Hiranyakasipu reproved the teachers in anger. They told him, it was neither from themselves nor from any one else that Prahlâda had these teachings, but that they were spontaneous with him. The Asura king then addressing his son said: — "If you have not learned these things from your teachings, whence could you have such a vicious inclination." Prahlâda replied: — "Inclination for Vishnu does not come to the Grihasthâ either from himself or from any other. One blind man cannot lead another. It is the company of Mahâtmâs alone that can give such an inclination." Hiranyakasipu could bear it no longer. He threw down the child from his embrace, and asked the Asuras to kill him at once or expel him. They cried out "kill him, kill him," and struck the five year old child with their spears. But Prahlâda was deeply concentrated in Bhagavân, so he felt not the spears at all. This put Hiranyakasipu in fear, and he devised means to kill the boy. He tried big elephants, venomous serpents, Tântric practices, throwing down the child from the hills, enclosing him in cavities, poisoning, starvation, cold, air, fire, water, but failed to kill his innocent son. He then thought his end was near at hand and became melancholy. Shanda and Amarka told him not to entertain fears, but to wait till Shukra came. The king asked them to take charge of the boy once more. They again commenced to teach him their sciences. One day the teachers left the house on business. The boys were all engaged in play, and they invited Prahlâda into their midst. Prahlâda took the opportunity to instruct the boys. He explained to them in eloquent terms the transitoriness of all joys and sorrows and the vanity of all worldly attachments. He taught them the imperishable character of Âtmâ, and dilated on its relation to the body and the universe. He then preached in glowing words friendliness to all beings and devotion to Bhagavân. He then told the boys that he had learned these things himself from Nârada. The boys expressed wonder, for they knew Prahlâda to have been always under the tuition of Shanda and Amarka. Prahlâda informed them that when Hiranyakasipu had gone to the Mandâra mountain for prayer, the Devas attacked his kingdom, and Indra carried away his wife. Prahlâda was then in her womb. Nârada kept Hiranyakasipu’s wife in his own Ashrama till he had taught to her, more for the child in the womb than for the mother, the whole of Âtmâ Vidya. Prahlâda again continued the discourse and impressed on his companions in the most eloquent words, full of wisdom, the utility and nature of devotion. (The original discourse will repay perusal).