“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

It is not all peaches and cream, sunshine and roses, or even pizza and ice cream when following the science of self-realization in a dedicated manner. If you are of a firm and fixed vow, dridha-vratah, there is the entire world and more to gain. There is ascendency in peace, in tranquility, in the ability to tolerate provoking situations, and in the acquisition of knowledge to explain puzzling aspects of an existence, both to yourself and to others.

सततं कीर्तयन्तो मां
यतन्तश् च दृढ-व्रताः
नमस्यन्तश् च मां भक्त्या
नित्य-युक्ता उपासते

satataṁ kīrtayanto māṁ
yatantaś ca dṛḍha-vratāḥ
namasyantaś ca māṁ bhaktyā
nitya-yuktā upāsate

“Always chanting My glories, endeavoring with great determination, bowing down before Me, these great souls perpetually worship Me with devotion.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 9.14)

In studying an isolated case, a single person from history and his journey through a natural and unashamed decision towards sanatana-dharma, we see that there can be two extremes. One negative and one positive. The negative might be enough to deter the lesser minded, the weaker at heart, the ones not fully convinced. But with Prahlada Maharaja, there was nothing that could change his decision to proceed, and for this decision he was rewarded with a positive to outshine both the dreadful circumstances of the time and any future perils that should arise, both for himself and others who would follow in his path.

1. Lack of support from your family

Imagine the following situation. You have a loving family. At least you think they are loving. You have no reason to be suspicious. There is no cause for concern. Maybe there are trouble points. Perhaps the writing is on the wall. Whatever the signs, you fail to notice them. You only see good. You would never trade places with anyone. This is your family and you always want to stay with them.

You are always wishing them well. There is not a hint of jealousy. If ever there should be envy, it is in the reality that others get to spend time with your mother and father. You would rather that time be reserved for yourself, to having quality moments to cherish, to remember, to look back fondly upon in old age. After all, the parents will not stay around forever. One day, they will have to move on. We are the product of the people who came before us. This is the civilization they left us, for better or for worse.

Now consider that one of the members of the family turns inimical. You are the reason. One of your decisions is the cause. It is an innocent choice, as you see it. Your proclivity in this instance is not harming anyone. What harm can you really do, as a child? You are always the dependent. You are at the mercy of the elders. You are simply passing the time in a certain way, drawing symbols on a slate. You are writing certain names, decorating them in a reverential manner.

For some reason, this particular interest is causing a huge commotion. The parent will not tolerate it. They are envious of you, all of a sudden. They consider you to be a rival. They think you are like a snake who has betrayed the kindness and support previously received. You are a good-for-nothing, spoiled brat. You are now rotten to the core, all because of this interest.

Can there be anything more depressing in life than to be envied by someone you have no envy for? Someone you look up to. Someone you respect. They say to never meet your heroes, due to the potential for disappointment, but what if your hero lives in your house? What if you see him every single day? What if you would sacrifice anything to keep that hero satisfied and pleased?

This was the negative side to the spontaneous worship of Vishnu from Prahlada Maharaja, who was the five-year old son of the Daitya king named Hiranyakashipu. Prahlada would not censor himself. He would not be bullied into giving up devotion. He would not be a victim to deprogramming efforts from the teachers. His mind was made up. It was no different than worshiping the sun, appreciating the clouds for the falling rain, or feeling a sense of brotherhood due to the link to the universe that every living being shares. Prahlada understood the source of strength in everyone. He was not ashamed to reveal that source, whether the father chose to accept or not.

श्री-प्रह्राद उवाच
न केवलं मे भवतश् च राजन्
स वै बलं बलिनां चापरेषाम्
परे ’वरे ’मी स्थिर-जङ्गमा ये
ब्रह्मादयो येन वशं प्रणीताः

śrī-prahrāda uvāca
na kevalaṁ me bhavataś ca rājan
sa vai balaṁ balināṁ cāpareṣām
pare ’vare ’mī sthira-jaṅgamā ye
brahmādayo yena vaśaṁ praṇītāḥ

“Prahlada Maharaja said: My dear King, the source of my strength, of which you are asking, is also the source of yours. Indeed, the original source of all kinds of strength is one. He is not only your strength or mine, but the only strength for everyone. Without Him, no one can get any strength. Whether moving or not moving, superior or inferior, everyone, including Lord Brahma, is controlled by the strength of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.” (Shrimad Bhagavatam, 7.8.7)

The disapproval did not end at statements of disappointment. Hiranyakashipu went to extreme measures to literally beat the devotion out of Prahlada. Hiranyakashipu considered Vishnu to be an enemy. There is no God, you see. There is only the strong and the weak. The weak worship Vishnu. The strong improve on their own strength, utilizing intelligence, showing cleverness in trying to assemble immortality through individual pieces, such as those gifted by a benefactor.

How would you feel if your own family turned against you, if they became violent, if they treated you worse than the mice causing a disturbance rummaging through the kitchen pantry at night? Prahlada was on the receiving end of such hatred, but he never changed his outlook. He did not hold a grudge, and he did not wish ill upon his father.

2. Full support from your object of worship

If the ire of the family is the lowest point from choosing devotion to Vishnu, then the obvious high point is the amount of support from the other side. As described in Bhagavad-gita, the Supreme Lord provides to the devotees what they lack. He maintains what they have. He preserves their devotion, though their exact circumstances might change, due to the ways of nature.

अनन्याश् चिन्तयन्तो मां
ये जनाः पर्युपासते
तेषां नित्याभियुक्तानां
योग-क्षेमं वहाम्य् अहम्

ananyāś cintayanto māṁ
ye janāḥ paryupāsate
teṣāṁ nityābhiyuktānāṁ
yoga-kṣemaṁ vahāmy aham

“But those who worship Me with devotion, meditating on My transcendental form – to them I carry what they lack and preserve what they have.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 9.22)

The chakra that Prahlada drew on the slate was absolute in nature. The name of Krishna written on the slate had the same property. This can only apply to God. Devotion is so powerful that simply by remembering, a person can transcend their conditions, which are otherwise always changing. After all, if even a loving family can turn around, suddenly deciding you are a villain, then what hope do any of us have? That supposed love must be based on conditions, and conditions are bound to change. The love for Vishnu, at the highest levels, is not tied to reciprocation or remuneration. There is no dependency on conditions, and so Prahlada felt a level of support so amazing that Vishnu Himself eventually saw the need to reveal a physical form that was both awe-inspiring and amazing. That form is still worshiped and honored to this day.

In Closing:

Considered a victim of madness,
Thrown into depths of sadness.

That my own father now to hate,
Declared an enemy with his slate.

From symbols of Vishnu to draw,
Not as auspicious visions saw.

But dedicated to path without hesitation,
To eventually reach Narasimha destination.

Categories: prahlada and his slate

Tags: bhakti, dailyprompt, life, poem, poems, poetry, prahlada, vishnu