Why Didn’t Hiranyakashipu’s Torture Of The Demigods Lead To His Downfall

“When a demon like Hiranyakashipu, despite his elevated position due to severe austerities, begins to tease a devotee, he begins falling down, and the results of his austerities dwindle. One who oppresses a pure devotee loses all the results of his austerities, penances and pious activities. Since Hiranyakashipu was now inclined to chastise his most exalted devotee son, Prahlada Maharaja, his opulences began dwindling.” (Shrila Prabhupada, Shrimad Bhagavatam, 7.4.43 Purport)

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Friend1: The demigods, the devas, are like deputies in the universal government of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Friend2: Sure. That is a comparison often used by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. You see something similar in modern-day affairs. There is an important event occurring in a foreign country. The leader cannot attend everything; he can’t be everywhere, so he sends an emissary. The representative is treated very well at the event, almost as if the leader himself were visiting.

Friend1: It’s the material world, after all. As they say, someone needs to make sure the lights are on. Paying the bills. Doing the work of the world. The devas maintain the necessary components, like the elements.

Friend2: The planets, the bodies of water, the weather, and so forth. The Vedas reveal that there is indeed intelligence to what we often attribute to randomness.

Friend1: Well, we know there is intelligence based on the identifiable and predictable properties. Something like modern science can only exist if there was intelligence that went into the configuration of that which is studied.

Friend2: Notice that there is no end to the discovery. That is why science is said to be based on progress. You can only progress from something that is flawed. This means that science is always flawed; otherwise progress wouldn’t exist.

Friend1: It’s not that the properties themselves are changing. Gravity existed before Newton discovered it.

Friend2: It would be more accurate to say that he identified it. As you said, the force of nature already existed. The same with atomic theory. The interesting truth is that Vedic literature already described it, many thousands of years ago.

Friend1: Everyone could have saved so much time by consulting Shrimad Bhagavatam and other related works.

Friend2: Sadly, the aversion caused by a false hope of disproving God kept them away.

Friend1: Or the issue of dogmatic insistence, that I don’t want to follow just because you are so enthusiastically recommending it.

Friend2: Bhagavan is so merciful that if you maintain enmity for him, if you want to keep studying his material nature, he will provide for you almost limitless potential. Keep studying, lifetime after lifetime. You won’t get any closer to understanding Him, but that is not something you desire anyway.

Friend1: There is the intelligence of the creator, Lord Brahma, that goes into the initial configuration of the various species, which are nothing more than body types to hold a conditioned soul. Then there is the direct oversight of the produced nature by the devas. The demigods have an important role.

Friend2: Sure.

Friend1: You could say they are carrying out the work of Bhagavan, who remains above.

Friend2: Yes, He does not play a direct role in the realm of illusion, maya.

Friend1: Here is my question for you. Why didn’t Hiranyakashipu suffer great harm by harassing the demigods?

Friend2: Are you saying that he didn’t? I thought the devas eventually petitioned Lord Vishnu to do something about the dreadful situation, about Hiranyakashipu essentially taking over the world and making life difficult for saintly people?

Friend1: Bhagavan did agree to remedy the situation, but I’ve heard it said that the actual downfall of the king was caused by the harassment towards Prahlada Maharaja.

Friend2: I would sure hope so. A five-year old boy whose only crime was worshiping Vishnu in peace – he deserved lethal attacks from the father? Hiranyakashipu’s were the most heinous acts of violence, and he deserved the eventual attack in return from Narasimhadeva.

Friend1: I don’t disagree that Hiranyakashipu is a bad guy. My question is why the harassment of the devas, of usurping their position unjustly, did not cause the downfall in the first place.

Friend2: For starters, Vishnu is always helping the demigods. We can’t say that Narasimhadeva appeared only due to the attacks on Prahlada. Secondly, the rivalry with the demigods can fall into the material category.

Friend1: How so?

Friend2: It is something like ousting someone from the CEO position in a publicly traded company. Taking the job from a person who was there previously. It is competition over material power, and so Vishnu usually doesn’t take an interest. After all, time acts on everyone. Kala would have eventually taken care of Hiranyakashipu, too. In that sense there was nothing unique about the situation. The suras and the asuras have been fighting since before anyone can remember.

Friend1: The good guys and the bad guys.

Friend2: Notice just how much Hiranyakashipu lost by harassing Prahlada. Everything acquired through austerities, penances and pious deeds was wiped away rather quickly. That shows how serious an offense interfering with devotional activities is.

In Closing:

After Daitya harassing them so,

Petition to Vishnu to go.

But downfall to come in time,

When spotlight on son to shine.

Why not from original crime?

Because already accounted by time.

Offense against bhakti serious more,

King lost everything desired for.

Three People Not Agitated By Attempts Made On Their Life

“A demoniac person, in spite of acquiring all the opulences possible to obtain in this universe, continues to be envious of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.” (Shrila Prabhupada, Shrimad Bhagavatam, 7.4.4 Purport)

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A newborn exhibits amazing behavior almost daily. In one instance, you lose your temper. You should know better, but the stress was mounting. Something critical to work on for the office. On your laptop in the living room, the child decides to randomly scream very loudly. Not a steady cry, where they need something, just intermittent screams with apparently no cause. You snap and chastise them verbally.

Afterwards, you are, of course, remorseful. What did the child know? There is no reason to yell at them like that. On the other side, they are totally forgiving. It is as if nothing happened. They are eager for your association, giving a big smile as soon as they see you.

Unfortunately, not much of the innocence of childhood remains when the shift to adulthood takes place. Someone didn’t return your call? They had a party and didn’t invite you? They scold you for sending text messages too late into the night? The result is a feud, a rivalry, a lasting disagreement. There is the chance that you will never speak to them again.

Imagine, then, if someone made one or many attempts on your life. Intentional, with a desire to inflict lethal harm. Could you forgive and forget? In recent times it is seen that churchgoers who were eyewitness to such a horrendous crime quickly forgave the culprit. This is the way of the godly person, who is connected in consciousness to the Supreme Lord. Vedic literature describes many such amazing personalities, who have appeared in this world throughout the ages.

1. The Pandavas

As His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada explains, with the demoniac mentality there is no satisfaction. A person could receive every opulence possible in a material existence and still be envious of the Supreme Lord. That fact should be contemplated upon.

If I have everything, what need is there to be envious of anyone? If I am so much against God, it means that I don’t like the concept of a supreme controller other than me. If I should be blessed with benedictions that make me something like a god on earth, what need is there to be threatened by anyone else?

Duryodhana unjustly usurped control over the kingdom of Hastinapura, supported by his blind, both in the literal and the moral sense, father named Dhritarashtra. The rightful heirs to the throne, the Pandavas, did not object strongly to the crime. They were saintly characters, so they could tolerate.

The problem was that Duryodhana could not leave them alone. He was still envious, despite essentially winning. He tried to kill them several times, including once sending them to a house made of lac. The plan was to burn the house down, arson made to look like an accident so no one would suspect. The well-wishing uncle named Vidura got wind of the plan and gave a coded warning to the Pandavas, which eventually saved them.

“He (Vidura) indirectly hinted, ‘A weapon not made of steel or any other material element can be more than sharp to kill an enemy, and he who knows this is never killed.’ That is to say, he hinted that the party of the Pandavas was being sent to Varanavata to be killed, and thus he warned Yudhishthira to be very careful in their new residential palace.” (Shrila Prabhupada, Shrimad Bhagavatam, 1.13.8 Purport)

At last, war was the only way to settle the dispute. The Pandavas were still reluctant. Their leading fighter, Arjuna, was so inclined towards the side of forgiveness that he was ready to quit while on the battlefield, just prior to the commencement of hostilities. His bewilderment set the stage for the wonderful conversation between he and Krishna that became known as the Bhagavad-gita.

2. Sita Devi

The goddess of fortune appearing on earth as the daughter of King Janaka, Sita was literally sinless throughout her whole time in the manifest world. As is sometimes known to happen, the good people get picked on the most. The greatest harassment she received was from the wicked king of Lanka, Ravana.

Her crime? Being too beautiful. She was also already married, but Ravana did not pay respect to dharma and its traditions. He took her away by force to Lanka, and when she would not give in to his advances, he had his attendants harass her day and night.

In the horrible incidents known as school shootings seen in recent times, often the case is that the perpetrator was previously bullied by their classmates. They held on to the offense for a long time and waited to get revenge. With Sita Devi, the bullying was to the extreme level, as the ogre-like women threatened to kill and eat her.

The side of good eventually prevailed. Sita’s husband Rama arrived in Lanka and defeated Ravana in a fair fight. The trusted servant named Hanuman went to the princess of Videha to reunite her with her husband. Hanuman remembered the previous harassment by Ravana’s attendants. He had witnessed the bullying and so he was prepared to kill the culprits as punishment. Sita said that it wasn’t necessary. Any enmity that remained ended with the defeat of Ravana.

3. Prahlada Maharaja

His father Hiranyakashipu was literally the controller of the world. He took over the position of the demigods and therefore had authority over the different material elements. The skeptic may take the descriptions to be mythology, but then at least the theoretical exercise should be engaged. What if a person really did have control over the elements? What would that mean?

Hiranyakashipu shows us. He was still envious of God. He was not happy. He had to try to kill his son because of basic devotion shown. Prahlada could not do anything to stop the father’s wicked ways. The boy was not a threat to Hiranyakashipu, and yet so many lethal attacks followed.

With the Pandavas the Supreme Lord helped through the advice to Arjuna. With Sita Devi, Bhagavan was there to fight in the supposedly human form of Shri Rama. For Prahlada, Vishnu took the amazing avatara of a half-man/half-lion, literally tearing Hiranyakashipu apart.

Prahlada was neither ecstatic nor remorseful at the outcome. He was pleased to see God before him, but he also felt regretful over the actions of the father. Prahlada sought clemency for him, as the saintly devotees of God have a forgiving nature, which extends beyond the boundaries any reasonable person would expect.

In Closing:

Limits even to person reasonable,

For forgiveness of crimes actionable.

Despite land of Pandavas to take,

Brothers gunas not to forsake.

Sita Devi after harassment received,

Need not for revenge believed.

Prahlada by father’s envy plagued,

Still as saintly son behaved.

Three Kinds Of Relationships Prahlada Had With The Supreme Lord

“Prahlada Maharaja sometimes felt that the Lord was far away from him and therefore called Him loudly. When he saw that the Lord was before him, he was fully jubilant. Sometimes, thinking himself one with the Supreme, he imitated the Lord's pastimes, and in separation from the Lord he would sometimes show symptoms of madness.” (Shrila Prabhupada, Shrimad Bhagavatam, 7.4.40 Purport)

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It is not out of the ordinary to hear a preacher say something like the following:

“You need a relationship with God. Look deep within and you will find Him. Once you do, don’t let go. Keep Him with you. Then you will feel the light. You will know what it’s like to walk the path of righteousness.”

Prahlada Maharaja, a historical personality described in the Shrimad Bhagavatam, indeed lived this way. Amazingly, He had never met or seen the Supreme Lord face to face. He understood, however, the personal side to the Divine, and so there was a variety in moods with the relationship that resulted.

1. Separation

This is only natural. If you can’t see someone, you will think that they are not nearby. They could be in a different room, even, but the personal presence is lacking. A baby does not understand that the mother is simply using the bathroom for a few minutes. The thin door is all that separates them; the distance between them is not great.

The mother and child could actually be further apart within the same room, but the visual confirmation provides assurance. Sometimes Prahlada would feel as though Bhagavan were not there, so he would call out loudly. Not afraid of what others would think. Not concerned over being labeled a madman, the son of Hiranyakashipu wanted the issue of separation resolved.

2. Seeing the Lord before him

Problem solved. Now I see God before me. I’ve always understood that He is real, that He exists, but at least there is the comfort of knowing He is close by. Prahlada would become jubilant when this side of the relationship manifested. The antagonistic nature of those surrounding him was not an issue. That they all hated God and viewed Him as an enemy was of no concern, as long as Prahlada could see the person to whom everything was dedicated.

3. Thinking himself one with the Supreme

This is especially endearing behavior from children. They have a natural desire to imitate. It might be seen that a young child takes up a makeshift bow and arrow set. They go into the courtyard of the home and reenact pastimes of the Supreme Lord Rama from in the Ramayana.

In this mood there is oneness. The child thinks that they are the character being portrayed. Yet there is no negative effect. It is not that they are trying to become God. They are assuming His role for the purpose of play. Prahlada would imitate various pastimes to enjoy this aspect of the relationship.

The father, on the other hand, had only one side to the connection. At least there was some connection, which eventually saved him. Despite falling to the most regrettable condition of harassing innocent people, Hiranyakashipu received the favor of seeing the Supreme Lord, face-to-face, at the time of death. This was due to the devotion of his son Prahlada, who never stopped thinking of Bhagavan for a moment.

In Closing:

For a moment not stopping,

That connection not dropping.

When separation the fear,

In strong cry appeal.

Jubilant when seeing before,

Oneness imitation purpose for.

Father of different mindset holding,

So another fate unfolding.

Three Things Prahlada Would Sometimes Do When Thinking Of Krishna

“If a mother leaves her small child in his bed or cradle and goes away to attend to some family duties, the child immediately understands that his mother has gone away, and therefore he cries. But as soon as the mother returns and cares for the child, the child laughs and becomes jubilant. Similarly, Prahlada Maharaja, being always absorbed in thoughts of Krishna, sometimes felt separation, thinking, ‘Where is Krishna?’” (Shrila Prabhupada, Shrimad Bhagavatam, 7.4.39 Purport)

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Though a small child, Prahlada was advanced beyond his years. Though born in a Daitya family, his qualities bore no resemblance to the people around him. While the other children were interested in playing, Prahlada was deep in meditation. Since it was in bhakti, there were still emotions exhibited. This was due to thinking of the personal God, whose many names include Govinda, which means “the one who pleases the senses.”

1. Cry

Tomorrow is a big day. You have to get up at a certain time. You are expected at the office for a meeting with potential investors. Being first-time parents, you and your wife are aware of the newly presented difficulties with sleep, especially in the nighttime.

As a precautionary measure, you sleep in the living room on this particular night. A few hours in, you are awoken by the sound of the baby crying. This was preceded by the mother walking to the bathroom. As soon as that door closed, the baby started crying. She was right behind. There was no extended period of absence. As soon as the baby felt that she was alone, that her mother was no longer there, a loud sound accompanied by tears.

An amazing thing happened next. The mother quickly emerged, opening the door and ready to return to the room. As soon as the baby saw her, she stopped crying. It’s as if there was nothing ever wrong. Only the association was missing. Now everything was okay again.

In a similar manner, in contemplating the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Prahlada Maharaja would sometimes cry. The Sanskrit words are vaikuntha-chinta. Prahlada was physically in the kingdom run by his father, Hiranyakashipu. The Supreme Lord in the personal form was far away, in the spiritual realm of Vaikuntha.

The meaning of that word is a place free of anxieties. The devotee was okay most of the time, but there was crying as soon as he thought that Govinda was far away, i.e. not nearby. Who wouldn’t feel pains of separation when not in the company of someone who is so endearing?

2. Laugh

You are behind the wheel, driving a long distance. The wife is in the passenger seat. There is no music playing. The radio is not on. Nothing remarkable occurring on the road. Suddenly, you bust into laughter. The wife asks:

“What happened? What are you thinking about? Is it something I said?”

Actually, you are remembering a past incident involving one of your friends. It’s one of those where anytime it comes to mind you can’t help but smile. It was very funny, and since the incident occurred so long ago, there is a fondness in recalling the association of the people involved.

Prahlada Maharaja was the same way. Sometimes by thinking of Govinda the boy would laugh. Actually, Krishna is the greatest prankster. What He would do in Vrindavana as a child was so clever and endearing that the victims of his play would not seek punishment against Him. They didn’t mind that He broke into their homes to steal butter and pinch the babies sleeping soundly.

3. Chant very loudly

There could be sadness from separation and laughter from recalling past incidents. There is also the feeling of inspiration, when a person recalls the gunas, the transcendental glories, of the Supreme Lord. Accompanying this surge in energy is a desire to chant very loudly, invoking prayers like the maha-mantra: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

The behavior illustrates the dynamic and vibrant nature of life in liberation, which is referred to as moksha in Sanskrit. The end is actually the beginning, and it doesn’t have to involve sitting still in the lotus position while taking up residence in a remote cave situated high atop a cold mountain.

In Closing:

Not required a mountain’s cave,

Since locally memory to save.

That Govinda situated near,

To child Prahlada most dear.

Sometimes in separation to cry,

Supreme so far away why?

Laughing pastimes recalling when,

Inspired to chant very loudly then.

Couldn’t You Say Prahlada’s Childhood Was Stolen From Him

“For a small boy to give up playing is impossible, but Prahlada Maharaja, being situated in first-class devotional service, was always absorbed in a trance of Krishna consciousness. Just as a materialistic person is always absorbed in thoughts of material gain, a maha-bhagavata like Prahlada Maharaja is always absorbed in thoughts of Krishna.” (Shrila Prabhupada, Shrimad Bhagavatam, 7.4.37 Purport)

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Friend1: You know, if today’s child psychologists were to read about Prahlada Maharaja’s symptoms described in the Shrimad Bhagavatam, they would be concerned.

Friend2: I like how you use the word “symptoms,” as if there is some disease.

Friend1: Oh, but they would certainly categorize it that way. Think of how many books have been published on raising a child. “You should expect such and such to happen after such and such amount of time.”

Friend2: Milestones.

Friend1: The first time they smile. The first laugh. Turning over, crawling, walking.

Friend2: Then talking. Mind you, if the child doesn’t meet the milestones at the arbitrarily determined times, there must be an issue.

Friend1: For sure. Bring the kid to a doctor. Hire a speech therapist.

Friend2: You can’t blame the parents, either. They only want the best for their children. I’ve heard of some cases where if a child didn’t attend sessions with a speech specialist, they would be put into a remedial class when they started school.

Friend1: That’s if they didn’t start talking by the designated age?

Friend2: Right.

Friend1: With Prahlada they would certainly focus on his lack of interest in material life.

Friend2: At that age there is no reason to make such a highly philosophical distinction. Basically, Prahlada was not normal. He didn’t spend the day in play. He wasn’t interested in that side of life.

Friend1: A maha-bhagavata, as the saints describe him. Prahlada was enlightened since birth.

Friend2: Due in part to the efforts of Narada Muni, the spiritual master who provided instruction while the child was still in the womb.

Friend1: Here’s the thing. Couldn’t there be an accusation that Prahlada’s childhood was stolen from him?

Friend2: Haha. How does that work? Did he not pass through the period of childhood? He was born as an adult? That’s news to me.

Friend1: Stolen in the sense that he didn’t get to engage in limitless fun. Everything became serious too quickly. He should have been allowed to enjoy like the other children.

Friend2: Yeah, but no one was suppressing. In fact, it was the father who tried to steal Prahlada’s life for a different reason. Forget about childhood, the father couldn’t stand the boy’s preferred category of enjoyment.

Friend1: You mean bhakti-yoga, love and devotion to God.

Friend2: Yeah. It is not like Prahlada was completely disinterested in everything that exists. He was interested in devotion to God. This is something seasoned adults might not ever be attracted to. The appearance of such a person in this world should be taken as a great blessing. From a very early age they highlight the proper interest in life for the adults.

Friend1: Okay, but couldn’t the accusation be made that Narada Muni convinced Prahlada in that path, that the boy would have otherwise been just like the other children his age.

Friend2: It most certainly can, and Narada deserves credit for that. The accusations will be made by those who are still miserable and unhappy through associating with maya. They are in illusion themselves and thus can’t understand why a person would choose the transcendental path.

Friend1: I see.

Friend2: Prahlada had the best childhood. Even with all the lethal attacks inflicted upon him by the envious father, the boy showed tolerance. He was forbearance personified, to the point of asking pardon from Narasimhadeva after the fact. Every person should end up with the same goal in life, whether as a child or an adult. Prahlada’s supposedly stolen childhood actually brought the greatest gift to this world.

In Closing:

No play interest showing,

Since Vedic teachings knowing.

Different from other children there,

Of Brahman equality aware.

Could not be made theft accusation,

Due to Narada’s teaching duration?

But Prahlada’s preference for all the best,

By his courage so many blessed.

Four People Who Would Cite The Glories Of Prahlada

“In any assembly where there are discourses about saints and devotees, O King Yudhishthira, even the enemies of the demons, namely the demigods, what to speak of you, would cite Prahlada Maharaja as an example of a great devotee.” (Shrimad Bhagavatam, 7.4.35)

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यं साधु-गाथा-सदसि
रिपवो ’पि सुरा नृप
प्रतिमानं प्रकुर्वन्ति
किम् उतान्ये भवादृशाः

yaṁ sādhu-gāthā-sadasi
ripavo ’pi surā nṛpa
pratimānaṁ prakurvanti
kim utānye bhavādṛśāḥ

The mention by Narada Muni is significant. He is known for travelling the three worlds and chanting the glories of Narayana, the Supreme Lord in the personal form. If he discusses the good qualities of a person other than Narayana, there must be a direct link. The gunas, the glories, must be similar; otherwise there is no need to praise.

Narada says that Prahlada is one such praiseworthy person, who is mentioned anytime there is a discourse or assembly discussing saintly people and devotees of the Supreme Lord. As Prahlada referred to his father as the best of the asuras, or bad guys, the son is one of the most exalted personalities of this universe.

1. King Yudhishthira

He heard the story of Prahlada directly from Narada. Yudhishthira is known as the son of dharma, who is the god of justice. As would be expected, the son took to the same behavior, always remaining conscious of right and wrong. Every person makes mistakes now and then, and so Yudhishthira was not perfect. But in the eyes of everyone who knew him, he always maintained attention on the proper course of action.

Even Yudhishthira would praise Prahlada. This is because though best known for his teachings and behavior as a five year old child, Prahlada exhibited exceptional courage, grace and understanding. He endured unimaginable violence inflicted against him and never held a grudge against the aggressors. Yudhishthira was similar in that after victory in the great Bharata War and suffering the crimes committed against his family for many years prior, he never held contempt for the other side.

2. The enemies of the demons

Prahlada appeared in a Daitya family. That race of people was historically the enemies of the suras, who are the demigods. We can think of it like two warring communities. If a new person should be born to the rival party, it is expected for the other side to maintain the rivalry with the new generation.

Yet even the suras would praise the qualities of Prahlada. The boy was nothing like his father. Even amongst the demigods there was no one like him. After Hiranyakashipu’s reign of terror came to an end through the direct intervention of Vishnu, all the suras were afraid to approach the Supreme Lord, who displayed a visibly angry form in Narasimhadeva, the half-man/half-lion.

Prahlada, however, was not afraid. He approached without fear, as it was for him that Vishnu took this amazing form. Not only is Prahlada praised by demigods in assemblies, he was praised while directly in their presence during a famous incident.

3. Saints

It is in the nature of saints to praise other saints. In material life envy is so strong that I may even extend the emotion to my children. If they should surpass me materially, if they perform better in school than I did, while outwardly showing happiness, deep inside I feel threatened. It’s as if their achievement diminishes my own accomplishment. The same rivalry is there with friends, who are supposed to be well-wishers.

With saintly people, the behavior is the opposite. They are always glorifying the achievements of other saintly people. If there is envy, the emotion is used towards better serving the Supreme Lord. They always think, “This person is a better servant than me. They are kinder and gentler. They are more compassionate.”

4. Devotees

This extends beyond good qualities. More than just being kind, forbearing and maintaining an equal vision, the devotee is always connected to the Supreme Lord. If they are in an assembly the discourse is not exclusive to Vishnu. They may spend the entire time glorifying another devotee.

In such discussions, Prahlada gets mentioned quite often. Such an amazing person appeared in the most unexpected of places, proving that true value is determined from a person’s qualities, not the situation of their birth. Ancestry may play a role in influencing behavior, but ultimately the individual spirit soul always has the choice of associating with either illusion or the transcendental light.

In Closing:

Though in house of Daityas raised,

Even by enemies of demons praised.

Yudhishthira and Narada for sure,

That boy who so much to endure.

At wicked father’s hands,

But tallest in stature stands.

Saints also to discuss him known,

For exceptional devotion shown.

Doesn’t Prahlada’s Attitude Go Against Human Nature

“When the Supreme Personality of Godhead is pleased with the living entity because of his devotional service, one becomes a pandita and does not make distinctions between enemies, friends and himself. Intelligently, he then thinks, ‘Every one of us is an eternal servant of God, and therefore we are not different from one another.’” (Prahlada Maharaja, Shrimad Bhagavatam, 7.5.12)

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स यदानुव्रतः पुंसां
पशु-बुद्धिर् विभिद्यते
अन्य एष तथान्यो ’हम्
इति भेद-गतासती

sa yadānuvrataḥ puṁsāṁ
paśu-buddhir vibhidyate
anya eṣa tathānyo ’ham
iti bheda-gatāsatī

Friend1: You ever see these campaigns against a particular type of violence?

Friend2: I’m not sure I understand what you are referring to.

Friend1: Say a case of domestic violence goes national. That is to say a famous person is captured on video striking their girlfriend or wife. They then lose their job, and everyone on television shows outrage, either real or fake.

Friend2: Oh, I see. Yes, I am familiar with those situations.

Friend1: Setting aside for a moment my opinion that the people who protest the most often happen to be abusers themselves.

Friend2: Yeah, they are only lecturing people because they themselves need to heed the advice.

Friend1: But in most cases the uproar seems warranted. You have an infamous case of a girl getting raped. It is a national story, covered for months.

Friend2: Setting aside for a moment my opinion that there is no proportion. You have millions of people who don’t commit crimes on a daily basis. Just because one story becomes famous due to news and websites doesn’t mean that the overall crime rate has changed.

Friend1: Agree. Anyway, people create these campaigns to raise awareness. “Stop domestic violence.” “Improve the treatment of women.” “The death penalty for rapists.”

Friend2: Sure.

Friend1: Accompanying is the perfunctory denouncement. Each public figure has to tell everyone just how offended they are by the behavior. If they throw in that they hate those who commit these crimes, all the better.

Friend2: To be expected. Do you have a problem with this? Why are you bringing this up?

Friend1: Aside from the idea that the outrage seems contrived to me, there are no issues on this. What I wanted to do was make a juxtaposition with one of the important teachings from Prahlada Maharaja.

Friend2: Okay.

Friend1: He says that a pandita, a wise person, has no friends or enemies. In other words, they never view with the lens just referenced.

Friend2: As in, “criminal versus law abiding”?

Friend1: As in, “I hate that person, I love this person.” The concept doesn’t exist to them. Give Prahlada Maharaja credit; he doesn’t just offer high philosophy to hear himself speak and boost his stature. His behavior against the great antagonist, his own father, proved that there was no lasting enmity.

Friend2: Think about that for a second. Here we have the publicly displayed outrage against certain crimes taking place, and then Prahlada Maharaja faces lethal punishment as a five year old boy on multiple occasions. The entire art of modern psychology is based on events that occur during childhood and how they influence a person in adulthood.

Friend1: It’s a great excuse for blaming the parents for everything wrong. “My dad did this when I was a child.” “My mom didn’t show me enough attention.” “Now I am screwed up.”

Friend2: I’m not saying some of those concerns aren’t legitimate, but look at Prahlada. He could have said the following:

“My father tried to kill me in so many ways. Who throws their son off a cliff? Who intentionally feeds a five year old poison? My only crime was worshiping Lord Vishnu, and personally at that. I did not insist that the father open up a temple and install a deity to be praised and honored on a daily basis. That would have benefitted him, no doubt, but I did not interfere with his ruling of the kingdom.”

Friend1: Prahlada took everything in stride. He did not actively promote a campaign to get revenge on Hiranyakashipu. I think it’s a great contrast. People will wonder, though. Which attitude is better?

Friend2: Prahlada’s or Hiranyakashipu’s?

Friend1: No. The idea of delineating good and bad, strongly denouncing criminal behavior, and the concept of no friends or enemies.

Friend2: Oh, I see what you are asking. It is not mutually exclusive.

Friend1: What do you mean?

Friend2: Prahlada’s attitude was not that criminals shouldn’t be punished. He would become the king, after all. He ended up succeeding Hiranyakashipu on the throne; sooner than the father thought. The idea is to punish properly. Certainly, don’t favor or condone harmful behavior, especially the violation of personal rights. At the same time, understand that the conditions are relative.

Friend1: What conditions?

Friend2: A person is my friend today and my enemy tomorrow. In truth, I should have the same compassion for everyone. We all share a common trait, in that we are spirit soul, always serving the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Even Hiranyakashipu was, though the connection was to the rear portion, the shadow of illusion known as maya.

Friend1: Murderers, thieves, rapists and the like are worshipers of God?

Friend2: Absolutely. They are worshiping in ignorance, so they receive the reward of continued ignorance. While we condemn their behavior, we understand that the body is not everything. No one can actually kill another person.

वेदाविनाशिनं नित्यं
य एनम् अजम् अव्ययम्
कथं स पुरुषः पार्थ
कं घातयति हन्ति कम्

vedāvināśinaṁ nityaṁ
ya enam ajam avyayam
kathaṁ sa puruṣaḥ pārtha
kaṁ ghātayati hanti kam

“O Partha, how can a person who knows that the soul is indestructible, unborn, eternal and immutable, kill anyone or cause anyone to kill?” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 2.21)

To settle the debate, Prahlada’s attitude is superior. It is based on knowledge, and in every case knowledge is better than ignorance. It may seem that ignorance is bliss, but in the long run jnana leads to a better destination.

In Closing:

A public campaign to wage,

For future victims to save.

Bad behavior to denounce,

New legislation to announce.

But Prahlada with different view,

No friends or even enemies too.

Still punishment for wrong giving,

But with proper knowledge living.