if we want to make progress in spiritual life, we have to follow the mahājanas, the great personalities. They are mentioned in the śāstras, svayaṁbhur nāradaḥ śaṁbhuḥ. Svayambhu means Brahmā. Lord Brahmā is svayaṁbhu. Without father and mother, he became manifest. Therefore his name is Svayambhu. Of course, his father is Nārāyaṇa, but not in the usual way. Therefore his name is Svayambhu. Nārada. Nārada Muni is also one of the mahājanas. And Śambhu, Lord Śiva. Kapila, Kapiladeva, the son of Devahūti. Svayaṁbhur nāradaḥ śaṁbhuḥ kapilo manuḥ. And Prahlāda Mahārāja. Prahlāda Mahārāja is our guru in the disciplic succession. So mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ (CC Madhya 17.186). Dharmasya tattvaṁ nihitaṁ guhāyāṁ mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ. We cannot chalk out what is the path of religion. It is very difficult to find out, because there are many different scriptures and there are many philosophers. Nāsau munir yasya mataṁ na bhinnam (CC Madhya 17.186). Each philosopher has got different opinion. So how to get real path of religious way? That is recommended in the śāstra, that mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ. You have to follow the footsteps of great personalities. And Prahlāda Mahārāja is one of them.
So Prahlāda Mahārāja was born in a demon's family. His father was a demon. Prahlāda Mahārāja used to address his father as asura-varya, "The best of the demons." You have seen . . . he was patting his son, "My dear son, do like this, do like that.