“Narada Muni delivered his instructions both to me, who was within the womb, and to my mother, who was engaged in rendering him service. Because he is naturally extremely kind to the fallen souls, being in a transcendental position, he gave instructions on religion and transcendental knowledge. These instructions were free from all material contamination.” (Shrimad Bhagavatam, 7.7.15)

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ऋषिः कारुणिकस् तस्याः
प्रादाद् उभयम् ईश्वरः
धर्मस्य तत्त्वं ज्ञानं च
माम् अप्य् उद्दिश्य निर्मलम्

ṛṣiḥ kāruṇikas tasyāḥ
prādād ubhayam īśvaraḥ
dharmasya tattvaṁ jñānaṁ ca
mām apy uddiśya nirmalam

Let it not be said that the Vedas are one-sided. A person can lob the accusation. They can criticize followers for being narrow-minded, ultra focused on spiritual life to the detriment of other vital aspects of the life experience.

“They have their heads in the sand. They dedicate everything to this four-armed, blue-complexioned figure. It is nice imagery; I will not deny. There is something peaceful to the temple atmosphere. You feel as if you have entered a place distinct within this world; almost separate from it.

“Anyway, there is more to life than prayer. You cannot devote all of your time to that. There is real life to think about. There are practical matters that require attention. If you put your head down, with eyes reading words printed on a page the entire time, you could be accurately accused of neglect. Your friends might not be brave enough to tell you, so I will. Wake up! Come back down to earth, with the rest of us.”

If we study the content of a Vedic text such as Bhagavata Purana, we would find that prayer takes up a significant portion. It is the process of devotional service known as vandanam in action. The theoretical principle of achieving success in the purification of the consciousness through prayer acted out on a variety of playing fields.

The prayers relate to historical incidents, occurring both in this planetary system and others. As the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Bhagavan, is purna, or complete, there are many lessons simultaneously presented through what would otherwise be considered basic interactions.

There is almost an entire canto describing the ordeal of a small child named Prahlada. He happened to be born into a race incompatible with his nature. He was a devotee from birth. His allegiance was to Vishnu, whereas Prahlada’s father was antagonistic towards Vishnu.

Prahlada could support his conclusions. He was not following blindly. Though children are the most impressionable, it was not the physical example of someone appearing in front of him that influenced the inclination.

Rather, there was a transfer of knowledge that took place, and only a single time. It was an interaction of guru and disciple, except there was a barrier in between. From what we know, the knowledge was not written down; it was not preserved in a physical form. The guru was there only briefly, but the impact was astounding.

1. There is life within the womb

Prahlada heard from Narada Muni. The great travelling saint directed the words towards the womb. The wife of Hiranyakashipu was pregnant. Hiranyakashipu was a menace to the saintly people of the world. He could act out on his antagonism towards Vishnu and devotees because he had previously been blessed with boons by Lord Brahma, the creator.

The demigods were concerned that the family line would continue, that the child within the womb of Hiranyakashipu’s wife would spell further trouble. Narada decided to show compassion. He took a different approach.

Narada is not a person who lacks intelligence. He was not speaking towards an unviable tissue mass or something which had no identity. The interaction existed and persisted due to the very presence of life within that womb.

2. The child can hear within the womb

The life force within the womb was an individual. That individual could hear. Otherwise, Narada would not have wasted his time. He presented the science of self-realization, which is timeless. It is for this reason that what would otherwise be considered basic religion is actually sanatana-dharma in its purest form. It is a way of living that has no beginning and no end. Sanatana-dharma is the way of living; it is not merely a means to an end achieved at some distant future time, such as in the afterlife.

3. A child can retain what they heard within the womb

Prahlada took birth as a devotee. That life force within the womb eventually arrived within this world. Amazingly, Prahlada retained the information he heard. This was a special case, due to the favor of a saintly person, but the result reveals the potential which is there.

4. A child can find a guru within the womb

If I am interested in spiritual life, I should try to find someone to explain the concepts to me. As Shri Krishna recommends, such a person can pass on the wisdom to others because they have seen the truth. They are tattva-darshi.

तद् विद्धि प्रणिपातेन
परिप्रश्नेन सेवया
उपदेक्ष्यन्ति ते ज्ञानं
ज्ञानिनस् तत्त्व-दर्शिनः

tad viddhi praṇipātena
paripraśnena sevayā
upadekṣyanti te jñānaṁ
jñāninas tattva-darśinaḥ

“Just try to learn the truth by approaching a spiritual master. Inquire from him submissively and render service unto him. The self-realized soul can impart knowledge unto you because he has seen the truth.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 4.34)

The adult has a difficult time in this matter. They may have affiliation with an institution dedicated to such a cause, but the primary teacher, the acharya who founded everything, has since passed on. The leaders of the institution now insist that any prospective students choose a new teacher as their guide, from an ever-changing list of eligible candidates.

But we see from the example of Prahlada that a child within the womb has the potential to find a guru. Prahlada had the good fortune of receiving the teacher without an external search. There was no job application sent out. There was no travel to distant caves or to remote villages. It was a special case for sure, but Prahlada accepting wisdom in that manner reveals the potential which is there.

5. A child can call upon the protection of Vishnu from within the womb

It is the realization of Vishnu and the living being’s connection to Him that is at the heart of the transformation which takes place when following genuine spiritual life. It is a difficult standard to reach, as we are otherwise fooled into considering ourselves as the doers. We think we can manage on our own; we do not require assistance.

प्रकृतेः क्रियमाणानि
गुणैः कर्माणि सर्वशः
अहङ्कार-विमूढात्मा
कर्ताहम् इति मन्यते

prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni
guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ
ahaṅkāra-vimūḍhātmā
kartāham iti manyate

“The bewildered spirit soul, under the influence of the three modes of material nature, thinks himself to be the doer of activities, which are in actuality carried out by nature.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 3.27)

The humble submission, the gentle call for help, the constant link in consciousness – these can occur within the womb. The child is not restricted from self-realization due to the immaturity, lack of stature, or dependent status. Prahlada was so beloved that Vishnu appeared in this world specifically for him, in the wonderful avatara known as Narasimha.

In Closing:

Vision of Narasimha to obtain,
Specifically for Prahlada came.

Who initially from Narada hearing,
Hurdle of womb the sound clearing.

During that helpless time,
Where full dependence to find.

The potential blessings conferring,
From guru to disciple transferring.

Categories: the five

Tags: children, god, hare krishna, hinduism, parenting, poem, poems, poetry, prahlada, religion