“Shri Hari, who is the Lord of the demigods, who is worshiped by the people of the world, for benefiting the moving and nonmoving beings of the world took that dreadful form through His own energy and tore apart Hiranyakashipu, who caused suffering to so many, with His nails.” (Narasimha Purana, 44.43)

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हरिः सुरेशो नरलोकपूजितो हिताय लोकस्य चराचरस्य
कृत्वा विरूपं च पुरात्ममायया हिरण्यकं दुःखकरं नखैश् छिनत्

hariḥ sureśo naralokapūjito hitāya lokasya carācarasya
kṛtvā virūpaṃ ca purātmamāyayā hiraṇyakaṃ duḥkhakaraṃ nakhaiś chinat

It is a ghastly scene. Blood and guts everywhere. Death and destruction, delivered in a swift manner. With the comparison to Garuda, who is the eagle-carrier of Vishnu in the spiritual world, the reader understands that the victims could not get away. They were apprehended as quickly as the thought to flee came to them. The carnage was the consequence to a continuous onslaught, an attack against a five-year old child. As a thought exercise, we consider the different options that Prahlada had prior to the wonderful appearance of Narasimha in this world.

1. Call the authorities

If the same were to occur today, the obvious first step is to call someone. If the father is abusing the son, the son might know of ways to reach out. Even at five years of age, they likely have seen someone using the telephone. They might have some numbers committed to memory, especially the one for connecting to an emergency response unit. If things get out of hand, the victim can petition a power with more authority than the perpetrator.

The problem for Prahlada was that Hiranyakashipu was at the top of the chain. There was no higher mountain to ascend. There was no better level to reach. Hiranyakashipu was both the authority figure in the home and the leader of the community. Hiranyakashipu was Prahlada’s father. He was also at the helm of a community that stretched its influence across the entire world.

2. Create weapons of his own

The attacks against Prahlada had a cause. There was instigation, but the claim of justification is disputed. Hiranyakashipu was triggered by visible signs of devotion. He did not like that Prahlada was worshiping Vishnu. This was not in the formal sense of a sacrificial fire or a timely observance. Prahlada was worshiping in his spare time, in the way that a child might decide to play or draw symbols near and dear to them. This almost made the situation worse, as Prahlada had a genuine sentiment. The boy was not looking to gain anything from the worship.

The child might be excused once or twice, but to insist upon honoring Vishnu, in talking about Him, in attributing the strength in everyone to Him, was crossing the line. The father took it upon himself to hand down the stiffest sentence. Prahlada was guilty. Instead of being sent to jail, he would be killed.

विष्णुः शस्त्रेषु युष्मासु मयि चासौ यथा स्थितः
दैतेयास् तेन सत्येन मा क्रामन्त्व् आयुधानि वः

viṣṇuḥ śastreṣu yuṣmāsu mayi cāsau yathā sthitaḥ
daiteyās tena satyena mā krāmantv āyudhāni vaḥ

“O Daityas, just as Vishnu is in those weapons and also situated in me, so by that truth your weapons will not be able to overcome me.”  (Prahlada Maharaja, Vishnu Purana, 1.17.33)

The attacks did not work. As Prahlada explained, Vishnu was the strength in those weapons. The same Vishnu would be the strength in Prahlada to fight off those weapons. Prahlada would have to fight off much more going forward. The worst kind of torture, indicative of the most envious character, Hiranyakashipu was shameless in what he attempted to put Prahlada through.

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)

Prahlada was five years of age. What weapons could he possibly find? If he could find them, how would he use them? How could one man, a novice, with barely any physical strength, compare against palace guards whose duty in adulthood it was to work at the behest of the leader?

3. Construct a safe space

Another option is to escape. Find a sanctuary, of sorts. The problem is that a five-year old hardly knows how to be self-sufficient. It was the mothers dressing him properly when appearing before the father. It was the teachers running the school. It was Hiranyakashipu administering the kingdom. If Prahlada wanted to run away, to where would he flee? What would he do once he reached such a place?

4. Pacify the aggressors

Prahlada remained calm. He did not become angry or envious. He tried to rationally explain the science of self-realization. Those explanations carry forward to the present day. The kind instruction offered to the inimical Hiranyakashipu can be heard by the inimical population at large, which either thinks that there is no God or simply follows religion as a formality. Get a rubberstamp of approval, show up to a house of worship periodically, and spend the rest of the time miserable, envious, and so devoid of proper direction that a steady stream of intoxicants is the only way to pass the time.

Prahlada spoke kind and cogent words, but his appeal was not getting anywhere. It was almost as if Hiranyakashipu became more aggressive the more he heard about Vishnu. The enmity ran deep. The willful ignorance was strongly rooted.

5. Attack his father

It might be easy to overlook that Hiranyakashipu was in the superior position based on more than just his being an adult. He had previously supplicated Lord Brahma, who is the creator. Hiranyakashipu managed to receive a bevy of boons offering protection. It was something like trying to create immortality through listing conditions of vulnerability. Different times of the day. Different levels of elevation. Different kinds of attackers. Different kinds of weapons.

Hiranyakashipu was sitting in an enviable position, and yet he was the envious one. He was so miserable that he felt triggered by an innocent child. Just what exactly could Prahlada do? There was no chance for an attack. Prahlada was a Daitya, after all. Hiranyakashipu was immune from death against man and beast, alike. There was no specific race that could take him out.

Prahlada had no means to defend himself, but when God is on your side, the defense is impenetrable. This reality has the corresponding visual of Narasimha tearing through the inimical father. Alas, it was Hiranyakashipu who could not find refuge when faced with Vishnu emerging from the pillar. As a half-man/half-lion using nails as weapons, even the boons of protection showed their porous nature.

In Closing:

Nothing Prahlada could do,
Boons protecting who.

The father from Brahma to receive,
Ironclad to believe.

Such that torments delivered in chorus,
But soon those gifts proving porous.

As Narasimha from pillar to conceive,
God as terror no one could believe.

Categories: the five

Tags: dailyprompt, parenting, poem, poems, poetry, vishnu