“’You said that He is indeed everywhere, so why can He not be seen in this pillar? If I do see that Vishnu right now in the middle of the pillar, then I will not kill you. Otherwise, you will be divided into two.’ Having seen (his father) in that way, Prahlada began to meditate on that Supreme Lord.” (Narasimha Purana, 44.10-11)

Download as podcast episode (right click and save)

त्वयोक्तं स हि सर्वत्र कस्मात् स्तम्भे न दृश्यते
यदि पश्यामि तं विष्णुम् अधुना स्तम्भमध्यगम्

तर्हि त्वां न वधिष्यामि भविष्यसि द्विधान्यथा
प्रह्लादो ऽपि तथा दृष्ट्वा दध्यौ तं परमेश्वरम्

tvayoktaṃ sa hi sarvatra kasmāt stambhe na dṛśyate
yadi paśyāmi taṃ viṣṇum adhunā stambhamadhyagam

tarhi tvāṃ na vadhiṣyāmi bhaviṣyasi dvidhānyathā
prahlādo ‘pi tathā dṛṣṭvā dadhyau taṃ parameśvaram

There is the saying that the world is but a stage, wherein we are actors playing our roles. We are not really sure what is going on. We have not been provided lines to read or been privy to the plot twists, the introduction of characters, or the ultimate conclusion. We play our roles, nonetheless, moving to the whims of destiny. Today we are a child, tomorrow we are the parent of a child. Today we think we are winning, while tomorrow is the moment of demise. The grandest coordinator does know past, present, and future for all living beings. He happens to have the most artistic mind, as well. On the auspicious occasion of Narasimha Chaturdashi, we honor His injection of irony into one of the most important historical narratives.

वेदाहं समतीतानि
वर्तमानानि चार्जुन
भविष्याणि च भूतानि
मां तु वेद न कश्चन

vedāhaṁ samatītāni
vartamānāni cārjuna
bhaviṣyāṇi ca bhūtāni
māṁ tu veda na kaścana

“O Arjuna, as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, I know everything that has happened in the past, all that is happening in the present, and all things that are yet to come. I also know all living entities; but Me no one knows.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 7.26)

The setting of our story is the kingdom of the Daityas, during ancient times. There is a powerful ruler named Hiranyakashipu. He is equipped with both an official standing and a subtle backdrop of support. You see, against prevailing advice he carried through with intense austerities. He did what others could only dream of. He succeeded in getting a meeting with Lord Brahma, who is the creator. Hiranyakashipu decided to take full advantage of that meeting. The leader of the Daityas wanted to be leader forever, such that no one could ever supplant him. His position safely intact, there would be nothing to fear and no need to run. There would be no one to stop him.

Brahma did his best to accommodate the requests. Hiranyakashipu was essentially after immortality, but that could not be granted. If you have to develop to a certain stage, requiring birth in a womb, then where is the question of remaining fixed within that development? If you want to become immortal then you should avoid birth in the first place. Otherwise, you are merely another soul helpless to the workings of nature. To try to thwart nature is a fool’s errand, but no one was mistaking Hiranyakashipu for an elevated yogi or an esteemed scholar.

ममैवांशो जीवलोके जीवभूतः सनातनः
मनःषष्ठानीन्द्रियाणि प्रकृतिस्थानि कर्षति

mamaivāṃśo jīvaloke jīvabhūtaḥ sanātanaḥ
manaḥṣaṣṭhānīndriyāṇi prakṛtisthāni karṣati

“The living entities in this conditioned world are My eternal, fragmental parts. Due to conditioned life, they are struggling very hard with the six senses, which include the mind.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 15.7)

Hiranyakashipu ascended to a position that was close to immortality. He had immunity against so many conditions, weapons, moments of the day, and beings. Humans. Animals. Beasts. The gods themselves were afraid to anger him. Yes, Hiranyakashipu essentially had it all. That is, of course, until his own son took him down. Not with physical conflict. Not with a clever wager. Not with a false plea for assistance. Not with insistence for an endowment. No, Prahlada was only five years old when his words, fearless in delivery and impeccably precise in their identification of the position of the individual within this world, drove his father mad. The father proceeded to breach the boundaries of etiquette and good judgment. He first threatened Prahlada. He then made good on those promises, by employing lethal punishment.

Amazingly, nothing worked. Prahlada had warned the father that there is someone controlling everything. There is one force responsible for the strength that we see. If Hiranyakashipu were in a position close to immortality, it was not entirely because of Brahma. There was someone controlling nature itself. Each individual has their percentage of exercise of strength, but they should never foolishly consider themselves self-made. Rather, they should take the wonderful opportunity of sobriety and rational thought to move closer, upasana, to the source of everything.

The physical punishment carried out by the royal attendants did not work. Prahlada could not be dissuaded in speaking about Vishnu. Prahlada was worshiping this Vishnu. Prahlada had many times described this Vishnu to be sarvatra, which means “all-pervading.” Vishnu is indeed everywhere. There is no place which lacks His presence. This is an impersonal understanding, but Prahlada made sure there was no confusion. A person was the source of the impersonal. The impersonal is but a feature, a way for the less capable human being to understand that God the person is everywhere.

The climax of the struggle between father and son involved the greatest irony. You see, Hiranyakashipu had a powerful sword known as Chandrahasa. In studying Vedic literature, we see that a sword with the same name belonged to Ravana, the ten-headed villainous leader of Lanka. That sword originally belonged to Mahadeva, who is the great god. This means that the Chandrahasa is about as powerful a weapon as you can find.

Narasimha Purana describes the threat in detail. Hiranyakashipu was going to use this sword to slice Prahlada in half. The Sanskrit word is dvidha. This refers to something being divided or turning into two parts. But first, Hiranyakashipu would mockingly strike the pillar. After all, only a fool would believe that God exists in the pillar. If Vishnu is indeed everywhere, then why not in something ordinary, situated nearby?

Alas, Prahlada had been speaking the truth. The father was consistent in his refusal to listen. The father would have to see for himself. Vishnu was indeed there the entire time. Vishnu was kind enough to make that presence known in a way unmistakable even to the inimical. Out of that pillar emerged an amazing figure. It was like a lion, but not. It was like a human, but not. It proceeded to carry out the promise of Hiranyakashipu, except in the reverse. It would be the horrible father split into two. Vishnu did not have to use a powerful sword. He used only His nails, which are not even classified as a weapon.

In Closing:

At final moments intensified,
With not a weapon classified.

The original promise to give,
Those deeds not to forgive.

The Chandrahasa should divide into two,
But in this case it was Narasimha who.

From that pillar to emerge,
A vision for all to deserve.

Categories: chandrahasa, holiday, narasimha

Tags: feature, hare krishna, narasimha, poem, poems, poetry