Supplicating The Inferior

“Others will also ridicule and scorn saying, ‘This child is an asura but prays to the gods. It is like a cat offering prayers to a mouse or a peacock to a snake.’ This is indeed a bad omen, behavior resembling an enemy, as even after obtaining great wealth and power, an unintelligent person can fall down.” (Hiranyakashipu speaking to Prahlada, Narasimha Purana, 41.59-60)

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अन्येपि त्वां हनिष्यन्ति वदिष्यन्ति जनास्त्विदम्
असुरोयं सुरांस्तौति मार्जार इव मूषकान्
द्वेष्यान् शिखीव फणिनो दुर्निमित्तमिदं ध्रुवम्
लब्ध्वापि महदैश्वर्यं लाघवं यान्त्यबुद्धयः

anyepi tvāṃ haniṣyanti vadiṣyanti janāstvidam
asuroyaṃ surāṃstauti mārjāra iva mūṣakān
dveṣyān śikhīva phaṇino durnimittamidaṃ dhruvam
labdhvāpi mahadaiśvaryaṃ lāghavaṃ yāntyabuddhayaḥ

“One puzzling teaching from the Vedanta school is this dichotomy between inferior and superior energies. This is to help identify the reason for the distinction, which is at the foundation of the instruction. Basically, we are not the body. I am not the body, and you are not the body. The dog is not the body. The tree is not the body. You get the drift. Something else is the identifier. The body is like an illusion or a set of clothes. The body is always changing.

“It is within this distinction that you have the two sides: inferior and superior. The body is supposedly a manifestation of the inferior energy. That energy consists of five gross elements: earth, water, fire, air, and ether. That energy also has three subtle elements: mind, intelligence, and ego. The body is but one portion of that energy. The entire collective, wherein you aggregate all the bits and pieces, is the material energy itself. Think of it like the whole universe, if we could fit such a vast landscape into a single image.

“The other side is the superior energy. That true factor of identification. That which remains throughout the shifts to the inferior energy. Apparently, the root of all problems is ignorance of these two energies. The factor of true identification is unaware that the body does not identify them. It is like this mind-puzzle, if you think about it. No wonder there is the recommendation for avoiding intoxication, gambling, eating meat, and chasing after endless sex. You have to really sit down and think to understand this stuff.

“The puzzling aspect to me is how the factor of identification would be considered the superior energy. How is that possible, just on the face of reality? For instance, a giant glacier is part of the material energy. It is a large collection of the water element. How can that be inferior to the individual? How is the much smaller person superior to the much larger glacier? Apply the same to raging fires, debilitating illnesses, anxiety, and a host of other attacks from the material energy? Why would any sane person consider the individual to be superior, given the context?”

Not only is the individual superior, but their ignorance of this superiority is the very reason for all troubles, trials, tribulations, and miseries. In ignorance, they think they can worship the inferior energy and find a permanent solution of peace, tranquility, happiness, enthusiasm, and satisfaction. Rather, just the opposite occurs. They experience one disappointment after another, with all the hopes and dreams ultimately shattered at the time of death.

“In the Vedas it is stated: asango’yam purushah. The living entity is actually separate from material existence, for the soul is not material. In Bhagavad-gita it is also said that the living entity is the superior energy, and the material elements—earth, water, fire, air and so on—are the inferior energy. The material elements are also described as bhinna, or separated energy. When the internal or superior energy comes in contact with the external energy, it is subjected to so many tribulations.” (Shrila Prabhupada, Shrimad Bhagavatam, 4.29.23-25 Purport)

The superior living being has elevated the stature of the inferior energy. It is a mistake. It is something like the parents deciding to let the children run the household. The father has to make a late-night trip to the supermarket to stock up on candy and ice cream. The children get a new smartphone every week, since they keep breaking the ones they have out of carelessness, anger, or frustration. The mother takes a second job in order to pay for subscriptions to television programming that is certainly not suitable for young adults.

There are no rules. There is no authority. The children are running the show. Any sane person would notice the problem after a few minutes. They would see that the inmates are running the asylum, so to speak. The superior is supplicating the inferior. The whole situation is upside down.

The ignorance can run so deep that the wise person is taken to be crazy, by society at large. The ones who actually know the difference between matter and spirit, and their corresponding categories of energy, are like criminals against the pursuit of false enjoyment by the ignorant. This was evident in the dealings of Hiranyakashipu with his son named Prahlada.

Prahlada knew things as they are. He was wise from a young age. His knowledge came from the celebrated Narada Muni. Prahlada accepted the wisdom while within the womb. This was a surprise to the father. Hiranyakashipu assumed Prahlada would inherit the family line of work, which was essentially ruling over the entire world. Hiranyakashipu was leader of the Daityas, and because of special boons received from the creator he had reached a position close to satya-sankalpa.

But even a one percent vulnerability nullifies the entire proposal. The father’s sankalpa of a son inheriting the lineage of the asura-like mindset did not come to fruition. Prahlada understood that the living being is the superior energy and to worship the inferior energy was a waste of time. There is no happiness in that pursuit. Any happiness is actually relief, like removing the cast after a broken leg has healed.

Hiranyakashipu was so caught up in his temporary success that he thought Prahlada was crazy. He compared the child’s inclination towards Divinity to be like a cat worshiping a mouse or a peacock intentionally honoring a snake. Hiranyakashipu thought that the other children would make fun of Prahlada, who was five years of age.

This is the general landscape. The power of illusion is so strong that even a successful person can forget all about the effects of time and how the body will not remain forever. They mock the wise. In this case, Prahlada had to face intense interference against his worship of Vishnu, who is above the distinction between matter and spirit. Vishnu is the source of strength in everyone, and those like Prahlada rely on that strength to rise above the inferior material energy.

In Closing:

In this world cycle repeated,
That again shamelessly defeated.

Since inferior energy taking,
Only from ignorance making.

But with assistance some,
Proper realization to come.

Like Prahlada worshiping direct,
That Vishnu highest and best.