“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)

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स इत्थं निर्जितककुबेकराड् विषयान् प्रियान्
यथोपजोषं भुञ्जानो नातृप्यदजितेन्द्रिय:

sa itthaṁ nirjita-kakub
eka-rāḍ viṣayān priyān
yathopajoṣaṁ bhuñjāno
nātṛpyad ajitendriyaḥ

“Listen, I think if you fall into this trap of relegating accounts from Vedic texts to mythology or some symbolic representation, you really miss out. We can’t imagine similar things occurring today, but then we also have these amazing structures that are considered wonders of the world. Ask someone to reproduce the same, and they have no clue where to even begin. They throw their hands in the air. Well, does that mean the structures are part of mythology? That can’t be true if they are still standing today. You have the practical evidence.

“Anyway, that is how I know someone like Hiranyakashipu, the leader of the Daityas, could exist. If you are curious enough, at least be open-minded and hear the story. The before and the after. From beginning to end, what the individual wanted, what they received, and how they responded. Then transition the story to your circumstances at present. At least that way you can take away valuable lessons. You will have Vyasadeva to thank, as out of his infinite compassion he compiled revered texts such as Vishnu Purana and Bhagavata Purana.

“Here is one item to consider, as the focus of today’s discussion. Hiranyakashipu achieved something equivalent to world domination. If you asked your average person today if they would like to be the most influential, to have the most power, to be so feared that no one dares challenge them, they would accept the gift in a heartbeat. It appears that so many people of prominence are after the same, through accumulating assets, building net worth, and using their influence to ascend to a higher standard, however they define it.

“To me, it is more important to study the aftermath. What was the result of Hiranyakashipu’s ascension? Every person feels as if they get one more thing, their problems will be solved. That better job. That bigger house. One more child in the family. A few more days with their departing loved ones. Settling the problems will clear the path for peace and tranquility, for enjoying the release of anxieties.

“That obviously did not work for Hiranyakashipu. Why not, though? Shouldn’t world domination be enough? Why was he so paranoid of a five-year old child? Prahlada was his own son, no less. Prahlada was not trying to interfere. Remember, Hiranyakashipu had boons of protection. Prahlada could not harm him.”

Hiranyakashipu was actually suffering from a condition. He did not ask for boons of protection against the impact to the senses, which are known as indriya in Sanskrit. Hiranyakashipu was ajitendriyah. The senses had conquered him. He was a defeated man, though no one could defeat him. He was overcome from within, though no one could overtake him from without. He was never in peace, though no one dared to start a military conflict against him. He was unhappy, though there was no one to interfere with his desires.

To diagnose a condition such as ajitendriyah requires careful observation of the circumstances. One look at the way Prahlada Maharaja was treated and the conclusion becomes obvious. Prahlada was inclined towards worship of Vishnu. He was a child. He was attending school. There were no means to support a systematic implementation of worship of Vishnu. In other words, Prahlada could not force anyone to become a devotee. Hiranyakashipu could force others into obedience, due to his strength and the protections received from Lord Brahma, who is the creator.

व्यसुभिर्वासुमद्भ‍िर्वा सुरासुरमहोरगै:
अप्रतिद्वन्द्वतां युद्धे ऐकपत्यं च देहिनाम्
सर्वेषां लोकपालानां महिमानं यथात्मन:
तपोयोगप्रभावाणां यन्न रिष्यति कर्हिचित्

vyasubhir vāsumadbhir vā
surāsura-mahoragaiḥ
apratidvandvatāṁ yuddhe
aika-patyaṁ ca dehinām

sarveṣāṁ loka-pālānāṁ
mahimānaṁ yathātmanaḥ
tapo-yoga-prabhāvāṇāṁ
yan na riṣyati karhicit

“Grant me that I not meet death from any entity, living or nonliving. Grant me, further, that I not be killed by any demigod or demon or by any great snake from the lower planets. Since no one can kill you in the battlefield, you have no competitor. Therefore, grant me the benediction that I too may have no rival. Give me sole lordship over all the living entities and presiding deities, and give me all the glories obtained by that position. Furthermore, give me all the mystic powers attained by long austerities and the practice of yoga, for these cannot be lost at any time.” (Shrimad Bhagavatam, 7.3.37-38)

A five-year old boy revealing the truth about the source of strength, about the urgency for worshiping the Supreme Lord in the precious human form of body, about the need for rising above duality was enough to send the father over the edge. The father already had everything. But apparently he had nothing. Saintly people of the Vaishnava tradition refer to these possessions, abilities, and circumstances as gathering zeroes. The zeroes have no value on their own. There must be a connection to something of substance. Prahlada had that connection. Therefore, his devotion was strong enough to overcome the massive accumulation of zeroes utilized by the father.

नाम राम को अंक है सब साधन हैं सून
अंक ग_एँ कछु हाथ नहिं अंक रहें दस गून

nāma rāma ko aṃka hai saba sādhana haiṃ sūna
aṃka ga_em̐ kachu hātha nahiṃ aṃka raheṃ dasa gūna

“Shri Rama’s holy name is like a numeral, and all religious practices are like zero. When the numeral is not there, zero means nothing. But when it is present, the resultant value increases tenfold.” (Dohavali, 10)

No matter what I have, no matter how high I ascend, no matter what specific condition I think will eliminate all of my problems, if the ajitendriyah affliction remains then even words can send me over the edge. I will never be at peace. I will remain in duality and away from transcendence. The wise decision is to take the advice of Prahlada, who only wishes me well. He endured the torture such that his message would last throughout the time continuum, that God is real and we are all meant to serve Him in thought, word, and deed.

In Closing:

Just consider the words to tell,
From child wishing me well.

That not from influence ascension,
Or from gathered assets retention.

Because if ajitendriyah to remain,
Then miserable all the same.

Rather for Vishnu this life meant,
Focus time in bhakti spent.

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