I am Prahlada among Daityas; of measures I am Time; among wild beasts I am the lord of beasts (the lion), and among birds I am Vainateya (Garuda). (Bhagavad Gita Chapter X – Verse 30)
Bhagvan says, I am Prahlada among the Daityas (sons of Diti); you can find Me even among these wicked beings. For I am Prahlada, the saint among the Daityas (demons). Perhaps we remember the story of the saintly boy Prahlada. Well, the Daityas are an order of superhuman beings. The gods (devas) and the demons are always at war with each other. The demons have no part in the oblations of men, as the gods have, nor have they a share in the governance of the world. Sometimes they drive the devas from heaven, take possession of their throne, and rule until the devas conquer them again. Prahlada was the son of King Hiranyakashipu, who had once again conquered the gods. He ruled over the three worlds, namely the world of men and animals, the world of the gods and deva-like beings, and the world of the Daityas. He was a very proud king and proclaimed himself God of the universe. He ordered his subjects to worship him instead of the omnipotent Bhagavan Vishnu.
Now it happened that his little son Prahlada was a devout worshipper of Bhagavan Vishnu, even from his very birth. Seeing this evil spring up in his own family, the king got frightened and gave his son in charge of two teachers, with the instruction to correct this tendency in the boy. But no matter how severely the teachers punished Prahlada, he would worship his beloved Vishnu. Not only that, he would also teach the other pupils to worship Vishnu. When the king heard this, he was enraged. And as the boy refused to worship his father instead of Vishnu, the king tried to kill the boy. But it was of no avail. Vishnu Himself protected the child-saint, and the boy survived all the king’s attempts to destroy him.
The boy would always pray to Vishnu, ‘Salutation to Thee, Bhagavan of the universe, beautiful and beloved Vishnu.’ And then he would meditate on Vishnu: forgetting that he was the boy Prahlada, he would identify himself with his Bhagavan.
One day the king saw again Prahlada worshipping Vishnu. He had coaxed, threatened and punished; now he was furious. He sprang at the boy, sword in hand. ‘Where is your Vishnu?’ he cried out. ‘If he is present everywhere as you say, then he must be in this pillar also.’ And saying this, he struck the pillar a terrific blow. Then the pillar split asunder and from it emerged the Narasimha incarnation of God, half man and half lion. It attacked the king and after a fierce fight destroyed him. Vishnu had taken this terrible form to protect his young devotee.
Then the gods came and worshipped Vishnu and Prahlada. And a voice came from heaven: ‘Ask a boon, O Prahlada, any boon
you choose.’ But Prahlada said, ‘Bhagavan, I have seen Thee; what else do I want? Please do not tempt me.’ But the voice said, ‘You must ask a boon.’ And with his heart overflowing with devotion, Prahlada said, ‘O Bhagavan! That intense love which worldly people have for sense objects — may I have that intensity of love for You and that, only for love’s sake.’ Then Bhagavan blessed him saying, ‘By My command enjoy the blessings of this world till the end of this cycle. Perform religious acts with your heart fixed on Me, and after the dissolution of the body you will attain Me.’ Then the gods installed Prahlada on the throne of the Daityas, and returned to their respective spheres.
So Sri Krishna says, ‘I am Prahlada. And I am Time, the great reckoner of all. And I am Garuda (the celestial bird, attending upon Vishnu).’