The Source of Strength and Power
In this world, everyone is trying to become powerful. They are trying to become strong by various ways and means. For example, a businessman gets his strength from prosperity of his business and growing his assets, A intellectual gets his strength by gaining more knowledge etc. So, basically there are three types of strength – The physical, Mental and Spiritual. The physical strength which includes bodybuilding, fitness, stamina which can go off in a moment i,e if the person gets a disease, becomes sick etc. The mental strength is considered superior to the physical because, even though a person becomes sick, he can sustain for a considerable period of time by his mental strength. Actually a person who might be weak physically, but with a strong mind can either cause a greater harm or good to the society by his actions. But, even this has limitations and can go off in a moment. What if the mentally strong person gets into some unfortunate situations like, relationship problems that can be sustained to only certain threshold. The third strength – Spiritual is the most powerful and superior the physical and mental strengths. Because, here the finite or Atomic Soul is connecting and deriving the strength from the infinitely powerful God, the Supreme Person called as Bhagavan.Bhaga actually means six kinds of opulences in full: the richest, the most powerful, the wisest, the most beautiful, and the most influential, and the most renounced at the same time.
Personally, I get lot of inspiration and strength by trying to connect myself to the Supreme God, through prayers and chanting of Hare Krishna Mantra and from reading these amazing verses and pastimes from Srimad Bhagavatham and Bhagavadgita.
Infact, this source of strength was nicely explained by Prahlad Maharaj in Srimad Bhagavatham to his most powerful, demoniac father Hiranyakasipu who was considered to be the greatest, most powerful demon, who tried to kill the little five year old boy with all the possible means like, throwing him from the top of a mountain, into the fire, locking him in a room with poisonous snakes, trampled by elephants, thrown into a boiling oil etc and all his attempts resulted in total failure.He could not kill the small boy by any of the means he adopted.
Finally, exasperated and shaking with anger questions the young Prahlad, the source of his strength.And, the young Prahlad answers his demoniac father as below,
“sri-prahlada uvaca
na kevalam me bhavatas ca rajan
sa vai balam balinam caparesham
pare ‘vare ‘mi sthira-jangama ye
brahmadayo yena vasam pranitah
Prahlada Maharaja said: My dear King, the source of my strength, of which you are asking, is also the source of yours. Indeed, the original source of all kinds of strength is one. He is not only your strength or mine, but the only strength for everyone. Without Him, no one can get any strength. Whether moving or not moving, superior or inferior, everyone, including Lord Brahma, is controlled by the strength of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is the supreme controller and time factor, is the power of the senses, the power of the mind, the power of the body, and the vital force of the senses. His influence is unlimited. He is the best of all living entities, the controller of the three modes of material nature. By His own power, He creates this cosmic manifestation, maintains it and annihilates it also.
(Srimad Bhagavatam,Canto 7: The Science of God,Chapter 8: Lord Nrisimhadeva Slays the King of the Demons, Verse 7 & 8 Translation by Srila Prabhupad).”
