“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

“I notice that you spend a lot of time discussing the best of the Daityas, Prahlada Maharaja. Of course, that devoted son would apply the title to his own father, Hiranyakashipu, in describing him as asura-varya, or the best of the demon-class. But we can take it on the authority of Shri Krishna that Prahlada is the actual best in that category, based on the shining example of devotion he left for the rest of the world to contemplate, study, honor, and appreciate.

प्रह्लादश् चास्मि दैत्यानां
कालः कलयताम् अहम्
मृगाणां च मृगेन्द्रो ऽहं
वैनतेयश् च पक्षिणाम्

prahlādaś cāsmi daityānāṁ
kālaḥ kalayatām aham
mṛgāṇāṁ ca mṛgendro ‘haṁ
vainateyaś ca pakṣiṇām

“Among the Daitya demons I am the devoted Prahlada; among subduers I am time; among the beasts I am the lion, and among birds I am Garuda, the feathered carrier of Vishnu.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 10.30)

“I notice that you spend a lot of time discussing Shri Hanuman, who is the best of the Vanaras. He is like the best of the monkey-race, and so some might refer to him as Hari-shreshtha. He has done amazing things like leap over an ocean and carry a mountain in his hands. The worship he receives throughout the world is justified.

अनेन त्वां हरिश्रेष्ठ चिह्नेन जनकात्मजा
मत्सकाशादनुप्राप्तमनुद्विग्नाऽनुपश्यति

anena tvāṃ hariśreṣṭha cihnena janakātmajā
matsakāśādanuprāptamanudvignāʼnupaśyati

“By this symbol, O best of the monkeys, the daughter of Janaka will be able, without any fear, to properly understand that you have come from My presence.” (Lord Rama speaking to Hanuman, Valmiki Ramayana, Kishkindha Kand, 44.13)

“Just what exactly is your ultimate objective? Are you in competition with these people? Are you using them as a sort of benchmark, to compare against your own output in devotion? Are you trying to outpace Hanuman? I hope you know that is impossible, as he can move at the speed of the wind. Are you trying to show that your devotion is stronger than Prahlada’s? Unless and until you survive a descent from a high mountaintop against your will or an experience in a pit with venomous snakes, I would hold off. You will never match up to these people. You will never be like them.

“I am not trying to insult you. I can never be like them, either. You can write and write all you want, but Vishnu is not going to magically appear from your pen. You might think that your artistic output is a brilliant display of modern literature, but Vishnu is not going to burst out of the screen, coming to life based on the characters inputted into the word processing program. The cases of Prahlada and Hanuman are special and rare. The Supreme Lord specifically empowered these individuals. You can never surpass them in ability, prominence, fame, recognition, or esteem.”

We can only succeed in our attempt at devotional service because others have succeeded. We only have faith that the trials and tribulations will become meaningless one day because of someone like Prahlada. We see that he had the most difficult circumstances with which to contend. Just consider that innocently drawing a chakra on his slate would get him into trouble.

Think of the different ways children run afoul of the law in a formalized education establishment. In some places, they might get in trouble if their shirt is not properly tucked into their pants. If one of their shoelaces becomes untied. If they are speaking to one of their classmates while the teacher is going through a lesson. If the child should accidentally use a prohibited word during conversation.

Prahlada was on the journey to detention based on his innocent worship of Vishnu. Prahlada was not necessarily conducting a yajna, in the formal sense. It is not that he invited others to sit on the floor, in front of a fire, where oblations were offered at timely intervals, synchronized with the Sanskrit mantras being chanted.

Prahlada simply drew a few symbols. He wrote the name of Krishna on his slate. He wrote that name in a reverential manner, adarat. Why is that a big deal? Why should a five-year old child in that situation have to worry? Especially if their father is the leader of the kingdom, shouldn’t it be the other way around? Shouldn’t Prahlada be able to get away with practically anything?

Prahlada stood strong in his devotion. He was not deterred by the derisive words of the father, Hiranyakashipu. Prahlada was not afraid of the threats of lethal punishment. Nothing could shake his devotion; even in the physical sense. The devotion was so strong that Vishnu eventually appeared from a pillar, to prove to the atheist class that God is real and that He can be terrifying and awe-inspiring.

Prahlada is a nonfictional character from history. The artifacts from his time remain. A person can visit the physical locations related to his worship. They can see where Narasimha appeared. They can climb to the top of the mountain from which Prahlada was hurled by the envious father. They can take strength from both the words describing his triumph and the physical impression that was left behind.

The worship continues to this day. We cannot imitate amazing people like Prahlada and Hanuman, but we can honor them by our own humble attempts in devotion. We understand the potential based on their successes, and they are kind to bless those who innocently proceed, undeterred in the manner of the dridha-vratah described by Krishna.

येषां त्व् अन्त-गतं पापं
जनानां पुण्य-कर्मणाम्
ते द्वन्द्व-मोह-निर्मुक्ता
भजन्ते मां दृढ-व्रताः

yeṣāṁ tv anta-gataṁ pāpaṁ
janānāṁ puṇya-karmaṇām
te dvandva-moha-nirmuktā
bhajante māṁ dṛḍha-vratāḥ

“Persons who have acted piously in previous lives and in this life, whose sinful actions are completely eradicated and who are freed from the duality of delusion, engage themselves in My service with determination.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 7.28)

In Closing:

Proceed amidst interference how,
Because fixed in that vow.

Worship strong and true,
In son of Daitya who.

Innocently the name to write,
Pleasure in chakra symbol sight.

Vishnu against envious father to shield,
Shining example for all of time to yield.

Categories: prahlada and his slate, questions

Tags: ancestry, dailyprompt, life, poem, poems, poetry