“My dear father, O great sage, I know that your feet are very soft, like a lotus flower, and that My chest is as hard as a thunderbolt. I am therefore afraid that you may have felt some pain by touching My chest with your feet. Let Me therefore touch your feet to relieve the pain you have suffered.” (Lord Vishnu, Krishna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vol 2, Ch 34)

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“You can probably tell that I have been asking a lot of questions about spoiled children lately. Especially when they turn into adults, the behavior I witness is appalling. I would never dream of acting that way towards respected elders, no matter how upset I was with them.

“It seems everyone has a reason to be upset these days. One thing I have seen is children hating their parents based on political affiliation. They cannot tolerate a different political position. These spoiled children have no sense of understanding of nuance, subtlety, and detail. They never sit down and discuss things in a reasonable manner.

“If someone should make a convincing argument against them, exposing their embarrassing level of ignorance, the children will take to social media to complain, as if they have no real friends of their own.

“These children will blackmail their parents over these differences. A primary threat is refusing access to the grandchildren. Either renounce that political allegiance or never dream of interacting with the next generation again, is the threat.

“My first reaction is to laugh when I hear such things. I would tell those kids to get lost. I would remove them from the will so fast they wouldn’t know what hit them. I certainly will never be so weak and dependent that I have some rotten, good-for-nothing offspring telling me what to do.

“I realize that I am in the minority here, but it got me to thinking about the Supreme Personality of Godhead. How does He not get upset when people curse at Him? Many of the living entities spend countless lifetimes in complete forgetfulness. They think they can continue to enjoy on their own, in some sort of independent existence.

“How can He forgive to such a level? I couldn’t imagine doing the same.”

There is the story in Bhagavata Purana of Bhrigu Muni visiting the three main deities known to the material creation: Brahma, Shiva, and Vishnu. Bhrigu was essentially conducting a science experiment. He was going to introduce a specific behavior and then observe the response on the other side.

Both Brahma and Shiva were upset at Bhrigu offending them. That is only natural. Who wouldn’t be upset if someone from the brahmana community, who should know better, fails to follow proper etiquette?

Bhrigu had an interesting issue when conducting the test with Vishnu. The husband of Lakshmi Devi was lying down in rest. Bhrigu decided that his offense would be within the announcement of his arrival. He decided to kick an unsuspecting Vishnu in the chest.

In a fair analysis, this would be considered the worst offense. It was so disrespectful. There is no reason to startle someone in that way. Harsh words would have been enough. Why try to physically harm someone?

Vishnu’s response surprised Bhrigu. Vishnu was so happy to see Bhrigu. He was worried that the brahmana’s foot might have been hurt. Vishnu’s chest is known to be hard. It would not be good if a brahmana injured themselves in the process of visiting Vaikuntha.

The historical incident highlights how dear the brahmana class is to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. They may be poor. They might be frail in appearance. They may appear to be without support, but Vishnu is always looking out for their interests.

Such compassion actually extends to all of the living entities. The association with Supersoul is steady. That association is not based on conditions other than residence in the material world. As Goswami Tulsidas explains, the nirguna aspect of the Divine was in both Hiranyakashipu and Prahlada.

This means that the Daitya king was just as favored as the king’s son. Vishnu was not playing favorites. Prahlada himself tried to explain this to his father, that Vishnu is the source of strength in everyone.

श्री-प्रह्राद उवाच
न केवलं मे भवतश् च राजन्
स वै बलं बलिनां चापरेषाम्
परे ’वरे ’मी स्थिर-जङ्गमा ये
ब्रह्मादयो येन वशं प्रणीताः

śrī-prahrāda uvāca
na kevalaṁ me bhavataś ca rājan
sa vai balaṁ balināṁ cāpareṣām
pare ’vare ’mī sthira-jaṅgamā ye
brahmādayo yena vaśaṁ praṇītāḥ

“Prahlada Maharaja said: My dear King, the source of my strength, of which you are asking, is also the source of yours. Indeed, the original source of all kinds of strength is one. He is not only your strength or mine, but the only strength for everyone. Without Him, no one can get any strength. Whether moving or not moving, superior or inferior, everyone, including Lord Brahma, is controlled by the strength of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.” (Shrimad Bhagavatam, 7.8.7)

The difference is that Prahlada had additional knowledge in the connection to the saguna form of the Divine. He worshiped God directly, and so he was able to see things in a different way. Hiranayakashipu had the same facility available to Him. Nirguna never left him. Supersoul was still there.

Supersoul will always be there. The promise to rescue the surrendered souls carries with it forgiveness of countless lifetimes of forgetfulness. This level of kindness is unimaginable, but to the one who accepted the kick to the chest it is not something to worry over.

In Closing:

Brahmana community protecting,
Like kick to the chest accepting.

No rage or anger found,
Not even faintest protest sound.

In Bhrigu’s test this way shown,
That as forgiveness embodied known.

Vishnu in travels to extend,
Always as my best friend.

Categories: questions

Tags: hare krishna, hinduism, poem, poems, poetry, vishnu