Prahlad, the puranas and spiritual adversity

Hari Om,

As mentioned in previous posts, I have taken a career break from medical practice for four months to travel in India with my husband to undertake a pilgrimage and spend time with family.

I am currently reading a copy of the Vishnu Purana which was given to me by my father as a wedding gift in July this year. I did the online "Introduction to Puranas" course run by the Oxford University Hindu Studies department earlier this year. It consists of a series of very nice talks given by Dr Nicholas Sutton who is a Sanskrit scholar - he speaks in a very lively manner and explains some very interesting points about the puranas. He also discusses the common misconception that the puranas are for child-like people with poor intellects who are not fit to read lofty spiritual books such as the Upanisads.

He points out that this is a serious misunderstanding- because the characters in the puranas often make speeches that are of profound spiritual content of similar nature to those made in the Upanisads and other lofty spiritual texts. So to dismiss the puranas as child's play is a tragic error.

Like many children growing up in India these days, I learned very little about the puranas. While my grand-parents on my paternal side were very devout people, as were my great-grandparents on both sides- most of them had passed away by the time I was a child and so I was not able to learn anything of these subjects from them. My own parents, like many others in their generation, have largely rejected the ancient spirituality of India in exchange for entirely scientific rational virtually atheistic thought. So there was very little spiritual input in my upbringing. Fortunately, my father in his old age, has re-discovered a love for the spirituality that he was taught as a child, and I enjoy discussing books like the Gita with him- but sadly, even he is conditioned to look down upon the puranas as mere children's tales.

So this course was the first real introduction I had to the puranas. Imagine- an Indian person, born and raised in India, learning about the greatness of the puranas from an Englishman. It is very commendable that western scholars have taken such an interest in these ancient subjects. And it is really sad that most Indians have spurned and rejected their own culure. Certainly the caste-system and other prejudiced practices that have nothing to do with Advaita Vedanta (which views everything as God, so there is no question of superiority or inferiority), have made people of little understanding reject the good along with the bad. To reject meditation and yoga (which have so much to offer humanity in terms of mental peace and physical welfare) along with foolish and ignorant social customs such as the caste system is like throwing out the baby with the bath water. One hopes that in the future, Indians will once again embrace the timeless spiritual practices that help us live harmoniously with one another and with all of nature, and that show the way to attainment of the highest spiritual knowledge.

Coming back to the Vishnu purana, I have nearly finished reading the first book out of six (it consists of six books in total). At the end of the first book, is the story of the great child devotee of Vishnu called Prahlad. The story was familiar to me, but it was wonderful to read Prahlad's speeches. He makes sublime speeches on the nature of reality, the suffering in the the universe, the solution to the suffering, the path of spirituality, on devotion to God. He also makes some beautiful speeches in praise of Vishnu.

The most extraordinary thing, is that he is surrounded by spirtual adversity in every possible way. I can't think of too many spiritual characters who faced such great and horrendous adversity at every step in their life (no friends at all!). The people he lives with dislike God and spirituality- not only this, they do not follow a live and let live policy. They insist that nobody else should like God and spirituality either- so they give Prahlad a very nasty time (to put it mildly!). They try to burn him, poison him, bury him under rocks and lots more- basically try their best to hurt and kill him in every posisble way.

Prahlad however remains smilingly unperturbed by their efforts as he sees his beloved God Vishnu in these people who see him as their enemy. As a result he feels great affection for these individuals attempting to kill him. As his mind is perpetually thinking on God, and as he feels himself to be the eternal blissful soul that is one with God, not the temporary body, he feels not the slightest pain or disturbance when his enemies try to destroy his body. He calmly bears with all their attacks without resisting in any way, while keeping his mind steadily at the feet of God.  He also asks God to forgive and bless these people trying to kill him. What a brilliant devotee.

 His example is a good one for those of us who have some interest in spirituality who often feel a sense of despair at being surrounded by intensely materialistic people and places. Sometimes I wonder, how I can progress in the spiritual path- as not only do I have to deal with my own lower materialistic nature, but I have to stop it being strengthened by the materialistic people all around me! Yes it is true that these materialistic people are all manifestations of God, but they do not help one on the spiritual path. God himself says that company of sadhus and saints (satsang) is essential for progress on the spirtual path. To have some satsang, I am planning to visit Ashrams in both North and South India next month and again in January. However, I have found Prahlad's example extremely inspiring.

I have been feeling a bit lost at times lately. Although I am very fortunate to have loving family and friends, nobody I know personally is interested in japa and God rememberance in the way I am. I believe everyone is doing what is right for them at any point in time. Some are doing no spiritual activities, others are doing different types of spiritual activities. I firmly believe we are all where we are meant to be, where the Universe wants us to be. But the long and short of it, is that I feel a bit alone on my quest to attain God through japa, and in the pursuit of constant remembrance of God. No doubt there are other people who are also following a similar path to me, but I do not know any of them personally! While I do not feel the need to discuss every detail of my spiritual life with others, I do sometimes wish I had one or two close spiritually minded friends who are as obsessed with japa and trying to attain constant God remembrance as I am. I feel this would help me on the spiritual path.

Anyway Prahlad's example makes me feel that it is quite possible to attain God even when one is surrounded by adverse circumstances.  The poor boy was surrounded by terrible asuras, I am only surrounded by confused materialistic human beings who at least do not want to kill me because I worship Vishnu! I have to deal with my internal asuras yes, but at least not too many external asuras!

Life is quite tricky- sometimes I do feel fed up of its inane nature. People talk constantly about what to wear, what to eat, when to eat, what to buy, where to go- almost never do you hear about God in ordinary conversation. To meet people interested in God one has to take oneself miles away to an Ashram, and even there one is not always lucky. There are some people in ashrams who are very genuine, but some are not really interested in attaining God and are simply there for other reasons. So all in all, one feels mostly alone in this search. Sometimes I wish people like Swami Sivananda and Chidananda, Prahlad and others would come back to human existence and I could spend time with them. They are the people like whom I would like to become. Their sayings and writings are close to my heart.

Anyway things are as they are meant to be. I am aiming to finish reading the Vishnu purana by the end of February if not sooner. In the meantime, my second purascharana continues at a slow and steady pace-  I am doing a mere 7 malas a day which takes just over half an hour, but it has been tricky to do more at present to due family engagements this month in India. Instead of sitting for longer sessions currently, I try to remember God and repeat my mantra as often as possible during the day, and also am keeping up the manasik puja to an extent. I am getting to the half way point of this purascharana. I just want to enjoy doing it- am not keen to finish in a hurry, I like the idea of doing it slowly and steadily for now. I will have more time for japa in December when we visit an ashram and do a pilgrimage of temples in Tamil Nadu.

I just want to add a note of thanks to the readers of this blog, particularly those who are also fellow japa yogis. Thank you for your comments about your own practice on the purascharana page, for your advice on my practice and other general observations. You have encouraged and inspired me. It helps to know there are others also stolidly marching along on this long and sometimes weary journey to God. In a strange way, you provide me company on my own path, and I thank you for that.

Hari Om Tat Sat. Lokah Samastah Sukhino Bhavantu. May all beings be happy.