Swami Shivapadananda on the power of early developmental ‘imprinting’
SWAMI SHIVAPADANANDA
DAILY READINGS
From Mother Radha's recordings of Swamiji
Day 522
[Pictured: Sri Sarada Devi's home at Jayrambati (centre) where she lived for much of her life.]
Swamiji continues speaking on Prahlada
No matter how hard Hiranyakasipu [Prahlada's evil father] tried to destroy the shape and form of dharma with adharma, dharma came up again and again in Prahlada. Instead of thinking of finite things, i.e. the things of the world, of kingdom, position and name, Prahlada always thought about the Omnipresent, Omniscient, Omnipotent Lord, Maha Vishnu. Later, after Prahlada had killed Hiranyakasipu, he had the darshan vision of Maha Vishnu as Vishnu, who appeared as a finite form.
The main thing here is to see that no matter how much Hiranyakasipu tried to change Prahlada's first impressions, they could never be destroyed. We learn from this that, besides being taught as youths, our children should also be thought of when they are in their mother's tummy. Their real mother, the Divine Mother, desires the good, not only of the child, but of society, country and universe. If we do this then the child starts off thinking the highest thoughts, thoughts of gods and goddesses.
These thoughts of gods and goddesses, the loving japa [concentrated repetition of a mantra or God's names] the loving fasts, the loving offerings, form certain impressions in the child's mind whilst the child is still in the mother's womb. This adds to and strengthens the good samskaras from previous births.
Once this child is born these good impressions are further strengthened by being put to sleep whilst hearing godly songs, songs of the great heroes of the religions of the world – especially those of your own culture. Who can change a child like that? Not even a Hiranyakasipu.
Can you imagine the threat of a king, a king of evil, to his son? The father threatened Prahlada with all his evil weapons but one wonderful thing had happened: Prahlada had been taught to see God in everything. An evil man sees fire as fire that burns, but Prahlada saw fire as God. That which was fire and poison to Hiranyakasipu, the same thing transformed itself into a blessing, into an aspect of Maha Vishnu, to Prahlada. From this point of view, we say that if you think of sin you have become a sinner and sin will affect you. If you think of good you will become good; and good will bless you. If you have good within, you will see good without. If you are bad within you will see bad without.
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