“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 came to a realization the other day. This is after careful study of patterns and behaviors, stretching across decades. It ties in with the latest psychological issue, that of attachment to the smartphone. They are calling it an addiction. Some people are well aware of the dangers, of how easily they can fall into the trap of infinite scrolling, checking for the latest meaningless news, posting nasty comments about others, or simply uploading photos to make others jealous.

“On the other hand, some people scoff at the very mention of an addiction. They see nothing wrong with using the smartphone, with having it always by their side. They kind of like the distraction. Of course, these are the same people who cannot maintain a basic conversation, face-to-face. If you want to sit down and watch something on television with them, they are on the phone the entire time. I notice that if I take out my phone in response, they get upset. Go figure.

“Anyway, the realization I had is that everyone likes to meditate. In some form or another. Take these middle-aged males who suddenly get into running. They train for long-distance races. They join with other racers to form a club. It is like they prefer to be out in the open, on their own, with no family around to bother them.

“People meditate in their own ways, without necessarily knowing it. For instance, when was the last time you heard someone complain about having no distractions? Does anybody ever wish to be interrupted while sleeping in the middle of the night? Do they like to be disturbed while trying to complete an important task at the office?

“Given this situation, why aren’t more people into meditation of the official kind? The one where you are actually meditating, focusing on something, removing negative vibes, and the like. Meditation is one of the limbs of the formalized system of yoga. Meditation is dhyana in Sanskrit. Why aren’t we pushing more people to try dhyana?”

We can take the same principle and apply it to tapasya, as a whole. This is austerity and penance. His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada declares that the human life is meant for tapasya. Whenever we find mention of eating and sex life within religious books, the purpose is always tapasya. Otherwise, mankind would have no need to limit anything. They could live like the animals and be happy. Of course, they are not the animals. There is a reason for the distinction. There is a reason that distinction is an elevation, not a degradation.

In the tradition of spirituality that is bhakti-yoga, the identifiable forms of tapasya might be the restrictions on eating meat, gambling, mixing freely with women, and taking intoxicants. Mention any of these restrictions to the average person and their head is sure to spin. They wonder what fun will remain in life when these are taken away. How can there be any enjoyment left?

The truth is that everyone follows tapasya already. They sometimes institute severe forms of it. The difference is that they are after a certain goal, one that is temporary and insignificant in the grand scheme. There is tapasya when going on a diet, when training for a physical competition, when studying for an exam, and even when sleeping on time in order to wake up refreshed for the upcoming day at the office.

As we see informal implementations of tapasya throughout society, the same applies to dhyana. The historical figure named Hiranyakashipu is an ideal reference point, in this regard. He voluntarily took to austerities. He had nothing around him. He was all alone, for a long period of time. This is a kind of meditation, if we think about it.

Hiranyakashipu had a purpose. He was fixed in meditation to get the attention of a benefactor. It is something like an aspiring musical artist waiting outside of the studio of a famous recording artist. They want a meeting with someone important, in order to get something important. Hiranyakashipu wanted to meet Lord Brahma, the creator.

Hiranyakashipu, who was soon to become the most feared ruler in the world, as the best of the Daitya race, succeeded in pleasing Brahma. The tapasya worked. The meditation was not a waste of time. There were boons received, and amazing ones, at that. After the mission was accomplished, Hiranyakashipu went back to his old ways. He soon became agitated by the senses. His condition was ajitendriyah, which can only be described as the worst kind of torture.

स इत्थं निर्जितककुबेकराड् विषयान् प्रियान्
यथोपजोषं भुञ्जानो नातृप्यदजितेन्द्रिय:

sa itthaṁ nirjita-kakub
eka-rāḍ viṣayān priyān
yathopajoṣaṁ bhuñjāno
nātṛpyad ajitendriyaḥ

“In spite of achieving the power to control in all directions and in spite of enjoying all types of dear sense gratification as much as possible, Hiranyakashipu was dissatisfied because instead of controlling his senses he remained their servant.” (Shrimad Bhagavatam, 7.4.19)

Meditation is beneficial, but the better result is from proper meditation. The corresponding example is Prahlada Maharaja, who happens to be the son of Hiranyakashipu. Prahlada was meditating in his free time. The meditation was blissful. It was engaging. It was worth the effort. Though with barely enough means to venture out on his own, Prahlada succeeded in implementing dhyana through the use of the slate. He drew the chakra at the top and wrote the name of Krishna. Prahlada was meditating on transcendence, and particularly the source of both the temporary and the permanent.

The father could have done the same. The father could have learned something from the son. Instead, the father became irate. He tried every which way to break that meditation in the son. Prahlada was not looking for anything. He was not working towards a goal, upon reaching which he would abruptly abandon his dhyana. Rather, that dhyana was all he wanted, and the object of the meditation was ready to intervene, if necessary, to maintain the link.

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)

In Closing:

If all conditions trying to break,
Then at least provide the slate.

On it regularly to write,
Chakra most beautiful sight.

To meditate so much on the name,
That eventually Vishnu came.

To the surprise of father interfering,
All future obstacles clearing.

Categories: prahlada and his slate, questions

Tags: dailyprompt, meditation, poem, poems, poetry