He Who Laughs Last

“’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)

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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 are sayings to describe the potential standing of the victor to the struggle. The one left standing at the end. The one proven correct. The one whose pleas for awakening, though initially rejected, eventually proved valid. The greatest skeptic the world over, demonstrable and measurable, was forced to acknowledge the reality. His weapon of choice indicated a laughing posture from the wonderful and benevolent moon, but it was someone else who was poised to have the last laugh.

They say that revenge is a dish best served cold. He who laughs last is the one who laughs best. Prahlada Maharaja was the person to reap the rewards. After all, he suffered so much. He had to endure physical attacks. He had to consider both the threats and the reality. There was a deprogramming attempt. Like sending political dissidents off to a camp to make sure they finally realize how benevolent their corrupt leaders are, Prahlada should change his mind after hearing from the teachers.

Of course, those teachers were compromised. They were employees of the largest corporation that was the kingdom of the Daityas. The teachers were afraid of the leader, who was named Hiranyakashipu. To make matters worse, that leader happened to be the father of Prahlada. Imagine if you are a teacher in a school that has the son of the most important person as a student. Imagine if the father of the student is unhappy with the job you are doing. More than getting you fired, they can have you eliminated from the kingdom.

The teachers tried but failed. The father used every attempt at persuasion. There was the threat of division, in presenting a picture of shame and ridicule. The other students would make fun of Prahlada, you see. They would laugh at a Daitya student giving praise to the gods, and especially to the leader of the gods, Vishnu. The students would think that Prahlada had lost his mind.

अन्येपि त्वां हनिष्यन्ति वदिष्यन्ति जनास्त्विदम्
असुरोयं सुरांस्तौति मार्जार इव मूषकान्
द्वेष्यान् शिखीव फणिनो दुर्निमित्तमिदं ध्रुवम्
लब्ध्वापि महदैश्वर्यं लाघवं यान्त्यबुद्धयः

anyepi tvāṃ haniṣyanti vadiṣyanti janāstvidam
asuroyaṃ surāṃstauti mārjāra iva mūṣakān
dveṣyān śikhīva phaṇino durnimittamidaṃ dhruvam
labdhvāpi mahadaiśvaryaṃ lāghavaṃ yāntyabuddhayaḥ

“Others will also ridicule and scorn saying, ‘This child is an asura but prays to the gods. It is like a cat offering prayers to a mouse or a peacock to a snake.’ This is indeed a bad omen, behavior resembling an enemy, as even after obtaining great wealth and power, an unintelligent person can fall down.” (Hiranyakashipu speaking to Prahlada, Narasimha Purana, 41.59-60)

Nothing worked, because Prahlada refused to accept a fraud. He knew that his words were truthful. They were passed along from the esteemed Narada Muni. The instruction made sense, as well. Just why are we all here? Just what are we doing with our time? Just what should we value if the entire experience is temporary? Prahlada placed emphasis on acknowledgment and worship. Understand that man has limitations. Realize that there is a central controlling authority. That authority might not be obviously visible, but proof of His presence is there in external signs. The strength in man is itself indication of Vishnu’s presence. Vishnu is that strength. No one can claim to be entirely self-made.

श्री-प्रह्राद उवाच
न केवलं मे भवतश् च राजन्
स वै बलं बलिनां चापरेषाम्
परे ’वरे ’मी स्थिर-जङ्गमा ये
ब्रह्मादयो येन वशं प्रणीताः

śrī-prahrāda uvāca
na kevalaṁ me bhavataś ca rājan
sa vai balaṁ balināṁ cāpareṣām
pare ’vare ’mī sthira-jaṅgamā ye
brahmādayo yena vaśaṁ praṇītāḥ

“Prahlada Maharaja said: My dear King, the source of my strength, of which you are asking, is also the source of yours. Indeed, the original source of all kinds of strength is one. He is not only your strength or mine, but the only strength for everyone. Without Him, no one can get any strength. Whether moving or not moving, superior or inferior, everyone, including Lord Brahma, is controlled by the strength of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.” (Shrimad Bhagavatam, 7.8.7)

Then there was the strength in Prahlada. Though not explicitly called upon or boasted about, it was sufficient to do the seemingly impossible. A meeting with snakes. Ingesting poison. Surviving a fall from a cliff. Emerging from the ocean after intentionally tossed there, with heavy weights placed on top. It was that final triumph which really drove the father over the edge. All of the previous attempts involved third parties. This time, the father would get the last laugh. He would use his own sword, known as the Chandrahasa. He would divide the five-year old into two pieces.

There was one final opportunity for reversal. If this person Prahlada kept speaking about could spontaneously emerge from the nearby pillar, then there would be no issue. Hiranyakashipu promised to believe. If Vishnu would show Himself, then the doubts would be removed. That Daitya leader never considered the posture of Vishnu, in how the Supreme Lord would feel when appearing in that area. Would all that torture be suddenly forgotten? Would the heinous crimes committed against an innocent child be forgiven? Would Vishnu pretend to be at the beck-and-call of an intoxicated monster, drunk off his temporary power?

In the aftermath, Prahlada could have laughed. He would have been justified. The truth was revealed. Vishnu existed. Vishnu was real. Vishnu continues to be real. There is a single source of energy who is like a current of potency pervading the entire space. This is the simple message that Prahlada was trying to get across. Prahlada asked for pardon for the now-slain father. Vishnu was still there, in the amazing vision of Narasimha, to grant Prahlada anything the child asked for.

श्रीप्रह्राद उवाच
वरं वरय एतत्ते वरदेशान्महेश्वर
यदनिन्दत्पिता मे त्वामविद्वांस्तेज ऐश्वरम्
विद्धामर्षाशय: साक्षात्सर्वलोकगुरुं प्रभुम्
भ्रातृहेति मृषाद‍ृष्टिस्त्वद्भ‍क्ते मयि चाघवान्
तस्मात्पिता मे पूयेत दुरन्ताद् दुस्तरादघात्
पूतस्तेऽपाङ्गसंद‍ृष्टस्तदा कृपणवत्सल

śrī-prahrāda uvāca
varaṁ varaya etat te
varadeśān maheśvara
yad anindat pitā me
tvām avidvāṁs teja aiśvaram

viddhāmarṣāśayaḥ sākṣāt
sarva-loka-guruṁ prabhum
bhrātṛ-heti mṛṣā-dṛṣṭis
tvad-bhakte mayi cāghavān

tasmāt pitā me pūyeta
durantād dustarād aghāt
pūtas te ’pāṅga-saṁdṛṣṭas
tadā kṛpaṇa-vatsala

“Prahlada Maharaja said: O Supreme Lord, because You are so merciful to the fallen souls, I ask You for only one benediction. I know that my father, at the time of his death, had already been purified by Your glance upon him, but because of his ignorance of Your beautiful power and supremacy, he was unnecessarily angry at You, falsely thinking that You were the killer of his brother. Thus he directly blasphemed Your Lordship, the spiritual master of all living beings, and committed heavily sinful activities directed against me, Your devotee. I wish that he be excused for these sinful activities.” (Shrimad Bhagavatam, 7.10.15-17)

In Closing:

Ready to laugh best,
After withstanding every test.

Inimical father finally slain,
After vision of Vishnu to attain.

Whereas skeptical throughout,
Proper understanding without.

But Prahlada still forgiveness request,
An eternally shining bequest.