“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

“You could say it is yet another sign of the onset of Kali Yuga. This is the age of quarrel and hypocrisy. This is the time when deceit, deception, and deviousness to further nefarious motives take hold. The area of focus today is journalism. You mention that word today and people laugh. They think it is a soon-to-be defunct occupation. A journalist today is the equivalent of a paid spokesperson, a pitchman on television selling a particular product.

“The latest literary tool of choice is the invocation of expertise. For any contentious issue, which has supporters and detractors alike, which has people who stand to benefit personally and those who are skeptical, we are bound to find news stories referencing the so-called experts. If someone questions the need for rising early in the morning, for reaching the office on time, the opponent can cite an expert who says that it is better to sleep in. If the corrupt medical establishment wants to push experimental injections upon the healthy population, who is not fearful enough of the latest virus, then the experts are called in to action. The expertise, which is based on a circular credentialing system, is used to squash any doubts. It is used to suppress any further inquiry on the matter. The experts have spoken, you see. The experts are the final word. Who are you to question their expertise?

“My logic and reasoning say otherwise. Red flags are flying everywhere. I am listening to experts literally lying to me. They said one thing last week. They say something completely different today. I ask for the scientific evidence, for hard data to support their recommendation. They have none. All they have is their expertise. It is fast becoming the best way to spread corruption, along with the accompanying censorship of honest views, which get labelled as ‘misinformation.’

“I am not here to debate this issue and that. I want to know if similar corruption is rampant within spiritual circles. More so than the latest guru who stands atop the institution, within the sacred texts themselves there are so many recommendations that resemble the call to trust the experts. In Bhagavad-gita, Shri Krishna advises the disciple named Arjuna to approach someone who has seen the truth. The tattva-darshi can pass along wisdom because of their firsthand experience. The disciple is to approach in a humble manner, with an eagerness to serve.

“Is this not the same as willfully casting aside intelligence in order to blindly follow a self-anointed leader? Haven’t so many people been burned in this way? The institution forces them to accept a guru, the latest expert du jour, only to later see that expert exposed as a fraud. The poor followers then have to scramble to find another credentialed leader to align with, in order to remain in the good graces of the institution.

“How do we reach the summit of knowledge without throwing away our ability to question? How do we learn from a guru without following blindly? The side of authority can always claim expert status if anything should go wrong. They sometimes use Bhagavad-gita as support, in referencing the verse about the saintly person who temporarily falls down.”

अपि चेत्सुदुराचारो भजते मामनन्यभाक्
साधुरेव स मन्तव्य: सम्यग्व्यवसितो हि स:

api cet su-durācāro
bhajate mām ananya-bhāk
sādhur eva sa mantavyaḥ
samyag vyavasito hi saḥ

“Even if one commits the most abominable actions, if he is engaged in devotional service, he is to be considered saintly because he is properly situated.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 9.30)

One irony of the Bhagavad-gita conversation is that the teacher in that particular setting happened to have the highest credentials. You cannot go beyond the origin of everything and everyone. It does not get any wider in space than the infinitely expanded creation. Arjuna referred to Krishna as param dhama, or the supreme resting place or destination. If anyone would be justified in ordering Arjuna, it would be Krishna. If Arjuna had any doubts, any questions, Krishna could simply invoke status. The son of Yashoda could pull rank and demote Arjuna to a whimpering and weak follower.

अर्जुन उवाच
परं ब्रह्म परं धाम पवित्रं परमं भवान्
पुरुषं शाश्वतं दिव्यमादिदेवमजं विभुम्

arjuna uvāca
paraṃ brahma paraṃ dhāma pavitraṃ paramaṃ bhavān
puruṣaṃ śāśvataṃ divyamādidevamajaṃ vibhum

“Arjuna said: You are the Supreme Brahman, the ultimate, the supreme abode and purifier, the Absolute Truth and the eternal divine person. You are the primal God, transcendental and original, and You are the unborn and all-pervading beauty.” (Bhagavad-gita, 10.12)

Despite carrying the highest credentials, Krishna still left the choice up to Arjuna. The celebrated bow-warrior of the Pandava family had the option to deliberate. He should resolve any doubts based on the knowledge received. He should proceed forward, only after having confidence in the decision to do so.

इति ते ज्ञानम् आख्यातं
गुह्याद् गुह्यतरं मया
विमृश्यैतद् अशेषेण
यथेच्छसि तथा कुरु

iti te jñānam ākhyātaṁ
guhyād guhyataraṁ mayā
vimṛśyaitad aśeṣeṇa
yathecchasi tathā kuru

“Thus I have explained to you the most confidential of all knowledge. Deliberate on this fully, and then do what you wish to do.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad­-gita, 18.63)

In one historical example from sacred texts, we have a student named Prahlada who went against the teachers. The father was the highest authority figure at the time. Prahlada was five years of age. His father was Hiranyakashipu, who was the king. As the state today might commission a board of educators to decide on a curriculum to be taught across the local districts, so Hiranyakashipu guides the teachers in a certain direction. In the beginning, explicit directions were not required. The teachers knew what Hiranyakashipu valued in life. They knew what the next generation should do, which was follow in the footsteps of the father.

Prahlada had a different inclination. He happened to have heard information prior, while within the womb. The connection with Narada Muni was subtle. It was exclusively on the plane of sound. The living being as a fetus could not offer service. The unborn Prahlada could not inquire, either. He simply heard. Through that hearing, he accepted.

Meanwhile, when school started in the official sense, Prahlada had teachers not affiliated with Narada. They were focused on material life, on trying to improve the temporary situation, leading up to eventual death. Prahlada was not interested in this. He had heard about the akshara realm, presided over by the akshara being, and the opportunity to live an akshara type of life. Why would the wise person toss aside gold and replace it with rubbish? Sita Devi, the wife of Shri Rama, once made a similar comparison, in her insulting words to the wicked king of the Rakshasas named Ravana.

क्रीडन्ती राजहंसेन पद्मषण्डेषु नित्यदा
हंसी सा तृणषण्डस्थं कथं पश्येत मद्गुकम्

krīḍantī rājahaṃsena padmaṣaṇḍeṣu nityadā
haṃsī sā tṛṇaṣaṇḍasthaṃ kathaṃ paśyeta madgukam

“How can that female swan who is accustomed to sporting with the king of swans amidst lotus flowers ever cast her eyes on a water-crow that stays amidst bunches of grass?” (Sita Devi speaking to Ravana, Valmiki Ramayana, Aranya Kand, 56.20)

Prahlada was innocent in drawing the chakra on his slate and writing the name of Krishna, but these were considered acts of rebellion by the father. It was as if Prahlada openly rejected the gurus, in a flagrant violation of etiquette. Was he trying to torture the father? Was he playing a prank? Was he led astray by some delinquent in the community?

To resolve the fear of blind faith in genuine spiritual life, the individual can always trust, but also verify. They can accept wisdom through keeping an open mind, but blind faith can be dangerous when extended to the nefarious, the wicked, and the dishonest. Prahlada was certain that his choice was the right one, and not even a powerful king could stand in his way.

In Closing:

Not even father to stand in the way,
Prahlada most certain of his way.

Despite only briefly to hear,
Life’s mission identified and clear.

Perhaps fear of following blind,
But always with deliberation can find.

That for connection to Supreme this time meant,
Guru like greatest savior to me sent.

Categories: prahlada and his slate, questions

Tags: dailyprompt, experts, journalism, poem, poems, poetry, religion