What Did Prahlada Learn at Gurukula?
It is said:
अन्यानि शास्त्राणि विनोदमात्रं प्राप्तेषु कालेषु न तैश्च किंचित् |
चिकित्सतज्ज्योतिषमन्त्रवादाः पदेपदे प्रत्ययमावहन्ति
All other shastras are only for fun, for passing time. They can’t help in times of trouble. Only three shastras — Ayurveda, Astrology, and Mantra Shastra — are useful at every step of life.
This is how astrology is useful for a spiritually oriented person — to know how karma works, to know what all he has done in the past, and how he is trapped in this net of cause and effect. It need not only be used for stuff like — How soon will I become rich? How many houses will I have? When will I get married? How many children will I have? Will I win this election or not?
Your own horoscope is a big learning experience, in a totally different plane. If you have understood your horoscope in this sense, then probably there is nothing more you need to learn. You are already learned. Your horoscope — or for that matter anyone’s — is the most precise treatise on how the universe works.
So Prahlada tells his father:
सोऽहं न पापमिच्छामि न करोमि न वदामि वा
चिन्तयन् सर्वभूतस्थमात्मन्यपि च केशवम्
I know that it is Keshava who is in myself and all other beings. Having known that, I don’t want to sin — either by thought, or by words, or by deed.
शारीरं मानसं वाग्जं दैवं भूतभवं यथा
सर्वत्र समचित्तस्य तस्य मे जायते कुतः
With this equanimity, I neither commit sins nor acquire their consequences, whatever be their nature — manasam, vagjam, shareerajam, daivam or bhutabhaavam.
साम चोपप्रदानं च भेददण्डौ तथापरौ
उपायाः कथिता ह्येते मित्रादीनां च साधने
There are four upayas or strategies taught to the royals, the Kshatriyas. They are called Chaturupayas: Sama, Dana, Bheda, Danda.
This says how to solve a situation. You have to face a rival. Say you are being challenged or attacked.
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Sama – conciliation, talk to him, make him your friend, convince him.
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Dana – buy peace, buy friendship, give him what he wants without compromising your position.
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Bheda – divide, alienate his support, take away his allies, divide his camp.
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Danda – punish, destroy.
Prahlada says:
तानेवाहं न पश्यामि मित्रादींस्तात मा क्रुधः
साध्याभावे महाबाहो साधनैः किं प्रयोजनम्
I can’t find anyone on whom I need to employ these strategies. What use are these strategies to me? Whom will I apply these on? I don’t have enemies. I don’t have rivals. Saadhyaabhaave saadhanaih kim prayojanam — when there is no goal to be achieved, what use are the tools?
सर्वभूतात्मके तात जगन्नाथे जगन्मये
परमात्मनि गोविन्दे मित्रामित्रकथा कुतः
When everything is Sri Hari Himself, everyone is Sri Hari Himself, where is the question of a friend or enemy?
जडानामविवेकानामशूराणामपि प्रभो
भाग्यभोग्यानि राज्यानि सन्त्यनीतिमतामपि
तस्माद्यतेत पुण्येषु न इच्छेन्महतीं श्रियम्
यतितव्यं समत्वे च निर्वाणमपि चेच्छता
Fortunes are possessed by fools, the dumb, wicked, and cowards. Quality of the person is not a criterion for riches or prosperity. What is real shree, aishwarya, nishreyas as it is called — where every kind of prosperity is contained — that is moksha. The ultimate in fortunes. This is what you should strive for. And for that, you have to develop equanimity.
देवा मनुष्याः पशवः पक्षिवृक्षसरीसृपाः
रूपमेतदनन्तस्य विष्णोर्भिन्नमिव स्थितम्
Apparently, they look different — gods, men, animals, birds, reptiles — but in fact, they are only different forms of the endless, infinite Sri Hari.
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Vishnu Sahasranama
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