Violating The Code Of Fighters

By krishnasmercy on June 3, 2026 • ( 0 )

“’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

“As many people as you will meet in life, you will come across that many interests. If you did a distinct count, it might closely match the total number of individuals. One person collects trainsets and has an elaborate setup in their basement. This is a married adult man, mind you, in case there was any confusion. One person loves to collect bottlecaps. Another person is into racing. This person likes going on a boat.

“You want to know what interests me? Etiquette. You heard correctly. The rules and regulations. The proper code of conduct. In just what setting, exactly? Well, what if I told you that the setting is immaterial? I take an interest for all kinds of roles, across all languages and cultures. As an example, there is a longstanding etiquette for those known as enforcers in professional ice hockey. It is an unofficial role, though everyone knows who fills it. The enforcers are like the fighters. They are guardians of the ice. They are supposed to protect the star players, who are more skilled. If any player on the other team should take liberties at the star, at the franchise athlete, the enforcer knows to get to work.

“Within that role, there are many unwritten rules. The first rule is that you rarely just attack on a whim. You politely nudge the other person. You find the enforcer on the other side and ask them to go at it. It is like an invitation for a fight. Another rule is that you avoid punching down, as much as possible. There is nothing to be gained by beating up someone smaller than yourself. I think a lot of these rules apply to all sorts of combat, since before anyone can remember. You will find that many of the same principles apply to the kshatriya varna, as defined in Vedic culture.

“I took you on a winding turn to reach the heart of the point of discussion for today. We have the infamous Daitya leader named Hiranyakashipu. Though he was an asura by birth and by nature, in his inclination to go against dharma, he was still in the role of kshatriya. It was his job to protect the kingdom. There was even a system of education established. Children went to school. They learned about how to govern, even touching on the four principal methods of diplomacy.”

तत एनं गुरुर्ज्ञात्वा ज्ञातज्ञेयचतुष्टयम्
दैत्येन्द्रं दर्शयामास मातृमृष्टमलङ्‌कृतम्

tata enaṁ gurur jñātvā
jñāta-jñeya-catuṣṭayam
daityendraṁ darśayām āsa
mātṛ-mṛṣṭam alaṅkṛtam

“After some time, the teachers Shanda and Amarka thought that Prahlada Maharaja was sufficiently educated in the diplomatic affairs of pacifying public leaders, appeasing them by giving them lucrative posts, dividing and ruling over them [bheda], and punishing them in cases of disobedience. Then, one day, after Prahlada’s mother had personally washed the boy and dressed him nicely with sufficient ornaments, they presented him before his father.” (Shrimad Bhagavatam, 7.5.19)

“Of course, someone like Hiranyakashipu would be proud. They are in the topmost position. They feel they are invincible. It would be like carrying the heavyweight title for an extended period of time. How, then, does someone so exalted reduce himself to attacking a five-year old boy? How does he live with himself by directing the royal guards to attack? Time and time again, but the child keeps surviving. The boy is actually the son of Hiranyakashipu. Where is the honor? Where is the integrity? Where is the chivalry? How was the father not embarrassed at his fall from grace?”

Some people object when you refer to the asuras as demons or atheists. They think that the asuras are not inherently bad, evil, or wicked. You see, it was rogue commentators along the way, who came in and spoke negatively of this group of people described in Vedic literature. Never mind that Shri Krishna Himself specifically uses the words asura bhavam, in describing how the asuras have sinful tendencies, are in the category of fools and miscreants, and how they never surrender. These behaviors are one way to identify the asuras, in fact.

दम्भो दर्पोऽभिमानश्च क्रोध: पारुष्यमेव च
अज्ञानं चाभिजातस्य पार्थ सम्पदमासुरीम्

dambho darpo ’bhimānaś ca
krodhaḥ pāruṣyam eva ca
ajñānaṁ cābhijātasya
pārtha sampadam āsurīm

“Arrogance, pride, anger, conceit, harshness and ignorance—these qualities belong to those of demonic nature, O son of Pritha.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 16.4)

The Daityas are a kind of asura, and in this regard Hiranyakashipu was the best of the Daityas. We see that even the thief follows a kind of dharma. This is because they would never appreciate being robbed. Though they steal from others, they would object to anyone stealing what they have stolen. This is one way to identify adharma, in that the behaviors are not universally applicable. Hiranyakashipu was proud of his standing as the most feared person in the world, and yet he threw all etiquette aside when faced with disagreeable words.

Mind you, Prahlada was not trying to make trouble. He was not trying to bring down his father. Prahlada was merely speaking from the heart. He was revealing the most important knowledge that he had heard. That knowledge happened to arrive during the prenatal period. Prahlada heard from Narada Muni while in the womb. Prahlada happened to remember everything later on, after taking birth.

In praising Vishnu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Prahlada was not looking for a fight. Prahlada was being honest. He was asking the father to be honest, as well. At least acknowledge that the strength is due to a higher power. Realize that enjoyment which has a beginning must also have an end. Rather than target temporary pleasures, direct efforts towards transcendence. Rather than maintain enmity with Vishnu, become His friend. Then there would be no issues. There would be no paranoia. There would be no vulnerability to losing your composure from the words of your innocent son.

Indeed, the subsequent attacks against Prahlada violated every standard of etiquette and decency, for kshatriyas or otherwise. This was a special case, in that someone was directly protecting Prahlada. Hiranyakashipu failed to even consider that Vishnu was there the entire time, that Prahlada was telling the truth. Hiranyakashipu tried to take his bullying out on a nearby pillar, thinking that there was no witness. He would finally meet a fighter worthy of his stature. This fighter would emerge from that very pillar, to substantiate the words of Prahlada.