Why Not Go For The Four Rewards

“Prahlada Maharaja said, agunena ca kankshitena: if one is engaged in the transcendental loving service of the lotus feet of the Lord, he does not need anything in terms of dharma, artha, kama or moksha.” (Shrila Prabhupada, Shrimad Bhagavatam, 7.6.25 Purport)

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Friend1: One of the repeating patterns in Vedic literature is the reference to the four rewards.

Friend2: Please explain what those are.

Friend1: Dharma, artha, kama and moksha.

Friend2: Those are the Sanskrit. What is the English equivalent?

Friend1: Dharma is religiosity. Adherence to some higher principles. Guardrails. The root is belief in a higher authority. Artha is interest or profit. Work that will yield a benefit. Behavior that aids in reaching a positive outcome.

Friend2: What about kama and moksha?

Friend1: Kama is material desire or sense gratification. It is nature’s way. Right from the start we are after kama. The animal community knows only kama. Moksha is release. The end to the cycle of birth and death.

Friend2: There is a cycle?

Friend1: Yes. The soul lives on.

Friend2: What is the soul?

Friend1: My identity.

Friend2: Just yours?

Friend1: Yes; for the individual soul, jivatma. The soul is also your identity, but your soul is not the same as mine. Therefore, we are distinct individuals.

Friend2: Are souls limited to the human population?

Friend1: No. From the highest to the lowest. As far up as Lord Brahma, the demigod-creator, and to the lowest depths of the organisms which survive nuclear war.

Friend2: There is soul inside?

Friend1: There has to be. Soul is what provides the animating spark. The four rewards are exclusive to the human birth. There is no such thing as dharma for the animals or plants.

Friend2: Are you sure about that?

Friend1: There is dharma in the sense that the essential characteristic will always remain, as soul can never be separated from its properties. Dharma in the sense of voluntary alignment with higher principles is only possible through a rational choice, and that rational thinking ability is exclusive to the humans.

Friend2: I see.

Friend1: The reason I bring this up today is because in a verse of the Shrimad Bhagavatam, Prahlada Maharaja mentions how for devotees the four rewards are not that important. Since they are connected in a mood of devotional love to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, they do not require anything.

Friend2: Neither do they seek those rewards.

Friend1: Okay, but if the four are important enough to receive mention in many places in sacred texts, why does someone exalted like Prahlada downplay them?

Friend2: There is this concept of aguna.

Friend1: Is that a negation of the word guna?

Friend2: Yes. Lacking material qualities. Devotional service has this feature. The four rewards are part of guna life.

Friend1: I.e. material life.

Friend2: They are a kind of enjoyment, though reserved for civilized people. In other words, even striving for those four rewards represents significant advancement. Just consider how rampant atheism has become today.

Friend1: It is rare for people to want to become gentlemen, to treat others fairly and with compassion. The focus is entirely on advancing the personal economic condition and then enjoying the senses.

Friend2: The four rewards are something like restricted enjoyment, for a higher purpose. But they still belong to the material category. Prahlada is saying that in devotional service everything is already available. There is no need to strive for anything material. The Supreme Lord has transcendental qualities, gunas. In staying with those gunas, in glorifying them, the outcome will always be auspicious. There is no need for an extra endeavor in a risky business that is limited by time, intelligence and proper association.

In Closing:

In that game limited by time,
Where proper association to find.

And intelligence needed,
Else failure proceeded.

As human of rewards aware,
But in devotion higher is there.

Since spiritual included already,
When in bhakti steady.

How Can I Understand That God Is Within Everything

“Prahlada Maharaja's class friends, who were born of Daitya families, thought that realizing the Absolute was extremely difficult. Indeed, we have experience that many, many people say this very thing. Actually, however, this is not so. The Absolute, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is most intimately related to all living entities. Therefore if one understands the Vaishnava philosophy, which explains how He is present everywhere and how He acts everywhere, to worship the Supreme Lord or to realize Him is not at all difficult.” (Shrimad Bhagavatam, 7.6.20-23 Purport)

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Friend1: Prahlada Maharaja teaches that the Supreme Personality of Godhead is within every living being. He gives the range from the nonmoving to the creator, Lord Brahma.

Friend2: That is an important distinction to make, since we often overlook the plants and the trees when discussing reincarnation. It is always about being born as a dog or an insect, but there is the possibility of remaining naked for a long time, as well.

Friend1: Such as with the two sons of Kuvera getting cursed by Narada.

Friend2: They appeared as twin yamala-arjuna trees in Vrindavana, awaiting liberation by Shri Damodara, the Supreme Lord tied to a mortar by His loving mother.

Friend1: I think the context of Prahlada’s teaching is the situation of abandoning family life. There is fear, for sure. These are people to whom I have formed an attachment since long ago. If I suddenly leave behind my material way of life, how will I survive? I think that is the primary concern.

Friend2: For sure. There is the illusion of needing to support others and myself. I must do things a certain way or face ridicule and shame. What I fail to realize is that no amount of assistance will make others happy. The wife will always want a bigger, better home. The children never have enough. You could sacrifice to the point of your life in defense of the country, and there will be people who spit on your grave as you return home.

Friend1: That is true. It’s the sad reality. I know that with Shri Krishna the opposite is true. He is pleased with the most basic service, if offered in the proper mood. He keeps the good deeds with Him and forgets the many past transgressions.

Friend2: He would have to, if you think about it. Who among us hasn’t done wrong in the past? If we make it to the destination of liberation, it means that the past mistakes get forgiven.

Friend1: Here is something that puzzles me. The idea is that realizing God should not be difficult. He is everywhere. If I am on my own, I should have no problem seeing Him. He is within the plant and also the demigod. He is within the atoms, so the skies, hills, roads, and other aspects of nature should remind me of Him.

Friend2: Absolutely. That is known as the transcendental vision.

Friend1: Okay, but those things have been around me before. I have always been in the same association. Previously, I was in maya. How are things supposed to change overnight?

Friend2: I am not sure what you are asking.

Friend1: I am not supposed to be worried because God is everywhere. Yet in the previous state, one of family attachment and the like, God was in the same places. I was worried all the time. I was in illusion. His state is not changing. Do you understand what I am saying? How is it supposed to be easy to realize Him?

Friend2: I think the meaning is that you shouldn’t have to go far. It is not like the transformation will take place overnight, but maintaining good association is more important. If your family helps you to see the spiritual equality in all beings, then their association is actually auspicious.

विद्या-विनय-सम्पन्ने
ब्राह्मणे गवि हस्तिनि
शुनि चैव श्व-पाके च
पण्डिताः सम-दर्शिनः

vidyā-vinaya-sampanne
brāhmaṇe gavi hastini
śuni caiva śva-pāke ca
paṇḍitāḥ sama-darśinaḥ

“The humble sage, by virtue of true knowledge, sees with equal vision a learned and gentle brahmana, a cow, an elephant, a dog and a dog-eater [outcaste].” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 5.18)

If they keep you in illusion, then it is better to eventually get out. Find better association. That is the meaning. Don’t be too worried about how to maintain yourself, because on the other side you can never have enough money. The retirement investment plan never grows fast enough. The cost of living can never be low enough and you can never be sure about the future of the bank balance. Better to go from the uncertain to the certain, which is the promise of devotional service practiced under the authority of the bona fide representative known as the spiritual master. 

In Closing:

Already living with Him,
But in illusion to spin.

Suddenly to notice how,
When same situation now?

Idea that with lens corrective,
And good association effective.

The presence to see,
That everywhere is He.

Wasn’t Prahlada Attached To His Father

“A baby gives pleasure by speaking sweet words in broken language, and when the sons and daughters are grown up one becomes involved in their education and marriage. Then there are one's own father and mother to be taken care of, and one also becomes concerned with the social atmosphere and with pleasing his brothers and sisters. A man becomes increasingly entangled in household affairs, so much so that leaving them becomes almost impossible.” (Shrila Prabhupada, Shrimad Bhagavatam, 7.6.11-13 Purport)

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Friend1: I’m struck by how much Prahlada knew about life’s patterns at such a young age. Particularly about family life, considering that he was only five years old.

Friend2: You get these kinds of counterarguments sometimes. If a person has never been married but offers up advice on the subject, someone will object:

“What do you know, pal? What experience do you have? Who are you to tell me anything?”

Friend1: You could use that line of reasoning with everything Prahlada taught, especially to the children in school. During recess hour, these other sons of Daityas, which tend to lean towards the side of atheism, were a receptive audience.

Friend2: That is the power of the message of the Divine, which in this case was passed down through Narada, the exalted travelling saint.

Friend1: Prahlada knew exactly how someone gets attached to family life. The children are so dear, especially when they speak in broken language at a young age. The wife who whispers sweet words and cooks palatable dishes becomes so endearing. It is only natural. How can you not be appreciative of people who are kind to you?

Friend2: Absolutely. You would have to be heartless to ignore direct service for your benefit.

Friend1: Then there are the parents to maintain. Brothers and sisters. When the children get older and married, you can’t help but miss their association. I don’t disagree with anything Prahlada teaches, but I’m wondering if he was a victim of the same.

Friend2: What do you mean?

Friend1: Was not he attached to the father, Hiranyakashipu?

Friend2: In what way?

Friend1: This was the worst father in the world, under any scale of analysis. Hiranyakashipu tried to kill Prahlada in so many ways, for the crime of practicing devotional service to Vishnu within the confines of the kingdom.

Friend2: Sure. Even speaking to the other students was a challenge to authority. The royal teachers enlisted for the task of raising sense enjoyers certainly never covered such topics.

Friend1: Yet when everything was said and done, when Vishnu arrived as Narasimha and took care of the demoniac father, Prahlada still could not let go.

Friend2: You mean in consciousness?

Friend1: The child was still thinking about the father. He asked Narasimha for pardon. Prahlada was concerned about the fate of someone who had mercilessly tried to kill him. To me that is the height of attachment. Doesn’t that go exactly against what he taught his classmates previously?

Friend2: This attachment issue is a difficult one to understand. You are not supposed to become this cold-hearted person who ignores everyone. The recommendation is not to abruptly walk out on the family in the name of vairagya, detachment.

Friend1: It’s not? If I stay, don’t I run the risk of further entanglement? Have I not wasted the valuable time in the human form in fruitless endeavors?

Friend2: The idea is to not let the relationships get in the way of the highest objective. Prahlada covers the common attachments to show the potential areas of distraction. Instead of cultivating spiritual life, I am worried about what college my children will get into. Instead of presenting gifts to the deity of the Supreme Lord and remembering His transcendental features, my primary concern is pleasing the wife in the home. I don’t have time to read Bhagavad-gita and Shrimad Bhagavatam because I am worried about accumulating enough money, which is sweeter than honey, in order to take care of others.

Friend1: Those are legitimate concerns. It is indeed difficult to maintain a family, especially in the modern day. Rent prices steadily increases. Taxes go up, not down. You need insurance to breathe, practically. Where is the time for contemplating the Absolute Truth?

Friend2: Prahlada was not harmfully attached to his father. The Vaishnava is automatically compassionate towards everyone. They extract the good out of people, even in someone like the greatest atheist. Prahlada was concerned over the spiritual wellbeing of the father. This attachment was not harmful since it did not distract from devotional service.

Friend1: Okay.

Friend2: You can remain in family life and maintain a constant connection in yoga. There is the example of King Janaka, who held affection for his daughter Sita from the moment he met her. He never forgot her, even after arranging her marriage to Shri Rama, the Supreme Lord. Again, it’s a delicate balance, but the real message is to not get distracted in life, and through family you will find many areas over which to place concern.

In Closing:

Family life from the start,

With opportunities to depart.

From the spiritual way,

Bound by wife’s words to say.

And what college child to attend,

Towards grandchildren to extend.

Better focus Supreme Lord toward,

Prahlada indeed for family reward.

Three Successful Endeavors Which Don’t Yield A Lasting Profit

“We see materialistic persons busily engaged in economic development all day and all night, trying to increase their material opulence, but even if we suppose that they get some benefit from such endeavors, that does not solve the real problem of their lives. Nor do they know what the real problem of life is. This is due to a lack of spiritual education.” (Shrila Prabhupada, Shrimad Bhagavatam, 7.6.4 Purport)

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The Sanskrit word is artha. This means “profit” or “interest.” The idea is that someone works to fulfill a specific desire. They want the effort to be saphala, or with fruit. Why waste time? Why go to so much trouble only to see failure? It would be something like taking a shower in the morning and then putting on the dirty clothes that were worn yesterday immediately after.

Prahlada Maharaja says that artha in the sense of the material world is not a very good use of time. There is the illusion of progress, as there is no real benefit gained.

1. Becoming the greatest champion in a particular sport

These two players were the best for so long. They set the standard. They each had their preferred event, which they dominated year after year. The debate as to the greatest of all-time always involved only them. If one player won a major championship, they were deemed to be ahead in the race to the finish.

Then almost out of nowhere, this other player emerged. Not only did he start winning titles, but his head-to-head record turned in his favor against both of the main rivals. He looks to be on pace to surpass everyone.

In truth, one day he will be exceeded by someone else. That is nature’s way, after all. Today’s champion is tomorrow’s hard-luck loser. You may have dominated in a particular arena in the past, but today you struggled so much that even when the match looks to be in your favor, you find a way to squander the opportunity of assured victory.

2. Launching groundbreaking software

There is the original project plan that everyone now gets a chuckle out of reading. Nothing went according to schedule. Delays. Rewrites. Changes in personnel. A new management company. An ever-changing dynamic.

Yet the firm finally did it. They reached the finish line of a product release. And it made a significant impact. The company’s profits soared in the immediate aftermath. The CEO was handsomely rewarded with stock options and bonus pay.

While there was success, the comfort didn’t last very long. Competitors saw an opportunity to enter that particular market. Now your software has to keep up. It needs to be rewritten to match the growing demands of the consumer. The initial effort, which was exhaustive, yielded little long-term benefit.

3. Building that dream house

You found the right location. A good price. As it wasn’t built already, you had complete input into the design. You considered every need, both for the present and what might arrive in the future. An example of the foresight, you decided to install central air conditioning. A wise decision to be made at the beginning, for later on the process would be more difficult.

Despite this wonderful house to live in, the occupants are not happy. They generally do not get along with one another. They have plenty of room for themselves, but they would like more. They want a separate bathroom entirely reserved for them. They take up a large portion of the basement area for what they call their “studio.”

So much infighting that you wish to go back to the previous time. When there was a tiny apartment and no one had a sense of ownership, the various members of the family got along. As soon as this bigger place was built everyone seemed to mark their territory.

…

Rather than see the benefits of success erased quickly thereafter, the option advised by saints like Prahlada Maharaja is to choose Krishna consciousness. Take the same spirit of endeavor and turn it towards the Divine. Go in His direction and the progress will never be erased.

For instance, if I decide to make a routine of chanting the holy names, my consciousness will only continue to be purified: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. It is not like an investment where one day the principal gets returned with some interest, with the investor left to search for their next venture.

I can continue to chant this sacred mantra for the rest of my life. I can engage in basic worship in the home. A humble process creates a large result that cannot be matched by any other area of life. Prahlada wanted his friends in school to have this great advantage. Despite being born as Daityas, who are prone towards atheism, they had the opportunity of the human birth for fulfilling life’s mission.

In Closing:

My room now too small,

Needing space wider and ceiling tall.

Last year the championship I won,

But now success difficult to come.

Hard-earned profits from software release,

But now competition only to increase.

Prahlada thus on bhakti course advising,

Real profit when atma-jnana realizing.

Three Things Prahlada Could Have Taught His Classmates

“In the tender age of childhood, when everyone is bewildered, one passes ten years. Similarly, in boyhood, engaged in sporting and playing, one passes another ten years. In this way, twenty years are wasted. Similarly, in old age, when one is an invalid, unable to perform even material activities, one passes another twenty years wastefully.” (Prahlada Maharaja, Shrimad Bhagavatam, 7.6.7)

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मुग्धस्य बाल्ये कैशोरे
क्रीडतो याति विंशतिः
जरया ग्रस्त-देहस्य
यात्य् अकल्पस्य विंशतिः

mugdhasya bālye kaiśore
krīḍato yāti viṁśatiḥ
jarayā grasta-dehasya
yāty akalpasya viṁśatiḥ

“I know you don’t like to criticize other Vaishnavas. You consider them saintly because they chant the maha-mantra with others. They put themselves out in public, giving a face to the devotional culture. They sacrifice so much for the benefit of others. They risk being ostracized by community and family.

“I get all that, but at the same time there are the prominent leaders who have turned into life coaches. That is not my term; they openly promote themselves in this light. They can help others to deal with issues. They are equipped to counsel others, for they have received assistance themselves.

“The big problem I have is that they never mention Krishna. They mostly don’t wear the symbol of the lotus footprint of Vishnu on the forehead, also known as tilaka, but even when they do they speak nonsense that would only benefit a child of kindergarten age.

“How to view the situation? Is it proper to criticize? One of the justifications they make is that they are trying to attract more people. If they speak directly about the science of self-realization, the audience won’t be very receptive. I don’t know if I buy that. To me it seems like a kind of cheating. The bhakti way of life provides so much jnana that even material life becomes easier. But I don’t think we should be helping others to advance in material life; there are plenty of coaches for that already.”

An appropriate juxtaposition is to Prahlada Maharaja, the famous son of the Daitya king named Hiranyakashipu. Well-known for what he taught to others in a specific setting, equally as significant is what Prahlada did not teach.

1. Find your passion in life

The instruction was offered specifically in two places. The first was in the royal palace, directly to the father. The stimulus was a question to the boy, inquiring as to the most important topic learned in school.

The second setting was the tiffin hour in school. It would be the equivalent of the modern-day recess period. The father was not very receptive to the message; he was asking more out of politeness. There was affection, as well, at least in the beginning.

The students were ready to hear from Prahlada. Since they were young, their minds had yet to be polluted. Prahlada had a saintly character, and so the children were all ears. The child of five years of age easily could have went in the following direction:

“Life is about finding what you love to do. Once you reach success in that area, never let go. They say that if you love what you do, you never work a day in your life. Obviously, you will be working, but the engagement will be something like leisure. There won’t be as much pressure, and you will be excited to wake up in the morning. So many people struggle because they haven’t found this passion, so make the attempt as soon as possible in life. Try to get a head start.”

2. God is love

Another option:

“The purpose of life is love. Love is everything. Always love everyone, no matter what. Never criticize. Before you speak ill of others, consider your own faults. If you see someone heading in the wrong direction, stop and ask yourself if you actually know what the right direction is. Would you like it if others were always criticizing you?

“If you want to know what God is, where He lives, what He is doing – know that God is love. Wherever you see love, there is God. Whenever you love someone else, that is also God. God always loves and so we must always be loving of others.”

3. Learn to listen to others

The saintly student could have dumbed down the message even further:

“My dear friends, before we get on our high-horse and criticize others, let us first learn to listen. In adulthood we might have to manage projects and work collaboratively. In such an environment it is critical to be able to listen. Try to empathize with others. Take into consideration their viewpoints. Only then will you learn something, and the key to life is to always be willing to learn more.”

…

Of course Prahlada did not go down any of these paths. Instead, he went straight into the embarrassment that is accepting a material body. He warned his friends that so much of the experience in life is wasted due to useless activities and sleeping. A child is bewildered, a boy plays the day away, and in old age a person is too crippled to be able to do anything significant.

What remains is the period of vitality, but even that gets squandered due to excessive sleep. Therefore, the waking hours should be spent in self-realization. Ask yourself why you are here. Why is the human birth significant? Sense enjoyment automatically arrives in any form of body, so this human one should be treated differently.

Prahlada faced the most hostile audience in his father. There was no convincing the leader of the Daityas, who could retaliate with lethal force if he so desired. That would indeed be the outcome, as he was sick of hearing tattva from the son. The children in school were also offspring of Daityas, which is a body type that typically leans towards sin.

Sin is nothing more than turning further away from the Supreme Lord, and so Prahlada had the most difficult task in front of him. He did not mask his beliefs or present arguments rooted in duality that could be easily nullified through the opposing view. He shared what Narada Muni previously passed on to him, and that wisdom can save any person, at any stage of life.

In Closing:

Why not life coach becoming?

Where message to wide audience coming.

That for personal purpose to strive,

Live each day happy to be alive.

Always love and towards others forgive,

But Prahlada something different to give.

That much time in valuable form squandered,

Better if on Vishnu topics pondered.

Three Phases In Life Where Time May Go To Waste

“Without Krishna consciousness, one wastes twenty years in childhood and boyhood and another twenty years in old age, when one cannot perform any material activities and is full of anxiety about what is to be done by his sons and grandsons and how one's estate should be protected. Half of these years are spent in sleep. Furthermore, one wastes another thirty years sleeping at night during the rest of his life. Thus seventy out of one hundred years are wasted by a person who does not know the aim of life and how to utilize this human form.” (Shrila Prabhupada, Shrimad Bhagavatam, 7.6.7 Purport)

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Prahlada’s audience was quite young. They were not yet fully aware of the typical cycle of life. But how would Prahlada know? He was their peer. At only five years of age, what could he have learned? Actually, he was fully enlightened due to the contact with the saint named Narada. So inspired was he towards the Divine way of life that Prahlada was not afraid to share with his classmates.

The teachers certainly weren’t going to cover this topic. Even if they wanted to, it was strictly forbidden. Orders from on high, the aim of life is to enjoy the senses. Think first of material comfort. If there are any powerful figures controlling the universe, view them as kind of order-suppliers. Something like a store which you visit to purchase goods, make a formality of ritual and worship, for the underlying purpose of advancing the material condition.

One aspect of Prahlada’s teachings was the emphasis on wasted time. Man has conducted a similar analysis over the years, particularly with the area of sleeping. The son of the Daitya king emphasized that there is a certain time when everything should work in the favor of the sincere seeker of the truth. In other eras of life there is the increased chance of allowing the time to go to waste.

1. Childhood

Prahlada was trying to make his classmates be the exception to the rule. Otherwise, who really remembers what they did in the first ten years of life? Maybe certain experiences stand out here and there, but rarely does any documented evidence exist, such as notebooks, journals or lengthy conversations with friends and classmates.

It is not the child’s fault. They were bewildered by the world which they newly entered. There is school for a reason. It is compulsory in most places due to the importance. The child does not understand, but the adults do. They see better into the future, that an education will serve a person well.

2. Boyhood

In this phase of life there is sporting and playing. Think video games, outdoor sports, spending time with friends and so forth. This is the natural way, as the adults often lament that youth is wasted on the young. The children have more energy, so they are almost inexhaustible in their engagements.

Ten years easily pass by in this phase of life. Rarely is there contemplation on the destined end to life, as so many changes take place. The mind focuses on the new environments and what should be accomplished moving forward.

3. Old age

Prahlada references the time when the body drastically starts to diminish. With financial advisors, the typical assumption is that the retired person will need their savings to last for at least twenty years. Death can arrive at any moment, but if life extends to the average expectancy, there needs to be sufficient money saved in order to pay for necessities.

Retired means that there is no work. This can be a voluntary decision, but there is the accompanying factor of deterioration of the body. The abilities are not the same. The greatest professional athletes of the past no longer compete in the arena. This is because their bodies changed. Youths entered the scene and they displayed superior ability in comparison to those on the way out of the sport.

…

If you incorporate sleep into the mix, then it seems that almost half of life goes by without any contemplation on higher matters. The human birth is especially made for this kind of inquiry. Sporting, playing, eating, relaxing, sleeping – these can take place in any kind of birth. There is nothing unique about sense gratification for the human being, except for the increased contemplation and associated anxiety on the subject.

Whatever time remains should be spent in spiritual life. That is Prahlada’s message. He revealed this due to his compassionate nature. He was not afraid to speak the same to the hostile father, who was the greatest atheist in the world. The Divine consciousness, connected to the Supersoul, understanding the personal side and the all-attractiveness of the Almighty, is the way towards transcendence. That devotional life is the best use of time and it brings happiness to anyone engaged, whether young or old, fully able or of diminishing capacity.

In Closing:

When close to life cycle finishing,

Body of capacity diminishing.

In youth focus only to enjoy,

Occupied with newfound toy.

Maturing playing sports and running,

Sleep then when tired becoming.

With so little time make the best,

Prahlada’s focus on spiritual quest.

Five Situations In Which You Can Already Find Happiness And Distress

“Material happiness and distress come as soon as we accept a material body, regardless of what form. We cannot avoid such happiness and distress under any circumstances. The best use of human life, therefore, lies in reviving our relationship with the Supreme Lord, Vishnu.” (Shrila Prabhupada, Shrimad Bhagavatam, 7.6.3 Purport)

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Prahlada Maharaja tried to stress the importance of making the most of the human form of body. The audience was people who were barely old enough to realize that humans are different from other species, that the same spark of spirit is the animating force inside every living being.

“Devote your life to Vishnu. That will bring the greatest happiness. In fact, there cannot be an accurate comparison. Like with the mathematical concepts of divide by zero and conducting null or infinity comparisons, the ananda from bhakti will be beyond anything else experienced.”

Prahlada’s message was something like this. One point of contention may be that children are meant to be happy, to match their carefree attitude. If they get too much caught up in the serious issues pertaining to life and death, they will miss out on the fun. The saintly son of the Daitya king therefore highlighted the fact that such happiness and distress are automatically found. In other words, there will be nothing to miss.

1. As an animal

The behavior of a dog is an easy example to understand. They are happy when the owner arrives at home. It is like they are saying, “Where have you been all day? I missed you.” They also feel distress when separated from the same person. They are pleased to get good food to eat and unhappy when disease strikes.

The same is found across the entire animal community. The degree of covering of the consciousness varies, which in turn affects the ability to experience different emotions, but the pain and pleasure are there all the same. It is something like the changing of seasons described by Shri Krishna in the Bhagavad-gita.

मात्रा-स्पर्शास् तु कौन्तेय
शीतोष्ण-सुख-दुःख-दाः
आगमापायिनो ऽनित्यास्
तांस् तितिक्षस्व भारत

mātrā-sparśās tu kaunteya
śītoṣṇa-sukha-duḥkha-dāḥ
āgamāpāyino ‘nityās
tāṁs titikṣasva bhārata

“O son of Kunti, the nonpermanent appearance of happiness and distress, and their disappearance in due course, are like the appearance and disappearance of winter and summer seasons. They arise from sense perception, O scion of Bharata, and one must learn to tolerate them without being disturbed.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 2.14)

2. As a child

The conversation took place during recess session. Rather than run around and play to release energy built up while sitting in the classroom, Prahlada thought it was the perfect opportunity to share real jnana with others. Why keep everything to yourself, especially if you hold the key to happiness?

Even without trying, a child will find happiness and sadness. One day they are so pleased to discover an empty box. They play with it for hours. A few moments later they are upset to be forced into a diaper change. They put up a struggle, not realizing the necessity of the process.

3. As an unmarried adult

On the happiness side, you are free to do whatever you want. Perhaps there are responsibilities pertaining to the job, but once the clock hits five in the evening, nobody is around to watch over you. No deadlines to meet. No concern over staying awake for several hours at a stretch while sitting at a desk. Complete freedom, or so you think.

On the distress side, there is the feeling of loneliness. You see others spending time with their significant others and family members. You can’t help but wonder when the same will happen for you. As time passes, people around grow more concerned.

“When are you getting married? Don’t you think it is time already? Do you want to stay a bachelor forever?”

The questions arrive so frequently that you begin to choose isolation. Why meet with others when they are only going to nag you, bringing you down for no reason?

4. As a married adult

Married with children. Problem solved, or so you think. Constant companionship. People in the home happy to see you, for the most part. No issues in social circles. When meeting strangers, you can always make jokes about your wife and how much pressure she puts on you. It is easier to fit into the societal structure around you.

On the unhappiness side, the added pressure is significant. Previously, you could quit your job if you wanted to, at any time. Enough money saved up to live like you are on vacation for a while. But now that option is gone. You have to work. You have to pay the bills. Otherwise, the dependents won’t eat.

Forget about living someplace nice. You have to be closer to the business center of the city in order to earn a high enough salary to satisfy everyone at home. No more watching television sitcoms or sporting events. The only respite is sleep at night, but there the pressure of the next day weighs on your mind.

5. As king of the world

Prahlada’s father held this post. He was the most feared person, for even the powerful celestials felt the need to assume disguises in order to avoid his potential wrath. Hiranyakashipu had the happiness that you would naturally expect from world domination.

At the same time, he was terribly distressed due to the devotional nature found in Prahlada, who was only five years old at the time. So much power in that king of the Daityas, and yet he was helpless in removing the influence of Vishnu from the kingdom.

…

The happiness and distress from sense interaction can arrive in any situation and in any existence. A special endeavor is not required. Therefore, why make it the primary focus? Prahlada and Vaishnava saints like him recommend reaching for a higher taste. That is the boon of the human existence, as it brings the potential to ask sobering questions and receive both philosophical and practical evidence of the solutions.

In Closing:

Even as child for devotion ready,

Happiness and distress already.

Like the single person without wife,

Free without a care in life.

Later on family and children accepting,

Their needs priority now respecting.

Same duality in wherever to place,

Thus for bhakti Prahlada making the case.

Three Purposes Served By The Hiranyakashipu Story

“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

Vedic literature is for lifting up every type of person. Wherever they may be in life, however much money they have, whatever they are longing for, to whichever depths they have fallen or heights to where they have reached, every historical account presented in the spotless Sanskrit language serves multiple purposes in education.

The Hiranyakashipu affair is no different, as he made a significant impact through his ascent to world domination and subsequent persecution of the saintly son named Prahlada. There are aspects to which every kind of person can relate, whether young or old, rich or poor, famous or barely known to the outside world.

1. Humiliate a person who rose to the top on the strength of gifts provided by others

Who isn’t interested in rising to the top? There is the adage in business that if you are not growing, you are not going. A steady profit is insufficient for analysis. How does this past quarter’s performance compare with last year at the same time? What are the trends?

You can be successful in business, with a popular product line, when suddenly things take a dive. Technology renders your industry obsolete. Tastes change. The newer generation does not hold steady to the patterns of their parents.

With Hiranyakashipu, we see that a person is vulnerable to humiliation even after they have reached the highest mountain, so to speak. No one was above the leader of the Daityas; at least in the material sense.

Yet the king forgot from where his powers came. He had won the favor of Lord Brahma, the creator. On the strength of boons provided in exchange for worship, Hiranyakashipu became almost invincible. He had no reason to feel excessive pride, yet that could not be curbed. He could have easily remembered the past, the time when he wasn’t as powerful.

The humiliation came in the form of a quick descent, all the way to the bottom. He lost everything, and it was entirely his fault. There was vulnerability from the beginning, and the pious son named Prahlada tried his best to guide the father in the right direction.

2. Highlight the glories of a perseverant, obstinate and completely sinless child

It is etiquette to respect the elders. Especially within a household, the children should be obedient and submissive to the parents. There is the obvious angle of vision which sees into the future, that the children will one day be parents of their own and hope for the same kind of respect.

There is also the knowledge-aspect, wherein the child realizes that the parents are completely responsible for safety and wellbeing. The child does not know about deadlines at the office or searching desperately for a better material condition, to have enough money to meet life’s necessities. Everything is in the care of the elders, who are thus essential for life to continue.

Prahlada was respectful, but obstinate in some ways. In Hiranyakashipu’s kingdom, worship of Vishnu was forbidden. No exceptions, not even for one of the sons of the king. Prahlada could not be dissuaded, however.

The story of his exchange with the Daitya father highlights the glories of the saints of the Vaishnava tradition, who have truly abandoned every other interest in life in favor of bhakti. That devotion is pure, and it cannot be squashed, regardless of how much force an opponent may apply.

3. Relive a period in time when once again the Daitya class failed at their objective of eternal world domination

The gods and the demons. The good guys and the bad guys. Saintly versus sinful. The struggle dates back to the beginning of the creation, and as much as it may seem that the nonbelievers advance more often than not, they actually fail in their objective.

They wish to become immortal, in the way they define it. Remain in their present situation, tied to the exact same body. They fail due to the existence of time, but somehow they feel they can evade the undefeated force of nature on the next attempt around.

In Hiranyakashipu’s case, the failure was remarkable due to the size of the opponent. At five years old, the weaponless Prahlada could not do anything to alter the life of the Daityas. He was not a threat, and yet through his devotion he took down the most powerful ruler.

The same attempt will be made countless times in the future, yielding an identical result. The devotion of the devotees is never destroyed, and so it is not surprising that Prahlada succeeded, supported as he was by Narasimha.

In Closing:

Saints in Prahlada’s triumph delighting,

Story failure of Daityas highlighting.

Where since the beginning of time,

The same end result to find.

That impossible in body to stay,

Caught in time’s destructive way.

Whereas devotees by Narasimha supported,

Many cases by Vedas reported.

Four Things That The Vision of Narasimha Told Hiranyakashipu

“O lord, we know that when you simply move your eyebrows, all the commanders of the various planets are most afraid. Without the help of any assistant, you have conquered all the three worlds. Therefore, we do not find any reason for you to be morose and full of anxiety. As for Prahlada, he is nothing but a child and cannot be a cause of anxiety. After all, his bad or good qualities have no value.” (Shanda and Amarka speaking to Hiranyakashipu, Shrimad Bhagavatam, 7.5.49)

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जितं त्वयैकेन जगत्-त्रयं भ्रुवोर्
विजृम्भण-त्रस्त-समस्त-धिष्ण्यपम्
न तस्य चिन्त्यं तव नाथ चक्ष्वहे
न वै शिशूनां गुण-दोषयोः पदम्

jitaṁ tvayaikena jagat-trayaṁ bhruvor
vijṛmbhaṇa-trasta-samasta-dhiṣṇyapam
na tasya cintyaṁ tava nātha cakṣvahe
na vai śiśūnāṁ guṇa-doṣayoḥ padam

Not a common source of sadness. Over all of the things to cause the morose feeling, failure to kill your own son, who is five years old at that, is not high on the list. Psychiatrists are sworn to a code of confidentiality, but they will sometimes share information about their cases without referencing individual names. Something like the metadata collected from a surveillance operation, the mental health professionals would be baffled by Hiranyakashipu’s situation.

The king of the world was equally sad over the son’s ability to survive. The root cause of the attacks was the professed allegiance to Vishnu, the Supreme Lord. Hiranyakashipu had a rivalry of sorts with the Vaishnavas. He thought Vishnu was the worst person in the universe. If Vishnu were indeed God, as the Vaishnavas claimed, then He could be defeated through the exercise of strength. Therefore, the eventual vision of Narasimha taught that wicked father several important lessons.

1. I was the source of your strength all along

Hiranyakashipu should have been wise to the truth. Memory is sufficient. Remember how you achieved the position at present. I may be proud of the job I landed, of the annual salary and benefits, but I didn’t achieve anything entirely on my own. There was the hard work and sacrifice of others. The friends and family supported. At the very least, they deserve some of the credit.

In the case of Hiranyakashipu, the help was more obvious. Lord Brahma, the creator, granted several boons. They were specifically asked for. Hiranyakashipu wanted immortality, and when he couldn’t get it he settled for the next best thing.

Build up a seemingly impenetrable barrier through component pieces. Then consider the work complete, that you have achieved a backdoor way to immortality. Meanwhile, Brahma was the visible source of strength, and Narasimha showed that behind the scenes there was someone else supporting even Brahma.

2. I was the source of Prahlada’s strength

Hiranyakashipu wanted to know how Prahlada survived. There were multiple attacks, and each one severe in nature. The assistants in the royal court did not mess around. They took the orders from the king seriously. Prahlada simply meditated. He did not run away or offer physical resistance.

Amazing strength at the source, Narasimha was the visual evidence that the nonbelievers so often insist upon. Hiranyakashipu didn’t believe, but he was forced to acknowledge the truth when meeting the amazing half-man/half-lion.

3. I am time, the great devourer

Prahlada had previously explained to the father that material life is a kind of embarrassing situation. It is better to retreat to the forest and concentrate on the Divine. This existence is not meant for succumbing to the illusion of acquisition. Better to stay above the influence of the senses.

The vision of Narasimha told Hiranyakashipu that everything was over. The hard work that went into supplicating Brahma yielded a bountiful result, but now the king would have to leave it all behind. No more ruler of the world. No more a leader feared by everyone.

4. I am everywhere, including in the pillar

Prahlada explained to the father that the source of strength was the same for everyone. That is to say the thief and the police officer both have the Supreme Lord inside of them, providing the spark of animation, so to speak.

In most instances, that expansion of the Supreme Lord acts as a neutral observer. He does not specifically interfere in activity, since at the end of the day pious and impious bring the same result: continued rebirth.

Prahlada was a special case since the child decided in favor of devotion to Vishnu. Hiranyakashipu directly threatened that, and so the same Supersoul gave partiality to one side in the conflict. The king could not believe that God was everywhere, and so he mocked Prahlada by asking if the source of strength were in the nearby pillar.

Narasimhadeva proved with a visual manifestation that God is indeed everywhere. The amazing sight was triggered by the innocent devotion of a saintly son of a Daitya king, affirming that Vishnu is indeed partial to His devotees and that such servants can be found in any kind of family.

In Closing:

Child of devotion without fear,

Understood that in pillar near.

And also in the heart,

Bhakti life from the start.

Father as king to preside,

With mentality on the other side.

That strength and effort alone,

Disproven when Narasimha shown.

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.

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.

Three Areas Where Hiranyakashipu Received Help

“O lord, we know that when you simply move your eyebrows, all the commanders of the various planets are most afraid. Without the help of any assistant, you have conquered all the three worlds. Therefore, we do not find any reason for you to be morose and full of anxiety. As for Prahlada, he is nothing but a child and cannot be a cause of anxiety. After all, his bad or good qualities have no value.” (Shrimad Bhagavatam, 7.5.49)

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जितं त्वयैकेन जगत्-त्रयं भ्रुवोर्
विजृम्भण-त्रस्त-समस्त-धिष्ण्यपम्
न तस्य चिन्त्यं तव नाथ चक्ष्वहे
न वै शिशूनां गुण-दोषयोः पदम्
jitaṁ tvayaikena jagat-trayaṁ bhruvor
vijṛmbhaṇa-trasta-samasta-dhiṣṇyapam
na tasya cintyaṁ tava nātha cakṣvahe
na vai śiśūnāṁ guṇa-doṣayoḥ padam

Whether the teachers were intentionally overlooking certain facts to prop up their despondent leader or they were actually unaware of the true history behind his ascent, the truth remained that Hiranyakashipu did not achieve his position by himself. It appeared to be ekena, or the work of a single person, but there were supporting forces in the background.

1. Taking over the three worlds

He just had to move his eyebrows. A single glance and anyone taking notice would become alert. Trouble was on the way. This is what the teachers in the royal family observed. Their leader had risen so high that the suras, the demigods in heaven, were assuming disguises in order to avoid punishment. They no longer received oblations in yajna, sacrifice.

In truth, Hiranyakashipu only rose to power after receiving assistance from Lord Brahma, the creator. There were already the gifts of nature in the form of a body. No one can say that they ordered their specific set of hands and legs. The eyes, the nose, the mouth – these are products of nature. Both gross and subtle elements cover the individual spirit soul for a period of time.

भूमिर् आपो ऽनलो वायुः
खं मनो बुद्धिर् एव च
अहङ्कार इतीयं मे
भिन्ना प्रकृतिर् अष्टधा

bhūmir āpo 'nalo vāyuḥ
khaṁ mano buddhir eva ca
ahaṅkāra itīyaṁ me
bhinnā prakṛtir aṣṭadhā

“Earth, water, fire, air, ether, mind, intelligence and false ego-altogether these eight comprise My separated material energies.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 7.4)

One person is particularly talented in sports. Another in music. They have no memory of requesting specific features prior to the time of birth. There was an existence during that time since others can validate. They say that the world continued on, that such and such happened on such and such date.

The lack of input into the conditions of birth is one indication of the helpless nature of the individual. Knowledge of the fact should bring humility and curb pride. Hiranyakashipu had even more reason to be thankful. He conducted severe austerities, enough to catch the attention of the creator, who works with the basic ingredients of the material world to craft the different body types.

2. Teaching the children of the family

He did not act alone in taking over the three worlds on the power of Brahma’s boons, and he did not engage in teaching the children in his family, either. Hiranyakashipu’s son Prahlada was under the care of the family gurus. They were sons to Shukracharya, who is the preceptor of the demon clan, the Daityas. His name indicates that the qualifications are based on ancestry.

If Hiranyakashipu were as powerful as Shanda and Amarka made him out to be, he would have been able to get Prahlada’s mind right. The five-year old son was interested only in Vishnu-bhakti. He understood that the Supreme Lord is the strength of the strong and the overall ability in man.

Armed with this knowledge, Prahlada was never morose. The father, on the other hand, was a different story. He was particularly upset over failure in an area important to him. He could not understand the lack of success over something that should have been straightforward.

3. Trying to take out an enemy

This was a menace to society. He would not listen to anyone. Left unchecked, he could change the way everyone thought. The hard-fought victories over the enemies of the world, the suras, would go for naught. Everything would be erased if the problem was not taken care of.

This was how Hiranyakashipu viewed Prahlada. The father reached the decision to kill the son, to have him eliminated. In this task the king received help from the attendants under his charge. They tried various means of lethal punishment, and each one failed.

The king received help in his successful ventures, like taking over the world, and also in the ones that failed. This is the way of the world, as no one is guaranteed to have every desire fulfilled. Better to be an akama devotee of the Supreme Lord, where the lone desire is considered spiritual since it relates to serving the one who is above this world of duality. He alone exists before the creation, at the start of time, in the middle, and also beyond the end.

In Closing:

Gurus the king praising,

But contradictions raising.

Hiranyakashipu not acting alone,

Potency not entirely his own.

Help in wayward son teaching,

But success not even reaching.

Meaning for strength an underlying force,

Who of son and everyone’s source.

Three Situations Where Even An Accomplished Person Can Get Frustrated

“O lord, we know that when you simply move your eyebrows, all the commanders of the various planets are most afraid. Without the help of any assistant, you have conquered all the three worlds. Therefore, we do not find any reason for you to be morose and full of anxiety. As for Prahlada, he is nothing but a child and cannot be a cause of anxiety. After all, his bad or good qualities have no value.” (Shanda and Amarka speaking to Hiranyakashipu, Shrimad Bhagavatam, 7.5.49)

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जितं त्वयैकेन जगत्-त्रयं भ्रुवोर्
विजृम्भण-त्रस्त-समस्त-धिष्ण्यपम्
न तस्य चिन्त्यं तव नाथ चक्ष्वहे
न वै शिशूनां गुण-दोषयोः पदम्

jitaṁ tvayaikena jagat-trayaṁ bhruvor
vijṛmbhaṇa-trasta-samasta-dhiṣṇyapam
na tasya cintyaṁ tava nātha cakṣvahe
na vai śiśūnāṁ guṇa-doṣayoḥ padam

An accomplished individual even under the analysis of the greatest skeptic. King of the world. Everyone under his control. The subordinates walking in fear. The slightest misstep, the wrong word spoken at an inappropriate time, and the master ruler might hand down the stiffest punishment. Better to tread lightly. Play the prevent defense, in hopes of avoiding careless mistakes.

Such a personality can still find frustration, to the point of wanting to escape from their present way of life. Though they hold so much power, in certain areas they can be rendered completely helpless.

1. Putting together furniture

Haul that heavy box up several flights of stairs. Inside is furniture, but not yet assembled. That is your job. You think that having to lift the item is enough work for the day. Sufficiently tired and procrastination kicking in, you are ready to rest until the time is right.

When you eventually get started, it is one frustration after another. Locate the individual parts. Try to read the instruction manual, which is in multiple languages. It says to insert one screw this way and another screw that way. But every time you try, the first screw falls out. You are so frustrated that you end up punching the nearby wall with your fist.

How do people do this, you ask. There has to be a better way. After all is said and done, you complete the assembly. You think it is done correctly, but you can’t be sure. You vow to never again take on such work. “I will hire someone next time.”

2. Getting a car to start

Ready for a long weekend road trip, the journey gets off to an inauspicious start. On one of the side streets, near a stoplight, the car starts to sputter. You pull over and notice that it simply won’t start up again. Something is obviously wrong.

You’ve seen other people open up the hood in the front to examine further. The issue is that you don’t know how to do that. You search for a few minutes until you finally find the latch. Pulling the lever works, but of course the hood does not open fully. This is not like the trunk. You have to step out to complete the process.

There is a spot in the front where you have to press down in order to get the hood to release. You can’t seem to find it. You have never done this before. Luckily, someone is there to help. They open the hood in no time.

That is just the first step. Now you have to figure out what is wrong. You are not experienced in this area. You usually take the car into a repair shop for maintenance. How are you going to get it started? The only option is to call someone to arrive and examine further.

3. Childcare

You are this big personality in the outside world, but in the home you are nothing. The child runs over you. They pull at your hair. They scratch your face. They never listen to your warnings to avoid this area and that.

To top things off, they cry when the mother is not around. You try everything in your power to get them to stop crying, but nothing works. You wonder how anyone is able to survive with children in the home. Perhaps it would be better to run away, to escape from the pressing responsibilities.

…

King Hiranyakashipu was tremendously frustrated, to the point of feeling morose, but he actually didn’t have any difficult work. He was the ruler of the entire world, with even the demigods in fear of him. There were boons to sufficiently protect; no enemy could mount a successful sneak attack.

Yet he had to get a pep talk one time from the royal teachers, Shanda and Amarka. They tried to lift up his spirits. The king was feeling down because his five-year-old son could not be killed. Hiranyakashipu wanted Prahlada dead due to the devotion shown to Vishnu, who is the Supreme Lord.

The father was more than an atheist. He wanted no sign of genuine religion anywhere near him. Prahlada quietly meditated, but when asked about goals in life and the purpose to living, he was not shy. He shared the wisdom of the ages whenever questioned.

This was unacceptable insolence from someone within the family. Hiranyakashipu could not allow it. The problem was that Prahlada survived every subsequent attack made against him. Nothing could kill him. The king was dumbstruck. He didn’t know what to do.

In truth, every person meets such frustration eventually. If we were God, we would always get what we want. Anytime there is a denial in terms of fulfilling a desire, the event should serve as a reminder of the all-powerful nature of the Supreme Lord.

Vishnu can share some of His amazing potency with those who are devoted to Him. It was through Vishnu’s protection that Prahlada survived, and the same Vishnu would succeed in eliminating the consistent and persistent danger to the world that was Hiranyakashipu.

In Closing:

Of successful ideal illustration,

But not immune from frustration.

Though over entire world the king,

For killing son not working a thing.

Immature at five years old,

Surviving attacks untold.

Vishnu the strength Prahlada’s source,

Arriving for father in due course.

Four Reasons Hiranyakashipu Should Not Have Been Morose

“Thinking in this way, the King of the Daityas, morose and bereft of bodily luster, remained silent with his face downward. Then Shanda and Amarka, the two sons of Shukracharya, spoke to him in secret.” (Shrimad Bhagavatam, 7.5.48)

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इति तच्-चिन्तया किञ्चिन्
म्लान-श्रियम् अधो-मुखम्
शण्डामर्काव् औशनसौ
विविक्त इति होचतुः

iti tac-cintayā kiñcin
mlāna-śriyam adho-mukham
śaṇḍāmarkāv auśanasau
vivikta iti hocatuḥ

He was full of anxiety. The face of the king of the Daityas remained down. It was something like the player in tennis showing everyone his depression over having squandered many opportunities to win the previous set. The coaches give a reminder to remain optimistic, to hold the head up high. The obvious signs of sadness give hope to the opponent, encouraging them that they are doing well and on the path to victory.

An outside observer is puzzled by the situation. Hiranyakashipu had many reasons to feel the opposite way. Rather than be morose, he should have been jumping for joy on a daily basis for the many blessings that came his way.

1. He had previously met Lord Brahma

Deep down the individual understands that there is more to this world. Nature did not simply arrive through a collision of chemicals. Maybe chemicals react in a certain way to create objects and substances, but there is always an instigator. Cause and effect. That which is seen had to be created through an actor. Shri Lakshmana confirms this principle in the Ramayana.

अदृष्टगुणदोषाणामध्रुवाणां तु कर्मणाम्
नान्तरेण क्रियां तेषां फलमिष्टं प्रवर्तते

adṛṣṭaguṇadoṣāṇāmadhruvāṇāṃ tu karmaṇām
nāntareṇa kriyāṃ teṣāṃ phalamiṣṭaṃ pravartate

“Unseen and indefinite are the good and bad reactions of fruitive work. And without taking action, the desired fruits of such work cannot manifest.” (Lakshmana speaking to Lord Rama, Valmiki Ramayana, Aranya Kand, 66.17)

Imagine if you could receive confirmation on the creation of this universe. The Vedas explain that at the origin is the Supreme Lord. One way to understand God is to conceive of the concept of the beginning of time and prior to that. Adi and anadi. There is an original time period and there is also the lack of an origin. Both definitions apply to God, who is also known as Vishnu.

Vishnu then empowers people to create. His hands do not get dirty, so to speak, because it is not necessary. Why not put exalted people in charge, who will feel uplifted through some dedicated service? The creator is Lord Brahma, who is also known as the first living entity. He is svayambhu, or one who is self-born. He does not have the typical set of mother and father. Brahma emerges from the lotus stem that grows from the lotus-like navel of Padmanabha, which is another name for Vishnu.

A person may be skeptical in this area:

“Oh, those are just stories meant to give people a stronger belief in God. It is said that Brahma has four heads and uses the three main ingredients of goodness, passion and ignorance to create. That is nice in theory, but no one actually believes this to be possible. Vedic teachings are meant to be understood allegorically.”

Imagine if you received visual confirmation. Hiranyakashipu underwent severe austerities, to the point of getting the attention of Brahma. Not only did Brahma arrive, he was ready to hand out rewards. Hiranyakashipu should have been thrilled over this rare achievement.

2. He received the blessings of the creator

Brahma gave visual confirmation of his existence to someone conducting austerities. He was prepared to grant anything asked for, up to the barrier of immortality. Hiranyakashipu took full advantage. He asked for every protection he could think of, i.e. de facto immortality. Brahma did not deny any of the requests.

If the average person were to receive such protections, it would take tremendous stress out of the daily existence. No having to worry about dying during the day or night. No human being or animal could successfully attack you. Defense is one of the four basic animalistic tendencies, and if that is accounted for without issue there is not as much to worry over.

3. He was king of the world

Hiranyakashipu, of course, took full advantage of those boons. If he were unbeatable in battle, why not challenge the strongest? Why not occupy a foreign territory? Why not make rivals run away in fear, possibly taking disguises so as to not be further recognized?

Hiranyakashipu should have been thrilled to become king of the world. Anything he wanted, at any time, with everyone at his service. No worry about the future of the company. No attention paid to profit and loss. Enough food and wine to consume for many lifetimes.

4. He had the most saintly son

To that king of the demon-race, the Daityas, arrived a true saint. It was in the very home, the same family. Prahlada was one of Hiranyakashipu’s sons, and he happened to be a pure devotee of Vishnu, from the time of birth.

In truth, this was the most valuable benediction the king received. All the money in the world cannot compare to a moment’s association with someone carrying the wisdom of the ages, the timeless teachings and traditions of the Vedic culture.

Hiranyakashipu was even fortunate enough to hear some of these teachings, directly from the son. The child was not shy in sharing. He was ready to liberate the father through a hoped-for turn in the right direction, away from atheism and towards the Divine light.

In spite of these many blessings, Hiranyakashipu was still morose. This sadness was especially prominent after having failed to kill the five-year-old Prahlada. There were multiple attempts, for sure. The king could not believe that the son survived. The teachers within the royal family tried to lift up his spirits, to make the negative not seem so bad.

From that king’s disposition we see that material life is never enough. All the money in the world will not make a person happy. Neither will supposed protection from death, as complete immunity from the attacking forces in this world is impossible. Just one percent mortality is enough for kala to strike.

The son, on the other hand, hardly had anything. There were people persecuting him on a regular basis. Who would actually want to be his friend after hearing the teachings against the ways of royal acquisition? Who would want to live somewhere that you are not welcome?

Yet since he was connected in yoga, there was complete peace. He considered it the greatest blessing to be able to remember the Supreme Lord on a daily basis, which is actually possible for every person through the maha-mantra: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

In Closing:

After attempts of outcome bad,

King Hiranyakashipu sad.

Though happy should be,

Since the creator to see.

And amazing boons to receive,

Of power never to conceive.

Son persecuted on other side,

But always in peace to reside.