roop lekar jao. jab tumhara maangane ka kram aye, to tum unase unaka charitr maang lena. bas tumhara kam ho jaega. indr ne aisa hi kiya. jab unhoanne prahlad se unaka shil maanga, to prahlad chauank gaye.

• unhoanne poochha - kya mere shil se tumhara kam ban jaega ? indr ne haan mean sir hila diya. prahlad ne apane shil arthat charitr ko apane sharir se jane ko kah diya. aisa kahate hi ek tejasvi akriti prahlad ke sharir se nikali aur bhikshuk ke sharir mean sama gayi. poochhane par usane kaha - 'maian apaka charitr hooan. apake kahane par hi apako chho dakar ja raha hooan.'
• kuchh samay bad prahlad ke sharir se pahale se bhi adhik tejasvi ek akriti aur nikali. prahlad ke poochhane par usane bataya ki 'maian apaka shaury hooan. maian sada se shil vale vyakti ke sath hi rahata hooan, chooanki apane shil ko chho d diya hai, isalie ab mera bhi yahaan rahana sanbhav nahian hai.'
• prahlad kuchh soch hi rahe the ki itane mean ek akriti aur unake sharir ko chho dakar jane lagi. poochhane par usane svayan ko vaibhav bataya aur kaha ki 'shil ke bina mera rahana sanbhav nahian hai. isalie maian bhi ja raha hooan.' isi prakar ek-ek kar prahlad ke sharir se anek jyotipuanj nikalakar bhikshuk ke sharir mean sama gaye. prahlad nidhal hokar dharati par gir gaye.
• sabase aant mean ek bahut hi prakashaman puanj nikala. prahlad ne chauankakar usaki or dekha, to vah bola - 'maian apaki rajyashri hooan. chanki ab apake pas n shil hai n shaury; n vaibhav hai n tap; n pratishtha hai n sampada. isalie ab mere yahaan rahane ka bhi koee labh nahian hai. at: maian bhi apako chho d rahi hooan.' is prakar indr ne keval shil lekar hi prahlad ka sab kuchh le liya.