Puranic Encyclopaedia: A Comprehensive Dictionary with Special Reference to the Epic and Puranic Literature c7.907

c7.907

Indra disguised himself as a Brahmin boy and approached Prahlāda with a request for moral and spiritual advice. Prahlāda accepted him as his pupil and gave him moral and spiritual advice. Pleased with the pupil’s devotion, Prahlāda agreed to give him whatever boon he wanted. The pupil said that he wanted only the good qualities of the Guru. Prahlāda agreed to it. Then a shadow-like figure appeared to emerge from Prahlāda’s body. Prahlāda was puzzled asked the figure :—“Who are you” “The figure answered :—“I am your virtuous character. Now I am leaving you and entering this boy’s body.” Saying thus it left Prahlāda’s body and entered Indra’s body. Following it, all the good qualities of Prahlāda, like charity, truth, glory etc. entered Indra’s body one after another. It was only in the end that Prahlāda came to know that the cunning pupil was Indra. Thus from that day, Prahlāda began to decline in his good qualities and Indra began to prosper. (M.B. Śānti Parva, Chapter 124).