Sharanagati

(continues from the previous Friday) 

The story of Nrisimhadev supports the opinion of the Bhagavad Gita that we quoted before: “To protect the pious and to punish to miscreants.”[1] Prahlada was protected all the time. He was so much surrendered to the Supreme that he fully enjoyed His protection, although he is considered to be an authority in shanta-rasa – the neutral connection. He is very faithful, but he doesn’t really show any activities – only prayers and rendering himself under the divine protection. That is enough to be saved from life danger! That is very important. Only prayers are enough to protect you from the greatest dangers.

This is the vision about Lord Nrisimha – He is there everywhere: inside, outside, in my heart, wherever I look I see Him. As a protector deity He is very famous and very much worshipped all over in India and in the world also. So, whenever there is a need for protection, He can provide.

Question of Kriphadham: Why Brahma, whom we are supposed to know as a positive hero, is somehow always in shastras giving blessings to some demons so that they can do some demoniac things? For sure he knows what’s going to happen. Is he doing this from fatherly love?

Swami Tirtha: Somebody has to satisfy the desires of the demons also. But you know, in these great, evolving stories, everybody has to fulfill a certain role. It looks like that Hiranyakashipu could force Brahma to give him blessings. But actually Brahma was delivering blessings to liberate Hiranyakashipu. Because this birth for Hiranyakashipu was like a curse on him. And in order to liberate him from this curse, he had to receive these blessings, so that only Vishnu could finish with him. So, this is actually not the power of the demon over one of the greatest demigods, but this is the divine mercy trying to arrange a quick liberation for even those who are in a bad shape. And therefore Brahma takes a very positive role. Because by giving these different types of blessings he just helps the things happen.

Does it mean that we should do penance and ask blessings from Brahma? It works, but I don’t know for how long you would be able to stand on one leg with raised hands to feed the termites. So, if we cannot do that, better we go to the ultimate distributor of benediction. This is Krishna. In the Gita it is said that ultimately all blessings are coming from Him; maybe sometimes they are delivered through different agents. But be smart. By obtaining Him we can obtain everything, by knowing Him we can know everything. So, Brahma’s acts are always favorable. And whenever his power is blocked or limited by certain circumstances, he goes and prays to Vishnu, his Superior. This is the way, this is the method. If our power is limited in one sense, then we should go to our superiors and ask for more blessings.

Question of Kriphadham: As Brahma is responsible for the energy of creation, the material creation, my question is in connection with the things which are happening on the material plane. Practically we are doing some penances to get a material result. Is there some kind of parallel with this story of the demon? Is there a parallel of what we are doing and what happened to Hiranyakashipu?

Swami Tirtha: Well, I hope there is no parallel. Because we also do some penance – but what is the difference? When Hiranyakashipu did the penance, it was very severe – you know, to circulate your prana in your skeleton is very austere. But as soon as he got the blessings what was his desire? “Give me power, give me satisfaction! Give me everything! Give me eternal life!“ So, demoniac mentality means: ‘I do the penance, I do some spiritual practice, but when I accomplish that I want to do something else.’ What is the penance of a vaishnava? He also practices spiritual things, follows spiritual practices, but when he is accomplished, his desire is to continue with the service. So, this is the big difference. Tapasya for the sake of enjoyment – this is the demoniac way. The devotional way is: enjoyment for the sake of enjoyment.

Yamuna: Renunciation for the sake of renunciation?

Swami Tirtha: No, enjoyment for the sake of enjoyment. Because you are happy if you can serve God. It’s a happy process. And when you accomplish your sadhana, you will achieve your goal and again more happiness is waiting for you. This is the divine practice, this is the divine tapasya.

So, I wish all good success for all of you in practice of this divine tapasya. Be happy now and be happy later – in a spiritual sense.

[1] Bhagavad Gita 4.8