Chapter Six
Prahlada Instructs His Demoniac Schoolmates
This chapter describes Prahlada Maharaja's instructions to his class friends. In speaking to his friends, who were all sons of demons, Prahlada Maharaja stressed that every living entity, especially in human society, must be interested in spiritual realization from the very beginning of life. When human beings are children, they should be taught that the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the worshipable Deity for everyone. One should not be very much interested in material enjoyment; instead, one should be satisfied with whatever material profits are easily obtainable, and because the duration of one's life is very short, one should utilize every moment for spiritual advancement. One may wrongly think, "In the beginning of our lives let us enjoy material facilities, and in old age we may become Krsna conscious." Such materialistic thoughts are always useless because in old age one cannot be trained in the spiritual way of life. Therefore, from the very beginning of life, one should engage in devotional service (sravanam kirtanam visnoh). This is the duty of all living entities. Material education is infected by the three modes of nature, but spiritual education, for which there is a great need in human society, is transcendental. Prahlada Maharaja disclosed the secret of how he had received instructions from Narada Muni. By accepting the lotus feet of Prahlada Maharaja, who is in the parampara succession, one will be able to understand the mode of spiritual life. In accepting this mode of activity, there is no need for material qualifications.
After Prahlada Maharaja's class friends had listened to Prahlada Maharaja, they inquired how he had become so learned and advanced. In this way the chapter ends.
TEXT 1
TEXT
sri-prahrada uvaca
kaumara acaret prajno
dharman bhagavatan iha
durlabham manusam janma
tad apy adhruvam arthadam
SYNONYMS
sri-prahradah uvaca--Prahlada Maharaja said; kaumarah--in the tender age of childhood; acaret--should practice; prajnah--one who is intelligent; dharman--occupational duties; bhagavatan--which are devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead; iha--in this life; durlabham--very rarely obtained; manusam--human; janma--birth; tat--that; api--even; adhruvam--impermanent, temporary; artha-dam--full of meaning.
TRANSLATION
Prahlada Maharaja said: One who is sufficiently intelligent should use the human form of body from the very beginning of life--in other words, from the tender age of childhood--to practice the activities of devotional service, giving up all other engagements. The human body is most rarely achieved, and although temporary like other bodies, it is meaningful because in human life one can perform devotional service. Even a slight amount of sincere devotional service can give one complete perfection.
PURPORT
The whole purpose of Vedic civilization and of reading the Vedas is to attain the perfect stage of devotional service in the human form of life. According to the Vedic system, therefore, from the very beginning of life the brahmacarya system is introduced so that from one's very childhood--from the age of five years--one can practice modifying one's human activities so as to engage perfectly in devotional service. As confirmed in Bhagavad-gita (2.40), svalpam apy asya dharmasya trayate mahato bhayat: "Even a little advancement on this path can protect one from the most dangerous type of fear." Modern civilization, not referring to the verdicts of Vedic literature, is so cruel to the members of human society that instead of teaching children to become brahmacaris, it teaches mothers to kill their children even in the womb, on the plea of curbing the increase of population. And if by chance a child is saved, he is educated only for sense gratification. Gradually, throughout the entire world, human society is losing interest in the perfection of life. Indeed, men are living like cats and dogs, spoiling the duration of their human lives by actually preparing to transmigrate again to the degraded species among the 8,400,000 forms of life. The Krsna consciousness movement is anxious to serve human society by teaching people to perform devotional service, which can save a human being from being degraded again to animal life. As already stated by Prahlada Maharaja, bhagavata-dharma consists of sravanam kirtanam visnoh smaranam pada-sevanam. arcanam vandanam dasyam sakhyam atma-nivedanam. In all the schools, colleges and universities, and at home, all children and youths should be taught to hear about the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In other words, they should be taught to hear the instructions of Bhagavad-gita, to put them into practice in their lives, and thus to become strong in devotional service, free from fear of being degraded to animal life. Following bhagavata-dharma has been made extremely easy in this age of Kali. The sastra says:
harer nama harer nama
harer namaiva kevalam
kalau nasty eva nasty eva
nasty eva gatir anyatha
One need only chant the Hare Krsna maha-mantra. Everyone engaged in the practice of chanting the Hare Krsna maha-mantra will be completely cleansed, from the core of his heart, and be saved from the cycle of birth and death.
TEXT 2
TEXT
yatha hi purusasyeha
visnoh padopasarpanam
yad esa sarva-bhutanam
priya atmesvarah suhrt
SYNONYMS
yatha--in order that; hi--indeed; purusasya--of a living entity; iha--here; visnoh--of Lord Visnu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead; pada-upasarpanam--approaching the lotus feet; yat--because; esah--this; sarva-bhutanam--of all living entities; priyah--the dear one; atma-isvarah--the master of the soul, the Supersoul; suhrt--the best well-wisher and friend.
TRANSLATION
The human form of life affords one a chance to return home, back to Godhead. Therefore every living entity, especially in the human form of life, must engage in devotional service to the lotus feet of Lord Visnu. This devotional service is natural because Lord Visnu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is the most beloved, the master of the soul, and the well-wisher of all other living beings.
PURPORT
The Lord says in Bhagavad-gita (5.29):
bhoktaram yajna-tapasam
sarva-loka-mahesvaram
suhrdam sarva-bhutanam
jnatva mam santim rcchati
"The sages, knowing Me as the ultimate purpose of all sacrifices and austerities, the Supreme Lord of all planets and demigods and the benefactor and well-wisher of all living entities, attain peace from the pangs of material miseries." Simply by understanding these three facts--that the Supreme Lord, Visnu, is the proprietor of the entire creation, that He is the best well-wishing friend of all living entities, and that He is the supreme enjoyer of everything--one becomes peaceful and happy. For this transcendental happiness, the living entity has wandered throughout the universe in different forms of life and different planetary systems, but because he has forgotten his intimate relationship with Visnu, he has merely suffered, life after life. Therefore, the educational system in the human form of life should be so perfect that one will understand his intimate relationship with God, or Visnu. Every living entity has an intimate relationship with God. One should therefore glorify the Lord in the adoration of santa-rasa or revive his eternal relationship with Visnu as a servant in dasya-rasa, a friend in sakhya-rasa, a parent in vatsalya-rasa or a conjugal lover in madhurya-rasa. All these relationships are on the platform of love. Visnu is the center of love for everyone, and therefore the duty of everyone is to engage in the loving service of the Lord. As stated by the Supreme Personality of Godhead (Bhag. 3.25.38), yesam aham priya atma sutas ca sakha guruh suhrdo daivam istam. In any form of life, we are related with Visnu, who is the most beloved, the Supersoul, son, friend and guru. Our eternal relationship with God can be revived in the human form of life, and that should be the goal of education. Indeed, that is the perfection of life and the perfection of education.
TEXT 3
TEXT
sukham aindriyakam daitya
deha-yogena dehinam
sarvatra labhyate daivad
yatha duhkham ayatnatah
SYNONYMS
sukham--happiness; aindriyakam--with reference to the material senses; daityah--O my dear friends born in demoniac families; deha-yogena--because of possessing a particular type of material body; dehinam--of all embodied living entities; sarvatra--everywhere (in any form of life); labhyate--is obtainable; daivat--by a superior arrangement; yatha--just as; duhkham--unhappiness; ayatnatah--without endeavor.
TRANSLATION
Prahlada Maharaja continued: My dear friends born of demoniac families, the happiness perceived with reference to the sense objects by contact with the body can be obtained in any form of life, according to one's past fruitive activities. Such happiness is automatically obtained without endeavor, just as we obtain distress.
PURPORT
In the material world, in any form of life, there is some so-called happiness and so-called distress. No one invites distress in order to suffer, but still it comes. Similarly, even if we do not endeavor to obtain the advantages of material happiness, we shall obtain them automatically. This happiness and distress are obtainable in any form of life, without endeavor. Thus there is no need to waste time and energy fighting against distress or working very hard for happiness. Our only business in the human form of life should be to revive our relationship with the Supreme Personality of Godhead and thus become qualified to return home, back to Godhead. Material happiness and distress come as soon as we accept a material body, regardless of what form. We cannot avoid such happiness and distress under any circumstances. The best use of human life, therefore, lies in reviving our relationship with the Supreme Lord, Visnu.
TEXT 4
TEXT
tat-prayaso na kartavyo
yata ayur-vyayah param
na tatha vindate ksemam
mukunda-caranambujam
SYNONYMS
tat--for that (sense gratification and economic development); prayasah--endeavor; na--not; kartavyah--to be done; yatah--from which; ayuh-vyayah--waste of the duration of life; param--only or ultimately; na--nor; tatha--in that way; vindate--enjoys; ksemam--the ultimate goal of life; mukunda--of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who can deliver one from the material clutches; carana-ambujam--the lotus feet.
TRANSLATION
Endeavors merely for sense gratification or material happiness through economic development are not to be performed, for they result only in a loss of time and energy, with no actual profit. If one's endeavors are directed toward Krsna consciousness, one can surely attain the spiritual platform of self-realization. There is no such benefit from engaging oneself in economic development.
PURPORT
We see materialistic persons busily engaged in economic development all day and all night, trying to increase their material opulence, but even if we suppose that they get some benefit from such endeavors, that does not solve the real problem of their lives. Nor do they know what the real problem of life is. This is due to a lack of spiritual education. Especially in the present age, every man is in darkness, in the bodily conception of life, not knowing anything of the spirit soul and its needs. Misguided by the blind leaders of society, people consider the body to be everything, and they are engaged in trying to keep the body materially comfortable. Such a civilization is condemned because it does not lead humanity toward knowing the real goal of life. People are simply wasting time and the valuable gift of the human form because a human being who does not cultivate spiritual life but dies like the cats and dogs is degraded in his next life. From human life, such a person is put into the cycle of continuous birth and death. Thus one loses the true benefit of human life, which is to become Krsna conscious and solve life's problems.
TEXT 5
TEXT
tato yateta kusalah
ksemaya bhavam asritah
sariram paurusam yavan
na vipadyeta puskalam
SYNONYMS
tatah--therefore; yateta--should endeavor; kusalah--an intelligent man interested in the ultimate goal of life; ksemaya--for the real benefit of life, or for liberation from material bondage; bhavam asritah--who is in material existence; sariram--the body; paurusam--human; yavat--as long as; na--not; vipadyeta--fails; puskalam--stout and strong.
TRANSLATION
Therefore, while in material existence [bhavam asritah], a person fully competent to distinguish wrong from right must endeavor to achieve the highest goal of life as long as the body is stout and strong and is not embarrassed by dwindling.
PURPORT
As stated by Prahlada Maharaja at the beginning of this chapter, kaumara acaret prajnah. The word prajna refers to one who is experienced and who can distinguish right from wrong. Such a person should not waste his energy and valuable human lifetime simply working like a cat or dog to develop his economic condition.
For one word in this verse there are two readings--bhavam asritah and bhayam asritah--but accepting the meaning of either of them will bring one to the same conclusion. Bhayam asritah indicates that the materialistic way of life is always fearful because at every step there is danger. Materialistic life is full of anxieties and fear (bhayam). Similarly, accepting the reading bhavam asritah, the word bhavam refers to unnecessary trouble and problems. For want of Krsna consciousness, one is put into bhavam, being perpetually embarrassed by birth, death, old age and disease. Thus one is surely full of anxieties.
Human society should be divided into a social system of brahmanas, ksatriyas, vaisyas and sudras, but everyone can engage in devotional service. If one wants to live without devotional service, his status as a brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya or sudra certainly has no meaning. It is said, sthanad bhrastah patanty adhah: whether one is in a higher or lower division, one certainly falls down for want of Krsna consciousness. A sane man, therefore, is always fearful of falling from his position. This is a regulative principle. One should not fall from his exalted position. The highest goal of life can be achieved as long as one's body is stout and strong. We should therefore live in such a way that we keep ourselves always healthy and strong in mind and intelligence so that we can distinguish the goal of life from a life full of problems. A thoughtful man must act in this way, learning to distinguish right from wrong, and thus attain the goal of life.
TEXT 6
TEXT
pumso varsa-satam hy ayus
tad-ardham cajitatmanah
nisphalam yad asau ratryam
sete 'ndham prapitas tamah
SYNONYMS
pumsah--of every human being; varsa-satam--one hundred years; hi--indeed; ayuh--duration of life; tat--of that; ardham--half; ca--and; ajita-atmanah--of a person who is a servant of his senses; nisphalam--without profit, without meaning; yat--because; asau--that person; ratryam--at night; sete--sleeps; andham--ignorance (forgetting his body and soul); prapitah--being completely possessed of; tamah--darkness.
TRANSLATION
Every human being has a maximum duration of life of one hundred years, but for one who cannot control his senses, half of those years are completely lost because at night he sleeps twelve hours, being covered by ignorance. Therefore such a person has a lifetime of only fifty years.
PURPORT
Lord Brahma, a human being and an ant all live for one hundred years, but their lifetimes of one hundred years are different from one another. This world is a relative world, and its relative moments of time are different. Thus the one hundred years of Brahma are not the same as the one hundred years of a human being. From Bhagavad-gita we times 1,000 years (sahasra-yuga-paryantam ahar yad brahmano viduh). Thus the varsa-satam, or one hundred years, are relatively different according to time, person and circumstances. As far as human beings are concerned, the calculation given here is right for the general public. Although one has a maximum of one hundred years of life, by sleeping one loses fifty years. Eating, sleeping, sex life and fear are the four bodily necessities, but to utilize the full duration of life a person desiring to advance in spiritual consciousness must reduce these activities. That will give him an opportunity to fully use his lifetime.
TEXT 7
TEXT
mugdhasya balye kaisore
kridato yati vimsatih
jaraya grasta-dehasya
yaty akalpasya vimsatih
SYNONYMS
mugdhasya--of a person bewildered or not in perfect knowledge; balye--in childhood; kaisore--in boyhood; kridatah--playing; yati--passes; vimsatih--twenty years; jaraya--by invalidity; grasta-dehasya--of a person overcome; yati--passes; akalpasya--without determination, being unable to execute even material activities; vimsatih--another twenty years.
TRANSLATION
In the tender age of childhood, when everyone is bewildered, one passes ten years. Similarly, in boyhood, engaged in sporting and playing, one passes another ten years. In this way, twenty years are wasted. Similarly, in old age, when one is an invalid, unable to perform even material activities, one passes another twenty years wastefully.
PURPORT
Without Krsna consciousness, one wastes twenty years in childhood and boyhood and another twenty years in old age, when one cannot perform any material activities and is full of anxiety about what is to be done by his sons and grandsons and how one's estate should be protected. Half of these years are spent in sleep. Furthermore, one wastes another thirty years sleeping at night during the rest of his life. Thus seventy out of one hundred years are wasted by a person who does not know the aim of life and how to utilize this human form.
TEXT 8
TEXT
durapurena kamena
mohena ca baliyasa
sesam grhesu saktasya
pramattasyapayati hi
SYNONYMS
durapurena--which is never fulfilled; kamena--by a strong aspiration to enjoy the material world; mohena--by bewilderment; ca--also; baliyasa--which is strong and formidable; sesam--the remaining years of life; grhesu--to family life; saktasya--of one who is too attached; pramattasya--mad; apayati--wastefully pass; hi--indeed.
TRANSLATION
One whose mind and senses are uncontrolled becomes increasingly attached to family life because of insatiable lusty desires and very strong illusion. In such a madman's life, the remaining years are also wasted because even during those years he cannot engage himself in devotional service.
PURPORT
This is the account of one hundred years of life. Although in this age a lifetime of one hundred years is generally not possible, even if one has one hundred years, the calculation is that fifty years are wasted in sleeping, twenty years in childhood and boyhood, and twenty years in invalidity (jara-vyadhi). This leaves only a few more years, but because of too much attachment to household life, those years are also spent with no purpose, without God consciousness. Therefore, one should be trained to be a perfect brahmacari in the beginning of life and then to be perfect in sense control, following the regulative principles, if one becomes a householder. From household life one is ordered to accept vanaprastha life and go to the forest and then accept sannyasa. That is the perfection of life. From the very beginning of life, those who are ajitendriya, who cannot control their senses, are educated only for sense gratification, as we have seen in the Western countries. Thus the entire duration of a life of even one hundred years is wasted and misused, and at the time of death one transmigrates to another body, which may not be human. At the end of one hundred years, one who has not acted as a human being in a life of tapasya (austerity and penance) must certainly be embodied again in a body like those of cats, dogs and hogs. Therefore this life of lusty desires and sense gratification is extremely risky.
TEXT 9
TEXT
ko grhesu puman saktam
atmanam ajitendriyah
sneha-pasair drdhair baddham
utsaheta vimocitum
SYNONYMS
kah--what; grhesu--to household life; puman--man; saktam--very much attached; atmanam--his own self, the soul; ajita-indriyah--who has not conquered the senses; sneha-pasaih--by the ropes of affection; drdhaih--very strong; baddham--bound hand and foot; utsaheta--is able; vimocitum--to liberate from material bondage.
TRANSLATION
What person too attached to household life due to being unable to control his senses can liberate himself? An attached householder is bound very strongly by ropes of affection for his family [wife, children and other relatives].
PURPORT
Prahlada Maharaja's first proposal was kaumara acaret prajno dharman bhagavatan iha: "One who is sufficiently intelligent should use the human form of body from the very beginning of life--in other words, from the tender age of childhood--to practice the activities of devotional service, giving up all other engagements." Dharman bhagavatan means the religious principle of reviving our relationship with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. For this purpose Krsna personally advises, sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja: "Give up all other duties and surrender unto Me." While in the material world we manufacture so many duties in the name of so many isms, but our actual duty is to free ourselves from the cycle of birth, death, old age and disease. For this purpose, one must first be liberated from material bondage, and especially from household life. Household life is actually a kind of license for a materially attached person by which to enjoy sense gratification under regulative principles. Otherwise there is no need of entering household life.
Before entering household life, one should be trained as a brahmacari, living under the care of the guru, whose place is known as the guru-kula. Brahmacari guru-kule vasan danto guror hitam (Bhag. 7.12.1). From the very beginning, a brahmacari is trained to sacrifice everything for the benefit of the guru. A brahmacari is advised to go begging alms door to door, addressing all women as mother, and whatever he collects goes to the benefit of the guru. In this way he learns how to control his senses and sacrifice everything for the guru. When he is fully trained, if he likes he is allowed to marry. Thus he is not an ordinary grhastha who has learned only how to satisfy his senses. A trained grhastha can gradually give up household life and go to the forest to become increasingly enlightened in spiritual life and at last take sannyasa. Prahlada Maharaja explained to his father that to be freed from all material anxieties one should go to the forest. Hitvatma-patam grham andha-kupam. One should give up his household, which is a place for going further and further down into the darkest regions of material existence. The first advice, therefore, is that one must give up household life (grham andha-kupam). However, if one prefers to remain in the dark well of household life because of uncontrolled senses, he becomes increasingly entangled by ropes of affection for his wife, children, servants, house, money and so on. Such a person cannot attain liberation from material bondage. Therefore children should be taught from the very beginning of life to be first-class brahmacaris. Then it will be possible for them to give up household life in the future.
To return home, back to Godhead, one must be completely free from material attachment. Therefore, bhakti-yoga means vairagya-vidya, the art that can help one develop a distaste for material enjoyment.
vasudeve bhagavati
bhakti-yogah prayojitah
janayaty asu vairagyam
jnanam ca yad ahaitukam
"By rendering devotional service unto the Personality of Godhead, Sri Krsna, one immediately acquires causeless knowledge and detachment from the world." (Bhag. 1.2.7) If one engages in devotional service from the beginning of life, he easily attains vairagya-vidya, or asakti, detachment, and becomes jitendriya, the controller of his senses. One who perfectly engages in devotional service is therefore called gosvami or svami, master of the senses. Unless one is master of the senses, he should not accept the renounced order of life, sannyasa. A strong inclination for sense enjoyment is the cause of the material body. Without full knowledge one cannot be unattached to material enjoyment, but as long as one is not in that position one is not fit to return home, back to Godhead.
TEXT 10
TEXT
ko nv artha-trsnam visrjet
pranebhyo 'pi ya ipsitah
yam krinaty asubhih presthais
taskarah sevako vanik
SYNONYMS
kah--who; nu--indeed; artha-trsnam--a strong desire to acquire money; visrjet--can give up; pranebhyah--than life; api--indeed; yah--which; ipsitah--more desired; yam--which; krinati--tries to acquire; asubhih--with his own life; presthaih--very dear; taskarah--a thief; sevakah--a professional servant; vanik--a merchant.
TRANSLATION
Money is so dear that one conceives of money as being sweeter than honey. Therefore, who can give up the desire to accumulate money, especially in household life? Thieves, professional servants [soldiers] and merchants try to acquire money even by risking their very dear lives.
PURPORT
How money can be dearer than life is indicated in this verse. Thieves may enter the house of a rich man to steal money at the risk of their lives. Because of trespassing, they may be killed by guns or attacked by watchdogs, but still they try to commit burglary. Why do they risk their lives? Only to get some money. Similarly, a professional soldier is recruited into the army, and he accepts such service, with the risk of dying on the battlefield, only for the sake of money. In the same way, merchants go from one country to another on boats at the risk of their lives, or they dive into the water of the sea to collect pearls and valuable gems. Thus it is practically proved--and everyone will admit--that money is sweeter than honey. One may risk everything to acquire money, and this is especially true of rich men who are too attached to household life. Formerly, of course, the members of the higher castes--the brahmanas, ksatriyas and vaisyas (everyone but the sudras)--were trained in the guru-kula to adhere to a life of renunciation and sense control by practicing brahmacarya and mystic yoga. Then they were allowed to enter household life. There have consequently been many instances in which great kings and emperors have given up household life. Although they were extremely opulent and were the masters of kingdoms, they could give up all their possessions because they were trained early as brahmacaris. Prahlada Maharaja's advice is therefore very appropriate:
kaumara acaret prajno
dharman bhagavatan iha
durlabham manusam janma
tad apy adhruvam arthadam
"One who is sufficiently intelligent should use the human form of body from the very beginning of life--in other words, from the tender age of childhood--to practice the activities of devotional service, giving up all other engagements. The human body is most rarely achieved, and although temporary like other bodies, it is meaningful because in human life one can perform devotional service. Even a slight amount of sincere devotional service can give one complete perfection." Human society should take advantage of this instruction.
TEXTS 11-13
TEXT
katham priyaya anukampitayah
sangam rahasyam rucirams ca mantran
suhrtsu tat-sneha-sitah sisunam
kalaksaranam anurakta-cittah
putran smarams ta duhitrr hrdayya
bhratrn svasrr va pitarau ca dinau
grhan manojnoru-paricchadams ca
vrttis ca kulyah pasu-bhrtya-vargan
tyajeta kosas-krd ivehamanah
karmani lobhad avitrpta-kamah
aupasthya-jaihvam bahu-manyamanah
katham virajyeta duranta-mohah
SYNONYMS
katham--how; priyayah--of the dearmost wife; anukampitayah--always affectionate and compassionate; sangam--the association; rahasyam--solitary; ruciran--very pleasing and acceptable; ca--and; mantran--instructions; suhrtsu--to the wife and children; tat-sneha-sitah--being bound by their affection; sisunam--to the small children; kala-aksaranam--speaking in broken language; anurakta-cittah--a person whose mind is attracted; putran--the sons; smaran--thinking of; tah--them; duhitrh--the daughters (married and staying at the homes of their husbands); hrdayyah--always situated in the core of the heart; bhratrn--the brothers; svasrh va--or the sisters; pitarau--father and mother; ca--and; dinau--who in old age are mostly invalids; grhan--household affairs; manojna--very attractive; uru--much; paricchadan--furniture; ca--and; vrttih--big sources of income (industry, business); ca--and; kulyah--connected with the family; pasu--of animals (cows, elephants and other household animals); bhrtya--servants and maidservants; vargan--groups; tyajeta--can give up; kosah-krt--the silkworm; iva--like; ihamanah--performing; karmani--different activities; lobhat--because of insatiable desires; avitrpta-kamah--whose increasing desires are not satisfied; aupasthya--pleasure from the genitals; jaihvam--and the tongue; bahu-manyamanah--considering as very important; katham--how; virajyeta--is able to give up; duranta-mohah--being in great illusion.
TRANSLATION
How can a person who is most affectionate to his family, the core of his heart being always filled with their pictures, give up their association? Specifically, a wife is always very kind and sympathetic and always pleases her husband in a solitary place. Who could give up the association of such a dear and affectionate wife? Small children talk in broken language, very pleasing to hear, and their affectionate father always thinks of their sweet words. Mow could he give up their association? One's elderly parents and one's sons and daughters are also very dear. A daughter is especially dear to her father, and while living at her husband's house she is always in his mind. Who could give up that association? Aside from this, in household affairs there are many decorated items of household furniture, and there are also animals and servants. Who could give up such comforts? The attached householder is like a silkworm, which weaves a cocoon in which it becomes imprisoned, unable to get out. Simply for the satisfaction of two important senses--the genitals and the tongue--one is bound by material conditions. How can one escape?
PURPORT
In household affairs the first attraction is the beautiful and pleasing wife, who increases household attraction more and more. One enjoys his wife with two prominent sense organs, namely the tongue and the genitals. The wife speaks very sweetly. This is certainly an attraction. Then she prepares very palatable foods to satisfy the tongue, and when the tongue is satisfied one gains strength in the other sense organs, especially the genitals. Thus the wife gives pleasure in sexual intercourse. Household life means sex life (yan maithunadi-grhamedhi-sukham hi tuccham). This is encouraged by the tongue. Then there are children. A baby gives pleasure by speaking sweet words in broken language, and when the sons and daughters are grown up one becomes involved in their education and marriage. Then there are one's own father and mother to be taken care of, and one also becomes concerned with the social atmosphere and with pleasing his brothers and sisters. A man becomes increasingly entangled in household affairs, so much so that leaving them becomes almost impossible. Thus the household becomes grham andha-kupam, a dark well into which the man has fallen. For such a man to get out is extremely difficult unless he is helped by a strong person, the spiritual master, who helps the fallen person with the strong rope of spiritual instructions. A fallen person should take advantage of this rope, and then the spiritual master, or the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna, will take him out of the dark well.
TEXT 14
TEXT
kutumba-posaya viyan nijayur
na budhyate 'rtham vihatam pramattah
sarvatra tapa-traya-duhkhitatma
nirvidyate na sva-kutumba-ramah
SYNONYMS
kutumba--of family members; posaya--for the maintenance; viyat--declining; nija-ayuh--his lifetime; na--not; budhyate--understands; artham--the interest or purpose of life; vihatam--spoiled; pramattah--being mad in material conditions; sarvatra--everywhere; tapa-traya--by the threefold miserable conditions (adhyatmika, adhidaivika and adhibautika); duhkhita--being distressed; atma--himself; nirvidyate--becomes remorseful; na--not; sva-kutumba-ramah--enjoying simply by maintaining the members of the family.
TRANSLATION
One who is too attached cannot understand that he is wasting his valuable life for the maintenance of his family. He also fails to understand that the purpose of human life, a life suitable for realization of the Absolute Truth, is being imperceptibly spoiled. However, he is very cleverly attentive to seeing that not a single farthing is lost by mismanagement. Thus although an attached person in material existence always suffers from threefold miseries, he does not develop a distaste for the way of material existence.
PURPORT
A foolish man does not understand the values of human life, nor does he understand how he is wasting his valuable life simply for the maintenance of his family members. He is expert in calculating the loss of pounds, shillings and pence, but he is so foolish that he does not know how much money he is losing, even according to material considerations. Canakya Pandita gives the example that a moment of life cannot be purchased in exchange for millions of dollars. A foolish person, however, wastes such a valuable life without knowing how much he is losing, even according to monetary calculations. Although a materialistic person is expert in calculating costs and doing business, he does not realize that he is misusing his costly life for want of knowledge. Even though such a materialistic person is always suffering threefold miseries, he is not intelligent enough to cease his materialistic way of life.
TEXT 15
TEXT
vittesu nityabhinivista-ceta
vidvams ca dosam para-vitta-hartuh
pretyeha vathapy ajitendriyas tad
asanta-kamo harate kutumbi
SYNONYMS
vittesu--in material wealth; nitya-abhinivista-cetah--whose mind is always absorbed; vidvan--having learned; ca--also; dosam--the fault; para-vitta-hartuh--of one who steals the money of others by cheating or by transactions on the black market; pretya--after dying; iha--in this material world; va--or; athapi--still; ajita-indriyah--because of being unable to control the senses; tat--that; asanta-kamah--whose desires are unsatiated; harate--steals; kutumbi--too fond of his family.
TRANSLATION
If a person too attached to the duties of family maintenance is unable to control his senses, the core of his heart is immersed in how to accumulate money. Although he knows that one who takes the wealth of others will be punished by the law of the government, and by the laws of Yamaraja after death, he continues cheating others to acquire money.
PURPORT
Especially in these days, people do not believe in a next life or in the court of Yamaraja and the various punishments of the sinful. But at least one should know that one who cheats others to acquire money will be punished by the laws of the government. Nonetheless, people do not care about the laws of this life or those governing the next. Despite whatever knowledge one has, one cannot stop his sinful activities if he is unable to control his senses.
TEXT 16
TEXT
vidvan apittham danujah kutumbam
pusnan sva-lokaya na kalpate vai
yah sviya-parakya-vibhinna-bhavas
tamah prapadyeta yatha vimudhah
SYNONYMS
vidvan--knowing (the inconvenience of material existence, especially in household life); api--although; ittham--thus; danu-jah--O sons of demons; kutumbam--the family members or extended family members (like one's community, society, nation or union of nations); pusnan--providing with all the necessities of life; sva-lokaya--in understanding himself; na--not; kalpate--capable; vai--indeed; yah--he who; sviya--my own; parakya--belonging to others; vibhinna--separate; bhavah--having a conception of life; tamah--nothing but darkness; prapadyeta--enters; yatha--just as; vimudhah--a person without education, or one who is like an animal.
TRANSLATION
O my friends, sons of demons! In this material world, even those who are apparently advanced in education have the propensity to consider, "This is mine, and that is for others." Thus they are always engaged in providing the necessities of life to their families in a limited conception of family life, just like uneducated cats and dogs. They are unable to take to spiritual knowledge; instead, they are bewildered and overcome by ignorance.
PURPORT
In human society there are attempts to educate the human being, but for animal society there is no such system, nor are animals able to be educated. Therefore animals and unintelligent men are called vimudha, or ignorant, bewildered, whereas an educated person is called vidvan. The real vidvan is one who tries to understand his own position within this material world. For example, when Sanatana Gosvami submitted to the lotus feet of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, his first question was 'ke ami', 'kene amaya jare tapa-traya'. In other words, he wanted to know his constitutional position and why he was suffering from the threefold miseries of material existence. This is the process of education. If one does not ask, "Who am I? What is the goal of my life?" but instead follows the same animal propensities as cats and dogs, what is the use of his education? As discussed in the previous verse, a living being is entrapped by his fruitive activities, exactly like a silkworm trapped in its own cocoon. Foolish persons are generally encaged by their fruitive actions (karma) because of a strong desire to enjoy this material world. Such attracted persons become involved in society, community and nation and waste their time, not having profited from having obtained human forms. Especially in this age, Kali-yuga, great leaders, politicians, philosophers and scientists are all engaged in foolish activities, thinking, "This is mine, and this is yours." The scientists invent nuclear weapons and collaborate with the big leaders to protect the interests of their own nation or society. In this verse, however, it is clearly stated that despite their so-called advanced knowledge, they actually have the same mentality as cats and dogs. As cats, dogs and other animals, not knowing their true interest in life, become increasingly involved in ignorance, the so-called educated person who does not know his own self-interest or the true goal of life becomes increasingly involved in materialism. Therefore Prahlada Maharaja advises everyone to follow the principles of varnasrama-dharma. Specifically, at a certain point one must give up family life and take to the renounced order of life to cultivate spiritual knowledge and thus become liberated. This is further discussed in the following verses.
TEXTS 17-18
TEXT
yato na kascit kva ca kutracid va
dinah svam atmanam alam samarthah
vimocitum kama-drsam vihara-
krida-mrgo yan-nigado visargah
tato vidurat parihrtya daitya
daityesu sangam visayatmakesu
upeta narayanam adi-devam
sa mukta-sangair isito 'pavargah
SYNONYMS
yatah--because; na--never; kascit--anyone; kva--in any place; ca--also; kutracit--at any time; va--or; dinah--having a poor fund of knowledge; svam--own; atmanam--self; alam--exceedingly; samarthah--able; vimocitum--to liberate; kama-drsam--of lusty women; vihara--in the sexual enjoyment; krida-mrgah--a playboy; yat--in whom; nigadah--which is the shackle of material bondage; visargah--the expansions of family relationships; tatah--in such circumstances; vidurat--from far away; parihrtya--giving up; daityah--O my friends, sons of the demons; daityesu--among the demons; sangam--association; visaya-atma-kesu--who are too addicted to sense enjoyment; upeta--one should approach; narayanam--Lord Narayana, the Supreme Personality of Godhead; adi-devam--the origin of all the demigods; sah--He; mukta-sangaih--by the association of liberated persons; isitah--desired; apavargah--the path of liberation.
TRANSLATION
My dear friends, O sons of the demons, it is certain that no one bereft of knowledge of the Supreme Personality of Godhead has been able to liberate himself from material bondage at any time or in any country. Rather, those bereft of knowledge of the Lord are bound by the material laws. They are factually addicted to sense gratification, and their target is woman. Indeed, they are actually playthings in the hands of attractive women. Victimized by such a conception of life, they become surrounded by children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and thus they are shackled to material bondage. Those who are very much addicted to this conception of life are called demons. Therefore, although you are sons of demons, keep aloof from such persons and take shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Narayana, the origin of all the demigods, because the ultimate goal for the devotees of Narayana is liberation from the bondage of material existence.
PURPORT
Prahlada Maharaja has maintained the philosophical point of view that one should give up the dark well of family life and go to the forest to take shelter of the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead (hitvatma-patam grham andha-kupam vanam gato yad dharim asrayeta). In this verse also, he stresses the same point. In the history of human society, no one, at any time or any place, has been liberated because of too much affection and attachment for his family. Even in those who are apparently very educated, the same family attachment is there. They cannot give up the association of their families, even in old age or invalidity, for they are attached to sense enjoyment. As we have several times discussed, yan maithunadi-grhamedhi-sukham hi tuccham: so-called householders are simply attracted by sexual enjoyment. Thus they keep themselves shackled in family life, and furthermore they want their children to be shackled in the same way. Playing the parts of playboys in the hands of women, they glide down to the darkest regions of material existence. Adanta-gobhir visatam tamisram punah punas carvita-carvananam. Because they are unable to control their senses, they continue a life of chewing the chewed and therefore descend to the darkest material regions. One should give up the association of such demons and adhere to the association of devotees. Thus one will be able to be liberated from material bondage.
TEXT 19
TEXT
na hy acyutam prinayato
bahv-ayaso 'suratmajah
atmatvat sarva-bhutanam
siddhatvad iha sarvatah
SYNONYMS
na--not; hi--indeed; acyutam--the infallible Supreme Personality of Godhead; prinayatah--satisfying; bahu--much; ayasah--endeavor; asura-atma-jah--O sons of demons; atmatvat--because of being intimately related as the Supersoul; sarva-bhutanam--of all living entities; siddhatvat--because of being established; iha--in this world; sarvatah--in all directions, in all times and from all angles of vision.
TRANSLATION
My dear sons of demons, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Narayana, is the original Supersoul, the father of all living entities. Consequently there are no impediments to pleasing Him or worshiping Him under any conditions, whether one be a child or an old man. The relationship between the living entities and the Supreme Personality of Godhead is always a fact, and therefore there is no difficulty in pleasing the Lord.
PURPORT
One may ask, "One is certainly very attached to family life, but if one gives up family life to be attached to the service of the Lord, one must undergo the same endeavor and trouble. Therefore, what is the benefit of taking the trouble to engage in the service of the Lord?" This is not a valid objection. The Lord asserts in Bhagavad-gita (14.4):
sarva-yonisu kaunteya
murtayah sambhavanti yah
tasam brahma mahad yonir
aham bija-pradah pita
"It should be understood that all species of life, O son of Kunti, are made possible by birth in this material nature, and that I am the seed-giving father." The Supreme Lord, Narayana, is the seed-giving father of all living entities because the living entities are parts and parcels of the Supreme Lord (mamaivamso. .. jiva-bhutah). As there is no difficulty in establishing the intimate relationship between a father and son, there is no difficulty in reestablishing the natural, intimate relationship between Narayana and the living entities. Svalpam apy asya dharmasya trayate mahato bhayat: if one performs even very slight devotional service, Narayana is always ready to save one from the greatest danger. The definite example is Ajamila. Ajamila separated himself from the Supreme Personality of Godhead by performing many sinful activities and was condemned by Yamaraja to be very severely punished, but because at the time of death he chanted the name of Narayana, although he was calling not for the Supreme Lord Narayana but for his son named Narayana, he was saved from the hands of Yamaraja. Therefore, pleasing Narayana does not require as much endeavor as pleasing one's family, community and nation. We have seen important political leaders killed for a slight discrepancy in their behavior. Therefore pleasing one's society, family, community and nation is extremely difficult. Pleasing Narayana, however, is not at all difficult; it is very easy.
One's duty is to revive one's relationship with Narayana. A slight endeavor in this direction will make the attempt successful, whereas one will never be successful in pleasing his so-called family, society and nation, even if one endeavors to sacrifice his life. The simple endeavor involved in the devotional service of sravanam kirtanam visnoh, hearing and chanting the holy name of the Lord, can make one successful in pleasing the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu has therefore bestowed His blessings by saying, param vijayate sri-krsna-sankirtanam: "All glories to Sri Krsna sankirtana!" If one wants to derive the actual benefit from this human form, he must take to the chanting of the holy name of the Lord.
TEXTS 20-23
TEXT
paravaresu bhutesu
brahmanta-sthavaradisu
bhautikesu vikaresu
bhutesv atha mahatsu ca
gunesu guna-samye ca
guna-vyatikare tatha
eka eva paro hy atma
bhagavan isvaro 'vyayah
pratyag-atma-svarupena
drsya-rupena ca svayam
vyapya-vyapaka-nirdesyo
hy anirdesyo 'vikalpitah
kevalanubhavananda-
svarupah paramesvarah
mayayantarhitaisvarya
iyate guna-sargaya
SYNONYMS
para-avaresu--in exalted or hellish conditions of life; bhutesu--in the living beings; brahma-anta--ending with Lord Brahma; sthavara-adisu--beginning with the nonmoving forms of life, the trees and plants; bhautikesu--of the material elements; vikaresu--in the transformations; bhutesu--in the five gross elements of material nature; atha--moreover; mahatsu--in the mahat-tattva, the total material energy; ca--also; gunesu--in the modes of material nature; guna-samye--in an equilibrium of material qualities; ca--and; guna-vyatikare--in the uneven manifestation of the modes of material nature; tatha--as well; ekah--one; eva--only; parah--transcendental; hi--indeed; atma--the original source; bhagavan--the Supreme Personality of Godhead; isvarah--the controller; avyayah--without deteriorating; pratyak--inner; atma-svarupena--by His original constitutional position as the Supersoul; drsya-rupena--by His visible forms; ca--also; svayam--personally; vyapya--pervaded; vyapaka--all-pervading; nirdesyah--to be described; hi--certainly; anirdesyah--not to be described (because of fine, subtle existence); avikalpitah--without differentiation; kevala--only; anubhava-ananda-svarupah--whose form is blissful and full of knowledge; parama-isvarah--the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the supreme ruler; mayaya--by maya, the illusory energy; antarhita--covered; aisvaryah--whose unlimited opulence; iyate--is mistaken as; guna-sargaya--the interaction of the material modes of nature.
TRANSLATION
The Supreme Personality of Godhead, the supreme controller, who is infallible and indefatigable, is present in different forms of life, from the inert living beings [sthavara], such as the plants, to Brahma, the foremost created living being. He is also present in the varieties of material creations and in the material elements, the total material energy and the modes of material nature [sattva-guna, rajo-guna and tamo-guna], as well as the unmanifested material nature and the false ego. Although He is one, He is present everywhere, and He is also the transcendental Supersoul, the cause of all causes, who is present as the observer in the cores of the hearts of all living entities. He is indicated as that which is pervaded and as the all-pervading Supersoul, but actually He cannot be indicated. He is changeless and undivided. He is simply perceived as the supreme sac-cid-ananda [eternity, knowledge and bliss]. Being covered by the curtain of the external energy, to the atheist He appears nonexistent.
PURPORT
Not only is the Supreme Personality of Godhead present as the Supersoul of all living entities; at the same time, He pervades everything in the entire creation. He exists in all circumstances and at all times. He exists in the heart of Lord Brahma and also in the cores of the hearts of the hogs, dogs, trees, plants and so on. He is present everywhere. He is present not only in the heart of the living entity, but also in material things, even in the atoms, protons and electrons being explored by material scientists.
The Lord is present in three features--as Brahman, Paramatma and Bhagavan. Because He is present everywhere, He is described as sarvam khalv idam brahma. Visnu exists beyond Brahman. Bhagavad-gita confirms that Krsna, by His Brahman feature, is all-pervading (maya tatam idam sarvam), but Brahman depends upon Krsna (brahmano hi pratisthaham). Without Krsna, there could be no existence of Brahman or Paramatma. Therefore, Bhagavan, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is the ultimate realization of the Absolute Truth. Although He is present as the Paramatma in the core of everyone's heart, He is nonetheless one, either as an individual or as the all-pervading Brahman.
The supreme cause is Krsna, and devotees who have surrendered to the Supreme Personality of Godhead can realize Him and His presence within the universe and within the atom (andantara-stha-paramanu-cayantara-stham). This realization is possible only for devotees who have fully surrendered unto the lotus feet of the Lord; for others it is not possible. This is confirmed by the Lord Himself in Bhagavad-gita (7.14):
daivi hy esa guna-mayi
mama maya duratyaya
mam eva ye prapadyante
mayam etam taranti te
The process of surrender in a devotional attitude is accepted by a fortunate living being. After wandering through many varieties of life on many planetary systems, when one comes to the real understanding of the Absolute Truth by the grace of a devotee, one surrenders to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, as confirmed in Bhagavad-gita (bahunam janmanam ante jnanavan mam prapadyate).
Prahlada Maharaja's class friends, who were born of Daitya families, thought that realizing the Absolute was extremely difficult. Indeed, we have experience that many, many people say this very thing. Actually, however, this is not so. The Absolute, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is most intimately related to all living entities. Therefore if one understands the Vaisnava philosophy, which explains how He is present everywhere and how He acts everywhere, to worship the Supreme Lord or to realize Him is not at all difficult. Realization of the Lord, however, is possible only in the association of devotees. Therefore Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, in His teachings to Rupa Gosvami said (Cc. Madhya 19.151):
brahmanda bhramite kona bhagyavan jiva
guru-krsna-prasade paya bhakti-lata-bija
The living entity in the material condition wanders through many varieties of life and many varieties of circumstances, but if he comes in contact with a pure devotee and is intelligent enough to take instructions from the pure devotee regarding the process of devotional service, he can understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the origin of Brahman and Paramatma, without difficulty. In this regard, Srila Madhvacarya says:
antaryami pratyag-atma
vyaptah kalo harih smrtah
prakrtya tamasavrtatvat
harer aisvaryam na jnayate
The Lord is present as antaryami in everyone's heart and is visible in the individual soul covered by a body. Indeed, He is everywhere at every time and every condition, but because He is covered by the curtain of material energy, to an ordinary person there appears to be no God.
TEXT 24
TEXT
tasmat sarvesu bhutesu
dayam kuruta sauhrdam
bhavam asuram unmucya
yaya tusyaty adhoksajah
SYNONYMS
tasmat--therefore; sarvesu--to all; bhutesu--living entities; dayam--mercy; kuruta--show; sauhrdam--friendliness; bhavam--the attitude; asuram--of the demons (who separate friends and enemies); unmucya--giving up; yaya--by which; tusyati--is satisfied; adhoksajah--the Supreme Lord, who is beyond the perception of the senses.
TRANSLATION
Therefore, my dear young friends born of demons, please act in such a way that the Supreme Lord, who is beyond the conception of material knowledge, will be satisfied. Give up your demoniac nature and act without enmity or duality. Show mercy to all living entities by enlightening them in devotional service, thus becoming their well-wishers.
PURPORT
The Lord says in Bhagavad-gita (18.55), bhaktya mam abhijanati yavan yas casmi tattvatah: "One can understand the Supreme Personality as He is only by devotional service." Prahlada Maharaja ultimately instructed his class friends, the sons of the demons, to accept the process of devotional service by preaching the science of Krsna consciousness to everyone. Preaching is the best service to the Lord. The Lord will immediately be extremely satisfied with one who engages in this service of preaching Krsna consciousness. This is confirmed by the Lord Himself in Bhagavad-gita (18.69). Na ca tasman manusyesu kascin me priya-krttamah: "There is no servant in this world more dear to Me than he, nor will there ever be one more dear." If one sincerely tries his best to spread Krsna consciousness by preaching the glories of the Lord and His supremacy, even if he is imperfectly educated, he becomes the dearmost servant of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This is bhakti. As one performs this service for humanity, without discrimination between friends and enemies, the Lord becomes satisfied, and the mission of one's life is fulfilled. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu therefore advised everyone to become a guru-devotee and preach Krsna consciousness (yare dekha, tare kaha 'krsna'-upadesa). That is the easiest way to realize the Supreme Personality of Godhead. By such preaching, the preacher becomes satisfied, and those to whom he preaches are also satisfied. This is the process of bringing peace and tranquillity to the entire world.
bhoktaram yajna-tapasam
sarva-loka-mahesvaram
suhrdam sarva-bhutanam
jnatva mam santim rcchati
One is expected to understand these three formulas of knowledge concerning the Supreme Lord--that He is the supreme enjoyer, that He is the proprietor of everything, and that He is the best well-wisher and friend of everyone. A preacher should personally understand these truths and preach them to everyone. Then there will be peace and tranquillity all over the world.
The word sauhrdam ("friendliness") is very significant in this verse. People are generally ignorant of Krsna consciousness, and therefore to become their best well-wisher one should teach them about Krsna consciousness without discrimination. Since the Supreme Lord, Visnu, is situated in the core of everyone's heart, every body is a temple of Visnu. One should not misuse this understanding as an excuse for such words as daridra-narayana. If Narayana lives in the house of a daridra, a poor man, this does not mean that Narayana becomes poor. He lives everywhere--in the houses of the poor and those of the rich--but in all circumstances He remains Narayana; to think that He becomes either poor or rich is a material calculation. He is always sad-aisvarya-purna, full in six opulences, in all circumstances.
TEXT 25
TEXT
tuste ca tatra kim alabhyam ananta adye
kim tair guna-vyatikarad iha ye sva-siddhah
dharmadayah kim agunena ca kanksitena
saram jusam caranayor upagayatam nah
SYNONYMS
tuste--when satisfied; ca--also; tatra--that; kim--what; alabhyam--unobtainable; anante--the Supreme Personality of Godhead; adye--the original source of everything, the cause of all causes; kim--what need; taih--with them; guna-vyatikarat--due to the actions of the modes of material nature; iha--in this world; ye--which; sva-siddhah--automatically achieved; dharma-adayah--the three principles of material advancement, namely religion, economic development and sense gratification; kim--what need; agunena--with liberation into the Supreme; ca--and; kanksitena--desired; saram--essence; jusam--relishing; caranayoh--of the two lotus feet of the Lord; upagayatam--who glorify the qualities of the Lord; nah--of us.
TRANSLATION
Nothing is unobtainable for devotees who have satisfied the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is the cause of all causes, the original source of everything. The Lord is the reservoir of unlimited spiritual qualities. For devotees, therefore, who are transcendental to the modes of material nature, what is the use of following the principles of religion, economic development, sense gratification and liberation, which are all automatically obtainable under the influence of the modes of nature? We devotees always glorify the lotus feet of the Lord, and therefore we need not ask for anything in terms of dharma, kama, artha and moksa.
PURPORT
In an advanced civilization, people are eager to be religious, to be economically well situated, to satisfy their senses to the fullest extent, and at last to attain liberation. However, these are not to be magnified as desirable. Indeed, for a devotee these are all very easily available. Bilvamangala Thakura said, muktih svayam mukulitanjali sevate 'sman dharmartha-kama-gatayah samaya-pratiksah. Liberation always stands at the door of a devotee, ready to carry out his orders. Material advancement in religion, economic development, sense gratification and liberation simply wait to serve a devotee at the first opportunity. A devotee is already in a transcendental position; he does not need further qualifications to be liberated. As confirmed in Bhagavad-gita (14.26), sa gunan samatityaitan brahma-bhuyaya kalpate: a devotee is transcendental to the actions and reactions of the three modes of material nature because he is situated on the Brahman platform.
Prahlada Maharaja said, agunena ca kanksitena: if one is engaged in the transcendental loving service of the lotus feet of the Lord, he does not need anything in terms of dharma, artha, kama or moksa. In Srimad-Bhagavatam, therefore, in the beginning of the transcendental literature, it is said, dharmah projjhita-kaitavo 'tra. Dharma, artha, kama and moksa are kaitava--false and unnecessary. Nirmatsaranam, persons who are completely transcendental to the material activities of separateness, who make no distinction between "mine" and "yours," but who simply engage in the devotional service of the Lord, are actually fit to accept bhagavata-dharma (dharman bhagavatan iha). Because they are nirmatsara, not jealous of anyone, they want to make others devotees, even their enemies. In this regard, Srila Madhvacarya remarks, kanksate moksa-gam api sukham nakanksato yatha. Devotees are not desirous of any material happiness, including the happiness derived from liberation. This is called anyabhilasita-sunyam jnana-karmady-anavrtam. Karmis desire material happiness, and jnanis desire liberation, but a devotee does not desire anything; he is simply satisfied by rendering transcendental loving service at the lotus feet of the Lord and glorifying Him everywhere by preaching, which is his life and soul.
TEXT 26
TEXT
dharmartha-kama iti yo 'bhihitas tri-varga
iksa trayi naya-damau vividha ca varta
manye tad etad akhilam nigamasya satyam
svatmarpanam sva-suhrdah paramasya pumsah
SYNONYMS
dharma--religion; artha--economic development; kamah--regulated sense gratification; iti--thus; yah--which; abhihitah--prescribed; tri-vargah--the group of three; iksa--self-realization; trayi--the Vedic ritualistic ceremonies; naya--logic; damau--and the science of law and order; vividha--varieties of; ca--also; varta--occupational duties, or one's livelihood; manye--I consider; tat--them; etat--these; akhilam--all; nigamasya--of the Vedas; satyam--truth; sva-atma-arpanam--the full surrendering of one's self; sva-suhrdah--unto the supreme friend; paramasya--the ultimate; pumsah--personality.
TRANSLATION
Religion, economic development and sense gratification--these are described in the Vedas as tri-varga, or three ways to salvation. Within these three categories are education and self-realization; ritualistic ceremonies performed according to Vedic injunction; logic; the science of law and order; and the various means of earning one's livelihood. These are the external subject matters of study in the Vedas, and therefore I consider them material. However, I consider surrender to the lotus feet of Lord Visnu to be transcendental.
PURPORT
These instructions of Prahlada Maharaja stress the transcendental position of devotional service. As confirmed in Bhagavad-gita (14.26):
mam ca yo 'vyabhicarena
bhakti-yogena sevate
sa gunan samatityaitan
brahma-bhuyaya kalpate
"One who engages in full devotional service, who does not fall down in any circumstance, at once transcends the modes of material nature and thus comes to the level of Brahman." One who fully engages in the devotional service of the Lord is immediately raised to the transcendental position, which is the brahma-bhuta stage. Any education or activity not on the brahma-bhuta platform, the platform of self-realization, is considered to be material, and Prahlada Maharaja says that anything material cannot be the Absolute Truth, for the Absolute Truth is on the spiritual platform. This is also confirmed by Lord Krsna in Bhagavad-gita (2.45), where He says, traigunya-visaya veda nistraigunyo bhavarjuna: "The Vedas mainly deal with the subject of the three modes of material nature. Rise above these modes, O Arjuna. Be transcendental to all of them." To act on the material platform, even if one's activities are sanctioned by the Vedas, is not the ultimate goal of life. The ultimate goal of life is to stay on the spiritual platform, fully surrendered to the parama-purusa, the supreme person. This is the object of the human mission. In summary, the Vedic ritualistic ceremonies and injunctions are not to be discounted; they are means of being promoted to the spiritual platform. But if one does not come to the spiritual platform, the Vedic ceremonies are simply a waste of time. This is confirmed in Srimad-Bhagavatam (1.2.8):
dharmah svanusthitah pumsam
visvaksena-kathasu yah
notpadayed yadi ratim
srama eva hi kevalam
"Duties [dharma] executed by men, regardless of occupation, are only so much useless labor if they do not provoke attraction for the message of the Supreme Lord." If one very strictly performs the various duties of religion but does not ultimately come to the platform of surrendering to the Supreme Lord, his methods of attaining salvation or elevation are simply a waste of time and energy.
TEXT 27
TEXT
jnanam tad etad amalam duravapam aha
narayano nara-sakhah kila naradaya
ekantinam bhagavatas tad akincananam
padaravinda-rajasapluta-dehinam syat
SYNONYMS
jnanam--knowledge; tat--that; etat--this; amalam--without material contamination; duravapam--very difficult to understand (without the mercy of a devotee); aha--explained; narayanah--Lord Narayana, the Supreme Personality of Godhead; nara-sakhah--the friend of all living entities (especially human beings); kila--certainly; naradaya--unto the great sage Narada; ekantinam--of those who have surrendered exclusively to the Supreme Personality of Godhead; bhagavatah--of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; tat--that (knowledge); akincananam--who do not claim any material possessions; pada-aravinda--of the lotus feet of the Lord; rajasa--by the dust; apluta--bathed; dehinam--whose bodies; syat--is possible.
TRANSLATION
Narayana, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the well-wisher and friend of all living entities, formerly explained this transcendental knowledge to the great saint Narada. Such knowledge is extremely difficult to understand without the mercy of a saintly person like Narada, but everyone who has taken shelter of Narada's disciplic succession can understand this confidential knowledge.
PURPORT
It is stated here that this confidential knowledge is extremely difficult to understand, yet it is very easy to understand if one takes shelter of a pure devotee. This confidential knowledge is also mentioned at the end of Bhagavad-gita, where the Lord says, sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja: "Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me." This knowledge is an extremely confidential secret, but it can be understood if one approaches the Supreme Personality of Godhead through the bona fide agent, the spiritual master in the disciplic succession from Narada. Prahlada Maharaja wanted to impress upon the sons of the demons that although such knowledge can be understood only by a saintly person like Narada, they should not be disappointed, for if one takes shelter of Narada instead of material teachers, this knowledge is possible to understand. Understanding does not depend upon high parentage. The living entity is certainly pure on the spiritual platform, and therefore anyone who attains the spiritual platform by the grace of the spiritual master can also understand this confidential knowledge.
TEXT 28
TEXT
srutam etan maya purvam
jnanam vijnana-samyutam
dharmam bhagavatam suddham
naradad deva-darsanat
SYNONYMS
srutam--heard; etat--this; maya--by me; purvam--formerly; jnanam--confidential knowledge; vijnana-samyutam--combined with its practical application; dharmam--transcendental religion; bhagavatam--in relationship with the Supreme Personality of Godhead; suddham--having nothing to do with material activities; naradat--from the great saint Narada; deva--the Supreme Lord; darsanat--who always sees.
TRANSLATION
Prahlada Maharaja continued: I received this knowledge from the great saint Narada Muni, who is always engaged in devotional service. This knowledge, which is called bhagavata-dharma, is fully scientific. It is based on logic and philosophy and is free from all material contamination.
TEXTS 29-30
TEXT
sri-daitya-putra ucuh
prahrada tvam vayam capi
narte 'nyam vidmahe gurum
etabhyam guru-putrabhyam
balanam api hisvarau
balasyantahpura-sthasya
mahat-sango duranvayah
chindhi nah samsayam saumya
syac ced visrambha-karanam
SYNONYMS
sri-daitya-putrah ucuh--the sons of the demons said; prahrada--O dear friend Prahlada; tvam--you; vayam--we; ca--and; api--also; na--not; rte--except; anyam--any other; vidmahe--know; gurum--Spiritual master; etabhyam--these two; guru-putrabhyam--the sons of Sukracarya; balanam--of little children; api--although; hi--indeed; isvarau--the two controllers; balasya--of a child; antahpura-sthasya--remaining inside the house or palace; mahat-sangah--the association of a great person like Narada; duranvayah--very difficult; chindhi--please dispel; nah--our; samsayam--doubt; saumya--O gentle one; syat--there may be; cet--if; visrambha-karanam--cause of faith (in your words).
TRANSLATION
The sons of the demons replied: Dear Prahlada, neither you nor we know any teacher or spiritual master other than Sanda and Amarka, the sons of Sukracarya. After all, we are children and they our controllers. For you especially, who always remain within the palace, it is very difficult to associate with a great personality. Dear friend, most gentle one, would you kindly explain how it was possible for you to hear Narada? Kindly dispel our doubts in this regard.
Thus end the Bhaktivedanta purports of the Seventh Canto, Sixth Chapter, of the Srimad-Bhagavatam, entitled, "Prahlada Instructs His Demoniac Schoolmates."