“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

If there is anyone in the universe who would be justified in taking offense, it would be the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He is responsible for the vast expanse. Everything emanates from Him. This is one way to identify Him, in fact. Just consider the single source, the original spark, or the cause of every cause. The Sanskrit is sarva-karana-karanam. He is like the original fire from which countless sparks emanate. The notable distinction is that this fire still burns. No one can pinpoint when the fire started. Never will that fire cease to be.

एक-देश-स्थितस्याग्नेर्
ज्योत्स्ना विस्तारिणी यथा
परस्य ब्रह्मणः शक्तिस्
तथेदम् अखिलं जगत्

eka-deśa-sthitasyāgner
jyotsnā vistāriṇī yathā
parasya brahmaṇaḥ śaktis
tathedam akhilaṁ jagat

“Everything that is manifested within this cosmic world is but the energy of the Supreme Lord. As fire emanating from one place diffuses its illumination and heat all around, so the Lord, although situated in one place in the spiritual world, manifests His different energies everywhere. Indeed, the whole cosmic creation is composed of different manifestations of His energy.” (Vishnu Purana, 1.22.52)

There is this vast expanse, infinite in both its existence and reach. The countless sparks appear across areas covering that entire expanse. It is not that living beings are limited to only a specific cross-section or two, while other areas remain devoid of life. The living beings are sarva-ga, as described by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. The living beings can appear anywhere and everywhere. They are not limited to the land, the ocean, or the branches of the tree.

जल थल नभ गति अमित अति अग जग जीव अनेक
तुलसी तो से दीन कहँ राम नाम गति एक

jala thala nabha gati amita ati aga jaga jīva aneka
tulasī to se dīna kaham̐ rāma nāma gati eka

“There are an infinite number of living beings, both moving and nonmoving, who have many different abodes, with some residing in the earth, some in the sky, and some in the water. But O helpless Tulsi, for you Shri Rama’s holy name is your only home.” (Dohavali, 37)

Just what exactly are the living entities doing in the different places? They are enjoying, of course. Ananda is part of what defines them. They are also chit, which means they have incredible knowledge. Depending on the type of form they inherit, the exact configuration to the temporary covering, that knowledge is suppressed to a greater or larger degree. Even within the human species, where the knowledge has almost full potential to be unleashed, there is an uncovering process. In other words, education is a requirement; otherwise the knowledge remains covered.

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)

For how long are the sarva-ga living beings enjoying across the infinite landscape that is the material world? Those beings are also sach, which refers to sat. This means they are eternal. They can continue to enjoy for countless lifetimes. Even after the complete dissolution of the universe, at the end of the day of the creator, Lord Brahma, the same living beings can return again to continue in their pursuit of enjoyment.

भूत-ग्रामः स एवायं
भूत्वा भूत्वा प्रलीयते
रात्र्य्-आगमे ऽवशः पार्थ
प्रभवत्य् अहर्-आगमे

bhūta-grāmaḥ sa evāyaṁ
bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate
rātry-āgame ‘vaśaḥ pārtha
prabhavaty ahar-āgame

“Again and again the day comes, and this host of beings is active; and again the night falls, O Partha, and they are helplessly dissolved.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 8.19)

The rule in the material world is that the living beings can utilize whatever is at their disposal for enjoyment. Not just for enjoying now, but for enhancing the experience. For increasing the duration of the enjoyment. For trying to extend the association with a specific combination of matter for as long as possible. Everything that is available in the material world can be used to further that goal.

The reason the Supreme Lord has a right to be upset is that such an infinitely extending blissful existence is already available to everyone. It is the very meaning of the liberated state. Sharanagati is ananda without impediment. There is no cause to the work and there is no interference in the experience. The sole stipulation is that the consciousness must be aligned with the highest being of all. In other words, if we transition our interest to working to please God, we will get everything we were previously pursuing and more.

Except for some reason we do not listen. We continue to spin on the wheel of suffering, samsara-chakra, due to our false sense of independence. God is so kind that He does not interfere with this independence. If a person wants to become the most feared ruler in the world, God will even help them. In the case of the Daitya leader named Hiranyakashipu, there was the assistance of the great benefactor. Lord Brahma appeared on the scene to offer boons of protection to that infamous leader. Hiranyakashipu wanted immortality, but when that was not possible, he tried to recreate it through component parts. One boon after another, and Brahma kept agreeing.

Hiranyakashipu heard about a Supreme Lord. He knew about Vishnu. He was well aware of what happened previously, when a powerful atheist named Hiranyaksha tried to assert his dominance against a newly emerged boar. Vishnu killed Hiranyaksha in that case, and Hiranyakashipu maintained a grudge ever since. The leader of the Daityas would never admit to the truth, that he was inferior and that trying to usurp the authority of Vishnu was a fool’s errand.

Hiranyakashipu had everything going for him. He supposedly tricked Brahma into gifting de facto immortality. The good people in the world were living in fear. How could dharma thrive when it was well known that the leader of the Daityas would eliminate any exercise of that dharma? Vishnu spotted that leader a great benefactor, and that leader was still brought down. By a child, no less. By a child showing the simplest and purest devotion.

It was Hiranyakashipu’s own child, in fact. Prahlada held a slate in his hand one time. The sign of the chakra was at the top. The name of Krishna was written in a reverential manner. Just think, that someone who prayed for immortality could be so easily triggered by symbols of devotion drawn innocently by his own son, who was five years of age at the time. It was that allegiance to Vishnu which started the wheels in motion for the leader’s demise. Hiranyakashipu would go on to cross line after line, in inflicting the worst punishment against the son who refused to give up his devotion. The father was so fortunate that Vishnu Himself finally appeared, in the amazing vision of a half-man/half-lion, to give visual evidence of the influence of time.

The sarva-ga living entity might try for the same flawed immortality today, but what is the use? Someone like Prahlada could thrive in any situation. Someone like Hiranyakashipu was always agitated. It is like he knew he was living the wrong way. Prahlada tried to show the right way. Prahlada was telling the truth. The truth was finally visible to the inimical in the auspicious vision of Narasimha.

In Closing:

Justified offense to take,
With timeless pursuit to make.

That I can enjoy on my own,
To reach highest standing alone.

In birth after birth attempt,
Obstinate this desire to relent.

But marvel at how kind was He,
Truth in vision for Hiranyakashipu to see.

Categories: prahlada and his slate

Tags: dailyprompt, hinduism, narasimha, poem, poems, poetry, worship