Three Auspicious Visions To Greet A Loving Father

“One time, that wicked king of the Daityas saw his son of lotus-like face and beautiful eyes, surrounded by women, having returned from the home of the guru. In his hand, that boy was holding a slate which had the mark of a chakra at the top and the name of Krishna written with great adoration.” (Narasimha Purana, 41.35-36)

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तं पद्मवक्त्रं दैत्येन्द्रः कदाचित् स्त्रीवृतः खलः
बालं गुरुगृहायातं ददर्श स्वायतेक्षणम्
गृहीत्वा तु करे पुत्रं पट्टिका या सुशोभना
मूर्ध्नि चक्राङ्किता पट्टी कृष्णनामाङ्कितादरात्

taṃ padmavaktraṃ daityendraḥ kadācit strīvṛtaḥ khalaḥ
bālaṃ gurugṛhāyātaṃ dadarśa svāyatekṣaṇam
gṛhītvā tu kare putraṃ paṭṭikā yā suśobhanā
mūrdhni cakrāṅkitā paṭṭī kṛṣṇanāmāṅkitādarāt

You went out of your way. You planned for this long beforehand. You reached out to others for consultation. This was a gift carefully considered, thoughtfully purchased, and timely delivered. You made sure to get everything right.

Except things did not go according to plan. The other person was more upset, as a result. If you had done nothing, if you pretended to forget about an important event, if you acted as if everything were otherwise normal, then there would be no problems. Instead, the recipient is yelling and screaming. They look so upset that they might cross the line into physical harm. They might choose to inflict damage, to release their frustrations upon an unsuspecting victim.

The above tends to occur when something is askew. When a person is not seeing clearly. When they lack basic decency. When they are struggling from a debilitating condition. In the case of the Daitya leader named Hiranyakashipu, that condition is known as ajitendriyah. It is like being constantly prodded by desires from the senses. This condition can occur in those who would otherwise seem to have everything under control, with no one to bother them, no one to interfere, and no one to instill fear.

स इत्थं निर्जितककुबेकराड् विषयान् प्रियान्
यथोपजोषं भुञ्जानो नातृप्यदजितेन्द्रिय:

sa itthaṁ nirjita-kakub
eka-rāḍ viṣayān priyān
yathopajoṣaṁ bhuñjāno
nātṛpyad ajitendriyaḥ

“In spite of achieving the power to control in all directions and in spite of enjoying all types of dear sense gratification as much as possible, Hiranyakashipu was dissatisfied because instead of controlling his senses he remained their servant.” (Shrimad Bhagavatam, 7.4.19)

We can see the damage caused by the ajitendriyah condition by reviewing an incident where Hiranyakashipu was meeting with someone. In a sane world, the interaction would be pleasant, wonderful, and lead to a further strengthening of a bond that nature already creates the conditions for. In other words, only someone who was totally off in their way of thinking would take the auspicious as inauspicious.

1. A dutiful son

It is a gift from nature. Someone brand new to this world. Someone who is naturally inclined to follow. In the manner that the three younger brothers of Rama, who are known as Ramanuja, follow the eldest out of duty, honor, attention, care, and affection, so the son has this way of looking up to their father since the time of birth. The father is like the great leader who sets the proper example for others to follow.

यद्यदाचरति श्रेष्ठस्तत्तदेवेतरो जनः
स यत्प्रमाणं कुरुते लोकस्तदनुवर्तते

yad yad ācarati śreṣṭhas
tat tad evetaro janaḥ
sa yat pramāṇaṁ kurute
lokas tad anuvartate

“Whatever action is performed by a great man, common men follow in his footsteps. And whatever standards he sets by exemplary acts, all the world pursues.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 3.21)

Prahlada was returning from the home of the guru. The home of the guru was like the school in those days. Parting is such sweet sorrow, but the time spent in separation might make the reunion all the more special. The father should be so pleased to see their son, to inquire about what has been learned. Indeed, Hiranyakashipu was initially so inclined; he was happy to see Prahlada, who had been prepared for the meeting by women in the kingdom.

2. A chakra

Narasimha Purana says that Prahlada had a lotus-like face and beautiful eyes. The physical vision was auspicious. It is like someone carrying around a painting or a decoration. Just seeing them is enough to brighten the spirits.

Prahlada brought with him a slate. This was like his notebook used in school. At the top there was the decoration of a chakra. This symbol is taken to be auspicious due to its association. The chakra is one of the items held in the hands, numbering four, of Lord Vishnu.

Vishnu represents the mode of goodness, sattva-guna, in the material world. Not everyone can always be in the mode of goodness, but that mode is superior to both passion and ignorance. Vishnu Himself is above dualities. He is never subject to the modes of nature. In this way, He is nirguna. Since He has distinguishable features, the gunas He does show are transcendental in nature. In this way, Vishnu is also saguna.

Items associated with Vishnu are also above the modes of nature. The chakra tends to have a dual-sidedness. On the one hand, it is a weapon. It can destroy. It can kill a rival in a short amount of time, in the way that Shri Krishna once released a chakra against an inimical leader known as Shishupala.

ततश्चैद्यस्त्वसम्भ्रान्तो जगृहे खड्‍गचर्मणी
भर्त्सयन् कृष्णपक्षीयान् राज्ञ: सदसि भारत

तावदुत्थाय भगवान् स्वान् निवार्य स्वयं रुषा
शिर: क्षुरान्तचक्रेण जहारपततो रिपो:

tataś caidyas tv asambhrānto
jagṛhe khaḍga-carmaṇī
bhartsayan kṛṣṇa-pakṣīyān
rājñaḥ sadasi bhārata

tāvad utthāya bhagavān
svān nivārya svayaṁ ruṣā
śiraḥ kṣurānta-cakreṇa
jahāra patato ripoḥ

“Undaunted, Shishupala then took up his sword and shield in the midst of all the assembled kings, O Bharata, and hurled insults at those who sided with Lord Krishna. At that point the Supreme Lord stood up and checked His devotees. He then angrily sent forth His razor-sharp disc and severed the head of His enemy as he was attacking.” (Shrimad Bhagavatam, 10.74.42-43)

Since the weapon can be used to annihilate the miscreants, it is also an object of protection. The pious feel safer when the chakra is around. Regardless, the vision of a chakra on the slate held by Prahlada is auspicious to everyone involved. The chakra is a reminder of Vishnu, who is the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

3. The name of Krishna

Prahlada had also written the name of Krishna on the slate. This was done in a reverential manner, adarat. This means that Prahlada was not necessarily practicing writing words. The name of Krishna was written intentionally, as a show of devotion. Again, this should be considered auspicious. Krishna is another name for Vishnu, and it means “all-attractive.” The son was innocently revealing his pious nature, in his devotion to Krishna.

The father should have been pleased, but he was not. He tried to skirt around the issue, at first. Perhaps Prahlada was only mistakenly associating with such symbols. Maybe the son had lost his mind. One of the teachers might have poisoned his thinking, as it was well-understood in the kingdom that the leader hated Vishnu.

In Closing:

In kingdom understood well,
Feelings of father to tell.

Hated Vishnu in these quarters,
How devotion then without orders?

In son who returning home,
Name written on slate his own.

Additionally the chakra sign,
As if own father to malign.