“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. Vocal admonishment

“Excuse me, I am speaking. I am trying to teach a classroom full of strangers. I understand that the school year is almost over, but that is no excuse for misbehaving. Please sit properly while a lesson is in session. Your incessant whispering is distracting not only for me, but also the rest of the students. This is your first warning.”

2. Shamed in front of peers

“Well, well, well. What do we have here? A note that has been passed around. Perhaps the rest of the class would like to hear what you have written. Oh, my! Should I tell? Should I read this aloud? I had no idea you developed such strong feelings. And to think you felt the need to share these feelings in the middle of our lesson. You know what? I will have this nice student over here read the message. They will share it with the rest of the classroom. No need to keep secrets. Perhaps the person of interest, to whom you wrote the message, can respond accordingly, in front of everyone.”

3. Detention

“Do you know why you are here? Don’t give me that sullen look. Your behavior lately has been appalling. You are a constant disruption. You are interfering with the learning of the other students. It might surprise you to know that some people actually enjoy receiving a formal education. They do not hate the classroom as much as you do. Anyway, you will remain here until I say that you can leave. You will have to do your homework, show it to me, and then write a note of contrition on the chalkboard. Go ahead, begin.”

4. Suspension

“I am sorry to inform you that your child is being sent home. They are not allowed on school grounds for at least a week. Their behavior lately does align not with the standards of this reputable establishment. Moreover, if they continue in this direction their entire educational experience will be spoiled. They are not learning anything. This is because they refuse to behave properly. If they do not develop a healthy respect for elders, how do they expect to survive in this world?”

5. Expulsion

“That is it. Enough is enough. We have given the child multiple warnings. They were punished appropriately. They failed to straighten up. We cannot allow them to attend this school any longer. It is a tough measure for the parents to accept, but we are not in the business of running a juvenile detention facility.”

…

The Daitya leader named Hiranyakashipu could be considered something like the headmaster of the academy for young students in his kingdom. While not providing the instruction directly, he had the final say as to the curriculum, the code of conduct, and the means of punishment. As if trying to prove his impartiality, Hiranyakashipu happened to employ the strictest forms of punishment against someone near and dear: his own son.

Prahlada was five years of age. He was just beginning school. He came home one time with a slate decorated with symbols. There was the chakra, which is like a disc used as a weapon. There was the name of Krishna. These were drawn in a reverential manner, adarat. It is like they were decorations to celebrate someone or something important.

Ironically, something so simple signaled misbehavior to the highest degree. The chakra is associated with Lord Vishnu, who is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Krishna is a Sanskrit word to describe the same Vishnu; it can also be used as a name of address. There are ancient prayers such as Vishnu-sahasranama precisely because people attach names to the Almighty based on different features. It is not that they are worshiping different gods or think that there are multiple personalities at the origin of matter and spirit. Due to a strong attachment based on a loving sentiment, devoted souls indulge an urge to apply different decorations in their worship. These decorations include the use of sound, in addressing God through different names.

Hiranyakashipu was not inimical at first. It took some noticeable persistence from Prahlada before the authorities took the matter seriously, in responding to a five-alarm fire. The father tried to rectify the situation in different ways. He attempted to invoke shame, in warning that the other children might make fun of Prahlada. The child was something like the highest celebrity, if we think about it. He was the son of the leader of the kingdom, after all. That kingdom was based on hatred for Vishnu. That kingdom was based on a disputed claim; that there is no God and that the person with the most might determined what was right, at all times.

अन्येपि त्वां हनिष्यन्ति वदिष्यन्ति जनास्त्विदम्
असुरोयं सुरांस्तौति मार्जार इव मूषकान्
द्वेष्यान् शिखीव फणिनो दुर्निमित्तमिदं ध्रुवम्
लब्ध्वापि महदैश्वर्यं लाघवं यान्त्यबुद्धयः

anyepi tvāṃ haniṣyanti vadiṣyanti janāstvidam
asuroyaṃ surāṃstauti mārjāra iva mūṣakān
dveṣyān śikhīva phaṇino durnimittamidaṃ dhruvam
labdhvāpi mahadaiśvaryaṃ lāghavaṃ yāntyabuddhayaḥ

“Others will also ridicule and scorn saying, ‘This child is an asura but prays to the gods. It is like a cat offering prayers to a mouse or a peacock to a snake.’ This is indeed a bad omen, behavior resembling an enemy, as even after obtaining great wealth and power, an unintelligent person can fall down.” (Hiranyakashipu speaking to Prahlada, Narasimha Purana, 41.59-60)

The teachers tried to change the curriculum, though there was nothing really to change. Prahlada had learned everything from a different teacher. There was no time to read a book. There was no library to visit, to check out published titles presenting a different point of view. Prahlada developed an inclination for devotion to Vishnu by hearing from Narada Muni. The period of interaction was brief. It was like a message that would automatically self-destruct, on something like a timer. Except Prahlada retained the information; it was wisdom, after all. Prahlada heard while in the womb. That interaction with the guru made such an impact that no one could later persuade the child in any other direction.

दिग्-गजैर् दन्दशूकेन्द्रैर्
अभिचारावपातनैः
मायाभिः सन्निरोधैश् च
गर-दानैर् अभोजनैः
हिम-वाय्व्-अग्नि-सलिलैः
पर्वताक्रमणैर् अपि
न शशाक यदा हन्तुम्
अपापम् असुरः सुतम्
चिन्तां दीर्घतमां प्राप्तस्
तत्-कर्तुं नाभ्यपद्यत

dig-gajair dandaśūkendrair
abhicārāvapātanaiḥ
māyābhiḥ sannirodhaiś ca
gara-dānair abhojanaiḥ
hima-vāyv-agni-salilaiḥ
parvatākramaṇair api
na śaśāka yadā hantum
apāpam asuraḥ sutam
cintāṁ dīrghatamāṁ prāptas
tat-kartuṁ nābhyapadyata

“Hiranyakashipu could not kill his son by throwing him beneath the feet of big elephants, throwing him among huge, fearful snakes, employing destructive spells, hurling him from the top of a hill, conjuring up illusory tricks, administering poison, starving him, exposing him to severe cold, winds, fire and water, or throwing heavy stones to crush him. When Hiranyakashipu found that he could not in any way harm Prahlada, who was completely sinless, he was in great anxiety about what to do next.” (Shrimad Bhagavatam, 7.5.43-44)

Hiranyakashipu went through all the steps. He opted for expulsion, but not limited to the school grounds. Prahlada was to be expelled from the life experience altogether. This was a special case, though. The devotion would not be extracted. It would not be removed. It would not be squashed. Rather, every failed attempt at eliminating the innocent child was like proceeding towards the completion of a message being chiseled into stone. That message described the end for the inimical father, at the hands of the very Vishnu his son had been worshiping.

In Closing:

Like message chiseled in stone,
Eventual fate of father known.

That Vishnu personally to reveal,
At invitation of mocking appeal.

Prahlada peacefully to reside,
Safely watching from the side.

His devotion that situation to bring,
With pleasure his glories to sing.

Categories: prahlada and his slate, the five

Tags: dailyprompt, education, life, poem, poems, poetry, teaching