“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

In this hypothetical situation, you are touring various pilgrimage sites. These are known to be popular destination spots. The visits align with the reward known as dharma, amongst the four principal identified for the human birth. The other three rewards are artha, kama, and moksha. You are doing okay in artha, in meeting personal interests. The economics are alright, but can anyone really have enough money these days? The bills continue to mount. The family always wants something bigger and better. Costs continue to skyrocket. Pressures from inflation, insurance, and the subtle increase known as “lifestyle creep”.

Artha is for enjoying through kama, and you can worry about moksha later. Moksha is the end to the cycle of birth and death. You are taking care of dharma right now in visiting these different places. You happen to come upon a sadhu who lives in a strange place. It is like he has intentionally chosen a pile of garbage as his home. It appears to be a way to fend off visitors. This garbage pile is in the midst of an otherwise dense forest. To put it plainly, you have to be going there in order to get there.

The ones who do make contact ask various things from the sadhu. This is a person formally renounced from the world for the purposes of spiritual advancement. Think of it like a sober and rational homeless person. They are choosing this destitution after careful deliberation. Other people recognize the tremendous sacrifice. They know that many of these sadhus acquire amazing powers as a result of their asceticism. Shri Rama once referred to a female ascetic as tapo-dhane. She had asceticism for her wealth.

कच्चित्ते निर्जिता विघ्नाः कच्चित्ते वर्धते तपः
कच्चित्ते नियतः क्रोध आहारश्च तपोधने
कच्चित्ते नियमाः प्राप्ताः कच्चित्ते मनसः सुखम्
कच्चित्ते गुरुशुश्रूषा सफला चारुभाषिणि

kaccitte nirjitā vighnāḥ kaccitte vardhate tapaḥ
kaccitte niyataḥ krodha āhāraśca tapodhane
kaccitte niyamāḥ prāptāḥ kaccitte manasaḥ sukham
kaccitte guruśuśrūṣā saphalā cārubhāṣiṇi

“Have you conquered all the obstacles in the way of your practice of austerities? Has your practice of austerity and penance steadily increased? O lady who possesses asceticism for wealth [tapodhane], have you been able to control your anger and your eating? Have you observed all the regulative principles and have you achieved happiness of mind? O lady who speaks beautifully, has your service to your guru been fruitful?” (Lord Rama speaking to Shabari, Valmiki Ramayana, Aranya Kand, 74.8-9)

When it is your turn, when you approach this saintly person, you ask for blessings. Just like everyone else, you want to get something from the meeting. The sadhu reveals a secret. There is a reservoir of gold and precious jewels in a hidden area nearby. No one else knows about it. For some reason or another, this sadhu is willing to share the information with you. He guides you in a general direction, and not believing your good fortune, you go along your merry way.

Hurrying to match your growing anticipation, a thought occurs. This stops you in your tracks. If the sadhu knows about a reservoir of valuables, why isn’t he taking advantage for himself? Why is he telling others about it? Why isn’t he trying to hoard everything for himself? Why is he choosing to live amidst garbage, to keep others at bay, instead of the obvious opulence he could trade the valuables in for? The interest accruals alone from such wealth would be enough to allow an adult to retire from working.

We can extrapolate out from this simple exchange to understand the dealings of the jiva souls with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. God is never poor. He is never destitute. He is never lacking anything. At the same time, He is aloof from everything. He lies down to rest in the spiritual world of Vaikuntha, where countless universes emanate from His breathing. He does the work of the world and yet is not affected by anything that takes place.

न च मत्स्थानि भूतानि पश्य मे योगमैश्वरम्
भूतभृन्न च भूतस्थो ममात्मा भूतभावन:

na ca mat-sthāni bhūtāni
paśya me yogam aiśvaram
bhūta-bhṛn na ca bhūta-stho
mamātmā bhūta-bhāvanaḥ

“And yet everything that is created does not rest in Me. Behold My mystic opulence! Although I am the maintainer of all living entities, and although I am everywhere, still My Self is the very source of creation.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 9.5)

The sadhu in our story is basically telling you to go live out your dreams. Take as much wealth as you want. Choose any destination after that. Make of the gold and jewels whatever you wish. The sadhu will stay aloof. He has nothing to do with any of it since he has found something much better. No bribe can change his mind. There is no temptation that will draw his attention elsewhere.

The reality is that you are the one living the dream. One dream after another, in fact. This illusion can continue across countless lifetimes. In one dream, you are a pilot flying planes. In another dream, you are flying without assistance, having a body suitable for air travel. In another dream, you are famous and wealthy, and yet in another iteration you are king of the world.

The saintly person is outside of the dream, and so they try to help others escape. This was the case with the Daitya prince named Prahlada. The father, Hiranyakashipu, was living the dream built upon boons bestowed by the creator. Hiranyakashipu was not only leader of the entire world, but he had the added assurance of protection. No one was going to interfere with that enjoyment. There was no rivalry to create since there was no such thing as an actual rival.

Prahlada shattered the dream by words of wisdom. Prahlada exposed the father’s life of illusion by innocently showing signs of Vishnu. There was the slate that had the chakra drawn at the top. The name of Krishna was written in a reverential manner. These were the initial triggers to stoke the ire of the father. Hiranyakashipu could not stand that his own son was worshiping God. This worship had to be tested, at first. If Prahlada was only foolishly going in that direction, the offense would be tolerated. On the other hand, if Prahlada was serious, he would have to pay.

Alas, it was Hiranyakashipu living the dream. Prahlada was settled in the truth. His worship was enough to withstand the interference from the powerful father. Prahlada had such a level of devotion that the otherwise neutrally disposed Vishnu decided to appear, in the amazing vision of Narasimha, to personally shatter the dream of dominance of Hiranyakashipu.

In Closing:

Like into ether to scatter,
Personally that dream to shatter.

When as Narasimha to appear,
From pillar fixed and near.

Son previously to tell,
But father under spell.

Of illusion as topmost to think,
Like others from time to sink.

Categories: prahlada and his slate

Tags: childhood, dailyprompt, dreams, hare krishna, poem, poems, poetry