Split second timing

The tenth calls students of a school had planned a drama in their school’s annual function. They had planned to play the Hiranyakashyapa and Prahalad’s dramatic confrontation from the Hindu mythology. For people who do not know the story it is as follows. Hiranyakashyapa is an Asura king who does not believe in Vishnu as a god and but considers himself as a god. His only son Prahalad is a ardent devotee of Vishnu (the Hindu god). Hiranyakashyapa asks Prahalad as to whom he worships and Prahalad vey innocently says “Vishnu”. One things leads to another and Hiranyakashyapa challenges Prahalad and asks him where is Vishnu. Prahalad says “He is everywhere’” Hiranyakashyapa Says “aha, can you show him in this pillar” Prahalad says “certainly”. Hiranyakashyapa breaks the pillar and Vishnu magically appears from the pillar in the form of Narashimha (half man and half lion) and slays Hiranyakashyapa.

This famous story was a huge crowd puller and the class had planned it in a dramatic fashion. Usually as soon as Hiranyakashyapa Hiranyakasapa says “can you show me Vishnu in this pillar” the screen is dropped and as soon as the screen is lifted Vishnu is already present and he kills Hiranyakashyapa.

But the class wanted a dramatic finale. They convinced the school management and made one of the pillars with paper Mache. They installed Vishnu in that pillar and provided him with air holes to breathe. The drama was in its element and the entire thing was heading towards a grand final when Murphy’s Law kicked in. Hiranyakashyapa got excited seeing the huge crowd. He pulled a boner and said “ Can you show me Vishnu in this pillar’’ The entire cast and the director were in tender hooks as Hiranyakashyapa was pointing out at a wrong pillar – a pillar where there was no Vishnu in hiding.

 

But the student who played Prahalad was made of sterner stuff. He saved the day by saying “Father I can show you Vishnu in that Pillar and in this pillar also (the correct pillar)” Thus he pointed the correct pillar to Hiranyakasapa. Suitably christened Hiranyakashyapa cracked the correct pillar and Vishnu slayed Hiranyakashyapa. It was Prahalad’s presence of mind that saved the day.