“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

“You have these exercises the teachers give you, as part of an advanced literary course. Going beyond reading the text in question and showing comprehension of the material, you are asked to find the symbolism to the different items. The works in question are typically fictional in nature, which means that the authors have full control over what appears, what happens, the story arc, and so forth.

“As an example, if there is a story about an old man living in the same house over several decades, witnessing the dramatic shift in the safety of the community over the years, there might be an associated item, serving as a link between the man and time. The item might be a classic car. The car is old, beat up, and strict with the rules for usage. It is almost like there is a permission necessary to operate it. The man is the same way, hard and tough, unbending to the changes of society around him. The car is like the symbol of the man and his nature.

“Is there anything similar with stories from the Vedas? Take, for instance, the appearance of Narasimha. The depiction matches the description in sacred texts. The depiction inspires awe. The depiction triggers a response of fear, dread, terror, and similar negative emotions. Still, the depiction is what sits atop the altar, ready to receive prayers, well-wishes, and ultimately, worship.

“Narasimha is a man. Narasimha is also a lion. Narasimha is a protector. Narasimha is also a killer. Is there symbolism to the story, of how an innocent five-year old boy and his perseverance amidst the greatest threats triggered the appearance of the amazing, adbhuta? Is there a higher meaning to take from the story, which is found in many works, such as Bhagavata Purana, Vishnu Purana, and Narasimha Purana?”

Before covering the symbolic aspects, it should be acknowledged that the appearance of Narasimha is real. There is no reference to allegory or intentionally presenting a higher meaning through a fictional account. No one could ever dream of the requests the Daitya leader named Hiranyakashipu made to Lord Brahma, who is the creator. Only the most artistic mind could conjure up a form no one had seen before, emerging at just the right time, from the most unexpected place, to finally settle a score that was lopsided in favor of the evil for far too long.

Of course, due to the passage of time, the onset of the age of Kali and the gradual misfortune and increased lack of intelligence in the population, it becomes more difficult to believe that someone like Narasimha could spontaneously emerge from a pillar struck by a sword. Prahlada sounds like a character out of a comic book, as he could not be killed by fire, by stones, by venomous snakes, or by gravity in being dropped from high atop a mountain. Even Hiranyakashipu doesn’t seem real, as he was protected from so many directions. He had something like ninety-nine percent immortality.

It is here where even the nonbelievers can take lessons. If they are not yet ready to accept a central controlling authority, who is a person, who has a name like Vishnu, they can at least imagine the same scenario occurring today. What if someone were to reach the same heights of influence and power as Hiranyakashipu? In theory, if someone became the most powerful person in the mortal realm, what would their life look like?

If they no longer had anything to worry about, would they worry? If they had no one to fear, would they be afraid? If no one could ever interrupt their enjoyment, would they be content? If a five-year old child, who happened to be their own son, showed an unconventional inclination, would they be bothered?

We see that Hiranyakashipu was miserable. Bhagavata Purana is kind enough to give away the ending, so to speak. We don’t have to speculate as to the cause. The leader of the Daityas was in the worst way because he suffered from the condition known as ajitendriyah.

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)

This is a compound Sanskrit word, negating a more positive term, but the gist is that the senses controlled that leader. We can think of it like constant and steady paranoia. You are always worried about something. You are always agitated. You never find peace. Your own son can drive you crazy just by identifying a higher authority figure. Your own son can trigger the worst emotions in you by showing allegiance to this higher power, in a vow that cannot be broken.

If you had everything going for you, and no one to stop you, would you be happy? The story of Hiranyakashipu gives the answer in the negative, and strongly, at that. Happiness was in the five-year old boy named Prahlada. Contentment was in the child who worshiped Vishnu, in understanding the personal side to the Divine. Hiranyakashipu is the symbol for the hardened atheist mentality, after reaching the heights of success. That is to say, if the staunch atheist could do everything in their power to prove that God does not exist, then they would be in a situation matching Hiranyakashipu.

Vishnu, who is also known as Hari, wishes well to everyone. He appeared as Narasimha for the benefit of the moving and nonmoving beings. The appearance of Hari can be taken as the symbol of the ultimate triumph of the highest good over the worst evil. The devotee was the same, before and after. While as the victim of persecution and as the sole cause for the amazing appearance of Narasimha, in the rescuing posture.

In Closing:

Upon truth consider and pause,
That five-year old solely the cause.

Since victim of worst persecution,
From father desperate for retribution.

But son whether loved or not,
Coddled or from mountain dropped.

Steady and never with envy fraught,
Because constantly of Vishnu thought.

Categories: questions

Tags: dailyprompt, god, hare krishna, hinduism, poem, poems, poetry, religion