Swats Has A Story

Prads took part in this local theater form called Yakshagana on weekends. The stories were usually taken from the mythologies. Somehow Swats had began to like the same and she scripted one such play for Prads and his team. The original director of the play, a man in his sixties was made to sit and enjoy this modern version of Prahlad story scripted by Swats.

The curtain opened and the characters and the settings was introduced in a song. It was Demon Hirayankashapu's palace and he had passed the order that everyone should regard him as almighty and not Lord Vishnu. No person had raised their voice except his own son Prahlad. Prahlad was in Gurukul and the cabinet was called to decide how to finish him if he doesn't stop praying Lord Vishnu.

Each of the ministers voiced their opinions, 'Let a crowd of elephants trample him" , "Let poisonous serpents be allowed to run over his young body", "Throw him down the mountains".
But a girl minister played by swats smilingly said, ""Let a young girl enter his Gurukul and make his head turn...Let him fall in love with the girl truly, madly and deeply. After a year, we will call her back and you will see how slowly but surely he would die a bitter death while he is still alive and even Lord Vishnu can't help him. Then he will lose his faith in the Almighty." The demon found the idea acceptable and he put it into action immediately.

The next scene was after a year and Prahlad played by Prads had returned to the palace and looked completely dejected. The demon inquired him of his state and Prahlad like a true Devdas uttered in a musical fashion, "Dad... My heart is broken to pieces. It wouldn't have been so broken even if a thousand elephants had walked over it. My senses seems to be completely malfunctioning...Even the poisonous snakes wouldn't have had this effect...I feel like I am falling down a deep cliff and no one to catch me below..."

The demon was happy and was sure that now his son would lose his faith in almighty. At this opportune moment, his sister entered and said, "Prahlad.. Would you sit with me in the burning pyre..." Prahlad said, "What is this fire compared to the one that is burning inside me from her separation... " And he volunteered to sit alone in the pyre and the fire was totally powerless in doing any harm to Prahlad.
The demon was surprised and asked him how is that possible. Prahlad said, "That's simple. Its called Love... I am not here... Only my body is here. My soul and mind is somewhere far away.." The actor Prads paused for a moment as if to say his soul and mind wandered into some place far away.

Demon was not happy with this one and demanded, "Love can't be that powerful.. If it is so, she should have been here with you. Why would she leave you?" Like a bollywood feel good movie, the girl made the entry at that time, when it was neither day nor night, that is at dusk. She stood at the doorway neither knowing whether to enter or not to enter.She had come there forgetting the lajja of a girl and yet she didn't had the courage of a boy to say the thing... Prads forgot for a moment about his character and said, "Can this happen in real life also" and then came back into the character.

Demon was confused and remembered his real goal, "I will never understand this thing called Love. Coming to the point! Would you now regard me as God. That's what I want to hear from you..."
Prahlad replied negatively, "No!"
Demon asked him, "Then you still say Vishnu is the God..."
Prahlad laughed, "I strongly believe that LOVE IS GOD"