The demon king, following the advice of his guru, Shukracharya, decided to proceed accordingly and sat adorned on his throne. In the assembly, the demon warriors sat in their designated seats.
As ordered by the demon king, the formidable and grim-faced assistants brought Prahlada to the assembly. Without any worry and fearlessly, Prahlada came smiling and stood before his father, greeting him, "Father, I salute you."
Hiranyakashipu, swallowing his displeasure and feigning a smile, said, "Son, have you considered what I told you? Will you not abandon your stubbornness and please your father?"
Prahlada responded, "Father, I am but a child, how am I qualified to understand your deep philosophies? Yet, my inner self tells me that I have never intended any harm towards you."
Hiranyakashipu asked, "Then what is your resolution? What is your ultimate goal?"
Prahlada replied, "Father, in this world, there is nothing more dear than the Supreme Soul! Worship, devotion, and remembrance of that Supreme Being are my goals! My resolution is to win His favor!"
Enraged, Hiranyakashipu asked, "You mean to say you will continue to chant the name of that magician?"
Prahlada humbly said, "Indeed, father, that Lord of Illusion is the supreme among all. The scriptures that glorify His infinite power, saying 'He is subtler than the subtlest and greater than the greatest', 'Narayana alone existed, not Brahma nor Shiva', and 'From Narayana everything originates, in Him everything dwells, and into Him everything dissolves'—advise us to seek His favor for our ultimate good. Father, worship that Supreme Soul and become liberated!"
Hiranyakashipu, in a demeaning tone, questioned, "Then what is your final decision?"
Prahlada: "Father, Sri Hari is the supreme deity! From Him originate creation, preservation, and destruction. He is the protector of all beings! I have surrendered to Him. My goal is to worship Him constantly, meditate on Him with devotion, and become worthy of His grace. This is my unwavering resolution!"
