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Five years old (Lectures, SB)

Expressions researched:
"age of fifth year" |"age of five years" |"age of five" |"boy of five years" |"child of five years" |"five year old" |"five years of age" |"five years old"

Lectures

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.1.2 -- London, August 15, 1971:

They have become secular. Secular..., what does it mean secular? It means don't care for any kind of religion; Just work very hard for economic development day and night. This is the modern civilization. No. That is misleading. From the very beginning of life. Just like Prahlāda Mahārāja advised, kaumāra ācaret prājño dharmān bhāgavatān iha (SB 7.6.1). The boys... He was five-years-old boy. He said, "My dear..." He was preaching amongst his class friend. This is Vaiṣṇavism. Even a five... Just like our Sarasvatī, Śyāmasundara's daughter. She also preaches. She goes sometimes, "Do you know what is Kṛṣṇa?" If somebody says, "No, I do not know"—"The Supreme Personality of Godhead." You see? This is natural. Simply one has to be given the chance. Because this, I mean to say, small girl has got the chance to live amongst Kṛṣṇa conscious people from the very birth, she's developing that "Oh, I shall also preach. I shall also preach." Developing.

Lecture on SB 1.2.5 -- Vrndavana, October 16, 1972:

This question was raised by Hiraṇyakaśipu before Prahlāda, that "Why you are after so much Kṛṣṇa, nonsense God?" So he replied his father, na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇum: (SB 7.5.31) "My dear father, generally, demons like you..." (laughter) Yes. He addressed his father, asura-varya. Asura-varya means "the best of the demons." He was not afraid. He was a five-years-old boy. And he inquired some questions, "My dear boy, what you have learned first class from your teachers?" (Hindi) So Prahlāda Mahārāja addressed his father, tat sādhu manye asura-varya. Asura-varya. His father was addressed not "Father." He was addressed, "My dear the best of the asuras..." Asura-varya. Tat sādhu manye 'sura-varya dehinām.

So when you become actually preacher of God consciousness, you cannot make any compromise. You must call the spade a spade. Just like Prahlāda Mahārāja. Prahlāda Mahārāja is one of the mahājanas. Out of the twelve mahājanas, he's one of them. Because he was very bold. He was not afraid of his demonic father.

Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- London, August 26, 1971:

If one is poor man, how he can be a charitable man? Similarly, unless Caitanya Mahāprabhu is the ideal figure, how He loved Kṛṣṇa? You see His picture, only... Not even twenty-four years, because at the age of twenty-four years He left home. His wife was only sixteen years old, His mother was seventy-five years old, very old lady, but He left home for distributing kṛṣṇa-prema, love of Kṛṣṇa.

So this is the best kind of religious principle, to understand how to become a lover of God and distribute this knowledge, how to love God. That is the best religion. So this description of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, definition of religion, sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhokṣaje ahaitukī (SB 1.2.6), without any cause, apratihatā, without being checked up, without being infected by any materialism. So Kṛṣṇa consciousness is so beautiful thing that it does not require any material acquisition, neither it can be checked by any material (indistinct).

Lecture on SB 1.2.8 -- Hyderabad, April 22, 1974:

And the asuras are just opposite. Just like Hiraṇyakaśipu, Prahlāda, the father and son. Prahlāda is deva because he is devotee of Kṛṣṇa. And Hiraṇyakaśipu, because Prahlāda is devotee of Kṛṣṇa, he's trying to always tease him. Although he is a five-years-old-boy, his son, his beloved son, but since he became Kṛṣṇa conscious, he became the enemy of the asura, Hiraṇyakaśipu. This process is existing from very, very time immemorial, two classes.

Therefore to become devotee is sometimes very troublesome, because even the father become enemy. This is the position of the devotee. But still, you have to become devotee. That is your success of life. But the warning is there, that as soon as you become a devotee, you become enemies of so many, especially nowadays. You know that recently I was refused entrance in Africa. The government did not allow me to enter. What is my fault? Because I am a devotee. This is my fault.

Lecture on SB 1.2.13 -- Los Angeles, August 16, 1972:

When you want to see... Just like Dhruva Mahārāja. Dhruva Mahārāja was a young boy, he was insulted by his stepmother. Son of a kṣatriya, they were very proud family, even a five-year-old boy could not tolerate the insult. A kṣatriya cannot tolerate insult, immediately sword. Not that nonviolence. Nonviolence is not for kṣatriya. Therefore it is said, varṇāśrama-vibhāgaśaḥ—you cannot stop violence. There must be violence, but kṣatriyas, they know how to use violence. That is different thing. So he was insulted and he went to his mother, "Stepmother has insulted me like this," he began to cry in front of his mother. She said,"How can I help you, my dear boy? Your father does not care for me, even like the maidservants." So he was determined to retaliate. So his mother advised, that "If you can meet Kṛṣṇa, or God, He can help you." "Where is God?"

Lecture on SB 1.2.13 -- Los Angeles, August 16, 1972:

"Sir, I am sorry. I am born of a kṣatriya father, so I cannot accept your instruction. This is very good instruction, but I am born in such a family. I am sorry, I cannot take your instruction," he frankly said. "If you can give me anything, any clue how I can find God, please tell me. Otherwise, please excuse me. Don't tell me, don't give me instructions." This is eagerness, a five-year-old boy, "I must see God. If you can give me some clue how I find out God then talk. Otherwise excuse." This is seriousness. Then this mantra was given to Dhruva Mahārāja: oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. So he, by that eagerness, within six months he saw Kṛṣṇa.

So it is possible. One has to accept the proper person who can let him know what is God. And if he is determined, then it is not difficult. But when you see God, what is your next business? Suppose you see God, what you will do? The business is to ask God, "Kṛṣṇa, please engage me in Your service." That is wanted. When Nṛsiṁhadeva was seen by Prahlāda Mahārāja, He wanted to give him.

Lecture on SB 1.2.14 -- Los Angeles, August 17, 1972:

And they met Lord Śiva, and Lord Śiva gave them instruction, and for ten thousand of years within water standing, they underwent austerity. Then they came back and took charge of the kingdom. This is kṣatriya.

Just like Dhruva Mahārāja. Dhruva Mahārāja, at the age of five years old, he left his father's home, went to the forest, and with determination he saw God, Kṛṣṇa, within six months. But after coming back, when he was older, when he became king, oh, he was so powerful that there was some mischief done by the sons of Kuvera, he killed them like anything. You see? He killed them like anything, so that the Kuvera personally requested that "Mahārāja Dhruva, I know that they are criminals, you are doing your duty as king, but I request... Otherwise my whole dynasty will be finished." So immediately, Dhruva Mahārāja accepted a great man's request, Kuvera.

Lecture on SB 1.2.17 -- San Francisco, March 25, 1967:

There is a nice instruction by Prahlāda Mahārāja, a great devotee, boy devotee. And he was, from his boyhood, childhood, from his mother's womb, he became a devotee by the grace of Nārada Muni. That is the history. Now, he, he was five-years-old boy, and his father was too much materialistic. And he wanted that his son should be great politician, economist, and so on, so on, just like the materialists want. But the boy, he's a devotee. So father did not like the idea. So one day he called his boy, "My dear boy, come on." He came. A small boy. "Sit down on my lap. All right, my dear boy, will you kindly tell me what you have learned, the best thing in your school?" "Yes, my dear father, I shall tell you." So he said like this, tat sādhu manye 'sura-varya dehināṁ sadā samudvigna-dhiyām asad-grahāt, hitvātma, hitvā ātma-pātaṁ gṛham anda-kūpaṁ vanaṁ gato yad-dharim āśrayeta (SB 7.5.5). "My dear father..." He's addressing his father, "O the best among the materialists."

Lecture on SB 1.2.17 -- San Francisco, March 25, 1967:

So Prahlāda Mahārāja thinks that in order to realize his self for self-realization, if he gives up all material engagement and takes to the path of self-realization, that is the best way of his life. And the father became angry. "What nonsense he's taking? A five-years-old boy, he's taking, talking of self-realization. I wanted to make him a great politician, economist. Now he's talking of this nonsense and..." Hitvātma-pātaṁ gṛham andha-kūpam. "He's describing that this family life is just like a dark well." If a man is put, dark well... (break)

...be engaged. Be... Whatever you are, that doesn't matter. But act it on the platform of consciousness. And that platform, acting on the consciousness, is, Lord Caitanya has made very easy. Just like there are some note-makers of school books, "Easy Study." So Lord Caitanya has recommended that "You may be engaged in whatever occupation. That may be good or bad. We don't mind for that.

Lecture on SB 1.3.9 -- Los Angeles, September 15, 1972:

The Nara-nārāyaṇa temple is there in Badarikāśrama in the Himalayas. People still go there to show their respects to Nara-nārāyaṇa Ṛṣi. So God or His representative comes always to help us, to deliver us from the wrong path of sense gratification. They executed very difficult...

Just like Dhruva Mahārāja, a five-year-old boy. He also executed very severe types of penances. For the first six months, he was eating only the dry foliage that had fallen on the ground, then water..., no. Altogether he underwent penances for six months, so the first month, second, third, like that. So first he used to eat the leaves of the tree, then dried leaves, then simply water, then simply air, then no eating at all. Within six months he was successful to see the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Nārāyaṇa, face to face.

Lecture on SB 1.3.18 -- Los Angeles, September 23, 1972:

This verse is peculiar that there is no names. Why? Because this Narasiṁha incarnation came out of a column. Hiraṇyakaśipu was so angry talking with his son. He saw that his son is very strongly Kṛṣṇa conscious; he could not induce him to forget Kṛṣṇa. So he was very angry. So he was ready to kill him with his sword. At that time Prahlāda Mahārāja, the little boy, five years old, he was just looking at the column in the hall. So his father marked it and immediately asked, "Do you think your God is there in the column?" He said, "Yes, my father." Immediately he broke the column, and Nṛsiṁha came out.

Therefore God is everywhere, not that because God takes birth as human being, from the womb of a human being, it does not mean that He is ordinary human being. He can come out from any source, not necessarily that He has to, but when He plays like a human being, He comes out like that. As if Devakī has become pregnant and the child is there within the womb. But that was simply a conception.

Lecture on SB 1.5.23 -- Vrndavana, August 4, 1974:

So from this position, Nārada Muni became the greatest muni. He is describing his own life.

This is most important point, that even... First of all, he was a boy, three-, four-or five-years-old boy, no knowledge. And second point is that he was not born in a very high-grade family, aristocratic family, rich family. No. Maidservant's son. He did not give any information of his father also. Dāsyāḥ. Dāsyāḥ means there is no certainty who is father. Dāsī. Dāsī-putra. The... Formerly, big, big men, especially kṣatriyas... Just like when Vasudeva was married with Devakī, so with Devakī many hundreds maidservants were given, with Vasudeva. That is the system, especially among the kṣatriyas. When a kṣatriya king is married, then along with the queen, many girlfriends of the queen, they are also taken away.

Lecture on SB 1.5.24 -- Vrndavana, August 5, 1975:

So the vedānta-vādīs initiated the boy even before he became self-controlled and was detached from the childish sporting, etc. But before the initiation, he (the boy) became more and more advanced in discipline, which is very essential for one who wishes to make progress in the line. In the system of varṇāśrama-dharma, which is the beginning of actual life, small boys, five years of age, are sent to become brahmacārī at the guru's āśrama just to learn discipline."

So unless one is disciplined... This is the only qualification, that Nārada Muni was disciplined. So much disciplined that he's a small boy, still, he would not talk anything nonsense. He was so disciplined. So the more we become disciplined... As it is stated in the śāstras, utsāhād dhairyāt niścayāt tat-tat-karma-pravartanāt. These are disciplines. The more we become advanced... And naturally we get the mercy of the spiritual master and Kṛṣṇa. Through the mercy of spiritual... Guru-kṛṣṇa-kṛpā.

Lecture on SB 1.7.18 -- Vrndavana, September 15, 1976:

Unnecessarily he was harassed by Durvāsā Muni, but because Ambarīṣa Mahārāja was a pure devotee, advanced, he was not afraid of being killed. He was not afraid. There are many instances. Just like Prahlāda Mahārāja. He was attempted to be killed by his father so many times, but he was never afraid. Although he was five-years-old boy, but he was not afraid.

So that is the distinction between an advanced devotee and ordinary man. Dhīras tatra na muhyati (BG 2.13). Death means changing of the body. So there is nothing to be very much afraid of, but one is afraid of death because at the time of death the tribulation, the miserable condition of the body is very, very severe—so much severe that one cannot remain. He has to give up this body. Just like sometimes out of disappointment, too much suffering, one commits suicide—death. So death means very, very painful, as much as birth is also very, very painful.

Lecture on SB 1.7.18 -- Vrndavana, September 15, 1976:

Athāto brahma jijñāsā. This is human life. One should be inquisitive to know about spiritual life, what is spirit soul. That is the first education. But where is that education? There is no such education. Prahlāda Mahārāja teaches that immediately, from the beginning of life, as soon as one is four or five years old, he should be educated about Brahman. That is called brahma-jijñāsā. Beginning. That is wanted. And for him there is need of guru. One who is inquisitive or serious about inquiring about Brahman, he requires guru. Guru is not a fashion. Guru is necessity. Tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). Tad-vijñānam. Tad-vijñānam means spiritual education. For material education there is no need of guru. You keep... Guru, of course required, but guru means to inquire about spiritual subject matter. Tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam (SB 11.3.21). Uttamam. Uttamam means udgata-tamaṁ yasmāt.

Lecture on SB 1.7.51-52 -- Vrndavana, October 8, 1976:

Because they are sādhu. They do not know... They have accepted Kṛṣṇa without any hodgepodge understanding, that "This is also good, this is also good, this is also good." They are strictly following the instruction of their spiritual master. Kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28). Even a small child in our association, Śyāmasundara's daughter, she would go to somebody, she was only five years old. She would ask, "Do you know Kṛṣṇa?" So somebody said, "No, I do not know." "Oh, Supreme Personality of Godhead." She would preach like that. So they are convinced, kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam. This conviction is the foremost quality. Then other things will follow. Sarve vidhi-niṣedhāḥ syur etayor eva kiṅkarāḥ. So if one is simply convinced on this point, that kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam, and he does like that, follows the principle, kṛṣṇaika-śaraṇam. Varṇāśrama-dharma.

Lecture on SB 1.8.27 -- Los Angeles, April 19, 1973:

Kṛṣṇa said: "Yes that is My first business." Yasyāham anugṛhṇāmi hariṣye tad dhanaṁ śanaiḥ. "If I specially favor anybody, then I take away all his sources of income." Very dangerous. Yes. I have got my practical experience in this connection. Yes. That is Kṛṣṇa's special favor. I do not wish to narrate, but it is a fact. It is a fact. My Guru Mahārāja ordered me when I was twenty-five years old that: "You go and preach." But I thought: "First of all, I shall become a rich man, and I shall use that money for preaching work."

So that's a long history. I got good opportunity for becoming very rich man in business. And some astrologer told me that: "You should have become like Birla." So there was some chances, very good chances. I was manager in a big chemical factory. I started my own factory, the business was very successful. But everything was dismantled. I was forced to come to this position to carry out my order of my Guru Mahārāja. Akiñcana-vittāya.

Lecture on SB 1.8.47 -- Mayapura, October 27, 1974:

He'll see four things: īśvara, the Supreme Personality of Godhead; he'll see the devotees of Kṛṣṇa; he'll see some ignorant person; and he'll see some envious person. That you will have to meet. If you become preacher, then you'll create so many enemies also. Just like Prahlāda Mahārāja. His father became enemy, not outside. Outside he might have many enemies, but the five-years-old boy, because he was taking opportunity in the school and as soon as the teachers are out, in the tiffin hour, he would immediately stand up on the bench and preach... You have seen the picture. He was preaching amongst his small class friends. That preaching work is there in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, how he was intelligently preaching.

Lecture on SB 1.8.50 -- Los Angeles, May 12, 1973:

He gave us the instruction, tṛṇād api sunīcena taror api sahiṣṇunā: "One should be tolerant, forbearing like the tree, like the grass." Amāninā mānadena: "One should give respect to others. In this way one should chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra." Because in chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, there will be so many aggressors. The nature is so cruel. Just like Prahlāda Mahārāja, a five-years-old boy. His only fault was that he was chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, and the father was aggressor, giving him trouble so many ways. So we must be prepared.

Therefore as there is danger... Suppose Caitanya Mahāprabhu has taught us that "Be tolerant," but not that where violence is required we should be tolerant. No. Just like while Nityānanda Prabhu was injured by Jagāi and Mādhāi, He wanted to immediately kill him. Similarly, nonviolence does not mean that in right causes also you will remain nonviolent. No. You do not attack anybody unnecessarily.

Lecture on SB 1.14.43 -- New York, April 7, 1973 :

So, "Have you not taken care of old men and boys who deserve to dine with you?" So, this is Vedic culture. When there is foodstuff to be distributed, the first preference is given to the children. We remember, even now we are seventy-eight, when we were children, we were four, five years old, we remember. Some of you have seen that (indistinct), and if you, anyone here? You have seen. So, the first feasting is for children. So sometimes I was little obstinate, I'll not, sit down, "No, I'll take with you, (indistinct)." But that was system. First of all children should be sumptuously fed, then the brāhmaṇas, and children and old men. In the family, children and old men... Just see Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, how much he was anxious to take care of Dhṛtarāṣṭra. Although he played, played the part of an enemy throughout, still it is the duty of the family member to take care of the old men.

Lecture on SB 1.16.7 -- Los Angeles, January 4, 1974:

That is his advice, Prahlāda Mahārāja. He was talking with his classfriend, five years old. So he was teaching them that "Just become Kṛṣṇa conscious. Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa." Nārada taught him. He listened from Nārada. So he was convinced that this is the only business, how to make advancement in Kṛṣṇa consciousness by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra.

So he was Hiraṇyakaśipu's son. He did not appoint any teacher to teach him about Kṛṣṇa consciousness. But when he was in the womb of his mother, Nārada Muni advised the mother about Kṛṣṇa consciousness. She had to live for some time at the care of Nārada Muni when her husband was out being defeated by the demigods, the Hiraṇyakaśipu. So the woman's anxiety was when her husband will come back. And at that time the child was within the womb, and she begged a benediction from Nārada, "Sir, kindly arrange in that way, that as long as my husband does not come back, I may not give birth to this child." Nārada Muni said, "All right, it will be."

Lecture on SB 1.16.7 -- Los Angeles, January 4, 1974:

They have no such intelligence. Strī, śūdra and dvija-bandhu. So Vedānta-sūtra says, janmādy asya yataḥ anvayād itarataś cārtheṣu (SB 1.1.1). They cannot understand. Therefore through Mahābhārata they are instructed. History. History they can hear. So Prahlāda Mahārāja says, "It is the duty of a human being, even from childhood, kaumāra..." Kaumāra means from the age of fifth year up to tenth year. This is called kaumāra. So people should be educated about this, that the problem is how to stop janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi (BG 13.9). This education. This is called Bhāgavata instruction. You are noting. We are talking on the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. The subject matter is how one shall transfer himself from this material world to the spiritual world and thereby stop birth, death, old age and disease. This is the whole subject matter.

Lecture on SB 1.16.10 -- Los Angeles, January 7, 1974:

That brahmacārī rules and regulation are there in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, that he would go door to door for collecting alms for his spiritual master, and address every woman as mother, from the very beginning. From five years old, if a child is trained to call all woman as "Mother," naturally his culture is different. Because he has learned to call all woman as "Mother." He has no other idea. A small child, any woman comes before him, he knows "(S)He is my mother." So this was the practice. That is not only religiously, but morally, it is so good, to look upon all woman as mother. That is the system still in India, any unknown woman who has no introduction with you, (s)he is addressed "Mātājī." Address her. She may be just like daughter or granddaughter, but one would address, as a respect to the woman, as "Mother, Mātājī." This is Indian system.

Lecture on SB 2.1.3 -- Paris, June 12, 1974:

He learned spiritual knowledge from Nārada from the womb of his mother. So he decided that "I shall live a spiritual life." So although he was king's son, a very powerful king's son, he was not interested anything with spiritual, er, material. He decided. So from the childhood, he was trying to preach Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Where he should get opportunity? He was a child of five years old, and king's son, locked up within the palace. So he was taking opportunity in the school. As soon as he go to the school, and the teachers are out, he'll stand up on the bench and speak of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. A five-year-... You have seen the picture. So he was advising, "My dear friends"—they were all five years, four years old—"now take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness." Kaumāra ācaret prājño dharmān bhāgavatān iha: (SB 7.6.1) "This kaumāra, this age, from the very beginning of life, you take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness." He was advising. They, they were all asuras. They were asking, "Why Kṛṣṇa consciousness? Let us play now, jump like monkey."

Lecture on SB 2.1.5 -- Delhi, November 8, 1973:

That is very good. From childhood they should learn, learn about God. And that is recommendation in Bhāgavata. Prahlāda Mahārāja said that kaumāra ācaret prājño dharmān bhāgavatān (SB 7.6.1). Kaumāra, from the beginning of life, children should be engaged. Therefore we have opened the Gurukula, Dallas. The small children, four years, five years old, they are hearing about Kṛṣṇa, about God. They are chanting about Kṛṣṇa, they are rising early in the morning, attending maṅgala-ārātrika. Anyone goes there... Even the education superintendent came to visit our temple. He was astonished that "How these children are happy. How children, they are being educated." So this is to be introduced. Kaumāra ācaret prājño dharmān bhāgavat..., durlabhaṁ mānuṣaṁ janma. This human form of life is durlabham. Durlabham, very rare to achieve. It is not so easily obtained. We have to pass through evolutionary process, 8,400,000 species of life, aquatics...

Lecture on SB 2.3.14-15 -- Los Angeles, May 31, 1972:

Just produce a new generation, just like Parīkṣit Mahārāja. Produce a new generation. Bāla-krīḍanakaiḥ, from the very childhood, thinking of Kṛṣṇa, playing of Kṛṣṇa, eating of Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa... Then he cannot become otherwise. Therefore Prahlāda Mahārāja, he was child, five-years-old child, he was teaching his class fellows. So they refused that "Prahlāda, why you are bothering with this? When we shall get old, we shall think of this Kṛṣṇa." "No," he insisted. "No. Kaumāra ācaret prājño dharmān bhāgavatān iha, durlabhaṁ mānuṣaṁ janma... (SB 7.6.1). You cannot get again such opportunity. So you immediately begin. Immediately you try to become Kṛṣṇa conscious." All right, kīrtana. (devotees offer obeisances) (end)

Lecture on SB 2.3.20 -- Los Angeles, June 16, 1972:

What is this land? Does it belong to you? No. Because I have got this designation, title, "I am American, I am Indian," therefore I am fond of land. Just see how much illusory things are going on. I have got a false designation. On account of this designation, I am thinking, "This is mine." This is illusion. Actually, it is God's. Suppose you are twenty-five years old. Say, before twenty-five years old, where was that country?

That you do not know. Might be it was in China or in the hell. You have no knowledge. And now, since twenty-five years you are born in this land, you are absorbed in thought, "This is my country." People are mad after nationalism and fighting. One nation is fighting with another. But these rascals do not know that "Why they are fighting? The land belongs to God. You simply fight, and die, and go to hell. That's all." This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So when people become Kṛṣṇa conscious, this nonsense fighting will stop. Otherwise there is no possibility.

Lecture on SB 3.25.5-6 -- Bombay, November 5, 1974:

Suppose a man marries at the age of twenty... That is, I mean, the highest. A boy is married not later than twenty-five years. And the girl is not, married not later than sixteen years. That is the system. So a sixteen-year girl and twenty-five-year boy, if the child is born, then when the man if fifty years old, the child becomes twenty-five years old. So he can take charge.

So taking this calculation, even Kapiladeva was twenty-five years old, He was quite able to take charge of His mother Devahūti. So He knew that "Father left My mother in My charge, and therefore I must take charge of My mother and keep her always pleased." Mātuḥ priya-cikīrṣayā. This... The boy is not irresponsible. He is always ready to please His mother. Here we have given these pictures in this Bhāgavatam. Here Kapiladeva in a brahmacārī dress, and mother is taking lesson from the son. Now, sometimes it is asked, "How the mother will take lesson from the son?"

Lecture on SB 3.25.18 -- Bombay, November 18, 1974:

How he became so powerful jñānī? It is very difficult to understand, how a small boy, and he's saying Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personalty of Godhead? Not only he—even a small child. There is another small child, only five years old. He goes to preach, "You know what is Kṛṣṇa?" And somebody says, "No, I do not know." "The Supreme Personality of Godhead." Anyway she has learned, that is jñāna. But that is a fact. I may not know to analyze what is fire, but my father has said, "This is fire. Don't touch it. It will burn." So that's all right. He may be child, but he has got the real knowledge. Similarly, by hearing process, śruta-paramparā... Evaṁ paramparā-prāptam imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ (BG 4.2). If you go through the process of disciplic succession, hearing from the authorities, you may be fool, I may be fool, but because I am hearing from the authority, my knowledge is perfect.

Lecture on SB 3.25.20 -- Bombay, November 20, 1974:

Sādhu's business is to become very tolerant. Because everyone becomes enemy. If you become a devotee, everyone will become enemy, because they're asuras. Āsuraṁ bhāvam āśritāḥ. Even the father. Hiraṇyakaśipu is the father of Prahlāda Mahārāja. The boy, five-years-old boy. What is his fault? He's chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. And his father became enemy. Up to which, what strength? Now, he was prepared to kill. He was insisting the boy that "Why you are chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa? Why you are speaking of a separate God? I am God." That is the asuri. Those rascals who claim to become God Himself, they are demons, Hiraṇyakaśipu. So Prahlāda Mahārāja will not accept. Prahlāda Mahārāja, even the father insisting that "I am God. Why you are talking of any other God? I am God," and Prahlāda Mahārāja will not accept that. He will accept the father as asura. Sometimes it was quarrel between father and son.

Lecture on SB 3.25.23 -- Bombay, November 23, 1974:

So a devotee's mind is trained up in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Therefore he does not care for suffering. That is the difference between a devotee and nondevotee.

Therefore it is said that tapanti vividhās tāpā na etān mad-gata-cetasaḥ. Just like Prahlāda Mahārāja. So how much suffering he had to undergo, the five-years-old boy, and his father was putting in dangers, sometimes under the feet, leg of the elephant, sometimes throwing from the mountain, sometimes on burning oil, sometimes amongst the snakes, so many ways. But he was silent. Haridāsa Ṭhākura. Haridāsa Ṭhākura was a Muhammadan by birth. So he became a very good devotee and always chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. That was his fault. So the Muslim Kazi called him, that "You are Muhammadan. You born in a such great family, Muhammadan family, and you are chanting Hindu's Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra? What is this?" So he mildly replied, "My dear sir, there are many Hindus, they also have become Muhammadan.

Lecture on SB 3.25.35 -- Bombay, December 4, 1974:

A santa means he has to suffer. Just see in the Western countries the Lord Jesus Christ. He was preaching about God, God consciousness. That was the only fault, and he was crucified. Just see. He was crucified. The state ordered him to be crucified because he is talking. Similarly, Hiraṇyakaśipu, his five-years-old body, he was talking only of Kṛṣṇa, Nārāyaṇa. So therefore his father became enemy. He was trying in so many ways to kill him. This is the very old story, that if you become a devotee, you must be prepared to be put into miserable condition by the demons. That is their business. Āsuraṁ bhāvam āśritāḥ (BG 7.15). Asuras... Just like even Kṛṣṇa, even God Himself, He was attempted to be killed by Kaṁsa. Not only that, He engaged so many demons, Pūtanā, Aghāsura, Bakāsura, Mahīśāsura, so many asuras. But Kṛṣṇa is always Kṛṣṇa. Paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām (BG 4.8). He is able to finish these duṣkṛtas or the asuras by His omnipotency. That He can do. But the asuras are always...

Lecture on SB 3.26.28 -- Bombay, January 5, 1975:

"No, no, no, no. I am not..." He is satisfied, fully satisfied. Just like Prahlāda Mahārāja: he took advantage of bhakti for some material... Not Prahlāda Mahārāja, Dhruva Mahārāja. I am sorry. So when actually saw Kṛṣṇa, Viṣṇu, who came to satisfy him, being pleased upon his austerities, little boy of five years, at that time, when he saw Kṛṣṇa, he said, "No, no, I don't want anything." Svāmin kṛtārtho 'smi varaṁ na yāce: (CC Madhya 22.42) "Svāmin, my Lord, I am fully satisfied. I have no more demand."

That is the bhakti stage—no more demand. The karmīs, the jñānīs, the yogis, they have got demand. They want something. The karmīs, they want promotion to the higher planets for sensual satisfaction, for higher standard of material living condition, karmīs. The more you are karmīs, you can live very high standard of life just like Europeans, Americans.

Lecture on SB 5.5.1 -- Tittenhurst, London, September 12, 1969:

"Why you are taking so much trouble with the family? Why not come and live with us in Kṛṣṇa consciousness society?" he'll not agree. Because he has no Vedic training. Up to the end of this life he'll stick to the family life. Many, many politicians... In our country we have seen many old politicians, seventy-five years old, eighty years old. Not only in our country, in other countries also. In your country, Great Britain, Mr. Churchill, unless he was forced to death, he would not give up politics. Our Gandhi, he was killed by another political group. Then he was forced to retire. When Gandhi attained independence, I requested him in a letter, "Mahatma Gandhi, now you started your struggle with the Britishers, that they should go and Indians should have their independence. Now you have attained independence and Britishers have gone. Now you preach Bhagavad-gītā. You have got some influence.

Lecture on SB 5.5.1 -- Delhi, November 28, 1975:

He says... He was child, five years old. His other... In tiffin hours the other children of the demons, they were playing, and Prahlāda Mahārāja was asking to sit down and hear him. He was preaching, "My dear friends," kaumāra ācaret prājño dharmān bhāgavatān, "don't spoil your life by playing. Now this is the period of understanding bhāgavata-dharma." Bhāgavata-dharma means to understand God and our relationship with God and act accordingly. That is called bhāgavata-dharma. So kaumāra ācaret prajñā dharmān bhāgavatān. If you want... We might have done mistakes in our life, but if we train our children in the brahmacārī system and gradually they understand the bhāgavata-dharma, at least their life becomes perfect. And in the Bhāgavata it is ordered that... You will find all this in this Ṛṣabhadeva's instruction. Pitā na sa syāt jananī na sa syāt sva-jano na sa syā..., guror na sa syāt: "One should not become guru... One should not become guru, one should not become kinsmen, one should not become father, one should not become mother"—na mocayed yaḥ samupeta-mṛtyum—"if one cannot give lesson to the children how to avoid death."

Lecture on SB 5.5.2 -- Hyderabad, April 12, 1975:

Tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet. This abhigacchet, this form of verb is used when it is called vidhi-liṅ, must! There is no option. I may go or I may not go. No. One must. That is human life. That is the instruction of Vedic śāstra.

In Prahlāda Mahārāja's teaching also... At childhood he was five-years-old boy, and he was teaching to his class friend, "My dear friend, that kaumāra ācaret prajño dharmān bhāgavatān iha (SB 7.6.1)." He was teaching Kṛṣṇa consciousness as soon as he was getting little opportunity. In the tiffin hour, when the teachers are gone, he'd immediately stand up and preach to his friends, "My dear friends, begin Kṛṣṇa consciousness from this point. Although you are very small boys, still we have to begin here." kaumāra ācaret prajño dharmān bhāgavatān iha. "Why so quickly?

Lecture on SB 5.5.4 -- Vrndavana, October 26, 1976:

Dhruva Mahārāja said. He had desires, very, very great desires that "I shall have, I shall possess a kingdom greater than Brahmā, greater than my father." He was insulted by his stepmother. This is desire. This is We are Action and reaction. So he desired that "I shall have a great kingdom—greater kingdom than my father." He went to the forest and he underwent very severe austerities, a five-years-old boy. He saw, Kṛṣṇa came. So when He wanted to give him, fulfill his desires, he said, svāmin kṛtārtho 'smi varaṁ na yāce: "No, no, no, no. I have nothing to ask from You." This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. No more desires. Otherwise, karmī, jñānī, yogi, and bhakta. Akāmaḥ sarva-kāmo vā mokṣa-kāma udāra-dhīḥ (SB 2.3.10). Mokṣa-kāma, the jñānīs they want mokṣa, to merge into the existence of Brahman. The yogis, they want siddhis, some perfection, material perfection, to show some magic. And the karmīs, they want sense gratification. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu said that karmī jñānī yogi sakali aśānta. Aśānta, they cannot be at peace because they are desiring.

Lecture on SB 5.5.28 -- Vrndavana, November 15, 1976:

Those who are innocent, does not know what is God or what is our relationship with Him, but they are not atheist—they do not know—to such persons, kṛpa, daya. Īṣvare tad-adhīneṣu bāliśeṣu. And there is a class, dviṣat, sura-dviṣat, simply atheist. As soon as they hear the name of God, Kṛṣṇa, they become angry. Just like Hiraṇyakaśipu. Innocent child, five years old, Prahlāda Mahārāja, because he learned from Nārada Muni even from the womb of his mother how to become a devotee and from the birth he was a devotee and his father did not like, Hiraṇyakaśipu. Not only he did not like, he was prepared to kill his child in so many ways. That is atheism. Atheists are so much averse, sura-dviṣat. They are envious. So to such person the madhyama-adhikārī cannot preach because it is useless waste of time. If one is innocent but not envious we can preach there. That will be, I mean to say, fruitful. If we go to atheist and you go on speaking, he will never accept it. So don't waste your time in that way. That is nāma-aparādha.

Lecture on SB 6.1.12 -- Honolulu, May 13, 1976:

These are the different steps, how one person can become civilized. So first thing is tapasā. Tapasā brahmacaryena (SB 6.1.13), austerities. Therefore in the Vedic civilization the children, they are taught from the very beginning brahmacarya. Tapasā brahmacarya. A small boy, five-years-old boy... That is gurukula. Brahmacārī guru-kule vasan dānto guror hitam (SB 7.12.1). This is a way of life, to teach the brahmācārya, brahmacarya, celibacy, to restrain from sex life. That is brahmacarya. So this is the beginning of civilization. The unlimited, unrestricted sex life like hogs and dogs, that is not civilization. Civilization, the first of all, to learn how to observe celibacy, to come to the point, no sex life. That is perfect civilization: no sex life. Therefore in the Vedic civilization you'll find the human society is divided into four orders and four spiritual or..., material and spiritual, varṇāśrama. Varṇa and āśrama. Brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, sannyāsa.

Lecture on SB 6.1.15 -- Auckland, February 22, 1973:

Similarly, Śukadeva Gosvāmī, he also attained perfection by speaking seven days to Parīkṣit Mahārāja. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ smaraṇam (SB 7.5.23). Prahlāda Mahārāja, he was put into so many difficulties by his atheist father, Hiraṇyakaśipu, but he was simply remembering Nārāyaṇa, Kṛṣṇa. Because he was a child, five years old, how he can fight with his father? His father was the greatest demon, powerful, and he was against the child. So he used to simply think of Kṛṣṇa, smaraṇam. Pāda-sevanam: Lakṣmī, goddess of fortune, she simply engaged herself in massaging the lotus feet of Viṣṇu. Pāda-sevanam. Arcanam: Pṛthu Mahārāja, he engaged himself in the arcana. Vandanaṁ. Dāsyam: Hanumān. Akrūra, Akrūra, he simply offered prayers to Kṛṣṇa. Akrūra came to Kṛṣṇa Balarāma to take Them to Mathurā. So he got salvation simply by offering prayers. Vandanaṁ dāsyam. Hanumān, he simply offered his bodily service to Lord Rāmacandra.

Lecture on SB 6.1.16 -- Honolulu, May 16, 1976:

Because he was kṣatriya... His mother said that "God can only help you, my dear son. If you want to become king on the throne of your father, better position, then only God can help you. I cannot help you. It is not..." So he was determined, "I must see God." So he went to the forest but he did not know how to approach God. A boy of five years old only, he has got the determination. So Kṛṣṇa saw that "This boy is very determined." Therefore He sent His representative, Nārada: "Go and train him. He is very eager."

Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, guru-kṛṣṇa-kṛpāya pāya bhakti-latā-bīja (CC Madhya 19.151). You can enter into the devotional service by double mercy. One mercy is Kṛṣṇa; another mercy is the spiritual master. Therefore here it is said, the same thing, kṛṣṇārpita-prāṇas tat-puruṣa niṣevayā. One cannot be kṛṣṇārpita prāṇaḥ, one cannot dedicate his life to Kṛṣṇa, unless he has gotten the mercy of spiritual master. This is the way. You cannot get directly. That is not possible.

Lecture on SB 6.1.17 -- Honolulu, May 17, 1976:

No. That is not our business. We are Kṛṣṇa-ites. What Kṛṣṇa said, we have to do. Therefore sādhu, suhṛt. Suhṛdaḥ sarva-bhūtānām. Sādhu is not enemy. Ajāta-śatrava. He does not create enemy, but the world is such that if you become devotee, even your father will be enemy. Prahlāda Mahārāja, five-years-old boy, what was his fault? He became a devotee and his father was prepared to kill him. This is world. So he does not create an enemy, but these demons, rascals, out of their jealousy they become our enemy. Otherwise our process is not to make enemy. We invite everyone, "Please come here, take prasādam, chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, dance, and go home." Where is enmity? (laughter) But still, they'll become enemy. This is the world. But if he lives with the sādhava, suśīla, and follows the rules and regulation, then he also becomes sādhava. Saṅgāt sanjāyate kāmaḥ. Just like if you mix with a drunkard, thieves and rogues, then you also become a drunkard, thief, similarly, if we live with the sādhu, sādhava, then you become sādhu.

Lecture on SB 6.1.24 -- Honolulu, May 24, 1976:

Tattva dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti. But that they'll not accept. "What is God? I don't care for... There is no God." "All right. Wait. God will come." (laughter) And at that time he said that the Hiraṇyakaśipu, he always defied the son's, the small child, five-years-old boy, his only fault was he was chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. And even the father, what to speak of others. Therefore we say that "Don't think that Kṛṣṇa consciousness will go without any difficulty. There will be so many difficulties. Even your father will be angry." This is the history.

So this father, Hiraṇyakaśipu, he defied God: "Who is God? I am God. Take my (indistinct)." The child said, "My dear father, you are not God." He would never address his father as "father." He addressed him "the best of the asuras." "My dear best of the asuras," tat sādhu manye asura-vārya dehinām. After all, the relationship is father and son.

Lecture on SB 6.1.34-39 -- Surat, December 19, 1970:

And the father became enemy of the son. Naturally, father is always affectionate. But because he was asura, he became against his beloved son. That is the nature of the asura. Even asuras... Just like tiger also has got affection for the cub, so this Hiraṇyakaśipu was affectionate because Prahlāda Mahārāja was very nice boy, five years old, very good looking. Natural affection. He was youngest. And one day he asked the son, "My dear boy, what you have learned the best thing? Tell me." Just like father asks sometimes. So he described that "One should sacrifice everything for realizing God." Tat sādhu manye 'sura-varya dehinām, asad-grahāt... I forget that śloka now, that Prahlāda Mahārāja said that "That is the best way of life in the human form of life, to utilize this opportunity for realizing God." That was his version. And the father became very angry. And from that day, father, the father taught, instructed the teachers, that "How is that you are teaching all this nonsense to my boy?"

Lecture on SB 6.1.61 -- Vrndavana, August 28, 1975:

There are eight kinds of subtle sexual intercourse. So it is restricted. But in the Kali-yuga it is very difficult to follow all the rules and regulation. One is not trained up. Even up to ripe old age, one becomes attracted by beautiful women. Especially in the Western countries. I have seen in Paris, old man, seventy-five years old, eighty years old, they are going to the brothel. They are going to the night club. They are purchasing ticket to enter into the club-fifty dollars. Then they have to pay for the woman and wine and everything. In this way...

So hṛd-roga-kāma, this hṛd-roga, hṛc-chaya, is a heart disease. It is very, very difficult to avoid unless one is fully Kṛṣṇa conscious. And that is stated by Yamunācārya:

Lecture on SB 6.2.5-6 -- Vrndavana, September 9, 1975:

Therefore human being, this form of human being... Labdhvā sudurlabham idaṁ bahu-sambhavānte (SB 11.9.29). After many, many millions of years we have got this human form of body. It should not be misused simply like cats and dogs. This is not success of life. Therefore Prahlāda Mahārāja, although he was five-years-old boy, he advised his classfriend that kaumāraṁ ācaret prājñaḥ. He was instructing. He was a devotee. He was preaching, "My dear friend, you just become devotee of Kṛṣṇa." The children protested, "Eh! We shall now play or we shall become Kṛṣṇa conscious? No, no, we shall play." So Prahlāda Mahārāja repeatedly said, "No, no, no. Even we are children, we should not play. We should become Kṛṣṇa conscious." Kaumāraṁ ācaret prājñaḥ. If you are intelligent... Kaumāraṁ. Kaumāram means from the childhood, from five years. Kaumāraṁ ācaret prājño dharmān bhāgavatān iha. "Why? All right, if you say that I shall become Kṛṣṇa conscious, I shall become. Let us grow now."

Lecture on SB 6.2.8 -- Vrndavana, September 11, 1975:

Just like in foreign countries we are being very occasionally arrested by the police, taken to the jail. So many obstacles are there. But our students are so adamant, they don't stop. They prefer to go to jail, but they will never stop. They are so much determined. So this persecution of devotees, it is from the very beginning. Prahlāda Mahārāja, he was five-years-old boy, and he was simply chanting "Nārāyaṇa." So his father became enemy, what to speak of others, his father. He was atheist. He did not believe in God. So he asked his son, "Why you are chanting 'Nārāyaṇa'?" "Nārāyaṇa is God, the Supreme Lord." "Eh? Supreme Lord? I am Supreme Lord. You chant my name." The boy will not hear. So there was enmity. He was persecuted. So not in this age, devotees are supposed to be persecuted all the time. Christ was crucified. So this is the position of the devotee in the material world, that they become very easily enemy of the demons. But the devotees are not afraid of the demons.

Lecture on SB 6.2.17 -- Vrndavana, September 20, 1975:

"I shall have a better kingdom than my father." So he got it. By Kṛṣṇa's grace he got it, that Dhruvaloka, the polestar. It is very big star. So he went for this purpose. Arthārthī. Catur-vidhā bhajante māṁ sukṛtino arjuna. Arthārthī. Ārto arthārthī. So he was in search after money, Dhruva Mahārāja, and therefore at five years old he went to the forest. His mother advised that "Kṛṣṇa can help you only." Others cannot help. So he was simple boy. He decided, "Where is Kṛṣṇa?" "Now, my dear child, I know that He is found in the forest." So he went to the forest, and he very severely Nārada Muni tried to persuade him, "No, no, you are simply a small child. Why you are so much infected with the insult given by your stepmother?" So he said, "No, I don't want your advice. If you can give me God, just talk of that. You don't talk of compromise. I am not going." This is determination. This is determination. So he, actually, within six months he saw Nārāyaṇa. But when he saw Nārāyaṇa, then his all material desires finished.

Lecture on SB 6.3.16-17 -- Gorakhpur, February 10, 1971:

Therefore my Guru Mahārāja used to say that "This is not the place for a gentleman to live," because surrounded by envious persons, especially to the devotees. Especially when a man becomes devoted to the Lord, he creates... He does not create, but the atmosphere is such—many enemies.

Just like Prahlāda Maharaja. He was a five-years'-old boy only, child. His father became enemy because the only disqualification Prahlāda Mahārāja had, that he was a great devotee. His father became enemy, what to speak of others? Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu has said, taror api sahiṣṇunā. You will have many enemies, many envious persons, when you become pure devotee, but you should tolerate. Taror api sahiṣṇunā. Be tolerant just like a tree and be humble just like a grass. Tṛṇād api sunīcena taror api sahiṣṇunā. Don't be afraid of our enemies because Kṛṣṇa will protect you, but in order to stop more misunderstanding, better become tolerant, as Caitanya Mahāprabhu says that... Envious persons, automatically...

Lecture on SB 6.3.18 -- Gorakhpur, February 11, 1971:

Don't meditate. Just hear. These are important things. Kṛṣṇa, as soon as He is born, there is enemy present, Kaṁsa. As soon as He is grown little, two months, three months, there is enemy-Pūtanā, Agha, Baka. So even God, Kṛṣṇa, has got enemies, so why not of the devotees? The devotees' enemy... Just like Hiraṇyakaśipu. He is enemy of his son, five-years-old son. So you don't think that because one has become Kṛṣṇa conscious, he has no enemy. Don't judge in that way: "Oh, he is Kṛṣṇa conscious. Why there is enemy? Why somebody criticizes him? Why one finds fault with him? Then he is not kṛṣṇa-bhakta." The enemies will do that. That is enemies' business. Even Kṛṣṇa has enemy; why not the... Just like Jesus Christ, he had enemies. He was killed by the enemies. Sometimes it so happened. Haridāsa Ṭhākura had enemies. So enemies there will be. Because he has got enemy, therefore it is not that he is kṛṣṇa-bhakta. He is kṛṣṇa-bhakta, even having his enemies, just like Kṛṣṇa, despite having enemies, is Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on SB 7.5.22-30 -- London, September 8, 1971:

Prahlāda Mahārāja at the age of five years only he was a great devotee. Prahlāda Mahārāja is one of the mahājanas, great authorities of this line, devotional line. (aside:) You can take your seats. To understand God and to understand our relationship with God, it is not to be done by mental speculation. It is not possible. God is not so cheap thing that one can understand by mental speculation. In the present age people are very much fond of mental speculation. In the śāstra it is said, tarko apratiṣṭhaḥ: (CC Madhya 17.186) "Simply by arguing you cannot come to the right conclusion." You may be very good arguer, but another arguer may defeat you by his argument. So in this way, simply by dry arguments it is not possible to come to the conclusion. Tarko 'pratiṣṭha śrutayo vibhinnāḥ. Scripture. There are different scriptures. If you simply... Scripture means Vedic, Vedas. There are four Vedas and many other also, corollaries.

Lecture on SB 7.5.22-30 -- London, September 8, 1971:

If you simply refer to śāstras for the right source of knowledge, then you get. In the Bhagavad-gītā also it is said, yaḥ śāstra-vidhim utsṛjya. If you do things without reference to the śāstras, then Lord Kṛṣṇa says, na siddhiṁ sa avapnoti: "You will never get perfection." Na sukham: "Neither happiness."

This Prahlāda Mahārāja, although he was a five-years-old boy, he became an authority in the devotional line. So his father was atheist. He wanted that his son should be politician. He should be taught how to cheat others, how to get money. But this boy was devotee. The difficulty was a devotee is not accustomed to all these tricks of materialistic way of life. They are not interested in such things. Purposefully, they avoid all these things. Because devotional life means coming to the original position. Original position is that we are part and parcel of God; therefore our original position is godly. Not exactly like God, but godly.

Lecture on SB 7.5.30 -- London, September 9, 1971:

So Prahlāda Mahārāja, when he was inquired by his father that "Who has taught you this Kṛṣṇa consciousness...?" Because he knew that "He is my son, king's son. He does not go to mix with anyone else. He simply takes his lesson from the appointed teachers. How is that this boy, five years old only, and he is so much Kṛṣṇa conscious?" So he was surprised. He asked him that "How you have taken to this Kṛṣṇa consciousness?" The answer is that "My dear father, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness cannot be achieved by a person like you, whose vow is simply to enjoy this material world." Hiraṇya. Hiraṇya means gold, and kaśipu means nice bed, very soft, cushioned bed. Hiraṇyakaśipu.

Lecture on SB 7.6.1 -- San Francisco, March 3, 1967:

It is not that because he is child he is not getting any benefit. Simply by associating with the devotees, he is getting so much profit, incalculable. Incalculable.

The bhāgavata-dharma, Prahlāda Mahārāja says, kaumāra acaret... If not a very small child, but as soon as one is four or five years old... Kaumāra means from five years old to fifteen years. That period of life is called kaumāra. So one should learn this bhāgavata-dharma from the beginning. Just like we send boys, children, to schools for training, similarly, the children should be trained for learning bhāgavata-dharma. Unfortunately, nobody is interested. He was... Prahlāda Mahārāja also was in difficulty. His father... Even his father was against him because he was teaching this bhāgavata-dharma, and the teachers were complaining to his father, "Sir, your son, we do not know how he has learned this bhāgavata-dharma.

Lecture on SB 7.6.1 -- San Francisco, March 6, 1967:

You are simply chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. You do not know your self-interest. You should be politician. You should be technician. You should be bluffer. (laughter) So so many things are there. Unless you become quite alert in this world, how you can live?" The child said, "My dear father, perhaps you do not know what is your self-interest." Yes. He was always challenging his father. Five years old boy, and his father, the most powerful atheist king, and he was talking very freely. At last, when the boys was challenging always the father, the father inquired, "You rascal, under whose strength you talk with me so freely?" The boy replied, "My dear father, by whose power you are talking so freely, I am also talking by His power." (laughter) So that is the difference between atheist and theist. The child knew, "My dear father, you are so proud of your strength, of your material assets, but you do not know by whose grace you have got all these things. But I know. I know.

Lecture on SB 7.6.1 -- San Francisco, March 6, 1967:

Simply bother for how you can make advance in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is being instructed by Prahlāda Mahārāja, that kaumāra ācaret prājñaḥ. From the beginning of life.

From the beginning of life means... Actually, our life begins at the age of five years. According to Cāṇakya Paṇḍita's nīti, it is said that the boys, the children, should be given complete freedom to do anything he likes up to five years, not more than that. Lālayet pañca-varṣāṇi: "Up to five years a child should be given all freedom." Never mind however miscreant he may be. But from five years to fifteen years—that means a period of ten years—tāḍayet. Lālayet pañca-varṣāṇi tāḍayet daśa-varṣāṇi: "You should give all freedom to your child for five years, and then, next ten years, you should be very strict, very strict, so that the child may be very much afraid.

Lecture on SB 7.6.1 -- San Francisco, March 15, 1968:

We have been discussing Prahlāda Mahārāja's instructions to his class fellows. Fortunately, we have got some little boys. So it is very interesting. Prahlāda Mahārāja was five years old boy, and he was preaching Kṛṣṇa consciousness. All the boys, and Prahlāda Mahārāja himself, belonged to the atheist class, most materialist. They did not know anything beyond sense enjoyment. That's all. All the fathers of the students, classfellows of Prahlāda Mahārāja, they belonged to the atheist family. In Sanskrit language the atheist is called asura, asurian. And the persons who are God conscious, they are suras or āryans. So they belonged to the family of Assyrian(?) or asura. So Prahlāda Mahārāja is fortunately, although he is born of a father, completely atheist, by the grace of Kṛṣṇa and by the grace of his mother, he became a great devotee. From very childhood, from his birth, he was a devotee.

Lecture on SB 7.6.1 -- Montreal, June 12, 1968:

Devotee (2): How do you teach Kṛṣṇa consciousness to a five year old who is only a children? What it means to be a teacher? What teaching...?

Prabhupāda: How you are learning? You are also young. Anyone who is completely, I mean to say, unaware of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he is to be taken as child. Doesn't matter one who has got age. It doesn't depend on the age. It depends on the knowledge. So not only young children, but anyone who is unaware of the science, he is also child. And anyone who knows this science, he is old. Vṛddhatvaṁ vāyasā vinā. There is a Sanskrit word that "One man has become old even without age." This is contradictory. How one can become old without age? Suppose a man, a boy, is sixteen years old, just like Śukadeva Gosvāmī. He was teaching Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam when he was only sixteen years old, but he was so learned that when he entered the assembly, all the great sages, including his father, stood up to receive him. So he was oldest. So he was older than his father even. Why? Because he was so learned.

Lecture on SB 7.6.1 -- Montreal, June 12, 1968:

So he was oldest. So he was older than his father even. Why? Because he was so learned. So our childishness or experience, old age, means according to the acquirement of knowledge. If one is advanced in knowledge, he is to be understood older. And if one is not advanced in knowledge, he is a child. That's all. So child does not mean that a five years old boy. Just like Prahlāda Mahārāja, he was only five years old, and just see how nicely he is teaching. So he is older than any other man. At least, he is older than his atheistic father. So you should always remember that any man who is not aware of a particular subject matter, he is a child in that subject matter. And one who is fully aware in his particular subject—it doesn't matter what is his age—he is to be considered as a... (end)

Lecture on SB 7.6.1 -- New York, April 9, 1969:

So this boy, although born in the family of atheist—his father is great atheist—but because he was bestowed benediction by a great devotee, Nārada, he became a great devotee. Now he took the opportunity of spreading Kṛṣṇa consciousness where? In his school. In his school. He was five years old boy, and as soon as he would get opportunity he would spread Kṛṣṇa consciousness to his classfellows. That was his business. And so many times the father of Prahlāda Mahārāja called the teachers, "So, what education you are giving to my child? Why he is chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa? (laughter) Why you are spoiling my boy?" (laughter) You see? So don't think that I am spoiling these boys and girls by teaching them Hare Kṛṣṇa. So that teacher said, "My dear sir, I teach your son very nicely about politics, economics, and as you want, to become very clever man in the material world. But unfortunately I do not know wherefrom your son has learned this Hare Kṛṣṇa. So please excuse me.

Lecture on SB 7.6.1 -- New York, April 9, 1969:

Prabhupāda: Oh, Prahlāda Mahārāja was five years old only.

Devotee: Then how (indistinct) hear from Vyāsadeva?

Prabhupāda: He learned this bhāgavata-dharma from the womb of his mother. His mother was instructed... His mother, when she was pregnant, she was arrested by the enemies of her husband, and Nārada Ṛṣi saved her and he took the girl, pregnant girl, at his āśrama and kept her. And as it is the practice of saintly persons to instruct about God, so he was instructing and Prahlāda Mahārāja was hearing from the womb of mother. Yes?

Devotee: (indistinct) Manu was on this planet. Now he's not?

Prabhupāda: Yes, Manu... Manu's son, Ikṣvāku, was in this planet, but Manu may be in another planet. Just like Manu's father, the sun, sun-god, Vivasvān, he is in the other planet. Similarly, the population of every planet has increased from one planet to another, like that. So manu's son, Ikṣvāku, he happened to be in this planet.

Lecture on SB 7.6.1 -- Hong Kong, April 18, 1972:

This is a verse spoken by Prahlāda Mahārāja. Prahlāda Mahārāja, when he was a five years old boy, like all these children. Kaumāra. Kaumāra age is called from five years to ten years. That is called kaumāra. So Prahlāda Mahārāja was born of an atheist father. The father was atheist number one, Hiraṇyakaśipu. He is described as rākṣasa, demon, like that. Daitya. Daitya means demon. There are two classes of men. One class is called daitya and the other class is called devata. Dvau bhūta-sargau loke daiva āsura eva ca (BG 16.6). There are two classes of men known as daiva and another asura. Viṣṇu bhaktaḥ bhaved daiva āsuras tad viparyayaḥ. Those who are devotees of the Lord, they are called daiva or devata, demigods. And those who are just the opposite number, they are called daitya or demon. So Hiraṇyakaśipu was atheist. Fortunately, he was so fortunate that he got a great Vaiṣṇava devotee son, Prahlāda Mahārāja. You have heard his name, Prahlāda Mahārāja. He is one of the mahājanas. There are twelve mahājanas in the śāstras. Mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ.

Lecture on SB 7.6.1 -- Vrndavana, December 2, 1975:

So actually it is not by birth as human being but by culture. Janmanā jāyate śūdraḥ saṁskārād bhaved dvijaḥ.

So Prahlāda Mahārāja is one of the twelve mahājanas. So he is speaking to his class friends. He was only five years old boy and he took the opportunity of preaching bhāgavata-dharma whenever he got some opportunity. So at that time Prahlāda Mahārāja's father, Hiraṇyakaśipu, was a great demon. He would not allow Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So still, Prahlāda Mahārāja, although he was a boy, he used to take opportunity for preaching Kṛṣṇa consciousness among his friends. So in the tiffin hours, when the boys were left free to play, so Prahlāda Mahārāja used to call them, "My dear friends, sit down. Let us talk about Kṛṣṇa consciousness." So he is preaching Kṛṣṇa consciousness. He is saying to his friends, "My dear friends," kaumāra ācaret prājño dharmān bhāgavatān iha (SB 7.6.1).

Lecture on SB 7.6.1 -- Vrndavana, December 2, 1975:

Prahlāda Mahārāja says that kaumāra ācaret prājño dharmān bhāgavatan iha (SB 7.6.1). From the very beginning, kaumāra.

Kaumāra means from five year to fifteenth year, or five year to tenth year, then kiśora, kaiśora. That is division. So anyway, Just like we send our children to a school at the age of five years, every country. In India also that is the system. When a child is five year, four years, some months he is old, his education begins. So Prahlāda Mahārāja says from the very beginning of education the bhāgavata-dharma must be taught. This is kaumāra ācaret prājño, if one is intelligent. If one is ass or cow or animal, he cannot understand. Prājña: "One who has known." One who knows the value of life, he is called prājño. Prakṛṣṭa-rūpena jñā. Jñā means one who has knowledge. So he says, Prahlāda Mahārāja, that kaumāra ācaret prājño dharmān bhāgavatān iha (SB 7.6.1). There are dharmas according to country, society, but real dharma is bhāgavata-dharma. That is instructed in the Bhagavad-gītā also.

Lecture on SB 7.6.1 -- Madras, January 2, 1976:

He is described as svarāṭ. Svarāṭ means independent. He is not controlled by anyone. That is real God. And we may be god but imitation god or small god. But the great... "God is great." That "great" God is Kṛṣṇa. So Prahlāda Mahārāja says that kaumāra. The boys... He was taking the opportunity of teaching his class friend. He was five years old boy and his father was a great demon, Hiraṇyakaśipu: "Don't talk of God." So in this way he was in a very precarious condition. Still, because he was a Vaiṣṇava he was taking the opportunity of preaching Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Preaching Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So he was asking...

The boys were very eager to play and he said, "No, no, no, my dear friends, don't play. Let us discuss something about bhāgavata-dharma." Therefore he says that kaumāra ācaret prājñaḥ: "Don't think that in the old age we shall discuss about Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Immediately, in this age," kaumāra a..., "if you are really intelligent."

Lecture on SB 7.6.1 -- Madras, January 2, 1976:

Immediately, in this age," kaumāra a..., "if you are really intelligent." Why? Is there any guarantee that you become old man? You can die at any moment. So take this opportunity. Until the next death comes you take this opportunity in the matter of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is Prahlāda Mahārāja's instruction. There is no guarantee. Why you are thinking that way, that now you are five years old; you will live for five hundred years? No. There is no guarantee. At any moment you can die.

Durlabhaṁ mānuṣaṁ janma. This body, human form of body, is obtained after many, many millions of years through evolutionary process. Jalajā nava-lakṣāṇi sthāvarā lakṣa-viṁśati, 8,400,000 species of life we had to come through. Then we have got this body, human form of life, and civilized. Civilized, according to our Vedic conception, a civilized means ārya, ārya.

Lecture on SB 7.6.1-2 -- Stockholm, September 6, 1973:

Not only Vedic, any scripture, any book of knowledge. So the ultimate goal of knowledge is to know God. If you do not... Because this human form of life is meant for that purpose. That is explained here by Prahlāda Mahārāja: kaumāra ācaret prājño dharmān bhāgavatān iha (SB 7.6.1). This Prahlāda Mahārāja, he was a small boy, five years old. Somehow or other, he was enlightened in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and at the age of five years old, he was going to school and he was trying to preach this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement in the school. I'm especially reading these verses because it is university, a school for teaching to the students. So Prahlāda Mahārāja says that this teaching of this learning of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, should begin from very childhood. Kaumāram. Kaumāra means the age between ten years and fifteen years. That is called kaumāra. Kaumāra ācaret prājño. Prājño means one who is intelligent. So from just one child is ten years old, from the age of ten years up to fifteen years, this period must be used especially for understanding Bhāgavata-dharma, for understanding what is God. That is Bhāgavata-dharma.

Lecture on SB 7.6.1-2 -- Stockholm, September 6, 1973:

Nobody will be pleased or nobody will accept that. So dharma you cannot change.

So Prahlāda Mahārāja says, kaumāra ācaret prājño dharmān bhāgavatān iha (SB 7.6.1). "My dear friends, from the beginning of your kaumāra age, as soon as you are on the age of ten years,"... Of course, he was preaching when he was five years old. Actually, education begins, that is the Indian system, from five years. Up to five years, the children are not bothered with any kind of education. They play and become free. But as soon as he is five years old, he's sent to the school. And actual education begins from tenth year. So Prahlāda Mahārāja says, "My dear friends, that, you try to be educated in religion, especially in the Bhāgavata religion." Bhāgavata religion means the Science of God, to understand what is God. So why it is so urgent? That is replied here. Durlabhaṁ mānuṣaṁ janma. This human form of life is very rarely obtained.

Lecture on SB 7.6.6 -- Vrndavana, December 8, 1975:

This family life, gṛheṣu, gṛha-medhinām, who are very much attached, this is māyā. Prahlāda Mahārāja, from the age of five years he condemned, hitvātma-pātaṁ gṛham andha-kūpam: "The gṛha, this so-called family life, is a dark well." We are thinking we are very happily living with nice wife and children and working very hard, getting money. But śāstra says, "You are fallen in the dark well." Gṛham andha-kūpam. And "All right, let me remain here." "No." Ātma-pātam. If you remain in this way, then you will kill your soul. Ātma-pātam. Therefore in the Vedic civilization there is compulsory: "Get out." Pañcaśordhvaṁ vanaṁ vrajet. "Now you are fifty years old past. Immediately get out." "No, I have got so many duties. I have got this." "No, no." Vrajet, "compulsory." This verb is used, vidhiliṅ, where there is no argument; you must. Just like when natures calls you, you must do it, similarly... This is Vedic civilization. Not that unless you are killed or being shot down by somebody else, you are not leaving the gṛham andha-kūpam. This is not Vedic civilization.

Lecture on SB 7.6.6-9 -- Montreal, June 23, 1968:

There is a proverb in Bengali that kañcaya noyale bhas pas korbe nyastas (?). Bhas means bamboo. Bamboo, while it is green, you can bend it, but when its yellow or dry, oh, it cannot be bent. It will break. It will be break. Therefore school children... Just like Prahlāda Mahārāja is instructing his class fellows. School children, from five years old, they should be given lesson about Kṛṣṇa consciousness or God consciousness. Otherwise, in advanced age, oh, it is not possible. Generally, we find in our class or in this Kṛṣṇa conscious movement, the youngsters, they become little more interested, but we don't find any old men. Why? Because whatever they have been taught, they cannot forget. It is very difficult to forget what he has been already taught. So they do not become interested.

Lecture on SB 7.6.6-9 -- Montreal, June 23, 1968:

Compulsory get-out means pañcāś ordhvaṁ vanaṁ vrajet. Pañcāś means fifty years. "As soon as one passes over fifty years of age, he should get out." That is the injunction of the scriptures. No more in household affairs. The life is divided into four parts, four divisions. First of all brahmacārī. Just like Prahlāda Mahārāja is teaching. Brahmacārī, a boy from five years old is taught, and up to twenty-five years. And if he is not... Of course, he is properly taught, but if he is not properly convinced that "Worldly life is botheration. Better remain brahmacārī for throughout the whole life..." There are many brahmacārīs in India still, naistika-brahmacārī. They are called naistika-brahmacārī. That means they had never any experience of sex. They are called naistika-brahmacārī. Just like my Guru Mahārāja was naistika-brahmacārī. He never married. So boys are taught like that, the inefficiency of this family life, encumbrances, because the aim is to advance in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Lecture on SB 7.6.7 -- Vrndavana, December 9, 1975:

Na mocayed yaḥ samupeta-mṛtyum. This life, we are thinking that "I am eighty years old or ninety years old." But it is not eighty years, ninety... It is mṛtyu. Mṛtyu. You are dying every moment. It is the life of mṛtyu. Therefore one has to save. Na mocayed yaḥ samupeta-mṛtyum. A child is grown up, five years old. Suppose he'll live hundred years. So that means he has already died five years. Therefore it is mṛtyu. Or we have grown eighty years old. That means... Suppose I live hundred years. Still, I have already died eighty years. Therefore it is mṛtyu. The whole life is mṛtyu. Every moment you are dying, dying, dying, dying, from the very birth. Suppose a child is born one hour before. So one hour passed means he has died one hour out of hundred years, the beginning of death. This is called mṛtyum. So we are thinking, "We are growing. We are living." This is all mugdha, bewildered. Where you are growing, you are living? You are dying every moment.

Lecture on SB 7.6.14 -- New Vrindaban, June 28, 1976:

It will not go in vain. It is being impressed within the mind. Very fortunate children, they have got this association. Automatically, they are being trained up. That is Prahlāda Mahārāja's mission. He was talking among his class friends who were as small as these boys were there, five years old. So they were very much eager to play, but Prahlāda Mahārāja was asking them, "No, don't waste your time. Just be trained up in bhāgavata-dharma or Kṛṣṇa consciousness." Bhāgavata-dharma means Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Lecture on SB 7.7.19-20 -- Bombay, March 18, 1971:

So further explanation, this is subject matter little difficult, but it is very important. Prahlāda Mahārāja is explaining to his demonic class friends. Five years old boy how he's explaining the Sankhya philosophy because he's a devotee and he has heard the whole philosophy from authorities, Nārada Muni. Mūkhaṁ karoti vācālaṁ paṅguṁ laṅghayate girim. Therefore, the spiritual master's mercy is described, mūkhaṁ karoti vācālam. Mūkham means dumb, one who cannot speak. He becomes a great lecturer or speaker. Although he is dumb but he can become a great lecturer, mūkhaṁ karoti vācālam. Paṅguṁ laṅghayate girim, and one who is lame, who cannot walk, he can cross over the mountains. Mūkhaṁ karoti vācālaṁ paṅguṁ laṅghayate... Yat kṛpā tam ahaṁ vande, that by whose mercy these things are possible, I offer my respectful obeisances, param ānanda bhavam, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, reservoir of all pleasure. By Kṛṣṇa's mercy it is possible.

Lecture on SB 7.7.19-20 -- Bombay, March 18, 1971:

By Kṛṣṇa's mercy it is possible. By material calculation it is not possible. Material calculation one will say that "How it is possible, you say the dumb is lecturing very nicely? That is not possible." Or, "That lame man is now crossing the mountains?" So materially it is not possible. But by the mercy of Kṛṣṇa or His representative... Just like Prahlāda Mahārāja, five years old boy, he is explaining so nicely about the constitution of the soul. Why? Because he has obtained the mercy of Nārada Muni, the representative of Kṛṣṇa. So it is possible. So we'll stop.

Lecture on SB 7.7.22-26 -- San Francisco, March 10, 1967:

Now we are presenting self-analysis. What is that self? Prahlāda Mahārāja is describing. This is self-realization, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. A boy of five years old, because he has received the knowledge from the right source, he is presenting everything very competently and very scientifically. This is the beauty of knowledge received from the authorities.

So... (pause) So we have discussed this aṣṭau prakṛtayaḥ..., eight different, differential elements, material elements. What is that? Earth, water, fire, air, ether, mind, intelligence and false ego. And these eight elements are described in the Bhagavad-gītā as separated energy. Separated energy you'll understand: just like I am speaking, and my speech is being recorded in the tape recorder. So even I am not here, if you apply the machine, it will exactly speak like me. That is my energy, but now it is separated. It cannot be changed.

Lecture on SB 7.7.32-35 -- San Francisco, March 17, 1967, (incomplete lecture):

So we have been discussing instruction of Prahlāda Mahārāja, a five-years-old boy, instructing his class fellows. So self-analysis. And he says, "When self-analysis is complete, then the result will be that the person who is in full Kṛṣṇa consciousness after studying self-analysis, his vision will be universal." That is the stage of universal understanding.

vidyā-vinaya-sampanne
brāhmaṇe gavi hastini
śuni caiva śva-pāke ca
paṇḍitāḥ sama-darśinaḥ
(BG 5.18)

In the Bhagavad-gītā you have read that a learned person, who is actually learned, he sees everyone on the equal level, sama-darśinaḥ. How? Vidyā-vinaya-sampanne. A person who is very highly learned, very gentle, civilized, vidyā-vinaya-sampanne brāhmaṇe, and a brāhmaṇa, still higher, intellectual personality, gavi, a cow, hasti, means an elephant, śuni, the dog, śva-pāke ca, and the dog-eaters, śuni caiva śva-pāke ca paṇḍitāḥ sama, all these—there are different varieties of living condition—but still, one who is in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he sees everyone on the same level. How it is, that? Has he become a madman, that a highly intellectual person and the dog, he sees on the equal level? Yes.

Lecture on SB 7.9.3 -- Mayapur, February 10, 1976:

So all of them, all the demigods, they wanted to pacify. The Lord was very angry, but they failed. Then, at last, they requested Lakṣmījī to pacify the Lord. She could not dare to approach Him; what is the speaking of pacifying? Then, at last, they decided that "This five-years-old boy, the Lord may be compassionate upon him. And for him He has appeared, so let him be engaged in pacifying the Lord." So Brahmā, the head of all the demigods presented there, he decided, prahlādaṁ preṣayām āsa. He pushed him forward: "My dear Prahlāda, my dear son, better you go forward and pacify." It is something like to push a little child in the cage of the lion. It is something like that. Nobody dared. So Prahlāda Mahārāja, he knew very well that "However ferocious He may be, I am not afraid. He is my Lord. I am not afraid." He was jolly, innocent, pure devotee. He had no fear. So he was sent: "My dear Prahlāda, you try."

Lecture on SB 7.9.3 -- Mayapur, February 10, 1976:

He was free, that "I am under the shelter of the Lord." Svapāda-mūle, mahat-padaṁ puṇya-yaśo murāreḥ. "He is Murāri, and everything is under His feet." This is the conclusion when one is advanced in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Prahlāda Mahārāja, although he was a boy of five years old, it did not matter. He was first-class devotee, maha-bhāgavata. That is possible. The devotional service is nothing material. It is spiritual. So there is nothing impossible, impossible. That is real appreciation of spiritual life. If one thinks that "Prahlāda Mahārāja was only five years old. How he could offer such nice verses in glorifying the Lord?" that is possible. Bhakti does not depend on the age. Bhakti depends on sincerity of service. It is not that because one man is older than me, therefore he will be greater devotee. No. Ahaituky apratihatā. First of all, bhakti must be without any motive, without any motive of personal sense gratification. That is real bhakti.

Lecture on SB 7.9.4 -- Mayapur, February 11, 1976:

So, Prahlāda Mahārāja, mahā-bhāgavata, uttama-adhikārī. There are three stages of devotional platform. First stage is called kaniṣṭha-adhikārī, second stage is called madhyama-adhikārī, and third stage, or topmost stage, is called uttama-adhikārī. So, he was only five years old, how he became uttama-adhikārī, on the topmost stage? He had no training. Still, he is addressed here by Narada Muni—Narada Muni was his guru—and still, he is describing Prahlāda Mahārāja as mahā-bhāgavata. That means even one is mahā-bhāgavata, he has to accept a guru. Narada Muni, his guru, he knows that "Prahlāda is my disciple, but he is mahā-bhāgavata." Not only that, before his birth, when he was within the womb of his mother...

His mother was attacked by the demigods, headed by Indra, and they were dragging her to their palace. Narada Muni met, said "What are you doing this? You are harassing one woman?" "No sir, we are not harassing, only we are taking her in our place to wait for the deliverance of the child. Then we shall kill him. Because he is born of atheist father, so he is another demon."

Lecture on SB 7.9.4 -- Mayapur, February 18, 1977:

So Prahlāda Mahārāja is mahā-bhāgavata, not ordinary devotee. Arbhakaḥ. Arbhakaḥ means innocent child, five-years-old small boy. But mahā-bhāgavata. Not that because he is boy... Ahaituky apratihatā. A small child can become mahā-bhāgavata, and a very learned scholar may become a demon. Bhakti is so exalted that these are contradictory. Arbhakaḥ, arbha means foolish or childish, but at the same time mahā-bhāgavata. It is possible. Mahā-bhāgavata means... We must distinguish between different types of devotees. Kaniṣṭha adhikārī, madhyama-adhikārī and mahā-bhāgavata, uttama adhikārī. Uttama-adhikārī.

Lecture on SB 7.9.4 -- Mayapur, February 18, 1977:

So this Prahlāda Mahārāja is mahā-bhāgavata, mahā-bhāgavata, not because he is now five years old. No. He was mahā-bhāgavata from the womb of his mother. When his mother was attacked by the demigods arresting and was being dragged by the devatas, Nārada Muni was passing there: "What you are doing?" And "She is the wife of Hiraṇyakaśipu, and she has got a child in the womb. So we want to kill that child also." Nārada Muni immediately asked them, "No, no, no, no. He's not ordinary child. He's mahā-bhāgavata. So don't touch." So they agreed. Nārada Muni... This is devatā. Although did some mistake, as soon as Nārada Muni ordered them that "Don't try to harm. He is mahā-bhāgavata," immediately gave up. So Nārada Muni said, "My dear daughter, you come with me until your husband comes back."

Lecture on SB 7.9.4 -- Mayapur, February 18, 1977:

Therefore we advise everyone to become a pure devotee. Pure devotee... This is the example, mahā-bhāgavata. This five-years-old boy, he had no business except to satisfy, to become a pure devotee of Kṛṣṇa. So this very qualification, pure devotee, makes one mahā-bhāgavata. But there are stages. The mahā-bhāgavata from the very birth, that is called nitya-siddha. They are eternally siddha, perfect. They come for some purpose. So Prahlāda Mahārāja came for this purpose, that the demons, even he's his father, he would give him so many troubles because one is Kṛṣṇa conscious. This is the instruction. Prahlāda Mahārāja wanted to show this by the order of Kṛṣṇa. Hiraṇyakaśipu also came—how to become enemy of Kṛṣṇa—and Prahlāda Mahārāja came, show, to show how to become a devotee of... This is going on. So mahā-bhāgavata... Kaniṣṭha-adhikārī, madhyama-adhikārī, and mahā-bhāgavata or uttama-adhikārī. Kaniṣṭha-adhikārī is in the beginning they have to be taught how to worship the Deity very perfectly. According to the instruction of the śāstra, according instruction of the guru, one must learn how to worship Deity.

Lecture on SB 7.9.5 -- Mayapur, February 12, 1976:

So, sva-pāda-mule patitaṁ, Lord Brahmā, as soon as asked Prahlāda Mahārāja to pacify the Lord, he immediately fell down at His lotus feet, sva-pāda-mule patitaṁ tam arbhakaṁ. Just like we are sometime extraordinarily happy, pleased when a small child offers his obedience. So naturally, when Prahlāda Mahārāja, a small boy five years old, and he fell down at the lotus feet of the Lord, He became very much pleased. So, not only for Prahlāda Mahārāja, anyone in this material world who offers his obeisances before the Deity, don't think it is useless. It is taken into account. Therefore Kṛṣṇa advises, if you cannot do anything, you do four things, man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). At least come before Me, just like we do. We come in the temple, and offer our obeisances. It is so easy to go back to home back to Godhead. It is not very difficult task at all. If you cannot do anything, if you cannot read books, if you cannot understand philosophy, if your behavior is not on the standard, still if you simply offer your obeisances before the Deity you make progress. You make progress. Undoubtedly.

Lecture on SB 7.9.5 -- Mayapur, February 25, 1977:

So to become devotee or favorite to the Supreme Personality of Godhead is very easy. It is not at all difficult. Here we see the example, Prahlāda Mahārāja, a five year old boy... (break) He's a devotee. He only knows the Supreme Lord, and he offered obeisances. That is his qualification. Anyone can do that. Anyone can come here in the temple and offer obeisances. Where is the difficulty? Simply one must have the sense that "Here is the Supreme Personality of Godhead Kṛṣṇa or Nṛsiṁhadeva or any one of His multi-expansions."

Lecture on SB 7.9.7 -- Mayapur, February 27, 1977:

Therefore immediately he developed the transcendental symptoms, aṣṭa-siddhi. Aṣṭa-siddhi, you have read in The Nectar of Devotion. So the ecstasies Ekāgra-manasā. Ekāgra-manasā, "with full attention." For us to bring that full attention may take hundreds and thousands of years, full attention. But Prahlāda Mahārāja, immediately. Immediately. Five-years-old boy. Because he is nitya-siddha. Always we should remember that we cannot imitate. "Now, Prahlāda Mahārāja has immediately ekāgra-manasā, and I shall become also." No. That is not possible. May be possible, but that is not the way.

Just like in our country, perhaps you know, there was a poet, Rabindranath Tagore. He got many distinction from the Oxford University. He got... He never went to school but he got the title "doctor," "Doctor Rabindranath Tagore." And if you think that "I shall also get doctorate without going to school," that is foolishness. That is special. Similarly, don't try to imitate.

Lecture on SB 7.9.7 -- Mayapur, February 27, 1977:

You can dress like a guru, you can talk big, big words, but it will never be effective.

So these are the science. So Prahlāda Mahārāja is our guru. He's not ordinary. Don't think that "He's a five-years-old boy. He has no knowledge." No. He is perfect nitya-siddha guru, and we should always pray for his mercy. And that is Vaiṣṇavata. Vaiṣṇava ṭhākur tomāra kukkura boliyā jānaha more. This is a humble way. "O Vaiṣṇava Ṭhākura..." All Vaiṣṇavas are ṭhākura. They are not ordinary persons. Ṭhākura... We therefore address: Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura, Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākur. So Vaiṣṇava Prahlāda Ṭhākura. So we should always pray, vaiṣṇava ṭhākura, tomāra kukkura boliya jānaha more. This is There is a song of Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura: "My dear Vaiṣṇava Ṭhākura, kindly accept me as your dog." Vaiṣṇava Ṭhākura.

Lecture on SB 7.9.8 -- Montreal, July 1, 1968:

Today I shall recite before you the prayers offered by Prahlāda Mahārāja to Nṛsiṁhadeva. This Prahlāda Mahārāja was tortured by his father on account of his becoming a Kṛṣṇa conscious boy. The only fault was that... (aside:) What is that? The door may be open. The Prahlāda Mahārāja was a boy, five years old, youngest son of his father. Very affectionate son. But one day the father took the little boy on his lap and asked the boy, "My dear child, what you have learned the best from your teachers? Will you kindly explain?"

Lecture on SB 7.9.8 -- Montreal, July 1, 1968:

The father asked the best thing the boy learned from his teachers, and the boy, five-years-old boy, replied, "My dear best of the demons." He never addressed his father, "My dear father," because his father was atheist number one, godless, and he was a great devotee of God. So when the father inquired, he straightly replied. He knew that his father was very powerful demon, but he was not afraid, although he was five-years-old boy. He plainly replied, "My dear the best of the demons,' sura-varya, asura varya. Asura means demons, and varya means the best, first-class demon. So "I think," tat sādhu manye-sādhu means honest, very good, very nice—"that is very nice." What is that? Dehināṁ: "For the entities who have accepted this material body..." He is speaking universally. Not for himself or for his father, but he was speaking generally for everybody. Everybody. Anyone. Dehināṁ. Dehi means this body. We are different from this body. We have several times discussed this point. So in Sanskrit word there are two implications in the understanding of our existence.

Lecture on SB 7.9.8 -- Montreal, July 2, 1968:

When all the demigods assembled there, Lord Śiva, Lord Brahmā, and Indra, and many other denizens of higher planets, they came to see why the Lord is so angry, and they tried to pacify Him. But He was still roaring just like a lion. He was roaring because he could not tolerate that "My devotee has been so much tortured, this little boy, five years old. Simply for the reason that he is Kṛṣṇa conscious, only for this fault, this rascal has tortured him so much." So everyone was afraid. Nobody could pacify Him. At that time Brahmā... He is the supreme living entity of this universe. So intelligently, he pushed forward Prahlāda Mahārāja, "My dear boy, you just try to pacify your Lord, because the Lord has appeared to protect you, for you only. So we could not pacify Him. I think if you go forward and pray and pacify the Lord, He may agree." That is a fact.

Lecture on SB 7.9.8 -- Seattle, October 21, 1968:

So this Hiraṇyakaśipu was not confident. He was thinking, he was materially puffed up, and he was thinking that he is God. When his son... Fortunately, his son Prahlāda Mahārāja, he was a great devotee, Vaiṣṇava, by the grace of Nārada, and he was always in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. When he was in school, five-years-old boy, and naturally, the school was an atheistic school. Just like nowadays, in no school, colleges they encourage any theological study. What is called? Secular state. So gradually we are becoming like that Hiraṇyakaśipu. But Hiraṇyakaśipu tried, Rāvaṇa tried, Kaṁsa tried to exist without God, but they did not exist. So nobody can exist. So this Hiraṇyakaśipu tried to protect himself by so many material ways, but when he was too much against his innocent devotee son, then Kṛṣṇa appeared as Nṛsiṁhadeva, and He was very fearful. So much fearful that all the demigods came to pacify Him, but He was groaning in anger. So there is anger in God also.

Lecture on SB 7.9.8 -- Seattle, October 21, 1968:

So Hiraṇyakaśipu was killed by Nṛsiṁhadeva, and everyone was afraid, very fearful, that "God's appeared in such a fearful appearance, half-lion shape and half-man's shape with four hands." So nobody could pacify Him. Everyone was afraid. Then Prahlāda Mahārāja was, he was only five-years-old boy. He was requested that "Nṛsiṁhadeva has appeared for your protection especially. So you try to pacify the Lord." So the boy was very jolly. So he was praying this way, that brahmādayaḥ sura-gaṇa munayo 'tha siddhāḥ: "I see here there are so many great personalities just like Brahmā, Śiva, and Indra, Candra, all great demigods." Brahmādayaḥ sura-gaṇāḥ. Sura-gaṇāḥ means demigods; and munayo, great saintly persons, sages, all of them are here. And siddhya. Siddhya means the residents of the Siddhaloka. There is a planet within this universe which is caled Siddhaloka.

Lecture on SB 7.9.8 -- Seattle, October 21, 1968:

This is very beautiful.

So Vaiṣṇava, Caitanya Mahāprabhu has taught us that how we shall preach this Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Don't be disheartened because the police is obstructing, because the people are complaining. They will do that. Just like... Why this police and public? This poor, innocent boy, five years old, because he was chanting, his father became his enemy. His father, what to speak of others. So it is such a thing. In any... You try to trace out the history of the world, you'll find always persons who are for Kṛṣṇa or God, they have been persecuted. Lord Jesus Christ was crucified, Haridāsa Ṭhākura was caned in twenty-two market places, Prahlāda Mahārāja was tortured by his father. So there may be such things. Of course, Kṛṣṇa will protect us. So don't be afraid. Don't be afraid if somebody tortures us, somebody teases us. We must go on with Kṛṣṇa consciousness without any hesitation, and Kṛṣṇa will give us protect. If you are more tortured, then Kṛṣṇa will appear as Nṛsiṁhadeva and give you all protection. You are all Prahlāda, representative of Prahlāda. You keep your confidence in Kṛṣṇa, and He will give you protection, and go on chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on SB 7.9.8 -- Hawaii, March 21, 1969:

This is a prayer by Prahlāda Mahārāja. You know the history of Prahlāda Mahārāja. He was devotee from childhood. When he was only five years old... He was devotee from the womb of his mother. His mother was under the shelter of... (break) When her husband was defeated and he was exiled, rather, from his kingdom by the demigods, so he left his kingdom, wife, and children, and was exiled, and in that condition of exile, he made severe penances, austerities, to gain over the demigods, and he was empowered by Lord Brahmā that he would not be killed, indirectly. This story you know. In our Los Angeles temple they have made very nice puppet show, and people are appreciating very much. Even they are selling ticket at the rate of one dollar fifty cent, still, people are coming. Last Sunday I was present, and they invited, distributed pamphlets, and more than a hundred people came, and they participated with the kīrtana very nicely, they heard the lecture, and the function was for two hours.

Lecture on SB 7.9.8 -- Mayapur, February 15, 1976:

One has to become humbler than the grass and tolerant than the tree. Then he can become perfect Vaiṣṇava. Because as soon as you become a Vaiṣṇava, your father will be your enemy. Just like Prahlāda Mahārāja. What was his fault? Five-years-old boy. Simply he became a Vaiṣṇava, Kṛṣṇa conscious, and his father became enemy. This is the position.

So Vaiṣṇava has to tolerate in order to make progress in spiritual life so many enemies, Even at home, father will be enemy. So don't be hesitant and don't be agitated by such circumstances. Prahlāda Mahārāja had to suffer so many things. Still, he remained Kṛṣṇa conscious, and ultimately he saw Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva and had the privilege of offering prayers. We shall discuss later on.

Lecture on SB 7.9.12 -- Montreal, August 18, 1968:

If you want to construct one building, you have to work hard your whole life, and if I say "It is false," how much insulted you are. So they do not know, they have no idea what is God. Yes.

So here Prahlāda Mahārāja says, īśvarasya mahi gṛṇāmi: "I shall glorify the Lord." "Oh, you are a child, sir. You are five years old. How you can glorify?" Yathā manīṣam! "It doesn't matter I am child! Whatever I have got, I shall express my feelings, 'O God, O Lord, oh, You have..., You are so great.' " That's all right. How you can describe or understand His glories? That is not possible. He's unlimited. But whatever limitation you have got, if you express feelingly, "My God, My Lord," that will be accepted. That will be accepted. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu therefore teaches us how to pray. This prayer is na dhanaṁ na janaṁ na sundariṁ kavitāṁ vā jagadīśa kāmaye (Cc. Antya 20.29, Śikṣāṣṭaka 4). Everyone is praying to God with some interest. That is also good.

Lecture on SB 7.9.12 -- Mayapur, February 19, 1976:

The problem will be solved when we follow the authority. Anuvarṇitena. Then the problems will be...

So Prahlāda Mahārāja, he's already purified. His head was touched by Nṛsiṁhadeva. He's completely pure. Therefore, although he was only a child, five years old, he is speaking the, I mean to say, gist conclusion of the śāstra. Anuvarṇitena. He understood that "I am not born in a brāhmaṇa family. I am born nīca, low-grade family, asura family. My father was a asura. So I am born of him. So I have no prestigious position. Still, Kṛṣṇa is satisfied simply by devotional service." That has been already explained. "So let me offer my prayers to the Lord sincerely." Yathā manīṣam: "As far as I have got my intelligence... I am not supposed to be very intelligent because I am lowborn. I am not born in a brāhmaṇa family, neither I am old enough, educated. Still, I have to offer my prayers.

Lecture on SB 7.9.12-13 -- Montreal, August 20, 1968:

Several times I have given you this example: especially Lord Jesus Christ, he was not fearful. When he was punished to be crucified, he never cared for it. So these are... There are many examples in the history, in the scriptures, that those who are Kṛṣṇa conscious or God conscious, they are not fearful. Prahlāda Mahārāja himself. He was five-years-old boy, and his father was teasing him, "Oh, you cannot become Kṛṣṇa conscious. Who is Kṛṣṇa?" Atheistic: "You cannot do that. It is my order." He several times pleaded, "My dear father, why you are talking like this? You are also servant of Kṛṣṇa." So he never cared for it. Ultimately he wanted to kill his five-years-old boy, and Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva appeared. And this prayer is in connection with that.

Lecture on SB 7.9.15 -- Mayapur, February 22, 1976:

So, nārāyaṇa-paraḥ sarve na kutaścana bibhyati (SB 6.17.28). This is the sign or pure devotee. Others, they are afraid of the fierceful appearance of Narasiṁhadeva, but Prahlāda Mahārāja says that "I am not afraid." He was a child of five years old. So, others were very, very afraid, even could not approach the Lord to pacify Him, and Prahlāda Mahārāja was not afraid.

So there is a description of different features of the body of Nṛsiṁhadeva, description of the face, the ear, the mane and the nails, everything, very, very fearful. But the nails, the significant word is here—ari-bhit nakhāgrāt. Ari-bhit. Ari means enemy, and these nails are meant for piercing the chest of the enemy, not of the devotee. Ari-bhit nakhāgrāt. Everything is fierceful to the enemy, to the demons, but to the devotees they're all beautiful. They are pleasing.

Lecture on SB 7.9.43 -- Visakhapatnam, February 22, 1972:

So we are passing through, but we are not aware how to avoid it, how to become free from this life of anxiety. That is being described by Prahlāda Mahārāja. He says that "For me, my Lord, I am not at all anxious. I am completely free from all these calamities." Just see. He was a boy of five years old only, but he is confident that he is not subjected to the calamities. Duratyaya-vaitaraṇyāḥ. Why? Tvad-vīrya-gāyana-mahāmṛta-magna-cittaḥ (SB 7.9.43), "Because I have learned to fulfill my heart by glorifying Your wonderful activities." Kīrtanam. Kīrtanam means to describe or to sing the glorious activities of the Lord, that is called kīrtanam. Kīrtanam does not mean always that we have to chant or sing with musical instrument. I am speaking to you Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, this is also kīrtanam. So we have to accept this principle, kīrtanam, always. This kīrtanam is mentioned in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Every one of us, never mind, this happiness is already fixed up.

Page Title:Five years old (Lectures, SB)
Compiler:Visnu Murti, RupaManjari
Created:06 of Nov, 2012
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=100, Con=0, Let=0
No. of Quotes:100