A Case Of Satya Sankalpa

“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)

Download as podcast episode (right click and save)

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

One of the topics covered in Bhagavad-gita is karma. More to it than the commonly understood definition, wherein someone reaps what they sow and gets payback for their misdeeds, karma is action that has consequence. One translation into English is “fruitive activity.” This translation is natural based on the Sanskrit word phalam. The results of activity are known as karma-phalam. You have the activity, which has consequences attached. The resulting consequences, when they should manifest, are phalam, which refers to fruits. Whether those fruits manifest immediately or after many lifetimes, and whether the results remain for a few seconds or a few years, there is always some initial cause. In order to see consequence, there must be action.

अदृष्टगुणदोषाणामध्रुवाणां तु कर्मणाम्
नान्तरेण क्रियां तेषां फलमिष्टं प्रवर्तते

adṛṣṭaguṇadoṣāṇāmadhruvāṇāṃ tu karmaṇām
nāntareṇa kriyāṃ teṣāṃ phalamiṣṭaṃ pravartate

“Unseen and indefinite are the good and bad reactions of fruitive work. And without taking action, the desired fruits of such work cannot manifest.” (Lakshmana speaking to Lord Rama, Valmiki Ramayana, Aranya Kand, 66.17)

In this sense, karma implies choice. A person should choose after deliberating. If they apply intelligence, then the results will be as expected, more or less. They can anticipate potential negative reactions, like the office worker who refrains from sending off that angrily-worded email to their superiors. Intelligence can lead to better consequences, such as proper diet and exercise for an improvement in health, to create steady energy throughout the working day.

At the same time, Bhagavad-gita explicitly states that the living entity is not the doer. They are fooled by the illusory energy, which is known as maya. They only think they are in charge, whereas other forces are at play. Beneath the surface, out of the immediate vision, there is cooperation. An example we can use to help in understanding is operating a motor vehicle. We think we are in charge, but there are so many component parts that must function properly and simultaneously. A small malfunction, like a puncture to a tire, which is out of our control, disrupts the entire proposal. I am sitting in the driver’s seat, like any other day, but now there are problems.

प्रकृतेः क्रियमाणानि
गुणैः कर्माणि सर्वशः
अहङ्कार-विमूढात्मा
कर्ताहम् इति मन्यते

prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni
guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ
ahaṅkāra-vimūḍhātmā
kartāham iti manyate

“The bewildered spirit soul, under the influence of the three modes of material nature, thinks himself to be the doer of activities, which are in actuality carried out by nature.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 3.27)

There is karma, which involves choice, but there is also a lack of control over outcomes. To complicate matters further, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada introduces the concept of sankalpa. He says that only the highest being of all is satya-sankalpa. Everyone else can hope. In their dreams, they mistakenly feel as if they are in total control, but they are always at the mercy of higher powers. The satya-sankalpa individual, however, has the exclusive access to predictable, repeatable, and dependable success.

“It is said, ‘Man proposes, God disposes.’ Thus a person may desire many things, but unless these desires are fulfilled by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, they cannot be fulfilled. Fulfillment of desire is called satya-sankalpa.” (Shrila Prabhupada, Shrimad Bhagavatam, 8.16.22 Purport)

How to square the principles? Are they not contradictory? If we lack full control over outcomes, why even act? Why even do anything? Why do we punish the criminals if they are not the doer? Why do we have law codes if violating a law does not necessarily cause a negative outcome? Why is there this dividing line between piety and sin?

The example of Hiranyakashipu, the infamous leader of the Daityas, covers all principles. His story provides practical examples to see how the different truths play out, on an identifiable and tangible field. Hiranyakashipu takes to the karma of supplicating the creator, who is known as Brahma. The endeavor for Hiranyakashipu is saphala; he reaches success in his austerities. He pleases Brahma. He receives boons, as a result. Hiranyakashipu mistakenly thinks he is the doer, that he is responsible for his newfound abilities. Those abilities are amazing, in fact. Hiranyakashipu gains practically full protection from conditions, living beings, times of the day, and weapons. It is like ninety-nine percent mortality.

One percent vulnerability is enough to nullify the entire proposal, though. In his rapid ascension to power, Hiranyakashipu appeared to forget the effort necessary in appeasing a higher, more powerful force. It is like the Daitya leader thought he was self-made. He thought he was the doer. His own son managed to highlight the flaw.

At five years of age, Prahlada had a specific inclination. He wanted to worship Vishnu. He considered Vishnu to be the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This means that Prahlada considered Vishnu to be the source of strength in everyone, the well-wisher to high and low alike. Vishnu wants good for both the powerful and the meek. Vishnu is fit to be worshiped by both the father and the son.

Hiranyakashipu was so against this inclination that he could not tolerate it. He would not allow the worship from Prahlada to stand. Prahlada was not trying to get a rise out of the father. Prahlada was not trying to be rebellious or poison the population of students at the school. Prahlada was worshiping out of intelligence, based on what he had heard from his guru, Narada Muni.

If the living entity is the doer, then what Hiranyakashipu attempted next would have worked. Any of the many attempts would have succeeded. After all, this is the same person who earned the favor of Brahma. This is the same person who could get whatever he wanted in the kingdom simply by giving a stern glance. Everyone worked for him. There was no higher authority. Hiranyakashipu was the CEO, the president, the parliament, and the court system combined.

The justice he decided to administer was the death penalty for Prahlada. This was for the son’s violation, the crime of worshiping Vishnu. There was only one problem. The penalties were not successful. Prahlada could not be killed by weapons worked by the palace guards. Prahlada could not be killed by venomous snakes, a fall from high atop a mountain, a raging fire, or heavy rocks.

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)

Meanwhile, the lone satya-sankalpa identified previously was witnessing the entire time. He finally had enough. The one who is worshiped by Brahma and the other demigods, who wishes well to moving and nonmoving beings alike, appeared from a pillar in the amazing manifestation of Narasimha. The goal was to kill the cruel father of Prahlada. In this case, Narasimha was the doer. There was no other force assisting Him or getting in His way. He used His nails to kill the leader of the Daityas, while the saintly Prahlada calmly watched from the side, ready to offer a garland of welcome.

In Closing:

While father torn to many a piece,
Son offering garland in peace.

While father desperately tried,
Child on Vishnu relied.

While father falsely as doer considered,
Helpless boy by Supreme delivered.

Because Narasimha successful in fact,
Forever perfect record intact.