Do You Ever Think About How Easy Life As a Non-Devotee Would Be

“The embodied soul may be restricted from sense enjoyment, though the taste for sense objects remains. But, ceasing such engagements by experiencing a higher taste, he is fixed in consciousness.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 2.59)

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विषया विनिवर्तन्ते
निराहारस्य देहिनः
रस-वर्जं रसो ऽप्य् अस्य
परं दृष्ट्वा निवर्तते

viṣayā vinivartante
nirāhārasya dehinaḥ
rasa-varjaṁ raso ‘py asya
paraṁ dṛṣṭvā nivartate

“Does it ever get to be too much? The whole Krishna consciousness thing, where you follow a pretty dedicated and strict routine. I’m not even talking about living in the temple, which is such a big commitment already. Let’s say that you are following a monastic life, but from home.

“At the surface, you look like everyone else. Your home is another in the many connected together in the condominium community. The model of car you drive is pretty popular; nothing out of the ordinary. Wife and children living with you. You visit the same supermarkets as everyone else. You could probably carry on a conversation about sports and politics, if necessary.

“Things are completely different on the inside, though. You are in a select group. Take the diet, for instance. No meat, fish or eggs. You have trouble eating out because there is a restriction on garlic and onions, as well.

“You view everything through the lens of sense gratification. Hardly anyone knows what that term means. I doubt they ever contemplate indulging too much in eating, sleeping, mating and defending. It is like you had the midlife crisis at a much younger age, way before the typical time of onset.

“Wouldn’t it be easier if you followed the life of a non-devotee? No one to fight you on your choices. No criticism for worshiping a false god. If you are an atheist, not many people will bother you; especially in modern times. If you are loud and obnoxious about demanding things from others, they often just cater to you. Rather keep the petulant child quiet than go through a lengthy ordeal to teach a lesson.”

In light of such questions, consider the level of faith and allegiance of those who do remain true to the path of sanatana-dharma, as taught and exemplified by sadhu, shastra and guru. Think about how difficult it must be to turn into something resembling a social outcaste, with barely any friends.

Furthering the complexities is corruption at the highest levels in the institutions supposedly dedicated to promoting the bhakti culture, to worshiping the all-attractive one and teaching society at large about the process. The expectation is shelter. This place is supposed to be different from the rest; a bubble nestled inside of a world otherwise fallen into chaos and madness.

The truth is that the people walking the line, continuing in the path of dharma, remaining loyal to Shri Krishna and the genuine acharyas, already have sufficient experience in both lifestyles. While it may seem easier to live without constant opposition, suspicion, derision, perplexity and so forth from the outside world, the accompanying negatives are too much to bear.

From experience, the aspiring sadhu believes that the life of sense gratification is dull and boring. It is depressing, since everything must end at the time of death. The clock starts ticking from the time of birth. The remaining duration only shrinks; it never renews or resets.

Bhagavad-gita explains that a person is able to abandon the life in sense gratification precisely because they have experienced something better. It is a higher taste. The attachment is so strong that it is something like a magnetic force. No amount of criticism will work. I have found the chanting of the holy names and I will never relinquish that life in bhakti until otherwise completely forced to by nature: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

In Closing:

No friends but so what?
That way bad feeling in gut.

Where misery and despair,
Others not truly to care.

About where going at end,
Life not infinitely to extend.

For me bhakti the way,
My interest firmly to stay.

The Advanced Potential For Intelligence Is Not A Curse

“Suffering without knowledge, without remedy, is animal life. One who cannot understand that he is suffering and who thinks that he is very well off is in animal consciousness, not human consciousness. The human being should be cognizant of suffering the threefold miseries of this planet. One should know that he is suffering in birth, suffering in death, suffering in old age and suffering in disease, and one should be inquisitive as to how he may avoid the suffering. That is real research work.” (Shrila Prabhupada, Easy Journey To Other Planets, Ch 2)

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Friend1: I once heard His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada discuss the differences between animals and human beings in terms of the ability to detect suffering.

Friend2: What do you mean?

Friend1: In the case of the slaughterhouse, the goat or lamb has no idea what is about to happen. This other living entity is approaching, ready to inflict the worst kind of suffering. The animal has no way to mitigate.

Friend2: They are not smart enough to realize.

Friend1: Whereas the human being has discrimination. They can discern the warning signs. Through observation, experiment, memory and recall, they might be able to avoid the situation.

Friend2: Which can go wrong in the extreme, as well.

Friend1: What do you mean?

Friend2: Well, if for instance my foot is hurting. I decide that to get rid of the pain, it is best to just chop off the foot.

Friend1: Amputation?

Friend2: Right, which in some cases is required, but not here. Another example is when I am afraid of catching a virus. To mitigate the risk, I decide to put a face covering on.

Friend1: That seems to be the requirement these days.

Friend2: Of course any biased study will confirm the hypothesis. If you prevent someone from breathing, they surely will have less of a chance of catching a virus and giving it to someone else.

Friend1: And if you can’t breathe, you can’t really live.

Friend2: That’s why I said the discrimination aspect can be a negative. I am so afraid of what will happen to me in the outside world that I decide to lock myself in the home for one year or more.

Friend1: Which is ridiculous, if you think about it. That’s not living.

Friend2: Yet people are doing it.

Friend1: Anyway, the ability to discriminate is still a distinction from the animal species. The human being can try to avoid suffering. Yet, to me that seems like a curse more than a benefit.

Friend2: Why?

Friend1: The animal is happy-go-lucky. They have no idea what is going on. Okay, they cannot easily avoid oncoming attack without extra assistance. They cannot see that the person wielding the knife is not a friend. Yet they reach the same fate as the human being.

Friend2: In what sense?

Friend1: Death. The ultimate end.

Friend2: But the human being can try to escape the suffering and live longer.

Friend1: Who cares? The tree stands there for thousands of years. It doesn’t contemplate suffering. How is the human birth superior, then?

Friend2: Because we have the chance to get to the root cause of the suffering. You are correct. We try to fix the pain in the foot. We attempt to avoid contagious respiratory illnesses through hiding in this place and that. We fix the economic problem by advancing in a corporate field.

Friend1: These are little problems. There will always be suffering.

Friend2: Thus arises the need to get to the bottom of the issue. Find out what is causing all of the suffering. The acharya explains that it is birth itself.

Friend1: Which birth? As an animal or as a human being?

Friend2: Any and all. As soon as you enter the material world, you have to live by the rules of the land of birth and death, mrityu-loka.

Friend1: Is there a way to prevent such a birth from taking place.

Friend2: Someone who reaches Shri Krishna’s abode never has to return to mrityu-loka.

आ-ब्रह्म-भुवनाल् लोकाः
पुनर् आवर्तिनो ऽर्जुन
माम् उपेत्य तु कौन्तेय
पुनर् जन्म न विद्यते

ā-brahma-bhuvanāl lokāḥ
punar āvartino ‘rjuna
mām upetya tu kaunteya
punar janma na vidyate

“From the highest planet in the material world down to the lowest, all are places of misery wherein repeated birth and death take place. But one who attains to My abode, O son of Kunti, never takes birth again.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 8.16)

Friend1: Barring this pursuit, the human birth would definitely be a curse.

Friend2: Because you know about the suffering and can’t really do anything about it?

Friend1: Exactly. If I tell someone about the ultimate cause of suffering, how will they believe me?

Friend2: That is the objective of the spiritual master. Enlighten those who are inquisitive. Reveal to them their true identity and the cause of their suffering. To approach a guru is mandatory for the human being. Without such a link to the Divine, through the chain of disciplic succession, there is no way to assemble the bits and pieces of information in time for quitting the body.

Friend1: The information has to be accepted instead of gathered?

Friend2: We cannot discover it on our own. That is the negative reality, but on the positive the Supreme Lord is kind enough to send empowered disciples to this world to rescue us. Upon approaching such a person, we meet the full potential of the human birth and feel eternal gratitude as a result.

In Closing:

The full potential meeting,
When guru greeting.

Who the cause revealing,
Of suffering feeling.

When to this world sent,
Forced in this way spent.

But human being blessed,
Since real problem addressed.

Five Examples Of Praiseworthy Compassion With Unintended Consequences

“Alas, how strange it is that we are preparing to commit greatly sinful acts, driven by the desire to enjoy royal happiness.” (Arjuna, Bhagavad-gita, 1.44)

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अहो बत महत् पापं
कर्तुं व्यवसिता वयम्
यद् राज्य-सुख-लोभेन
हन्तुं स्व-जनम् उद्यताः

aho bata mahat pāpaṁ
kartuṁ vyavasitā vayam
yad rājya-sukha-lobhena
hantuṁ sva-janam udyatāḥ

His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada explains that while a certain choice in behavior may align with the desires of the population at large, at the same time it might go against the action preferred by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Shri Krishna.

This is the premise, the backdrop, the beginning, if you will, of the sacred text known as Bhagavad-gita, which is essentially a transcript of an historical incident taking place several thousands of years ago. Two opposing armies situated on the battlefield of Kurukshetra, the leading warrior for the Pandava side was unsure with how to proceed.

The dilemma translates well to the modern day, or any time period for that matter. There are many instances of supposedly laudatory behavior, wherein the actor receives almost universal praise for their decision. At the same time, there are underlying consequences, contraindications which may be unseen but are severe in the opposing direction.

1. Giving money to the beggar

One person is fully in favor:

“Just see how generous that person is. Whenever they come upon a beggar in public, they are always willing to help. Others pretend not to notice. They ignore the person who is desperately in need. It takes a lot to be willing to part with what you have. A small gesture goes a long way.”

Another person sees the long-term consequences:

“That charity is not beneficial at all. You could have taken the same money and burned it in a fire and produced a more fruitful result. That bum on the street is going to use the money to purchase more alcohol. They will further descend into madness, and the next day their hunger problem will not be solved. Being generous in this case is only encouraging damaging behavior.”

2. Bailing out a failing company

The resolution passes unanimously in the legislature, with political parties coming together:

“We need that company to succeed. They are too big to fail. It is the essence of compassion to try to save those jobs. What is the alternative? Let everyone become unemployed, overnight? This is where irrational adherence to principles and ideology causes so much trouble. Let go of your beliefs for one second, please. Have a heart.”

There are opponents to the legislation, though they are difficult to find:

“Maybe that company was on the verge of bankruptcy for a reason. They have a good or service that people do not want. Perhaps the management is no good; they don’t know how to balance expenses and revenue. By bailing them out, you are not solving the underlying problem. You are punishing those who are successful in business, like the taxpayers and corporations, and rewarding the less capable. Such a formula will not succeed in the long-run; it is a Ponzi scheme.”

3. Passing a new regulation

Along the lines of freebies from the government, people are happy with the new imposition:

“From now on every insurance company has to offer maternity coverage. No more gaps in insurance. This is not something people will have to negotiate anymore. It is the right thing to do. Why did it take so long for Congress to pass this?”

Another side is perplexed:

“What if I don’t want maternity coverage? Why should I have to pay for it? By imposing on the insurance companies to offer this perk, everyone has to pay higher premiums. Biologically, by the laws of nature and science, I can never get pregnant. This would be like forcing all car companies to produce top of the line sports cars, when most people just want a basic vehicle that will get them to where they need to go.”

4. Rushing new medication to market

The long-awaited cure, or so it seems:

“Thank God for this vaccine. We were sheltering in place, otherwise. I realize it might seem extreme to lock myself at home for over a year, but that’s how scary this virus was. Actually, the mortality rate is not that high in comparison to other diseases, but why take the chance? Now we have the vaccine, which was developed in record time. I cannot wait to take it.”

There is also the skeptic:

“What are the long-term side effects? If a new medical treatment has been around for less than a year, how do we know the impact on people after two or three years? How will they respond to other diseases? Will it have an impact on the immune system? Right now the drug companies can be sued for what they bring to market. This is after the rigorous screening process of the government regulators. With these vaccines, however, the drug companies cannot be sued. If something terrible goes wrong, if you have a bad reaction, there is nothing you can do about it. The makers are not held liable.”

5. Declining to fight in a war

This is what Arjuna was contemplating. Giving up the fight. Dropping the weapons. Possibly retreating to the forest. He came up with every excuse he could think of. His favorite one related to a series of reactions instigated by the fight itself.

If the people on the other side would perish in battle, it would damage the associated families. If the families broke apart, so would religious tradition. Without adherence to religion, society eventually turns to the ways of the animal. Arjuna did not want to be party to this mass destruction, as he saw it.

Though he might win universal praise from commentators for following through on this option, it would go against the wishes of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Shri Krishna can see every type of consequence to a particular action. He describes how action might actually be inaction, and vice versa, depending on the situation.

कर्मण्य् अकर्म यः पश्येद्
अकर्मणि च कर्म यः
स बुद्धिमान् मनुष्येषु
स युक्तः कृत्स्न-कर्म-कृत्

karmaṇy akarma yaḥ paśyed
akarmaṇi ca karma yaḥ
sa buddhimān manuṣyeṣu
sa yuktaḥ kṛtsna-karma-kṛt

“One who sees inaction in action, and action in inaction, is intelligent among men, and he is in the transcendental position, although engaged in all sorts of activities.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 4.18)

At the end of the day, the opinion of the Almighty matters most. God plus one equals a majority; always has, always will. Arjuna was fortunate to present his case to Krishna directly, and we are able to follow in the line by approaching a genuine spiritual master, who is steadily linked to Krishna through consciousness.

In Closing:

Despite overtly sinning,
Universal praise winning.

Because of compassion shown,
Not a single objector known.

But against Krishna might be,
Who with longest vision to see.

Where every consequence to consider,
His pleasure only to deliver.

Three People Who Ruined It For Everyone

“Eternal time in the form of death having arrived, you, O lowest of the Rakshasas, forcibly took me away from my husband. Now that very same death will kill you, your Rakshasa associates, and all those dwelling in your palaces.” (Sita Devi speaking to Ravana, Valmiki Ramayana, Aranya Kand, 56.17)

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मां प्रधृष्य स ते कालः प्राप्तोऽयं राक्षसाधम।
आत्मनो राक्षसानां च वधायान्तःपुरस्य च।।

māṃ pradhṛṣya sa te kālaḥ prāpto'yaṃ rākṣasādhama।
ātmano rākṣasānāṃ ca vadhāyāntaḥpurasya ca।।

1. Kaikeyi

Things were going great. King Dasharatha of Ayodhya finally filled the void. The one thing missing from his life, which would impact future generations deleteriously, which would leave an important debt unpaid, happened to arrive after the chance meeting with Rishya-shringa.

Dasharatha completed a yajna that brought about the birth of four beautiful, handsome and Divine sons. They were expansions of Vishnu, with Rama the full incarnation, and the other three partially empowered so. The arrival confirmed the eternal truth later spoken by Shri Krishna as to the appearances of the Divine.

यदा यदा हि धर्मस्य
ग्लानिर् भवति भारत
अभ्युत्थानम् अधर्मस्य
तदात्मानं सृजाम्य् अहम्

yadā yadā hi dharmasya
glānir bhavati bhārata
abhyutthānam adharmasya
tadātmānaṁ sṛjāmy aham

“Whenever and wherever there is a decline in religious practice, O descendant of Bharata, and a predominant rise of irreligion-at that time I descend Myself.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 4.7)

Though the four sons essentially paired off after birth, everyone was happy. The chief queen, Kausalya, enjoyed the childhood of her beloved Rama. Though Bharata was born to Kaikeyi and Lakshmana and Shatrughna to Sumitra, no one considered these separations to matter. Rama was the eldest and most respected brother. Every queen considered Him to be their own son.

Just as death takes away everything constructed from the time after birth, so the happiness in Ayodhya would not last. Even in the direct presence of the Almighty there would be pain, heartache, forced separation, intense envy, wickedness, and loss of intelligence.

For this episode Kaikeyi was the main culprit. Just as Rama was set to be installed as the successor to the throne, with Dasharatha peacefully and voluntarily passing control over the kingdom to his most cherished son, the youngest queen decided to intervene.

She took advantage of Dasharatha’s kindness and dedication to honor. Kaikeyi cashed in on two boons previously offered to her. There was no prior stipulation as to time and circumstance. There were no exceptions or loopholes. Dasharatha was that pleased with Kaikeyi that he essentially gave her a blank check.

Kaikeyi’s envy ruined everything. Bharata was made the next king, though he never coveted such a post. Rama had to leave the kingdom for fourteen years. This separation caused Dasharatha to quit his body, unable to bear the pain. The blameless Sita, Rama’s wife, also left with Rama, as did Lakshmana.

2. Ravana

Blessed by boons offered by Lord Brahma, the creator, Ravana rose to power. Further blessed by Mahadeva, the ten-headed leader of Lanka was practically invincible. He overtook Lanka by force and even assumed ownership of the flying vehicle known as Pushpaka, which previously belonged to his half-brother named Kuvera.

Though a vile character who ate human beings, Ravana was generally safe and secure, as were the people under his care. Then everything changed. He could not control his lust. He decided to take Sita Devi by force, after hearing of her matchless beauty. She was already married to Rama, but that did not deter the wicked ruler of Lanka.

As Sita directly explained to him later, Ravana was bringing doom upon both himself and the people of Lanka. They would have to suffer the consequences. Though Rama was not personally witness to the crime, His eyes are everywhere. Ravana would not be able to hide for long. Hanuman would find him first, and the information gathered would lead to the destruction of Lanka, with Sita’s rescue to follow.

3. Duryodhana

The Pandava brothers suffered the terrible tragedy of losing a father at a young age. They still had their mother, the chaste Kunti Devi. Everyone in the kingdom of Hastinapura could have lived happily and peacefully amongst one another. They had the common link of the relationship to Bhishma, who was respected by everyone alike.

Duryodhana, the son of Dhritarashtra, had other ideas. He unlawfully usurped the kingdom that rightfully belonged to Pandu’s sons. The Pandava brothers did not object vehemently enough. They waited until the time was right to bring justice to the thief, and unfortunately there was plenty of collateral damage. It was the war to end all wars, preceded by a wonderful conversation between Krishna and Arjuna, who was the leading fighter for the Pandava side.

…

These are some of the more notable examples from the history documented in Vedic literature, but such issues are commonplace in a material existence. There is no permanent stay in this world, and so there will always be some kind of interference, rivalry, or jealousy. It can occur within one’s own family, as Vibhishana was nothing like his brother Ravana.

As Kunti Devi later revealed, though the times were trying, though there was tremendous difficulty caused by Duryodhana, at least in those moments she and her family were better able to remember the lotus feet of the Supreme Lord. He protected them the entire time, and He will do the same for you and me in our journey through life and beyond.

In Closing:

Doing the same for you and me,
Where His lotus feet to see.

Sometimes in trouble through,
Pain and heartache too.

A single person responsible there,
Perhaps even from family where.

But victory on the other side,
Dharma eventually to preside.

Why Am I Going To Help You Become God

“Lord Brahma said: O son of Kashyapa Muni, please get up, please get up. All good fortune unto you. You are now perfect in the performance of your austerities, and therefore I may give you a benediction. You may now ask from me whatever you desire, and I shall try to fulfill your wish.” (Shrimad Bhagavatam, 7.3.17)

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श्री-ब्रह्मोवाच
उत्तिष्ठोत्तिष्ठ भद्रं ते
तपः-सिद्धो ’सि काश्यप
वरदो ’हम् अनुप्राप्तो
व्रियताम् ईप्सितो वरः

śrī-brahmovāca
uttiṣṭhottiṣṭha bhadraṁ te
tapaḥ-siddho ’si kāśyapa
varado ’ham anuprāpto
vriyatām īpsito varaḥ

“I understand that the demons are always trying to challenge God. Though they should inherently know better, they have this spirit of opposition and skepticism. They don’t want to believe what everyone around them advises. Though they may be trusted advisors, the drive for power is too strong in specific people.

“They are foolish enough to try to test the limits and yet wise enough to understand that they need help. We have the classic examples of Hiranyakashipu and Ravana. They underwent austerities to a significant magnitude. They knew that specific empowered beings would be able to help them.

“It is something like the customer taking full advantage of the coupons offered by the store. The proprietor is interested in turning a profit; obviously. The coupons and sales are ways to bring more customers through the door. The discounts hopefully lead to future business, wherein more sales take place at the full price.

“But there might be a clever customer or two who manages to combine the various discounts together, timing everything just right so that the owner loses a lot of money. The store essentially gives away items at a major loss, never considering that a purchaser would be so clever.

“Hiranyakashipu and Ravana tried to take advantage of Lord Brahma. Though that four-faced creator lacks immortality himself, they tried to ask for it. He wanted to live forever and then use that advantage for his benefit, for installing himself as the king of the world and perpetually remaining in the seat of power.

“Brahma could not offer that benediction, and so the demons tried to assemble it through individual components. They knew of Brahma’s position in offering boons, and so they took advantage. The demons asked for immunity from a variety of beings; practically every type they could think of.

“Brahma agreed, but in Ravana’s case there was a huge mistake. He forgot to list human beings. The oversight is understandable; if even demigods would not be able to kill him, why worry about mere mortals? It was this omission that Vishnu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, exploited. He would later descend as Rama, a human being, a prince in the Raghu dynasty. Shri Rama would take care of the terror to the world known as Ravana.

“I get it that Brahma couldn’t give immortality, but why not some advice? Why didn’t Brahma guide Ravana and Hiranyakashipu in what to ask for? If Ravana forgot to mention human beings, Brahma could have reminded him. Then the vulnerability would be plugged.”

For starters, the whole scheme was Ravana’s idea. Why should Brahma take any blame for simply being a participant in the ridiculous quest to topple Vishnu and everything genuine brahmanas stand for? Why should Brahma help anyone to rise to a stature that no one else possesses?

Brahma was already kind enough to fulfill the role assigned to him by Vishnu. Vidhata does not discriminate. Proper austerity and penance are enough. Brahma showed kindness in agreeing to the requests of Hiranyakashipu and Ravana. He knew to challenge Vishnu is a losing proposition, but in this particular role as demigod the jurisdiction is the material world. Up and down are ultimately the same, and so whether someone wants a donkey or a royal airplane really makes no difference to the benefactor.

The more important question is why Ravana would require any help at all. If he is trying to become God, then prove on your own strength that you are the best. If you make a mistake in the boons requested from Brahma, that indicates fallibility. If you want to become God, you must be infallible, or Achyuta.

Vishnu already has that superior standing and no one helped him get there. He was at the top prior to Brahma, He remains so for the entire duration of the universe, and He is there after everything gets annihilated.

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

“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)

To pique our interest in the historical tale it appears that Ravana made a simple mistake, that if only he remembered to include human beings everything would have worked out for him. In truth, Vishnu always finds a way, as there would be at least a one percent vulnerability. Hiranyakashipu made no such mistake regarding human beings, but as Narasimha the Supreme Lord still managed to kill the demon and maintain Brahma’s boons at the same time. There is only one God and no one can become Him, no matter how much they try.

In Closing:

Despite much to try,
And on creator to rely.

Immortality seeking where,
Never completely there.

Ravana making a mistake,
Accidentally humans to forsake.

But not up to Brahma to correct,
If God then yourself detect.

Baffling The Baffler

“Lord Brahma said: O son of Kashyapa Muni, please get up, please get up. All good fortune unto you. You are now perfect in the performance of your austerities, and therefore I may give you a benediction. You may now ask from me whatever you desire, and I shall try to fulfill your wish.” (Shrimad Bhagavatam, 7.3.17)

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श्री-ब्रह्मोवाच
उत्तिष्ठोत्तिष्ठ भद्रं ते
तपः-सिद्धो ’सि काश्यप
वरदो ’हम् अनुप्राप्तो
व्रियताम् ईप्सितो वरः

śrī-brahmovāca
uttiṣṭhottiṣṭha bhadraṁ te
tapaḥ-siddho ’si kāśyapa
varado ’ham anuprāpto
vriyatām īpsito varaḥ

One teaching particularly emphasized by the acharyas of the Vaishnava tradition is that man should not over-endeavor in terms of enjoyment or achievement. For example, if you own one hundred stores as part of your business empire, be satisfied with what you have. If you work the extra mile, burn the candle at both ends, lose sleep for consecutive days, for the hope of opening ten more stores, the effort is most likely not worth it.

The recommendation is not for simply sitting back and doing nothing. This is one of the principal complaints of the communists. They accuse the believers of being foolhardy in relying on faith alone, in hoping and praying their way to happiness. They incorrectly use the example of a potted plant, wherein simply praying for the proper growth does not work. There has to be some kind of human intervention, involving strategic placement in the sunlight and periodic feeding.

The wise person knows that they must work, as they have been given vibrancy for a reason. At the same time, not everything is under their control. They can work as hard as they want, giving up to one hundred percent effort, but sometimes there is no chance for success.

If I am playing a game where the objective is to cross the other side of a hallway and ring a bell, if the opponent running in the opposite direction collides with me in the middle, I will need more than effort alone to emerge victorious. If they are more than one hundred pounds heavier than I am, and also stronger, then I don’t stand a chance. Neither effort nor prayer will work.

प्रकृतेः क्रियमाणानि
गुणैः कर्माणि सर्वशः
अहङ्कार-विमूढात्मा
कर्ताहम् इति मन्यते

prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni
guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ
ahaṅkāra-vimūḍhātmā
kartāham iti manyate

“The bewildered spirit soul, under the influence of the three modes of material nature, thinks himself to be the doer of activities, which are in actuality carried out by nature.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 3.27)

The explanation from shastra is that the living entity, the jiva inside of the material covering known as body, is not the doer. For every kind of consequence, small to large, the three modes of nature must first cooperate. Even in the case of watering the plant, I need the help of the actual sunlight appearing. I require enough water nearby, which is not always guaranteed.

The worst of the worst, the top of the demon class, think they can bypass these stringent rules of nature. Case in point the Daitya leader named Hiranyakashipu. He put in the effort. He did not simply sit back and pray. He went through the severest austerities, though there was Divinity involved in the process.

Hiranyakashipu wanted to and succeeded in getting the attention of Lord Brahma, the creator. The intention was to ask for immortality. This way, the evil Vishnu, as viewed by the demon, would not be able to strike. Vishnu had killed Hiranyakashipu’s brother in the past. Never mind that Hiranyaksha deserved the punishment he received. Never mind that Vishnu only acts in such a way when the cause is just.

Brahma could not offer immortality, so Hiranyakashipu thought he would work around the restriction. Create the same through individual components. Ask for safety in a variety of situations and conditions. In essence, Hiranyakashipu thought he baffled Brahma. He outsmarted the creator. The poor guy, even with his four heads he could not understand how the Daitya leader was playing him for a fool.

An amazing thing occurred in the future. Hiranyakashipu’s boons remained intact. He rose to the top of stature and power. Everyone was afraid of him. Yet a five-year old boy happened to come along and spoil everything. Prahlada Maharaja baffled the baffler.

In this case, there wasn’t the same level of austerity. Prahlada hadn’t supplicated Brahma. He hadn’t even asked for the protection he was to receive, which included surviving through various lethal attempts made against him.

Prahlada was a devotee of Vishnu from birth and Hiranyakashipu could not stand this. The father went to the severe extent of trying to kill his own son, but he failed every time. Prahlada survived being thrown off a cliff, lying under walking elephants, sitting in a pit of snakes, and being taken into a raging fire. Nothing worked and Hiranyakashipu couldn’t understand it.

Prahlada did not over-endeavor, and yet he managed to be just as powerful as the father. The level of devotion was so strong that Vishnu eventually arrived on the scene, emerging from a pillar as the half-man/half-lion named Narasimha. Maintaining Brahma’s honor, Vishnu proved that immortality was not possible, and the Daitya king was baffled one last time.

In Closing:

Not relying on winning a raffle,
Hiranya the creator to baffle.

Through austerity long,
Became powerful and strong.

But to immortality not the same,
Shown when son to him came.

Who even that leader could not tame,
Evil visions finally put to shame.

Position And Opposition

“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)

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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

1. Position

Prahlada understood the truth. Though a child of school-age years, he was in possession of superior information. Though the teachers tried their best to get his mind right, to reprogram him into the ways of the state, he could not be dissuaded.

That celebrated child of a Daitya king understood that the source of strength in every person is the same. I made the decision to wake up this morning. It was a little more difficult than usual. Yesterday was exhausting. I chose to exercise in the morning, and the rest of the day was one responsibility after another.

On the same day, my wife woke up without issue. She felt energized and refreshed this morning. She likely did more exercise than me yesterday. She has more responsibilities, and it is not like she will be able to rest comfortably anytime soon.

The source of strength is the same in both, but due to body types and external factors that strength may manifest differently. It is something like having a bright light bulb. One is placed inside of a lamp with a dark shade and another left out on its own. A person might mistakenly think that one bulb is brighter, but in truth they emit the same amount of light.

While it is certainly noteworthy to see exceptional strength, especially in a king who is responsible for the defense and wellbeing of his people, the source should always be remembered. This is what Prahlada tried to teach his father, Hiranyakashipu. Prahlada understood the constitutional position of the living entity as part and parcel of the Almighty.

God is the great soul and we are individual soul, sparks of His amazing and incomprehensible energy. In our fall to the material world, where we travel through different lifetimes, accepting and rejecting various vessels classified as species, God is with us. He never abandons us, and through His feature of Paramatma there is the presence of something greater inside.

2. Opposition

One would think that Hiranyakashipu was fortunate. He had such a wonderful son, wise beyond his years. Parents give birth to children with the responsibility of rescuing them from the cycle of birth and death. After all, the final destination is the same. Nothing can change the reality. As the individual soul magically enters into the womb, so one day it will amazingly vanish into thin air, leaving the body behind.

The sober person contemplates the meaning to it all. What is the purpose of living if dying is inevitable? Why take birth at all if you one day have to leave everything and everyone behind? Why become attached to the temporary, when it will not bring you a lasting achievement?

The parent who shows their dependent the way towards liberation is eternally blessed. Hiranyakashipu did this, but unintentionally. He was the loyal opposition, with a rivalry ingrained in him. He hated Lord Vishnu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The four-armed, opulently adorned husband of Lakshmi is identified as such by saintly people and also eyewitnesses.

Hiranyakashipu should have known better, as it was Vishnu who killed his brother. Hiranyaksha met his end at the beautiful sight of the spinning disc known as sudarshana. This is the weapon released by Vishnu when battling the demon class.

To have Prahlada show allegiance to Vishnu was too much to handle. Prahlada understood both the universal presence of Vishnu and also His disposition. God does not envy anyone. He does not hold grudges. He is equal to everyone, but for those devoted to Him He makes exceptions.

समो ऽहं सर्व-भूतेषु
न मे द्वेष्यो ऽस्ति न प्रियः
ये भजन्ति तु मां भक्त्या
मयि ते तेषु चाप्य् अहम्

samo ‘haṁ sarva-bhūteṣu
na me dveṣyo ‘sti na priyaḥ
ye bhajanti tu māṁ bhaktyā
mayi te teṣu cāpy aham

“I envy no one, nor am I partial to anyone. I am equal to all. But whoever renders service unto Me in devotion is a friend, is in Me, and I am also a friend to him.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 9.29)

There was no need to act as opposition. Prahlada was only trying to help. The child was so forgiving, as he did not hold against the father the many attempts made on his life. While Prahlada instantly forgave, Vishnu did not. The slayer of Hiranyaksha finally appeared, this time from a pillar. As the half-man/half-lion called Narasimha, Vishnu gave visual evidence to the doubting Daitya leader. He proved Prahlada correct through the weapons of nails tearing through the evil of hatred and envy.

In Closing:

Like good and evil to clash,
Over for Daitya in a flash.

Prahlada the eternal truth knowing,
So asura knowledge foregoing.

But his father steadily against,
To change son much effort spent.

Until finally Vishnu there came,
Hence known by Narasimha name.