Three People Who Had To Wait A Long Time For Bhagavan’s Mercy

“Sage Narada therefore contemplated that the two demigods should remain for one hundred years, in the time of the demigods, in the form of trees, and after that they would be fortunate enough to see the Supreme Personality of Godhead, face to face, by His causeless mercy. And thus they would be again promoted to the life of the demigods and great devotees of the Lord.” (Krishna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vol 1, Ch 10)

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You don’t know if you can continue much longer. The only problem is that there aren’t many alternatives. The rent doesn’t pay itself. Groceries don’t magically arrive in the kitchen. Transportation is expensive, especially if owning the primary means.

The daily grind. Day after day. Sitting in the same office setting, where no one talks to each other. Not so much as a, “Hello, how was your weekend?” Everyone to themselves. They are just as miserable as you are. They are enduring due to the allure of a high salary. It’s as if this place is subtly persuading you:

“Just keep working here. We will provide everything you need. Don’t mind the lack of natural light. It’s okay to stay seated for eight hours a day. Just think of the good food you will get to eat. Think of the steadily increasing bank balance, with sufficient funds for retirement.”

You wonder how you will make it through another week, but from Vedic literature we see that people in the past often had to wait a long time before the greatest reward manifested. In every case the wait was worth the outcome.

1. Ahalya

She was cursed by her husband, Gautama Rishi. An indiscretion that wasn’t really her fault, the word of a qualified brahmana is final. Shri Krishna explains in the Bhagavad-gita that the four divisions, varnas, are tied directly to qualities and work, guna and karma.

चातुर्-वर्ण्यं मया सृष्टं
गुण-कर्म-विभागशः
तस्य कर्तारम् अपि मां
विद्ध्य् अकर्तारम् अव्ययम्

cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ
guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ
tasya kartāram api māṁ
viddhy akartāram avyayam

“According to the three modes of material nature and the work ascribed to them, the four divisions of human society were created by Me. And, although I am the creator of this system, you should know that I am yet the non-doer, being unchangeable.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 4.13)

The issue with giving a curse is that the recipient isn’t the only one to suffer. The source has some of their pious credits deplete. It is like making a withdrawal from a bank account. Fortunately for Ahalya, there was a silver lining.

She would be freed from the curse through direct contact with the lotus feet of the Supreme Lord. He arrived at her location through the favor of Vishvamitra Muni. As Shri Rama, Bhagavan gave liberation instantly. The effect became so well-known that sometime later a boatman was afraid to have Rama set foot on his boat, lest it turn into a lady who travels back to the heavenly realm.

2. Nalakuvara and Manigriva

Reaching heaven does not bring automatic immunity from transgressions. The two sons of the demigod Kuvera one time received a curse from Narada Muni after behaving in an offensive manner. They were to live as trees in the land of Vrindavana. In that body type they would get to remain naked for many years, as they previously showed fondness for wandering without clothes due to intoxication.

The two brothers gained release from the curse after they were knocked down by a mortar. A small child brought that mortar in between the two trees. He had enough strength to bring them down. This was no ordinary child. It was the same Shri Rama, but on earth in the beautiful two-handed form of Shri Krishna.

3. Lord Brahma

Another incident in Krishna-lila involved Lord Brahma, the creator. He stole Krishna’s cows and cowherd friends in secret. He thought he would get the best of the darling of Vrindavana, but Krishna outsmarted him. The Supreme Lord simply expanded Himself to account for the missing cows and children. No one knew anything had happened, except Krishna and Brahma.

The play went on for an entire year. Though very short in terms of Brahma’s duration of life, a year in human calculation is still a long time. The mercy finally arrived after a meaningful and heartfelt apology. For a year the creator thought he was superior to the one who first guided him on how to create. One definition for God is the person who was around before anything existed. The other side to the same definition is that Krishna will remain after everything has been annihilated.

Therefore, in whatever difficult position a person may find themselves, there is always hope. While the struggle seems lengthy and without end, if purity is the guiding force then ultimately the mercy of the Divine will arrive. A way to speed up the process is to constantly chant the holy names: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

In Closing:

Worst ever this job of mine,

When to feel mercy of Divine?

In past others longer to wait,

Like demigods in tree-form state.

Or Ahalya stone curse to meet,

Liberated at touch of Rama’s feet.

Such meeting for worth waiting,

From Bhagavan miseries abating.

Three Occasions When It Is Okay To Call Out To Bhagavan

“She gathered more ropes from the house and added to it, but at the end she found the same shortage. In this way, she connected all the ropes available at home, but when the final knot was added, she saw that it was still two inches too short. Mother Yashoda was smiling, but she was astonished. How was it happening?” (Krishna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vol 1, Ch 9)

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You’ve made all the arrangements. Everything else is set. The responsibilities taken care of. The distractions removed, at least for now. No pressing issues until the next day. It is time to meditate. You want to focus on the sounds produced by repeating the holy names: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

The setting will be just right: the temple. There will be other devotees around. It is said that the dust of the lotus feet of a saintly person can cure every ailment. It is not a magic potion to remove a physical disease, but rather the beginning of a connection to last beyond this and every future lifetime potentially spent in a temporary body.

The issue is that a distraction gets in the way. Perhaps there is a flat tire during the ride. Maybe an emergency phone call from work, requiring your immediate attention. You can’t seem to get rid of the last job. Though you started a new position, one less stressful in every way, the old place needs your assistance every now and then. The status is always “urgent.”

How is a person supposed to appropriately focus on God? How will they remain conscious of Him with so many distractions in the course of the average day? From Vedic literature we find that it is proper to call out to Bhagavan, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, in every kind of situation.

1. Frustration

The ideal example is mother Yashoda. She was with Krishna directly. The saguna form was in front of her, though for Bhagavan there is no difference between the two viewpoints. Whether a person sees Him as without qualities, nirakara Brahman, or in the deity with distinguishable features, archa-vigraha, He remains who He is.

He kindly appeared in the land of Gokula and accepted Yashoda as His mother. She wanted to bind Him to a mortar one time as mild punishment for intentionally breaking a pot of yogurt. The problem was that there weren’t enough ropes to go around His lotus-like navel. Every attempt resulted in failure, by just two finger-widths.

In that time of frustration, Yashoda’s consciousness of her son remained. She did not give up and move on to some mundane activity. She could not and would not. For her effort, Krishna finally gave in. He rewarded her with success, as the mortar attached to His belly then allowed for the two sons of Kuvera to be freed from their curse.

2. Desperation

Draupadi tried on her own at first. Her husbands were unwilling to help her. They stood by quietly, as if some overwhelming force were suppressing the exercise of chivalry. They had lost a wager to the great cheater in the Kaurava family, and so the Pandava brothers did not intervene when the punishment of Draupadi being stripped naked was ready to be enacted.

The elderly gentlemen in the Kaurava family also remained silent. Politics got in the way of better judgment. Draupadi had no choice but to try to hold on to her sari, to keep from being shown naked. Yet what could she really do against powerful kshatriya warriors?

In total desperation, she called out to Govinda for help. The one who made Yashoda’s ropes long enough in Gokula now took on the form of the sari, making it endless in length. This is the magic of God, proving that the proper test for Divinity involves travelling in both directions. Bhagavan is both greater than the greatest and smaller than the smallest. A person may be able to live many years and show longevity, but to be God you must also prove that you remained in the same position in the past. If you do not remember where you were prior to birth, it means that you can never be equal to Bhagavan.

3. Jubilation

The saints are known to chant and dance in ecstasy. On occasion, they eat very nicely, as well, such as during the first Govardhana Puja. There is the song that asks you to clap your hands if you are happy and aware of it, and so the person immersed in bhakti feels free to share their ananda with others. In excitement they remember Krishna and look forward to more opportunities to share knowledge about Him, giving to others the same precious gift.

In Closing:

Happiness willing to share,

Since of Krishna always aware.

Such as when Govardhana celebrating,

Or endless sari demonstrating.

Yashoda’s ropes sufficiently long,

Her son both kind and strong.

Appropriate meaning at any time,

Lord’s help ready to find.

What Is Wrong With What The Teachers Taught Prahlada

“When one is above the stages of dharma, artha, kama and moksha, one becomes a devotee. He is then on the platform from which he is guaranteed not to fall again to material existence (yad gatva na nivartante [Bg. 15.6]). As advised in Bhagavad-gita if one transcends these four processes and is actually liberated, one engages in devotional service. Then he is guaranteed not to fall to material existence again.” (Shrila Prabhupada, Shrimad Bhagavatam, 7.5.52 Purport)

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Friend1: Let’s continue with our discussions on Prahlada Maharaja.

Friend2: Alright.

Friend1: We are in the section where the teachers mollified an angry Hiranyakashipu, to an extent. They told him to not be morose over Prahlada’s survival against the many carefully thought-out lethal attacks.

Friend2: Step back and consider the situation for a moment. Hiranyakashipu was leader of the world. No one above him; at least according to his estimation. He had a humble and obedient son named Prahlada. The one issue was that Prahlada would not abandon worship of Vishnu. This so angered the father that he insisted on killing the child.

Friend1: And then the sole reason for being morose was failure.

Friend2: The king of the world lacked sufficient power to take out a five year old child, who had no other assistance. Pretty amazing stuff this Vedic literature presents.

Friend1: The royal teachers said that Prahlada would one day turn around. There wasn’t much harm to expect, anyway.

Friend2: Why not give that advice before the lethal attacks? It’s a rhetorical question, but you see what I mean.

Friend1: Sure. Absolutely. In the Shrimad Bhagavatam we read that what the teachers did next was force-feed instruction on the four paths of life described in the Vedas.

Friend2: Dharma, artha, kama and moksha.

Friend1: Religiosity, economic development, sense gratification, and then liberation. You find these goals mentioned in many places.

Friend2: They are what distinguish the human being from the animal. The four tie together. Not that I engage in just religion and forget everything else. Not that my sole interest is enjoying the senses, at the expense of long-term benefit, paramartha.

Friend1: Here is my question. What is wrong in what the teachers taught?

Friend2: What do you mean?

Friend1: Why would someone find fault with that method?

Friend2: Umm, did you not see the father’s predicament? He followed dharma in the form of worshiping Lord Brahma, the creator. He developed the economy sufficiently through ruling the kingdom. There was ample sense gratification. Liberation? Save that for later; maybe. Despite following this path, as was the tradition in the family of Daityas, Hiranyakashipu was completely miserable.

Friend1: Okay, but you have just fallen into a trap. The Vedas teach the four rewards. The teachers in the Daitya family taught the four rewards. Hiranyakashipu followed that path. He was miserable. Therefore, why are the Vedas presenting something that will make people miserable?

Friend2: Ah, now that is a great question.

Friend1: I’m asking you!

Friend2: It is not that the four rewards will leave a person miserable in the end.

Friend1: No?

Friend2: It is just that there is something beyond. You could follow dharma perfectly and still be completely unsatisfied. You are vulnerable to the sources of misery in the material world. That is the meaning. The four rewards are indeed important. Every person needs a start. Better to be a little religious than not at all. Better to at least acknowledge and think of God than to remain in the dark. Look at the end result here. Hiranyakashipu met Vishnu face-to-face. He received liberation, even after being such a horrible person. This means that there must have been some hint of religion. He must have been a special person.

Friend1: But bhakti-yoga, devotional service, is supposed to be higher.

Friend2: On a different platform. When you are connected in yoga, you do not need to follow the standard path. Prahlada was not even an adult yet. He could not take the steps necessary to satisfy interest, artha. He had no means of satisfying the senses. Yet he was totally liberated. He bypassed the need for what the teachers were teaching him. He indeed could have taught them a lesson or two; that is the power of bhakti. Devotional service is the real meaning of dharma.

In Closing:

Achieving life’s purposes for,

The primary rewards four.

This from royal teachers taught,

But for king only misery brought.

Idea that beyond the acceptable,

Still to vulnerabilities susceptible.

Bhakti devotion’s meaning real,

Which Prahlada already to feel.

The Two Conflicting Interests Of Father And Son

“A devotee purified by devotional service is always in the transcendental position above the mundane qualities. Thus the difference between Prahlada Maharaja and Hiranyakashipu was that Hiranyakashipu wanted to keep Prahlada in mundane attachment whereas Prahlada was above the modes of material nature.” (Shrila Prabhupada, Shrimad Bhagavatam, 7.5.51 Purport)

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The relationship was doomed from the outset. The father wanted one thing and the son another. The requests weren’t outlandish or beyond the normal realm of interest, but to each side what the other desired was unacceptable. The conflicting paths would meet in the end, with the definition of dharma made crystal clear in the process.

1. Stay in mundane attachment

The Sanskrit word of relevance is grihamedhi. This refers to a person who is attached to family life. Upon hearing such a description there may be immediate objections raised:

“What is wrong with family life? How do you expect the world to go on? Not everyone can become a monk. If they did, there would be no hospitals or schools. The shelves in the stores would be empty. No one to protect against invaders. Foreigners of ill intent could enter without being checked, like they do at the southern border of a particular nation. In addition, the family is the central building block of society. Your characterization makes it sound like having affection for spouse and children is a bad thing.”

In this specific instance, the desire came from a person who was a king. Hiranyakashipu wielded significant power in his post. He wanted the son Prahlada to follow in the same line. Stay attached to the body and the enjoyment accompanying a material existence.

2. Stay above the modes of material nature

Prahlada wanted to stay above attachment. There are three modes of material nature and they combine to bind a person. The Sanskrit word is guna, and one definition is “rope.” This has the same effect as the other definition of “material quality.” The sense demands are the primary form of attachment, and they keep a person in the cycle of birth and death.

How to resolve the conflict? Hiranyakashipu tried a forced method of persuasion by having the royal teachers give instruction on the ways of dharma as it is typically understood. First student life, then married with children, and then maybe way down the road renunciation. There is enjoyment at each stage. Along the way the attachments increase.

Hiranyakashipu’s mentality is not out of the ordinary. Such a person does not know anything beyond what they see. Therefore, they worry how someone will survive in a life of renunciation, especially when it is accepted at such a young age. Prahlada was only five years old; he had the future ahead of him. Why would he concentrate on Vishnu now? Let genuine spiritual life be practiced later on, when there are no responsibilities.

Hiranyakashipu did not understand that real dharma is connecting with God in a mood of service, and that connection can take place at any point in life. It has the same effectiveness in any occupation. Prahlada would one day become king, but he operated with a different mentality. Whereas the father was completely miserable despite indulging every sense demand, Prahlada was always in bliss. They both lived in the same environment, but the difference in mentality was everything. The grihastha is spiritually inclined, and the rajarshi protects the citizens without becoming further entangled in the cycle of birth and death.

In Closing:

Relationship doomed from the start,

When son from father’s way to depart.

King the material life insisting,

Prahlada in devotion persisting.

Later on having same post,

But differences a host.

The Vaishnava above to stay,

Attachment not hindering way.

If Satisfying Krishna Solves Everything Why Do I Have To Worship

“As watering the root of a tree immediately distributes water to every part of the tree, so an offering made to Krishna, or any action done for Krishna, is to be considered the highest welfare work for everyone, because the benefit of such an offering is distributed throughout the creation. Love for Krishna becomes distributed to all living entities.” (Krishna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vol 2, Ch 26)

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Friend1: Would you say there are pure devotees in this world?

Friend2: What is your definition? Someone may have no idea to what you are referring.

Friend1: Well, there are devotees. Specifically, followers of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Believers in God, but extending beyond the general parameter of fear and respect.

Friend2: Shanta-rasa.

Friend1: Going above neutrality. People who want to remember the Supreme Lord. They want to serve Him.

Friend2: Alright.

Friend1: The “pure” qualifier gets appropriately applied when there is a complete lack of outside motivation. No desire for material gain.

Friend2: Such as, “God, please help me out this one time. I will never ask for anything again.”

Friend1: They are not asking for anything. They don’t want money or the lack of it. They don’t want good health or bad. They are fine in whatever condition the higher forces place them in.

Friend2: Then what is their relationship like? Do they not offer prayers?

Friend1: They surely do, but the objective is to be able to continue in service. Essentially, they are not asking for themselves.

Friend2: I see.

Friend1: What is your opinion, then? Would you say there are pure devotees in this world?

Friend2: I hope you realize that a paramahamsa, the supreme swan in terms of spiritual practice, views every person but themselves as a pure devotee.

Friend1: You are certainly in that category.

Friend2: I am not, but the mindset is out there. To answer your question, of course there are pure devotees in this world. They may not be prominent. They may not be known by everyone. They could be confined to a room in the home for years, never visiting a temple or making a public display of their devotion. Yet in consciousness they are fixed in a connection, yoga.

Friend1: Now that we have established the fact, I thought of a possible contradiction in the teachings of bhakti-yoga.

Friend2: Okay.

Friend1: One of the justifications given for bypassing worship of the devas, the gods in the heavenly region, is that the process is unnecessary. Simply by worshiping the top person, Bhagavan, everything else is satisfied.

Friend2: Absolutely. Look at Prahlada Maharaja. He worshiped Vishnu since birth. He was a devotee of the pure variety you describe. The father, on the other hand, had worshiped the deva named Brahma, who happens to be the creator. There were significant boons resulting from that worship. The relationship ceased once the exchange in goods and services took place.

Friend1: And in the end it was Prahlada who had the more valuable link. Prahlada survived and thrived, while Hiranyakashipu eventually came crashing down to earth.

Friend2: Precisely. The inaugural Govardhana Puja is another case. If you trust in the personal side of God, who is also known as Krishna, then you have nothing to worry about.

Friend1: Okay, I’ve heard the comparison to watering the root of the tree. You can try to take care of the individual branches and leaves, but through the root you automatically satisfy the entire tree.

Friend2: Yes. That is a befitting analogy.

Friend1: Couldn’t someone use that as justification for bypassing worshiping of Krishna, then?

Friend2: What do you mean?

Friend1: If there are pure devotees in this world, as you acknowledged, then why do I need to do anything? Krishna is obviously satisfied by their work. That means everything else is accounted for. Nothing needed from me.

Friend2: There is some truth to that.

Friend1: Really? You’re saying that none of us need to connect in yoga?

Friend2: I am not saying that.

Friend1: Then?

Friend2: The Supreme Lord is atmarama. This means “satisfied in the self.” He does not rely on anyone’s prayers or well-wishes. At the same time, He is so benevolent that He gives so many opportunities to connect with Him, which will do so much good for a person.

Friend1: Okay, but if just one pure devotee is satisfying Him, why is additional worship necessary?

Friend2: The world will go on without you or me. That is already known. The animals don’t know about God or religion. They cannot offer prayers, and yet they get enough food to eat. The idea is that watering the root will satisfy every necessity at the personal level. You don’t need to endeavor specifically for this requirement and that. Go straight to the source and see how happy you will be. Everything in your world, which can be simple and small or complicated and extended, will be taken care of. The right result will take place, especially at the time of death.

In Closing:

Even in my limited sight,

Every outcome made right.

Better watering when,

Root of tree branches than.

So straight to Krishna to go,

Who best interests to know.

Otherwise time only wasting,

In illusory happiness chasing.

Three Ways To Describe Krishna To Someone Who Has Never Heard Of Him

“Brahma, it is I, the Personality of Godhead, who was existing before the creation, when there was nothing but Myself. Nor was there the material nature, the cause of this creation. That which you see now is also I, the Personality of Godhead, and after annihilation what remains will also be I, the Personality of Godhead.” (Shrimad Bhagavatam, 2.9.33)

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अहम् एवासम् एवाग्रे
नान्यद् यत् सद्-असत् परम्
पश्चाद् अहं यद् एतच् च
यो ऽवशिष्येत सो ऽस्म्य् अहम्

aham evāsam evāgre
nānyad yat sad-asat param
paścād ahaṁ yad etac ca
yo ‘vaśiṣyeta so ‘smy aham

“You take the time every day to explain, teach, and glorify Shri Krishna and the concept of devotion to Him. You also cover the various incarnations, the non-different expansions, like Shri Rama, Narasimha, Vishnu and the like. There is also the lives of the saints. I have heard it said that a person who remembers one of these saints while quitting the body, at the time of death, is assured of liberation.

“While I appreciate the effort, I wonder how you would get through to someone new. Not even a curious observer who happened to stumble upon the information. Not the inquisitive mind looking to go beyond what they already know about religion.

“Take someone who has no idea. They have never even considered Hinduism, Vedic literature, the traditions of India, or whatever you want to call it. How would you explain Krishna to them? How would you get them to take an interest?”

1. A concept with which everyone is already familiar

Krishna is synonymous with God. Not “your” God or “my” God. There can only be one. It is a position confidently established and confirmed through scientific principles. Vedic culture, which is a tradition that describes God to the best of man’s ability to understand, includes a verse from a work called the Bhagavata Purana.

The Supreme Lord there explains that He was around before anything. This is not a matter of faith. We know that there is a beginning to everything. The tree in the backyard has been standing for years, before we were born. Yet we know that a tree doesn’t appear magically, on its own. There has to be the birth process, here started with a seed.

सर्व-योनिषु कौन्तेय
मूर्तयः सम्भवन्ति याः
तासां ब्रह्म महद् योनिर्
अहं बीज-प्रदः पिता

sarva-yoniṣu kaunteya
mūrtayaḥ sambhavanti yāḥ
tāsāṁ brahma mahad yonir
ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā

“It should be understood that all species of life, O son of Kunti, are made possible by birth in this material nature, and that I am the seed-giving father.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 14.4)

Krishna is like the original seed of the creation. He provides the energy necessary for life as we know it to emerge. At the same time, He is prior to the time of the origin. This is generally described as infinity, and it is a concept impossible to fully grasp.

2. His original sound is preserved

Unlike what may be presented in other popular traditions of spirituality, the words of Krishna are preserved. The exact same sound vibrations uttered thousands of years ago are available to the interested parties today. It will remain that way into the future, as there is potency to that sound. It is known as shabda-brahman, or the way to connect with the Absolute Truth without a physical meeting.

The benefit is that speculation can be removed. We don’t have to rely on what someone else explains about God. We don’t have to believe the cheater who speculates that there is no ultimate authority and that every person is equally as Divine as everyone else. There is equality at the spiritual level, and at the same time there is a source of the innumerable spiritual beings.

The teacher is needed to explain the concepts appropriate to the time and circumstance, but the foundation is always the original sound. Works like Ramayana, Bhagavad-gita, Bhagavata Purana and others not only describe God, but they contain His direct words. What a wonderful benefit for mankind! They need not be in the dark. They have the best-friend to everyone available to them. He arrives as quickly as a mantra can be spoken: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

3. A befitting name for God

The name Krishna means “all-attractive.” It is entirely befitting of the original person. He is not old and mean. He can be so if the situation warrants, but in truth He is always without anxiety. That is why His spiritual abode is known as Vaikuntha. He is always playing, with nothing to do. He is in ananda, and there is no pressing engagement such as waking up to travel to the office.

In temples there are always decorations which actually increase in beauty due to being associated with Krishna. There is sweetness, madhurya, in the relationship, which is the way the interactions should be. No person should be scared into submission. The material world already presents enough dangers. No one should worship with the thought of possible retribution in mind.

As occurred in the conversation documented in the Bhagavad-gita, Shri Krishna or one of His representatives presents the teachings as they are. The choice is then up to the recipient. They can follow or they can ignore. As much further clarification as necessary is allowed. Bring every doubt to the table. Do not accept blindly. When you finally understand that Krishna is the entire universe and more, that He is everyone’s greatest well-wisher, then eternal happiness awaits.

In Closing:

Of Shri Krishna never heard,

Familiar with Vedas not a word.

How presenting teachings would,

So that properly understood?

Idea that with concepts already knowing,

And then some more clarity showing.

Connecting with that original sound,

Which to present passing down.

Three Reasons Hiranyakashipu Shouldn’t Have Felt Anxiety

“Until the return of our spiritual master, Shukracharya, arrest this child with the ropes of Varuna so that he will not flee in fear. In any case, by the time he is somewhat grown up and has assimilated our instructions or served our spiritual master, he will change in his intelligence. Thus there need be no cause for anxiety.” (Shanda and Amarka speaking to Hiranyakashipu, Shrimad Bhagavatam, 7.5.50)

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इमं तु पाशैर् वरुणस्य बद्ध्वा
निधेहि भीतो न पलायते यथा
बुद्धिश् च पुंसो वयसार्य-सेवया
यावद् गुरुर् भार्गव आगमिष्यति

imaṁ tu pāśair varuṇasya baddhvā
nidhehi bhīto na palāyate yathā
buddhiś ca puṁso vayasārya-sevayā
yāvad gurur bhārgava āgamiṣyati

The historical account is included in Vedic literature for a reason. It is not simply to humiliate a person who once rose to the top on the strength of boons provided by the creator. It is not only to highlight the glories of a perseverant, obstinate, and completely sinless child. It is not just to relive a period in history when the Daitya class once again failed at their objective of eternal world domination.

There are so many lessons to learn from the rise and fall of Hiranyakashipu, the individual who originally played the role of gatekeeper in Vaikuntha and then descended to the material world to live as a bad guy due to a curse placed on him.

One of the areas of instruction relates to anxiety. The name of that spiritual land references the relaxed nature. It is free of anxieties, Vaikuntha, whereas the material existence is completely the opposite. One would assume that with the life of Hiranyakashipu, there would be no reason to feel any kind of grief.

1. King of the world

There was no higher post to reach. In the limited vision of the conditioned soul, to be in charge of the three worlds brings the ultimate power; though in truth a person will always find people in three positions relative to them. There is always someone lower, a peer, and a superior.

Hiranyakashipu didn’t think that anyone was above him. He took over the post of the demigods, by force. He intimidated others into submission. They knew his strength, so they thought better of challenging him. The leader of the Daityas could simply ask for something and it would happen.

2. Everyone living in fear of him

There were boons of protection. The person at the top takes all of the arrows. They are the target of the competitors. Hiranyakashipu shared the same vulnerability, but there was a notable exception. Brahma, the creator, promised that the king would not perish at the hands of any animal or human being. No weapon could do him in, and death would occur neither during the day nor at night.

As it was ninety-nine percent immortality, a wise person would use that knowledge to remain calm and peaceful. After all, one of the basic animal activities is defense. This is due to fear. Eating, sleeping, mating and defending. Hiranyakashipu had every base covered.

3. A saintly and forgiving son

Griha, kshetra, suta. In material life a person naturally desires some good land. On that land let there be a nice home. This is through family. Within the family hopefully there will be children. That is the standard view of enjoyment for a human being.

Hiranyakashipu had all three. One of the sons happened to be the most saintly. Named Prahlada, he was always joyful in contemplating Brahman, which is the spiritual energy. He was also extremely forgiving.

The agitated Hiranyakashipu could not tolerate Prahlada’s devotion to Vishnu, of which he was not afraid to speak. The king became so enraged that he ordered the death penalty to the child. To everyone’s surprise and dismay, Prahlada survived the many attempts made against his life.

It reached a point that the king became morose. He needed a pep talk from the royal teachers, who asked him to remain calm and patient. A child cannot do much harm, regardless. Let him mature a little. Give it some time, for when the family guru of the demons arrives, Shukracharya, he will be able to get the child’s mind right.

And yet Hiranyakashipu was still agitated. This clearly reveals that material life is not everything. Who isn’t after success? A person attends a four-year university and amasses tremendous student loan debt in order to get a good job afterwards. They jump from position to position in order to steadily increase the amount of money earned. The thinking is, “If I’m going to sit in an office for forty hours a week, I might as well make as much money as I can.”

We see that Hiranyakashipu was at the pinnacle of success in material life. Nothing was lacking, and at the same time he became morose. He felt anxiety, and the cause was lack of control over the senses. Juxtaposing with the son, Prahlada had no fear, despite the clear and present danger before him. There was a connection to Vishnu, technically known as yoga. With that achievement, a person’s material existence naturally becomes easier. They may or may not succeed in this venture and that, but through the holy names they are always joyful: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

In Closing:

Naturally beautifully arranged,

Nothing needed to be changed.

But king morose still feeling,

Flaw in material life revealing.

Despite over the world domination,

Failed in son’s termination.

Who to Supreme Vishnu connected,

Father left sad and dejected.