Slokam 2

Hiranyakashipu knows his limitations.  He knows that unless he is vested with extraordinary powers,  he will not be able to “avenge” Hiranyaksha’s death. He, like all the other demonic beings, first performs intense tapas to ask for the required powers to be vested in him.  This is the curious contradiction in the psyche of most of us.  It is implied that Hiranyakashipu is fully aware of the supreme.  He is also aware of his own fallibility and weaknesses.  So he wants to acquire extraordinary powers by invoking Brahma and Shiva to bestow boons on him. He surely knows that Brahma and Shiva are various forms of the Paramathma.  So essentially,  he is invoking the Paramathma so that he will be endowed with strength and qualities to destroy the Paramathma. 

When Indira requests the bones of saint Dadhichi,  to make the weapons with which to fight the demonic Vritasura he knows that Dadhici will have to give up his earthly life and earth will lose benefits of his penance.  But Indira is keen to protect himself. Indira knows that saint Dadhichi is completely selfless and will go to extreme extent to grant any request that will benefit those that approach him with a request.   Likewise,  Hiranyakashipu invokes the very Supreme so that he can destroy them and be the unchallenged ruler of all the worlds.

Coming to our own situation in life,  we attempt to invoke the supreme only when we are in difficulties.  We never think of the Paramathma when everything is going well. When we are happy, the Paramathma never comes into our picture. Kanchi Mahaperiyavva used to say that the spiritual path is sought only by those in misery. 

We invoke the Paramathma only for the purpose of fulfilling worldly desires. This is the very opposite of what our objective should be in pursuing the spiritual path. When we are difficulty, we seek peace.  When there is peace,  we seek the experience of worldly pleasure and get into immense problems.  Then the cycle repeats all over again.  If we are able invoke the Paramathma when peace reigns,  and gain His constant presence in our consciousness,  we would have embarked on the correct path. 

When we are in difficulty, we invoke the Paramathma’s help.  When the difficulty is gone, we also get rid of the Paramathma from our consciousness.  This is why Kunti Devi, in the Mahabharatha,  tells the Paramathma that she wants her life to be full of difficulties, so that she never has to be away from Him.  

Hiranyakashipu has the intelligence to invoke the supreme. However,  his innate demonic nature, that believes in His own supremacy,  thinks that once the Paramathma is vanquished,  his own supremacy will ensure the sustenance of this universe over which he will have unmitigated authority.

Our mind believes exactly the same thing as Hiranyashipu.  We believe that once our problems are gone, we don’t need anyone, including the supreme authority,  and we are free to exercise our will. Everytime this cycle repeats,  our problems deepen,  and we take birth in lower and lower forms of existence.

Hiranyakshipu performs intense austerity spread over a 1000 years. It is mentioned quite frequently in the Puranas that whenever intense meditation is performed, it causes the occupants of deva loka and higher to be disturbed. The intensity of the penance causes the occupants of deva loka to be perturbed,  as well as puts them in danger of being harmed by the intensity of the energy emanating from the performer of the tapas.   So intense meditation is characterized as having a physical impact that makes the residents of deva loka fearful of being harmed. 

They approach Brahma to intervene in the matter, because he is the one, along with Shiva Perumal, that can grant boons to quell the desire of the tapasvee. Any tapas is to be performed with no desires except to attain moksham.  Any tapas performed to gain worldly desires can be released only by the grant of the desire. 

To re-phrase in simple terms, the intensity of the tapas actually transforms the tapasvee.  The transformation is the boon. Tapas is a powerful tool.  In fact tapas or in its milder version – meditation is the recommended route for everyone to reach an elevated existence.

Hiranyakaship attempts to obtain a boon of indestructability or more importantly, immortality, so that he cannot be killed by anyone including the Paramathma.  Brahma declines the immortality boon since, as he says, he himself has not been endowed with that capability.

So Hiranyakashipu breaks down that request into smaller components, by which he eliminates the modes and forms by which he can be killed.  He specifies that he should not be killed by, man or beast, during day or night, indoors or outdoors, etc.  His attempt is to completely exclude all physical means by which he can be destroyed.  He is granted a boon with multiple exclusions attached.  After granting such an elaborate boon,  Brahma fears that the power enamored Hiranyakashipu can do great damage to the worlds. 

The success of tapas is based on being able to completely eliminate the ego within. In Hiranyakashipu’s case,  as soon as the boon is granted, he reverts to his earlier bombastic self and becomes completely egoistic.  An empowered Hiranyakshipu,  then goes about mercilessly destroying and plundering.  It is said in the slokam that he robbed even Indira off his heavenly kingdom. The intent of Hiranyakashipu was to only subvert the authority of the Paramathma.

Hiranyakashipu’s modus operandi is very similar to the modern politician, who puts up all kinds of pretentions and facades only for the purpose of winning elections. Once that fructifies,  all plans for the welfare of the people is thrown to the winds and unmitigated looting of public money is resorted to.

A politician’s term runs out in five years,  so he has to recycle his act.  In Hiranyakshipu’s case, the boon is permanent. 

May our tapas be aimed only attaining oneness with the Paramathma