2012 — Dev, Age 7
"Grandma, Grandma, are all Asuras bad?" Dev asked his grandmother, his voice filled with innocent curiosity.
(Asuras: beings from Hindu mythology often portrayed as demons or anti-gods, typically in opposition to the gods or Devas.)
"No, child," she replied with a gentle laugh. "It's not about being an Asura or a Deva. It's adharma that decides whether someone is good or bad."
"But in all the stories, Asuras are always shown as bad," Dev said, frowning slightly as he looked up at her.
"Oh, my child," Grandma said with a warm smile, brushing his hair gently. "It's true that most Asuras did terrible things — that's why they are shown as villains. But that doesn't mean all Asuras are bad. If they walk the path of dharma, then Lord Vishnu or any other god will accept them."
She paused for a moment, then leaned in a little closer.
"I understand your question, Dev. Let me explain what dharma and adharma mean through a small story."
"Story?" Dev tilted his head, eyes wide with interest. "Hmm... what story do you have, Grandma? I already know so many. I'm trying to think — is there any story I don't know yet?" he asked curiously.
Grandma chuckled softly. "Yes, my child. This one is about a devotee of Lord Vishnu — someone born as an Asura. But because of his pure heart and deep devotion, the Lord himself took birth just to protect him."
"Asura? Grandma, who was that person?" Dev asked, his curiosity growing.
"His name was Prahlad," Grandma replied gently.
"Prahlad?" Dev repeated, eyes wide.
"Yes, Prahlad," she said, nodding. "Many years ago, there lived a wicked Asura king named Hiranyakashipu. He was a cruel and arrogant ruler, feared by all. And he had a powerful boon."
"Boon?" Dev looked up at Grandma, puzzled.
"Yes, my child," she nodded. "Hiranyakashipu was clever. He worshipped Lord Brahma with deep penance and finally earned a boon. He asked that he could not be killed by any man or animal, by any weapon, neither inside nor outside, neither during the day nor at night, not on the ground nor in the sky."
Dev's eyes widened. "Hmm... Grandma, he was clever. He asked for something no one could do!"
Grandma smiled knowingly. "Yes, he thought he had made himself invincible."
"But who can win against God?" Grandma said, her eyes twinkling.
Hiranyakashipu hated Lord Vishnu so much that he ordered the destruction of every Vishnu devotee he could find. But see — such are the ways of the Divine. One day, a child was born in his own clan, destined to be known for his unshakable devotion to Lord Vishnu. That child was none other than Prahlad.
"Oh! Grandma, Prahlad was Hiranyakashipu's own son?" Dev asked in shock.
"Yes, my child," she nodded slowly. "His own son," she repeated. "When Prahlad began worshipping Lord Vishnu, Hiranyakashipu's hatred boiled over. He couldn't stand it. He tried to stop him... and then tried to kill him — his own son."
"He tried to kill his own child?" Dev asked, eyes wide with disbelief.
"Yes, child," Grandma said softly. "He did. Hiranyakashipu's hatred blinded him."
She sighed and continued, "He tried poisoning Prahlad… trampled him under elephants… threw him off a mountain… and even tried to burn him alive."
Dev gasped.
"With his own sister Holika," Grandma added. "Holika had a boon — she could not be burned by fire. So she sat in the flames with Prahlad on her lap, thinking she would survive while he perished."
"But nothing could harm him," Grandma continued. "Not even the fire meant to burn him. Instead, the flames protected Prahlad… and burned Holika."
Dev's eyes sparkled with wonder.
"After everything failed," Grandma said, her voice lowering, "Hiranyakashipu decided to handle it himself. He would annihilate his own son with his own hands."
"He was a very bad demon king," Dev said with a frown.
"He was," Grandma agreed. "But how could Lord Vishnu allow such cruelty to happen to his true devotee?"
She leaned closer, her voice soft and powerful. "So Lord Vishnu took a divine form — Lord Narasimha — a being with the face of a lion and the body of a man. And do you know where he appeared from, Dev?"
Dev shook his head slowly, eyes wide.
"He emerged from a pillar in Hiranyakashipu's own palace," Grandma said with a dramatic pause. "Born from that very pillar — in a burst of light and fury."
Dev's mouth dropped open in awe.
"With fierce, dagger-like claws, Lord Narasimha lifted Hiranyakashipu and carried him to the threshold — a place that was neither inside nor outside. It was twilight — neither day nor night. He placed him on his lap — not the ground, not the sky — and then…"
Grandma raised her hand like a claw.
"…with his divine claws, he tore the demon king apart — fulfilling every condition of the boon, yet ending the evil."
She smiled gently. "And that's how the Lord protected Prahlad."
Grandma gently placed her hand on Dev's head.
"So you see, my child, even if someone is born as an Asura, they can still be saved by God. In the eyes of the Divine, there is no Asura or Deva — there is only one truth: good and bad. Never judge anyone by their color, their food, or their clan. Judge them only by their nature — by the choices they make."
Dev nodded slowly, his eyes thoughtful.
"Yes, Grandma," he said softly. "I'll never judge anyone by how they look… or where they come from."
---
As Dev made that promise, the years slowly passed. When he turned ten, his beloved Grandma passed away due to old age — and that's when everything began to change.
The values she had taught him… the morals she planted in his heart… began to blur.
And Dev… slowly started to become what he had once promised he would never be.
---
A/N:
Hi guys! This is my first work, so I'm a bit nervous 😅
This is the Prologue of my story "One Minus One" — and yes, it's a supernatural story!
This prologue isn't the beginning of the action — it's the foundation. It shows you that not everything is as it seems. It sets the moral core of the story before the real journey begins.
The main story will start in Chapter 1 — so get ready for it!
Peace 🕊️
— Panda