Long, long ago there was a atheist king, Hiraṇyakaśipu, Hiraṇyakaśipu, and his son happened to be a Vaiṣṇava, Prahlāda. So Prahlāda, from the beginning of his life, he was a Vaiṣṇava, although born of a atheist father, Hiraṇyakaśipu. So we shall try to explain the life of Prahlāda Mahārāja while reading Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, there are twelve cantos, out of which we are just trying to explain in the Fifth Canto. Fifth Canto . . . not Fifth Canto; Seventh Canto, Fifth Chapter, Prahlāda Mahārāja's upākhyāna. So Prahlāda Mahārāja, his father Hiraṇyakaśipu was so powerful king that he became by force, demonic force, he became practically the ruler of the all planets. There are different planetary system within this universe. So this demon, Hiraṇyakaśipu, some way or other, he achieved great prowess and he conquered over all the planets. Even the demigods, they were under the subjugation of Hiraṇyakaśipu.
So his son Prahlāda, from the very beginning of his life, because he got instruction from Nārada Muni within the belly of his mother . . . this is the story. When the demigods conquered over this Hiraṇyakaśipu, they captured his wife, Kayādhu. At that time the wife of Hiraṇyakaśipu was pregnant, and Prahlāda Mahārāja was there. So because the woman was pregnant, the demigods were taking her away. On the way, Nārada Mahāmuni met the demigods, Indra. So he inquired, "What you are doing? You are dragging a woman? Oh, this is not good." So they explained that "We have nothing to do with this woman. Because within the womb of this woman there is a son of Hiraṇyakaśipu—he is also demon—therefore, as soon as she gives birth to the child, we shall kill him. This is our program." Nārada Muni said: "No. This child is not demon. This child is a great devotee, mahā-bhāgavata. So you cannot do that."
So they accepted the word of Nārada Muni and they offered obeisances, "Oh, here is a Vaiṣṇava." This is demigod. Although they were carrying out, thinking of the child as a demon, but when they heard from Nārada Muni that, "This child is not a demon; he is a great devotee," immediately they offered respect and they circumambulated the mother of Prahlāda Mahārāja and they went away. And the lady was taken care of, Nārada Muni. And Nārada Muni instructed the mother. Because as soon as you meet some saintly person, his business is to instruct you about spiritual matter. So Hiraṇyakaśipu's wife was situated in the house, in the āśrama of Nārada Muni, and she wanted protection that, "Until my husband comes back, kindly give me protection so that my child may not take birth." So Nārada Muni gave her benediction, "Yes, even it is mature, unless your husband comes back, you will not deliver the child."
So he instructed, and the instruction was so powerful. Spiritual instruction is not conditioned by the material nature. Ahaituky apratihatā. That is stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam:
- sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo
- yato bhaktir adhokṣaje
- ahaituky apratihatā
- yayātmā samprasīdati
- (SB 1.2.6)
This instruction of bhakti is so powerful that even a child can receive it in any condition of life. We have seen when our saṅkīrtana is performed, especially the children, they immediately imitate. Because they cannot vibrate, small children, but they give claps. The saṅkīrtana movement is so perfect that there is no question of any material condition. In any condition Kṛṣṇa consciousness can be aroused, provided it is in touch with a Kṛṣṇa conscious bona fide spiritual master.
So this child, Prahlāda Mahārāja, from . . . in the womb of his mother he learned spiritual instruction and he became Kṛṣṇa conscious. Therefore from his birth he was chanting this Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, and his father was very, very much unhappy: "What kind of child is born? He is Kṛṣṇa conscious." Because he is . . . he was very much against Viṣṇu. Because Lord Viṣṇu killed his brother Hiraṇyākṣa, so Hiraṇyakaśipu always considered Viṣṇu as the enemy. So he did not like that his son Prahlāda Mahārāja should become a Vaiṣṇava. Vaiṣṇava means viṣṇur asya devatā iti vaiṣṇava.
One who has taken . . . accepted Lord Viṣṇu . . . that is the Vedic instruction, to take shelter of Lord Viṣṇu. Oṁ tad viṣṇoḥ paramaṁ padaṁ sadā paśyanti sūrayaḥ (Ṛg Veda 1.22.20). This is Ṛg mantra, Ṛg-veda mantra. Viṣṇoḥ paramaṁ padam. Those who are sūraya, sūri or devatā, they are always aiming at the lotus feet of Viṣṇu. Tad viṣṇoḥ paramaṁ padam. That is the highest perfection of life.