“’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

It is an interesting proposal, one that goes beyond the boilerplate presentation of good and evil, sin and piety, and heaven and hell.  No, in this way of thinking, even your negative thoughts can set you free.  The dividing line, if you will, is the object of attention.  There is the historical example of Hiranyakashipu for supporting evidence.  But taking a second look at the situation, was it actually hatred?  Or was it something else?

The revelation from the teachers in the line of instruction known as Vaishnava or sanatana-dharma says that thinking a certain way while quitting the body can bring elevation to a higher realm.  Just what is different about that realm?  How about no more death?  How about no more vulnerability to birth?  How about finally stopping the swinging pendulum of attraction and aversion, raga and dvesha?  How about returning to a place that is originally your home?  How about going back to the origin of the universes, both material and spiritual?

न रूपम् अस्येह तथोपलभ्यते
नान्तो न चादिर् न च सम्प्रतिष्ठा
अश्वत्थम् एनं सु-विरूढ-मूलम्
असङ्ग-शस्त्रेण दृढेन छित्त्वा
ततः पदं तत् परिमार्गितव्यं
यस्मिन् गता न निवर्तन्ति भूयः
तम् एव चाद्यं पुरुषं प्रपद्ये
यतः प्रवृत्तिः प्रसृता पुराणी

na rūpam asyeha tathopalabhyate
nānto na cādir na ca sampratiṣṭhā
aśvattham enaṁ su-virūḍha-mūlam
asaṅga-śastreṇa dṛḍhena chittvā
tataḥ padaṁ tat parimārgitavyaṁ
yasmin gatā na nivartanti bhūyaḥ
tam eva cādyaṁ puruṣaṁ prapadye
yataḥ pravṛttiḥ prasṛtā purāṇī

“The real form of this tree cannot be perceived in this world. No one can understand where it ends, where it begins, or where its foundation is. But with determination one must cut down this tree with the weapon of detachment. So doing, one must seek that place from which, having once gone, one never returns, and there surrender to that Supreme Personality of Godhead from whom everything has begun and in whom everything is abiding since time immemorial.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 15.3-4)

This is not speculation.  The truth is tied to an underlying principle, which centers on the consciousness.  You see, it is consciousness which ultimately determines the next state of being.  The conditions for the state of being are commensurate with the nature of the consciousness.  That consciousness is shaped by activities.  You do good and you will hopefully be in better spirits.  You do bad and the opposite will take place.  The results might not manifest immediately.  Shri Rama compares the timing of the delivery to the patience necessary to see the flowers blooming on trees in the appropriate season.

अवश्यं लभते जन्तुः फलं पापस्य कर्मणः
घोरं पर्यागते काले द्रुमाः पुष्पमिवार्तवम्

avaśyaṃ labhate jantuḥ phalaṃ pāpasya karmaṇaḥ
ghoraṃ paryāgate kāle drumāḥ puṣpamivārtavam

“Just as a tree starts to blossom during the proper season, so the doer of sinful deeds inevitably reaps the horrible fruit of their actions at the appropriate time.” (Lord Rama speaking to Khara, Valmiki Ramayana, Aranya Kand, 29.8)

There is the saying, “I think therefore I am.”  The truth with the science of self-realization is something like, “I will be wherever my consciousness takes me.”  In this regard, the leader of the Daitya community in ancient times had his thoughts squarely on one person.  The problem is that the nature was inimical.  We see similar tendencies in the population at large.  Today, they have newly coined disorders with “syndrome” in the name, relating to a certain politician of orange hue who happens to be prominent.

Are the people that obsessed with one person or is it something else?  It could be that this politician they loathe is merely a repository for frustration.  You see, the people are generally unhappy.  They may have a lot in life.  They may be doing well, according to the barometers for success.  But they are still unsatisfied.  Therefore, they already have a tendency to hate.  The person or group they loathe thus becomes a repository for their negative feelings.  It is like their consciousness has been given over to this inverted sentiment.  It is attachment, all the same, but the unhealthy kind.

It was similar with Hiranyakashipu, except his hatred was fixed.  The people today might soon forget about the politician they hate.  They will move on to someone else in the near future.  The news media will determine its next target, and the petty and the miserable will dutifully follow.  They will hate on command, as told by their television set or smartphone. Hiranyakashipu’s hatred had a similar source, in that he was frustrated.  He otherwise had everything going for him.  He was in a job that could not be outsourced.  There was no one with higher authority; or so it seemed.  Hiranyakashipu was the king of the Daityas and no one could remove him from that position.  Hiranyakashipu made sure of it, when first asking for boons of protection from the creator, Lord Brahma.

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)

The condition Hiranyakashipu suffered from is known as ajitendriyah.  This is when the senses take over.  You become a puppet in their hands, when otherwise you should be able to exercise control.  After all, a person goes to sleep at a reasonable hour in the evening.  This is against the desires of the senses, which subtly request a few more hours of enjoyment.  The same individual forces themselves to get up in the morning, even though the senses ask for more time to sleep.

When the senses are like horses released from their restraints held by the driver, the individual becomes miserable.  They get triggered easily.  In Hiranyakashipu’s case, it was his own son.  Prahlada Maharaja, all of five years of age, figuratively drove the father off a cliff with insistence on spreading the message of Hari-katha.  Prahlada insisted that worshiping Vishnu was the best use of time.  From morning until night, from childhood until old age, from servant to the topmost executive – everyone should acknowledge the supremacy of Vishnu, who is everywhere, all of the time.

In the final moments, it is this principle that Hiranyakashipu focused on.  Was Vishnu actually sarvatra?  Is it possible for one person to be everywhere?  The leader decided to make a test.  He was going to run a clinical trial involving one piece of matter, in a specific location.  The result would be pass or fail.  If the test passed, Prahlada would be spared.  If not, the child would be divided into two pieces, by the powerful sword known as Chandrahasa.

What Hiranyakashipu failed to foresee was that a passing test might also mean the manifestation of an all-pervading Vishnu, who happens to have perfect memory.  In other words, if Vishnu did appear from the pillar after it was struck, He would not necessarily be happy with Hiranyakashipu.  That leader had perpetrated many wicked abuses against his own son.  Vishnu would obviously favor the person who was adamant about Vishnu’s all-pervading presence.

Alas, the test concluded with a positive result.  Vishnu appeared in a visual that would soon be known as Narahari.  It was a nara, or man, but not quite.  It was a hari, or lion, but not fully.  Amazingly, Hiranyakashipu’s paranoia ended up saving him.  Since he directed his hatred towards Vishnu, that is what remained on the consciousness in the final moments.  This means that he was guaranteed a spiritual nature in the near future, being liberated from the cycle of birth and death.  He could thank his innocent, beloved, and wise son for the achievement.

यं यं वापि स्मरन् भावं
त्यजत्य् अन्ते कलेवरम्
तं तम् एवैति कौन्तेय
सदा तद्-भाव-भावितः

yaṁ yaṁ vāpi smaran bhāvaṁ
tyajaty ante kalevaram
taṁ tam evaiti kaunteya
sadā tad-bhāva-bhāvitaḥ

“Whatever state of being one remembers when he quits his body, that state he will attain without fail.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 8.6)

In Closing:

As nails into depths of intestines sank,
The leader his son could thank.

For liberation in final hour,
Hatred of Vishnu to devour.

Because those thoughts regularly to consume,
A kind of steady worship to presume.

Though not way departing ideal,
Vaishnava towards peace to appeal.

Categories: chandrahasa

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