Five Reasons Someone Might Need A Slate

“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

1. Lost their voice

“Yes, they are going through a difficult time at the moment. The doctor recommended emergency surgery. They came out of it okay, but they will not be able to speak for a while. The vocal cord area needs time to heal. As of now, they are using this slate to communicate messages. Think of it like an extension of the simple nod of affirmation or shaking the head in disapproval. They can tell us what they want to eat for lunch, for instance. They can ask us questions. It is kind of amazing that there is still a way to communicate, to have something resembling a conversation.”

2. Learning to write

“Isn’t this cute? Our child is learning their letters. They are taking to this education thing without knowing. It is like a spontaneous attraction. They are interested without us having to prod. They are not trying to impress their friends or anything. They are simply excited to try out new things, to see if they remember the different symbols. I think in a few weeks they will be ready to write words. They will learn how to write their name. Pretty amazing.”

3. Learning to draw

“They love to put different symbols in different places. We have a future painter in our midst. One day, you might see one of their pieces hanging in a museum gallery. A diamond in the rough, just ready to shine. We like to encourage them. It is a great way to pass the time. I would rather they draw than sit spaced out in front of the television. At least this way they are better connected with the universe. They are giving back positive energy.”

4. A mechanism for repetition

“Yes, this is your punishment. What you did during class was unacceptable. I am not going to merely invert the hourglass and wait for the sand to fall. You will have to write your humble message of contrition. You have to mean it. I will judge the sincerity after many repeated attempts. The slate is the perfect tool. You can write your message over and over. When you run out of space, simply erase everything and start over. Go ahead. You may begin. I am waiting. I will decide when it is time for you to leave.”

5. A tool for worship

A person studying the science of self-realization in the Vaishnava tradition, for the first time, perhaps feels overwhelmed by the length and breadth of the information shared with them. There is a complete scientific description of how the universe comes into being, for instance. The presentation is complete in the sense that it covers both matter and spirit. It goes into great length about how the different forms take their shape. At the start, there is no shape, in fact. The stateless matter lacks variety and distinction. Terms such as avyakta, mahat, and pradhana are used to identify this otherwise indistinguishable object.

There are different kinds of ahankara. This is the ego which makes us identify with the temporary. There are different kinds of senses and sense objects. One is subtler than the next. You have the basic summary from Bhagavad-gita, about how the individual soul is like the finest substance, but texts such as Bhagavata Purana and Vishnu Purana go into even greater detail. They even describe how different gross elements relate to different senses, such as the earth with smell and water with taste.

इन्द्रियाणि पराण्य् आहुर्
इन्द्रियेभ्यः परं मनः
मनसस् तु परा बुद्धिर्
|यो बुद्धेः परतस् तु सः

indriyāṇi parāṇy āhur
indriyebhyaḥ paraṁ manaḥ
manasas tu parā buddhir
yo buddheḥ paratas tu saḥ

“The working senses are superior to dull matter; mind is higher than the senses; intelligence is still higher than the mind; and he [the soul] is even higher than the intelligence.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 3.42)

The world’s greatest scientists would have to sit down and carefully deliberate upon all of the information. It is not that everything will be understood immediately. Notice that this information only covers the creation, which is tiny in comparison to the sum total. The creation also operates within a limited set of time. There are higher beings and higher statuses when compared with the creation. The highest being of all manages everything, and He does so in a casual manner, while in complete rest.

There is so much going on. There is so much information to consume. There is so much to deliberate upon. And yet, something simple like a slate can be used to reach the highest destination. That destination is not only equal to the one reached through full comprehension of the spiritual science, but it is actually a higher place. That is because the destination is akshara, or imperishable. It never gets created and it never gets destroyed.

We have the example of Prahlada Maharaja. He was knowledgeable about matters pertaining to the creation and the origin. He understood the source of strength in everyone. He realized the goal of the precious human birth. But what means did he have to go further? He was only five years of age. What places could he travel to? What kind of elaborate sacrifice could he perform? He was living in the kingdom of the Daityas, as well. The leader, who happened to be his father, was against such pursuits.

To further the objective of worship, Prahlada utilized everything at his disposal. The slate became something like a mirror to show everyone true auspiciousness, through the symbol of the chakra and the name of Krishna. Prahlada was worshiping in his spare time, but such worship is sufficient for achieving perfection in life. The child used the slate as a way to always think of the Supreme Lord, such that God was never lost to him.

यो मां पश्यति सर्वत्र
सर्वं च मयि पश्यति
तस्याहं न प्रणश्यामि
स च मे न प्रणश्यति

yo māṁ paśyati sarvatra
sarvaṁ ca mayi paśyati
tasyāhaṁ na praṇaśyāmi
sa ca me na praṇaśyati

“For one who sees Me everywhere and sees everything in Me, I am never lost, nor is he ever lost to Me.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 6.30)

In Closing:

Never to him lost,
Despite father to accost.

And to push in different way,
With devotion the child to stay.

Of means not great,
But there was the slate.

Upon which Krishna to write,
And chakra most beautiful sight.