Prahlada (Lectures, BG)

Lecture on BG 1.45-46 -- London, August 1, 1973:

He was five years old, Kṛṣṇa conscious, from the womb of his mother. He heard instruction of Nārada. Nārada was instructing his mother. He was in the womb.

So pratikāram and apratikāram. Whatever we have manufactured, pratikāram, counteraction, that will be also failure if Kṛṣṇa does not sanction it. That is realized by Prahlāda Mahārāja. He says "My dear Lord," Hiraṇyakaśipu, that "people have manufactured so many pratikāram, counteraction."

Lecture on BG 1.45-46 -- London, August 1, 1973:

And even one is well-equipped and if Kṛṣṇa does not like to save him, he'll not be saved. Always mind this. Rakṣe kṛṣṇa mare ke, mare kṛṣṇa rakṣe ke. This is ordinary, that if Kṛṣṇa wants to kill you, nobody can save you. And if Kṛṣṇa wants to save you, nobody can kill you. This is the position. So the examples are given by Prahlāda Mahārāja: bālasya neha śaraṇaṁ pitarau nṛsiṁha. "My Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva, the parents of children, they are not actually protector of the children." Because generally we think that "This child, this boy has got his father, mother, he is well-protected." No. Father and mother... Every father and mother wants to protect the child, but still, the child has to meet some danger and dies. There are so many experience. Similarly, bālasya neha śaraṇaṁ pitarau nṛsiṁha. The father and mother is a counteraction for the dangers of the child. But Prahlāda Mahārāja said, "No, they are not counteraction." It is not that if a child is in danger, because the father and mother is very strong, very rich, he will be able to give protection to the child. No. That is not possible.

Lecture on BG 2.1-10 and Talk -- Los Angeles, November 25, 1968:

So death is inevitable. That is also advised by Prahlāda Mahārāja in his instruction to his class fellows. Kaumāra ācaret prājño dharmān bhāgavatān iha (SB 7.6.1). "My dear friends, from this beginning of life... We are now five years old. From this life we should try to understand bhāgavata-dharma."

Lecture on BG 2.2-6 -- Ahmedabad, December 11, 1972:

Question (Indian man): I have got a doubt about this Hiraṇyākṣa, Prahlāda's father...

Prabhupāda: Hiraṇyakaśipu.

Indian: Hiraṇyakaśipu. Because God has taken the shape of a Narasiṁha Swami and then He finishes him by tearing his stomach. And then He takes all the intestines and pushes out. That is the picture normally shown. What is the significance and how this is actually, what it is meaning? Why He is this sort of picture is being given and everywhere I see this picture in town and everywhere right from my childhood. I have been seeing this. What does this signify?

Prabhupāda: It is no significant.

Lecture on BG 2.4-5 -- London, August 5, 1973:

Just like Prahlāda Mahārāja. While Prahlāda Mahārāja... He was standing. Here is, Nṛsiṁhadeva is killing his father. Father is guru. Sarva-devamayo guruḥ (SB 11.17.27). Similarly, father is also guru, at least, official guru. Materially he is guru. So how Prahlāda Mahārāja allowed Nṛsiṁhadeva to kill his guru? He's father. Everyone knows that Hiraṇyakaśipu is father. Would you like to see that your father is being killed by some person and you'll stand? You will not protest? Is that your duty? No, that is not your duty. When your father is attacked, you must protest. At least, if you are unable, you must fight. You first of all lay down your life: "How is that, my father is being killed in my front?" That is our duty. But Prahlāda Mahārāja did not protest. He could have requested—he is devotee—"My dear sir, Prabhu, my Lord, You can excuse my father."

Lecture on BG 2.4-5 -- London, August 5, 1973:

So Prahlāda Mahārāja... Nṛsiṁhadeva offered Prahlāda Mahārāja, "Now you can take any kind of benediction you like." So Prahlāda Mahārāja replied, "My Lord, we are materialists. I am born of a father absolutely materialist. So I am also, because I am born of a materialist father, I am also materialist. And You, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, You are offering to give me some benediction. I can take any kind of benediction from You. I know that. But what is the use of it?

Lecture on BG 2.4-5 -- London, August 5, 1973:

So Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva guaranteed, said, "My dear Prahlāda, not only your father, but your father's father, his father, up to fourteen generations, all are liberated. Because you are born in this family."

Lecture on BG 2.7 -- London, August 7, 1973:

That is brāhmaṇa, to be liberal. And the... Etad viditvā prayāti sa brāhmaṇaḥ, One who knows... Therefore Prahlāda Mahārāja says: durlabhaṁ manuṣyaṁ janma adhruvam arthadam (SB 7.6.1). He was preaching amongst his class friends. He was born in a demonic family, Hiraṇyakaśipu. And his class friends, also, of the same category. So Prahlāda Mahārāja was advising them: "My dear brothers, let us cultivate Kṛṣṇa consciousness." So other boys, what do they know about Kṛṣṇa conscious...? Prahlāda Mahārāja is liberated from the very birth. So they said: "What is this Kṛṣṇa consciousness?" They could not understand.

Lecture on BG 2.8-12 -- Los Angeles, November 27, 1968:

A son is never dissatisfied when father chastises. That is the etiquette everywhere. Even the father is sometimes violent, the child or the son tolerates. A typical example is Prahlāda Mahārāja. Innocent child, Kṛṣṇa consciousness child, but father torturing. He never says anything. "All right." Similarly Kṛṣṇa, just after taking the position of the spiritual master, is designating Arjuna as a grand fool. Just like Caitanya Mahāprabhu also said that "My spiritual master found Me a great fool (CC Adi 7.71)."

This is a verse in connection with talks between Mahārāja Prahlāda and his father, Hiraṇyakaśipu. His father was gross materialist, Hiraṇyakaśipu. Hiraṇya means gold, and kaśipu means soft bed. So materialists, they are concerned with gold and soft bed for enjoyment. You see? So his name was Hiraṇyakaśipu. And the Prahlāda, his son... Prahlāda means prakṛṣṭa-rūpeṇa āhlāda. Āhlāda means pleasure. He's always full of pleasure. He has nothing to do with material... Because material pleasure cannot give us pleasure. It is our mistake.

Now, this Prahlāda... Prahlāda was a boy, a child, not boy. He was only five years old. So his father called him, "My dear son, what you have learned from your teacher best? Please explain." So he is explaining this, that

tat sādhu manye 'sura-varya dehināṁ

sadā samudvigna-dhiyām asad-grahāt

hitvātma-pātaṁ gṛham andha-kūpaṁ

vanaṁ gato yad dharim āśrayeta

(SB 7.5.5)

"My dear father..." And his father was materialist. Therefore materialists are called in Sanskrit language, asura. Asura. There are two kinds of human being all the time: asura and deva. Deva. Deva means human beings who are connected with the Supreme Lord.

So Prahlāda Mahārāja... Just see. The father was asura, and the son was devatā. So asura's son can be devatā. And a devatā's son can be asura. Just like in India. In India nowadays there is a great movement for removing the caste system because the higher caste, brāhmaṇas, they are claiming, due to their birthright, higher position, and the others, they are in inconvenience: "Now, nowadays the brāhmaṇas are doing the same thing, what we are doing, a śūdra. Why he should claim?"

He never says, "According to birth." So just see. Now, here, Hiraṇyakaśipu... Hiraṇyakaśipu is asura, but his son is devatā, Prahlāda. Now, according to birthright, he should be also asura, but no. He is devatā, Prahlāda Mahārāja. Prahlāda Mahārāja is counted one of the great pers..., twelve great personalities who can distribute transcendental knowledge. They are called mahājana. Mahājana.

Now, this Prahlāda Mahārāja, because he's mahājana, his statement should be accepted. So he's saying to his father, asura-varya: "My dear father, you are the greatest of the asuras." Asura-varya. Varya means greatest. So even if he is father, he addresses his father, asura-varya, asura. "Because your aim is simply sense pleasure."

So Prahlāda Mahārāja says that, tat sādhu manye 'sura-varya dehinām. Dehinām means "of those who have accepted this material body, for them." And what is their condition? Now, dehināṁ sadā samudvigna-dhiyām. Dehinām, one who has accepted this material body, his conditional life is always full of anxiety. Not that, that we are always in want. Even in your duty. Just like our Captain sāheb is here. I have seen in the ship he has got very serious duty in the ocean.

Lecture on BG 2.13 -- Manila, October 12, 1972:

Prahlāda Mahārāja said, sadā samudvigna-dhiyām: "My dear father, for persons who have accepted this temporary material body and is full of anxiety always, for them, my idea is that they should give up this materialistic life and surrender unto Hari." Hari means Bhagavān, the Supreme Lord. That is the way of getting out of... And actually, this is so. In the Bhagavad-gītā you'll find in the last instruction to Arjuna is: sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja: (BG 18.66) "This is the most confidential knowledge I am giving you because you are My friend and because I love you very much. Therefore this is My last word."

Prahlāda Mahārāja said,

kaumāra ācaret prājño

dharmān bhāgavatān iha

durlabhaṁ mānuṣaṁ janma

tad apy adhruvam arthadam

Lecture on BG 2.13 -- Germany, June 18, 1974:

He advises that from the very beginning of life, kaumāra... kaumāra means five years to ten years. This span of life is called kaumāra. Kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā, that as we are reading here, kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā. So kaumāra means boy's life. So kaumāra ācaret prājño dharmān bhāgavatān iha. A human being, he should learn about the Bhāgavata-dharma from the beginning of his kaumāra age, not that keep it aside, "When I shall become old man, then I shall read the scriptures."

So to become dhīra means not to use this, I mean to say, very important, very useful body, human body, to pass as cats and dogs. That is very dangerous. It is a great loss. Prahlāda Mahārāja instructed this. Durlabhaṁ mānuṣaṁ janma. We have to (be) very, mean, intelligent to understand that "I have got this body. Must be after many, many births."

Lecture on BG 2.13 -- Germany, June 18, 1974:

Therefore, when one comes to this human form of body, Prahlāda Mahārāja says, durlabhaṁ mānuṣaṁ janma: "It is very rarely... This human form of body is very..." Why it is so rare? Now arthadam adhruvam. We shall die also. We shall give up this body like the cats and dogs.

Lecture on BG 2.15 -- Hyderabad, November 21, 1972:

Motorcar, nightclub and drinking, they have tasted very nicely. There is no happiness. Therefore they have come to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Therefore nāsato vidyate bhāvo nābhāvo vidyate sataḥ. Abhāvaḥ, and the sataḥ. So we are unhappy on account of our accepting asat, which will not exist. That is the description given by Prahlāda Mahārāja: tan ma..., sadā samudvigna-dhiyām asad-grahāt (SB 7.5.5). Sadā samudvigna-dhiyām. We are always anxious, full of anxieties. That's a fact.

Lecture on BG 2.15 -- Hyderabad, November 21, 1972:

You have to become Kṛṣṇa conscious, brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā (BG 18.54); immediately you become anxiety-free. If you don't come to the platform of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, you'll always be full of anxieties. Sadā samudvigna-dhiyām asad-grahāt, hitvātma, hitvātma-pātaṁ gṛham andha-kūpaṁ vanaṁ gato, vanaṁ gato yad dharim āśrayeta (SB 7.5.5). That is the Prahlāda Mahārāja giving us direction that if you want to get relief from this status of anxiety, sadā samudvigna-dhiyām, then hitvātma-pātam, hitvātma-pātaṁ gṛham andha-kūpam... Gṛham andha-kūpam.

Lecture on BG 2.15 -- Hyderabad, November 21, 1972:

To live under the protection of wife. Aṅganāśraya. So śāstra recommends that you give up this aṅganāśrayam to go to the paramahaṁsa-āśrayam. Then your life will be saved. Otherwise, as Prahlāda Mahārāja says, gṛham andha-kūpam, "If you keep yourself always in this dark well of so-called family life, then you'll never be happy." Ātma-pātam. Ātma-pātam means you'll never be able to understand spiritual life. Of course, not always, but generally. Generally, who are too much attached to family life or extended family life... Extended... Family life, then society life, then community life, then national life, then international life. They're all gṛham andha-kūpam. All gṛham andha-kūpam.

Lecture on BG 2.15 -- Hyderabad, November 21, 1972:

So the Prahlāda Mahārāja advising that "You give up all this nonsense conceptions" Vanaṁ gato yad dharim āśrayeta (SB 7.5.5). Just vanaṁ gataḥ, means just become free from this conception, gṛham andha-kūpam conception of life. Take the broader life of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Then you'll be happy. Hitvātma-pātaṁ gṛham andha-kūpaṁ vanaṁ gato yad dharim āśrayeta (SB 7.5.5). Harim āśrayeta. The real business is harim āśrayeta. Vanaṁ gataḥ. Vanaṁ gataḥ means go to the forest. Formerly, after gṛhastha life, vānaprastha life, sannyāsa life, they used to live in the forest. But going to the forest is not the main purpose of life. Because in the forest there are many animals. Does it mean they are advanced in spiritual life? That is called markaṭa-vairāgya.

This is Prahlāda Mahārāja's instruction, that the... He was instructing his father, materialist, first-class materialist. So, when he inquired that "What is your purpose that you have become Kṛṣṇa conscious? How you have become Kṛṣṇa conscious?" So he answered. He did not ask him, addressed him, as "My father." He addressed him, asura-varya, the first-class demon. He never addressed him, "My dear father." "My dear first-class demon."

This little boy, five years old, because he's Kṛṣṇa conscious, and the father is threatening always to kill, still he's not afraid. When he says that "Wherefrom you have got this courage, Prahlāda?" "My dear father," or "My dear demon, I have got this courage wherefrom you have got this courage. But you are forgetting. That is the difference. You have got so much power that you can defeat anyone, even the demigods. You should know that you have got this power from the powerful. But you are not obedient to the powerful." That is demon. Demons, when they get power, they think that "I have got it, I have earned it. It is my thing. Who can challenge me?" But he forgets that everything can be withdrawn within a second by the powerful. That is demoniac. And Vaiṣṇava, devotee means although he is very, very powerful, he never thinks that "I am powerful." He thinks that "I am acting simply by the order of the powerful." This is the difference.

So Prahlāda Mahārāja said "People do not know the aim of life." The aim of life is here, amṛtatva, as good as Kṛṣṇa, as good as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Blissful, full of knowledge and eternal. That is the aim of life. But people do not know. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇum (SB 7.5.31). Viṣṇu means the Supreme Lord who is eternal, full of bliss and full of knowledge. So our aim should be how to approach Viṣṇu. Then we get the same power, same eternity, same blissfulness. Just like a motorcar is running at the speed of sixty miles, and if a cyclist someway or other catches the motorcar, he can also go at the speed of sixty miles. Sometimes boys do that.

Lecture on BG 2.23 -- Hyderabad, November 27, 1972:

So how to take Kṛṣṇa consciousness? That is also answered by Prahlāda Mahārāja. Matir na kṛṣṇe parataḥ svato vā mitho 'bhipadyeta gṛha-vratānām. Kṛṣṇa consciousness cannot be awakened for a person who wants to stay in this material world and become happy. He cannot become Kṛṣṇa conscious. Gṛha-vratānām. Gṛha means home, and vratānām means one who has taken the house or home or this body as everything.

Prahlāda Mahārāja says that "You cannot have Kṛṣṇa consciousness..." Naiṣāṁ matis tāvad urukramāṅghrim. Kṛṣṇa consciousness is not so easy. You cannot have it unless you surrender yourself. Niṣkiñcanānām, mahīyasāṁ pāda-rajo-'bhiṣekaṁ niṣkiñcanānāṁ na vṛṇīta yāvat. So long you do not take the dust of the lotus feet of a devotee, niṣkiñcanānām, who has nothing to do with this material world—he's simply concerned with the service of the Lord—unless you are in touch with such a person, it is not possible to attain Kṛṣṇa consciousness. These are the statements of the śāstra.

Lecture on BG 2.26-27 -- London, August 29, 1973:

So in this material world, such kind of morality, honesty, is going on. But our morality is if Kṛṣṇa is satisfied, then it is honesty, morality, everything. There are many examples. Just like Prahlāda Mahārāja. Prahlāda Mahārāja is standing and his father is being killed by Nṛsiṁhadeva in his presence. So do you think it is morality that one's father is being killed in the presence of his son, and the son without protest is seeing, with a garland, that "As soon as my father is killed, I shall offer this garland to Nṛsiṁhadeva"? Is it morality? From material point of view? We are worshiping... Prahlāda Mahārāja has become mahājana, the greatest authority in devotional service, but if we study his morality that he did not protest the killing of his father, rather he was waiting with a garland, that "As soon as the killing business is finished I'll reward this." You see? Where is material morality, there is no morality.

Lecture on BG 2.62-72 -- Los Angeles, December 19, 1968:

This is the prayer by Prahlāda Mahārāja. He says, "My dear Lord, lotus-eyed, Aravindākṣa," ye anye. "Some third-class men, they are very much proud of ending this material life, these nirvāṇa or these impersonalists." Vimukta-māninaḥ. Vimukta-māninaḥ means they are simply falsely thinking that they have surpassed the clutches of māyā.

Lecture on BG 3.14 -- Sanand, December 27, 1975:

Yajña means to satisfy the yajña-puruṣa, Nārāyaṇa, or Bhagavān. In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam Prahlāda Mahārāja also says,

na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇuṁ

durāśayā ye bahir-artha-māninaḥ

andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānās

te 'pīśa-tantryām uru-dāmni baddhāḥ

(SB 7.5.31)

The people do not know that the aim of life is to approach Viṣṇu, Lord Viṣṇu. That is the aim of life. Viṣṇur ārādhyate panthā nānyat tat-toṣa-kāraṇam.

Lecture on BG 3.27 -- Melbourne, June 27, 1974:

Next stage is frustration. Everyone, we are frustrated because we are in this material world.

That, Prahlāda Mahārāja said, a great devotee, that... His father asked him, "My dear boy, what best thing you have learned?" He said, "My dear father..." He did not say, "father." His father was first-class materialist. So he addressed him, "the best of the demons," because anyone who is very much sensuous, very much attached to sense gratification, they are called demon. And those persons who do not indulge in sense gratification but utilize this body or this life for God realization, Kṛṣṇa realization, they are called gods.

Lecture on BG 3.27 -- Melbourne, June 27, 1974:

So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying to liberate these foolish persons who are entangled in this material world and changing one body after another, sometimes very happy and sometimes very distressed. This is going on.

Therefore Prahlāda Mahārāja said, tat sādhu manye 'sura-varya dehinām: "My dear father, or the best of the demons, you are asking me, so I say, I have learned this. What is that? That these people who are always full of anxiety," asad-grahāt, "because they have accepted this material world," tat sādhu manye 'sura-varya dehināṁ sadā samudvigna-dhiyām asad-grahāt (SB 7.5.5), "these persons, either in human being or animal or bird and beasts—full of anxieties."

Lecture on BG 3.27 -- Melbourne, June 27, 1974:

So Prahlāda Mahārāja said rightly that "My dear best of the demons, so far I have learned that these living entities in different grades of life," sadā samudvigna-dhiyām, "always full of anxiety." Why? Asad-grahāt: "Because he has accepted this material body, therefore he must be full of anxiety." Then what is the remedy? Now, hitvātma-pātaṁ gṛham andha-kūpaṁ vanaṁ gato yad dharim āśrayeta: (SB 7.5.5) "He should give up this material encagement, material home and material thing. He should approach the Supreme Personality of Godhead in Vṛndāvana or forest and surrender unto Him." That is the only way.

Lecture on BG 3.27 -- Madras, January 1, 1976:

Just like Hiraṇyakaśipu. He was very, very proud of his possession. He was controlling over the three worlds. He was chastising his Vaiṣṇava son, Prahlāda Mahārāja. In this way he was very, very proud. But when Kṛṣṇa came as Nṛsiṁhadeva, everything was finished within a second. So we should not mistake this, I mean to say, fact.

Lecture on BG 3.27 -- Madras, January 1, 1976:

We are fully under the control of prakṛti, and we have to change different types of bodies. There are 8,400,000 different types of bodies. Jalajā nava-lakṣāṇi sthāvarā lakṣa-viṁśati. They are all stated. And this human form of life is ver... Very, very rarely we have obtained. Therefore Prahlāda Mahārāja said that durlabhaṁ mānuṣaṁ janma: "This human form of life is very, very difficult to obtain."

Lecture on BG 4.2 -- Bombay, March 22, 1974:

Prahlāda Mahārāja says, "These rascals, unnecessarily they are working so hard like an ass just to get a morsel of food." That's all.

Lecture on BG 4.3 -- Bombay, March 23, 1974:

This is what we are preaching all over the world, devotional service, the...

śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ

smaraṇaṁ pāda-sevanam

arcanaṁ vandanaṁ dāsyaṁ

sakhyam ātma-nivedanam

(SB 7.5.23)

iti puṁsārpitā viṣṇau

bhaktiś cen nava-lakṣaṇā

kriyeta bhagavaty addhā

tan manye 'dhītam uttamam

This is the statement of Prahlāda Mahārāja. These are the b hakti process. If one wants to become bhakta, then he must begin with śravaṇam. Just like you have kindly come here to hear about Kṛṣṇa. This is the beginning of bhakti.

Lecture on BG 4.8 -- Bombay, March 28, 1974:

Devotees: Tṛṇād api sunīcena....

Prabhupāda: Tṛṇād api sunīcena taror api sahiṣṇunā. You have to learn toleration. Just like Prahlāda Mahārāja. He was tolerating. His father became enemy. What is the fault of this little boy, five years? Because he was Kṛṣṇa conscious. His father became enemy.

Lecture on BG 4.8 -- Bombay, March 28, 1974:

So Kṛṣṇa does not require to come to kill the duṣkṛtas. But He comes to favor sādhu. Sādhus, they are very much persecuted.

Just like Prahlāda Mahārāja. He was a sādhu. He was being persecuted by his father. So Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva appeared, not for killing the Hiraṇyakaśipu, but to come and show Prahlāda Mahārāja, "Don't be afraid. I am here. Don't be afraid. I'll give you protection." So actually, Kṛṣṇa comes for this purpose. Paritrāṇāya sādhūnām. Sādhus, they are very much anxious.

Lecture on BG 4.9 -- Bombay, March 29, 1974:

Simply by hearing Bhāgavata from Śukadeva Gosvāmī. And Śukadeva Gosvāmī also became perfect, simply by reciting Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Śrī viṣṇoḥ smarane, śravaṇe parikṣid abhavad vaiyāsakiḥ kīrtane. This is also kīrtana. Abhavad vaiyāsakiḥ kīrtane. Prahlādaḥ smarane. Prahlāda Mahārāja, he was put into so many difficulties by his father. He could not resist, he was a poor child, five years. And the rascal father was teasing him in so many ways. So what could he do? He was simply thinking of Kṛṣṇa, "What can I do?" There are so many processes. If you take one of the processes your life will be successful. Simply by thinking of Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on BG 4.10 -- Vrndavana, August 2, 1974:

There are many examples. Bahavaḥ. Just like Prahlāda Mahārāja and Dhruva Mahārāja, all big, big stalwart devotees. Nārada Muni, Brahmā, Svayambhū... Svayambhūr nāradaḥ śambhuḥ kumāraḥ kapilaḥ prahlādaḥ bhīṣmaḥ... (SB 6.3.20). There are big, big personalities. To follow them, how?

Prahlāda Mahārāja was being chastised by his father, five years old, but he did not know how to protest. He was suffering and chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, Nārāyaṇa. What can be done? What can be done? He was completely dependent on his father. And father had no mercy. The only fault was he, Kṛṣṇa, turned Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is the fault. And he was being punished. He was punished, punished.

Lecture on BG 4.15 -- Bombay, April 4, 1974:

Prahlāda Mahārāja, this gṛhastha. Amongst these mahājanas, there are sannyāsīs, there are brahmacārīs, and there are gṛhasthas also. So it does not mean only the sannyāsī and brahmacārī can become mahājana. There are gṛhasthas also. Just like Prahlāda Mahārāja is gṛhastha. Brahmā is gṛhastha. Svayambhū. Svayambhū. Nārada is brahmacārī. Svayambhūr nāradaḥ śambhuḥ (SB 6.3.20). Śambhu, Lord Śiva, is also gṛhastha. Svayambhūr nāradaḥ kumāraḥ, brahmacārī, four Kumāras, from the birth, naiṣṭhika-brahmacārī. Kapila, Kapila is also brahmacārī. Svayambhūr nāradaḥ śambhuḥ kumāraḥ kapilo manuḥ (SB 6.3.20). Manu is gṛhastha. Similarly, Prahlāda Mahārāja is also gṛhastha. Prahlādo janakaḥ. Janaka Mahārāja is also gṛhastha. Bhīṣma, brahmacārī. Bhīṣma, Bali, Bali Mahārāja, gṛhastha. Vaiyāsaki, a brahmacārī. So it doesn't matter whether one is brahmacārī, sannyāsī or gṛhastha, he must know the science.

Lecture on BG 4.16 -- Bombay, April 5, 1974:

Labdhvā su-durlabham idaṁ bahu-sambhavānte mānuṣyam. And Prahlāda Mahārāja says also, the same thing. That is the basic principle of Vedic civilization. Prahlāda Mahārāja says,

kaumāra ācaret prājño

dharmān bhāgavatān iha

durlabhaṁ mānuṣaṁ janma

tad apy adhruvam arthadam

Lecture on BG 4.18 -- Bombay, April 7, 1974:

Kaumāra, from the very beginning of life, kaumāra. Kaumāra means from fifth year to tenth year, five years. Within these five years, education must begin. And especially dharmān bhāgavatān. Bhāgavata-dharma means to understand Kṛṣṇa, to understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Yan maithunādi-gṛhamedhi-sukhaṁ hi tucchaṁ kaṇḍūyanena karayor iva duḥkha-duḥkham (SB 7.9.45). Prahlāda Mahārāja said that the gṛhamedhi attached to this material life, gṛhamedhi... Gṛha means compact in a room. So I am the living entity, spirit soul, I am compact within this body, encaged, or I am encaged within this universe. This is also compact. So one who is attached to this compact position, packed up in the body or within this universe, they are called gṛhamedhi. Apaśyatām ātma-tattvaṁ gṛheṣu gṛha-medhinām (SB 2.1.2). They cannot see what is ātma-tattva, self-realization. Apaśyatām ātma-tattvaṁ gṛheṣu gṛha-medhinām (SB 2.1.2).

Lecture on BG 4.18 -- Bombay, April 7, 1974:

So ultimate goal is to satisfy the Supreme. That they do not know. This is stated by Prahlāda Mahārāja. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇum (SB 7.5.31). They do not... Everyone is self-interested, but they do not know what is self-interest. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatim. Everyone must be self-interested. That is natural. But they do not know what is self-interest. The self-interest is to approach Viṣṇu or Kṛṣṇa and satisfy Him. That is self-interest.

Lecture on BG 4.19 -- Bombay, April 8, 1974:

Prahlāda Mahārāja says, kaumāra ācaret prājño dharmān bhāgavatān..., durlabhaṁ mānuṣaṁ janma (SB 7.6.1). A child should be taught Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Kaumāra ācaret prājño dharmān bhāgavatān... Dharmān... Generally... (break) ...kāma. Kāma means personal sense satisfaction, kāma. That may be extended, society-wise or family-wise or nation-wise, but that is kāma-saṅkalpa.

Lecture on BG 4.21 -- Bombay, April 10, 1974:

Prahlāda Mahārāja said,

kaumāra ācaret prājño

dharmān bhāgavatān iha

durlabhaṁ mānuṣaṁ janma

tad apy adhruvam arthadam

Lecture on BG 4.22 -- Bombay, April 11, 1974:

He advised his class friends, "My dear friends, from childhood we shall learn the science of Bhāgavata-dharma. Bhāgavata-dharma means to reestablish our lost relationship with Bhagavān, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. And this can be solved in this human form.

Nāyaṁ deho deha-bhājāṁ nṛloke kaṣṭān kāmān arhate viḍ-bhujāṁ ye (SB 5.5.1). I have explained several times. This body, deha-bhājām... Everyone, the animals, they have got also a material body, and we human being, we have also this material body. Prahlāda Mahārāja also says, durlabhaṁ mānuṣaṁ janma. Durlabhaṁ mānuṣaṁ janma adhruvam arthadam.

Lecture on BG 4.22 -- Bombay, April 11, 1974:

Just like Prahlāda Mahārāja, he was always being put into trouble by his father, but he was never envious of his father. When he was requested by Nṛsiṁhadeva to take benediction, he refused anything for himself, but he begged to the Lord for his father." My dear Lord, my father has become envious to You; so I request You to excuse him." Just see. This is vimatsaraḥ. Suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānām (BG 5.29). He was not against his father.

Lecture on BG 4.24-34 -- New York, August 12, 1966:

It is a verse from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam that Prahlāda Mahārāja... That is a statement of Prahlāda Mahārāja before his father. His father was very much materialistic, so he was explaining to his father, "My dear father," na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇum, "general people..." Because he was in the materialistic family, his father was a great materialistic, so he is explaining... He was a great devotee. The son was a great devotee, and the father was a great materialist, and there was a quarrel between father and son. So father questioned, "Where you have got all this nonsense knowledge or spiritual knowledge?"

Lecture on BG 4.24-34 -- New York, August 12, 1966:

So Prahlāda Mahārāja said that "Because people are very much illusioned by this external energy..." The material energy is called external energy. "Because people are deluded by this external, by the glimmer of this external energy, they have forgotten that their self-interest is Viṣṇu, or the Supreme Personality of Godhead. And they are conducting their life, general process of life in a manner..."

Lecture on BG 5.14-22 -- New York, August 28, 1966:

In the Bhāgavata also, we have got a very nice śloka, verse. It was spoken by Prahlāda Mahārāja. Yan maithunādi-gṛhamedhi-sukhaṁ hi tucchaṁ kaṇḍūyanena karayor iva duḥkha-duḥkham (SB 7.9.45). He says that "In this material world the people are thinking that they are happy. Why? Now, because they have that sex happiness."

Lecture on BG 6.1 -- Los Angeles, February 13, 1969:

When Prahlāda Mahārāja was asked by Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva, "My dear boy, you have suffered for me so much, so whatever you want, you ask for it." So he refused. "My dear master, I am not doing mercantile business with you, that I will take some remuneration from you for my service." This is pure devotion. So yogis or the jñānīs, they are demanding that they should become one with the Supreme. Why one with the Supreme? Because they have got bitter experience by the separation of material pangs. But a devotee has no such thing. The devotee remains, although separate from the Lord, he is fully enjoying in the service of the Lord.

Lecture on BG 6.13-15 -- Los Angeles, February 16, 1969:

Prahlāda Mahārāja said to his father, tat sādhu manye 'sura-varya dehinām. "My dear father, this is the best thing." For whom? Best thing for whom? He said, tat sādhu manye 'sura-varya dehināṁ sadā samudvigna-dhiyām asad-grahāt (SB 7.5.5). These people, these materialistic people who have accepted something nonpermanent.

Lecture on BG 6.13-15 -- Los Angeles, February 16, 1969:

So these rascals they do not come to sense that "I am permanent. Why I am after nonpermanent." If I am always busy for comforts of this body, but I know that this body, today or tomorrow or a hundred years after will be finished and so far I am concerned, I am spirit soul, I have no birth, I have no death. Then what is my function? It is the bodily function, so, far I am doing, these material activities. Therefore Prahlāda Mahārāja said asad-grahāt. Just see how nice. They are anxious, they are full of anxiety because they have captured something nonpermanent. Their whole activities are targetted to capture something nonpermanent. Therefore they are always full of anxieties.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Bombay, January 13, 1973:

One who has taken Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Lord, as the only worshipable, he's sādhu. Sādhavaḥ sādhu-bhūṣaṇāḥ. Titikṣavaḥ kāruṇikāḥ sādhavaḥ sādhu-bhūṣaṇāḥ. Ajāta-śatravaḥ śāntāḥ sādhavaḥ sādhu-bhūṣaṇāḥ (SB 3.25.21). There, these are the definition of sādhu. Sādhu means titikṣava. One who has taken Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Lord, Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Person, he has to tolerate so many things—so many criticism, so many tribulations. Just like Prahlāda Mahārāja. Prahlāda Mahārāja had to undergo so much tribulation from the hands of his father because he became a sādhu, kṛṣṇa-bhakta. The only fault was that he was a kṛṣṇa-bhakta. Even the father, the atheistic father, became enemy. He wanted to kill him. You know Prahlāda-caritra. If there is opportunity, we shall speak. It is horrible. Five-years-old boy, because he was chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, Nārāyaṇa, the father became enemy. Titikṣava. Therefore a sādhu has to become very tolerant.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Calcutta, January 27, 1973:

Everyone should be inquisitive to learn about Brahman, the spirit soul. Not like animals. The animals they have got no inquiry about Brahman. They simply eat, sleep beget some offspring and, in due course of time, die. That is not the business of human being. The business of human being is different. That is advised by Prahlāda Mahārāja:

kaumāra ācaret prājño

dharmān bhāgavatān iha

durlabhaṁ mānuṣaṁ janma

tad apy adhruvam arthadam

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Hong Kong, January 25, 1975:

Prahlāda Mahārāja recommends, kaumāra ācaret prājño dharmān. Children, kaumāra... Kaumāra means from fifth year to the fifteenth year. These ten years, the boys and girls, especially boys, they should be instructed about religion.

Just like Prahlāda Mahārāja, a great devotee; Kapiladeva, a great devotee; and similarly, Brahmā, a great devotee. Lord Śiva is great devotee; Nārada Muni, a great devotee. There are... Especially twelve names are given in the śāstras, that we have to follow them. That is called sampradāya. Sampradāya means coming in disciplic succession from the original guru. Just like Kṛṣṇa instructed Brahmā, so Brahmā is one of the gurus.

Lecture on BG 7.1-2 -- Bombay, March 28, 1971:

Now, how to become āsakta, attached to Kṛṣṇa? The first beginning is śravaṇam, to hear about Kṛṣṇa. Just like you are kindly present here and trying to hear about Kṛṣṇa. This is the process. This is the process. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam. Caitanya Mahāprabhu also reco... (break) ...process was first stated by Prahlāda Mahārāja. In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, we get information:

śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ

smaraṇaṁ pāda-sevanam

arcanaṁ vandanaṁ dāsyaṁ

sakhyam ātma-nivedanam

(SB 7.5.23)

This śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam, especially, is very essential for understanding Kṛṣṇa. Our this śravaṇa-kīrtana process, hearing and chanting, is helping us, recruiting members in Kṛṣṇa consciousness all over the world. It is practical. So there is a formula, I have stated many times, that in order to increase our attachment, our dormant love for Kṛṣṇa... We should always remember that we have got dormant love for Kṛṣṇa, but it is now covered.

Lecture on BG 8.5 -- New York, October 26, 1966:

Just like Prahlāda Mahārāja. Prahlāda Mahārāja is a great authority in the devotional service. A five-years-old boy, he was chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. His only fault was that. His father became enemy. His father insistently wanted, "You stop this nonsense, Hare Kṛṣṇa." He would not. So the father wanted to kill him—put him into so many tortures. At last he came out successful, and he was blissful. So therefore he is mahājana. In spite of so much tortures by his father, he did not give it up. Similarly, if we stick to the principle, as it was done by great personalities, Brahmā, Lord Śiva, Nārada, Prahlāda Mahārāja, Janaka Mahārāja... Their stories, their life history is there everywhere in the Purāṇas.

Lecture on BG 9.4 -- Melbourne, April 23, 1976:

Younger generation, they can receive very nicely. Older generation, it is little difficult. Therefore it is recommended by Prahlāda Mahārāja,

kaumāra ācaret prājño

dharmān bhāgavatān iha

durlabhaṁ mānuṣaṁ janma

tad apy adhruvam arthadam

Lecture on BG 9.4-7 -- New York, November 24, 1966:

He recommended, "My dear friends..." Prahlāda Mahārāja was five years old boy and he was preaching Kṛṣṇa consciousness in his classroom. When the teachers are out he would preach Kṛṣṇa consciousness. When friends would request, "My dear Prahlāda, just play. This is tiffin hour," so he said, "No, no, no, no. My dear friends," kaumāra ācaret prājño dharmān bhāgavatān iha. "Immediately. We are now young boys. This is the time to learn." Kaumāra. Kaumāra means between five to ten years. This is the time. Dharmān bhāgavatān iha. Why? Now durlabhaṁ mānuṣaṁ janma: "Don't think that your life is guaranteed. We can die at any moment. Better understand the science of God in this early age." This is Prahlāda Mahārāja's recommendation. So this bhāgavata-dharma, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, should be learned from the very beginning. Then it will be solid.

Prahlāda Mahārāja, he saw Kṛṣṇa from the pillar. There was... That is a long story. I shall recite some other day. So God can manifest Himself from anywhere and everywhere because He is present everywhere. But it requires my qualification to see Him. It requires my qualification.

Lecture on BG 9.26-27 -- New York, December 16, 1966:

Bali Mahārāja was also a grandson of a great devotee, Prahlāda Mahārāja. He had that blood of devotional blood. He had some devotion to Lord Kṛṣṇa also. But at the same time he was king. He was conquering life. He was making disturbance like that.

Lecture on BG 10.4-5 -- New York, January 4, 1967:

Prahlāda Mahārāja, a five years' old boy, he was instructed by Nārada Muni. He became a very great devotee. And he was instructing his class fellows when he was a five years' old boy. Because it doesn't matter whether he's a five years' old boy or five hundred years' old tree or a five millions years' stone. There is no utilization. If you become a five years' old boy and if you understand this knowledge your life is perfect.

Lecture on BG 12.13-14 -- Bombay, May 12, 1974:

Especially devotee is always attacked by the demons. Even the nondevotee is a father. We have seen it, Prahlāda Mahārāja's life. Because Prahlāda Mahārāja was devotee, even his father was enemy, what to speak of others. So devotee will have to meet so many enemies. Just like we have got this from the life of Lord Jesus Christ. When he was being killed by others, he said, to excuse them, "God, they do not know what they are doing." That is devotee's position. Kṣamī, always excusing. We have to learn this.

Lecture on BG 13.2 -- Melbourne, April 4, 1972:

These are very important instructions. Prahlāda Mahārāja says... He was instructing his class friends. He was a five years old boy. And he said, "My dear friends, that the material happiness..." Material happiness means sense gratification. This is material happiness. Everyone is materialistic, or materially advanced, means he has got better facility for satisfying the senses. That is material life. And spiritual life means he does not satisfy his own senses, but he satisfies the senses of God. That is spiritual life.

Lecture on BG 13.8-12 -- Bombay, September 30, 1973:

So Prahlāda, Prahlāda Mahārāja is mahājana. Janaka, Janaka Mahārāja. Prahlādo janako bhīṣmaḥ, Bhīṣmadeva, grandfather Bhīṣmadeva, the grandfather of the Pāṇḍus. He is also mahājana. Prahlādo janako bhīṣmo baliḥ, Bali Mahārāja, he is mahājana. Vaiyāsakiḥ, Śukadeva Gosvāmī, and Yamarāja, he is also mahājana.

Lecture on BG 13.8-12 -- Bombay, October 3, 1973:

Even Prahlāda Mahārāja, he was the son of Hiraṇyakaśipu. The relationship was father and son, but because the son was a devotee, the father was prepared to kill him. This is the system all over the world. Jesus Christ, because he was preaching God consciousness, he was crucified. Although Jesus Christ preached, "Thou shall not kill," unfortunately he was preaching in such a society that he was killed.

Lecture on BG 13.14 -- Bombay, October 7, 1973:

Just like Prahlāda Mahārāja, he was only five years old boy and his father was always chastising him because his only fault was he was chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. So the world is so made, full of demons, that simply for your fault of chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra you'll have so many enemies, even your father. This is the position. Simply for this fault, that because we are chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, we have got so many enemies.

Lecture on BG 16.1-3 -- Hawaii, January 29, 1975:

So it requires very firm knowledge. Na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). That is possible. That is possible by jñāna. Just like Prahlāda Mahārāja. His father, demon father Hiraṇyakaśipu, was chastising him in so many ways. But he was not afraid at all, fearless, because he was convinced that "I am not this body. I am different from body." Na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). "I will not die." It is simply knowledge, firm knowledge. And as soon as you come to that position, that "I am not this body," then automatically you, become abhayam, no fear.

Lecture on BG 16.2-7 -- Bombay, April 8, 1971:

Another example can be given. Just like Prahlāda Mahārāja. Prahlāda Mahārāja was so much harassed by his father, Hiraṇyakaśipu, and Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva appeared. And in the presence of Prahlāda Mahārāja, the father was killed. What is that prayer?

tava kara-kamala-vare nakham adbhuta-śṛṅgaṁ

dalita-hiraṇyakaśipu-tanu-bhṛṅgam

keśava dhṛta-narahari-rūpa jaya jagadīśa hare

So now, from materialistic point of view, you will see that Prahlāda Mahārāja, what kind of devotee he is? In his presence his father is being killed and he did not protest. So from the ordinary point of view, it is sinful. If your father is attacked by somebody, it is your duty. But Prahlāda Mahārāja didn't... Because Prahlāda Mahārāja knew... That is another chapter. In the later stage he made his father liberated. But from the superficial point of view, that he was present while his father was being killed... There are so many things, similar, other examples. Bali Mahārāja gave up his spiritual master for Kṛṣṇa's sake.

Lecture on BG 16.4 -- Hawaii, January 30, 1975:

Just like there was Hiraṇyakaśipu and there was Prahlāda. Prahlāda was being supplied spiritual advancement of life, necessities, and Hiraṇyakaśipu was being supplied for demonic status of life. So it is Kṛṣṇa's pleasure that whatever you want, you can get it. You get all advantage by Kṛṣṇa. If you want to become a demon, Kṛṣṇa will supply you, "All right, you become a demon. You take whatever you want from Me." He will give you.

Lecture on BG 16.7 -- Tokyo, January 27, 1975:

Even born in the asura family one can become sura. Just like Prahlāda Mahārāja. His father was asura, but he was perfect sura. That is possible. It is not prohibited to anyone. If he wants to become sura... Just like in ordinary life also. If you are determined to become medical man, you can become. There is no impediment. If you are persistent, you can become medical man, engineer, or anything.

Lecture on BG 16.7 -- Tokyo, January 27, 1975:

Just like Prahlāda Mahārāja became a great devotee. He is one of the authorities of devotees. But his father was asura. Asura does not mean one community is simply asura, and other community is simply sura. No, that is not. Any community, any person, if he follows the principle of sura, he becomes sura. If he follow the principles of asura, even if he was born in sura family, then he is asura. These are the injunction of the śāstra.

Lecture on BG 16.7 -- Tokyo, January 27, 1975:

Just like Prahlāda Mahārāja. His father was a asura, but still, he became the first-class sura. Similarly, everyone can become first-class sura. They have to be trained. The asuras, they... Therefore it is said that pravṛttiṁ ca nivṛttiṁ ca janā na vidur āsurāḥ (BG 16.7). Asuras, the fault is, asuras, they do not know how to live a very happy and clean life. They do not know. Ācāra. Na śaucaṁ nāpi cācāraḥ. They have not cleanliness and good behavior.

Lecture on BG 16.7 -- Hyderabad, December 14, 1976:

Prahlāda Mahārāja said. When his father was killed and Nṛsiṁhadeva was still angry, so he pacified Lord Nṛsiṁha, "Sir, now you can give up your anger because nobody is unhappy on account of my father being killed," means "I am also not unhappy. I am also happy because my father was just like a snake and a scorpion. So even a great saintly person is happy when a scorpion or a snake is killed." They are not happy if somebody is killed. Even an ant is killed, a saintly person is unhappy. But a saintly person, when he sees that a snake is killed, he is happy. He is happy.

Lecture on BG 16.10 -- Hawaii, February 6, 1975:

Prahlāda Mahārāja says, asad-grahāt, sadā samudvigna-dhiyām asad-grahāt (SB 7.5.5). Because we have accepted this temporary body, therefore we are full of anxiety. Full of... He was asked by his father, "My dear son, what nice thing you have learned? Kindly say." Father wants to know how his son is being educated.

So Prahlāda Mahārāja replied that "My dear asura father..." He said. Asura-varya. He did not say, "father." He said, "My dear asura, the best of the asuras," asura-varya. Asura-varya, means best... That is the foolishness. The best—He heard the best, but he is addressing him as "asura, best asura." Still he is pleased, "Because I am best. I am best, best asura." So Prahlāda Mahārāja, a devotee, is very humorous, so he did not address his father as "father." He said, tat sādhu manye asura-varya: "O best among the asuras." (laughter) So he said, tat sādhu manye: "I think it is very nice."

Lecture on BG 18.45 -- Durban, October 11, 1975:

Prahlāda Mahārāja has said that durlabhaṁ mānuṣaṁ janma tad apy adhruvam arthadam. Durlabham. This human form of life is durlabham. Durlabha... Duḥ means difficult, and labha means gained. After many, many millions of years of evolution process we get this human form of life. That is the nature's. Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ (BG 3.27). We are being carried by the laws of nature. So this human form of life is very durlabha, very rarely gotten.

Lecture on BG 18.45 -- Durban, October 11, 1975:

Durlabhaṁ mānuṣaṁ janma.

kaumāra ācaret prājño

dharmān bhāgavatān iha

durlabhaṁ mānuṣaṁ janma

tad apy adhruvam arthadam