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Prahlada Maharaja was born of Hiranyakasipu, a king of the dynasty of Kasyapa

Expressions researched:
"He was born in a demonic family, Hiranyakasipu" |"He was born of Hiranyakasipu, a king of the dynasty of Kasyapa" |"Hiranyakasipu's son is Prahlada" |"Hiranyakasipu's son" |"Hiranyakasipu, Prahlada, the father and son" |"Hiranyakasipu, and his son happened to be a Vaisnava, Prahlada" |"Hiranyakasipu, the father of Prahlada" |"Hiranyakasipu. And the Prahlada, his son" |"My father is Hiranyakasipu" |"Prahlada Maharaja is considering himself born of a father, Hiranyakasipu" |"Prahlada Maharaja was born of Hiranyakasipu" |"Prahlada Maharaja, being the son of Hiranyakasipu" |"Prahlada Maharaja. He is the son of an asura, Hiranyakasipu" |"Prahlada was born in the family of Hiranyakasipu" |"Prahlada was born of a father, Hiranyakasipu" |"Vaisnava son, Prahlada Maharaja" |"devotee-son Prahlada Maharaja" |"he was born in a demon father's family" |"he was born in a family of atheists. His father, Hiranyakasipu" |"he was born of a father, atheist father, Hiranyakasipu" |"he was himself the son of the king, Hiranyakasipu" |"his own son" |"little son Prahlada" |"son of Hiranyakasipu" |"son of the demon Hiranyakasipu" |"son, Prahlada Maharaja, Hiranyakasipu"

Bhagavad-gita As It Is

BG Chapters 1 - 6

Although Prahlāda Mahārāja was the son of Hiraṇyakaśipu, he was nonetheless persecuted by his father; although Devakī, the mother of Kṛṣṇa, was the sister of Kaṁsa, she and her husband Vasudeva were persecuted only because Kṛṣṇa was to be born of them.
BG 4.8, Purport:

The Lord has many agents who are quite competent to vanquish demons. But the Lord especially descends to appease His unalloyed devotees, who are always harassed by the demoniac. The demon harasses the devotee, even though the latter may happen to be his kin. Although Prahlāda Mahārāja was the son of Hiraṇyakaśipu, he was nonetheless persecuted by his father; although Devakī, the mother of Kṛṣṇa, was the sister of Kaṁsa, she and her husband Vasudeva were persecuted only because Kṛṣṇa was to be born of them. So Lord Kṛṣṇa appeared primarily to deliver Devakī, rather than kill Kaṁsa, but both were performed simultaneously. Therefore it is said here that to deliver the devotee and vanquish the demon miscreants, the Lord appears in different incarnations.

Srimad-Bhagavatam

SB Canto 1

He was the first son of Hiraṇyakaśipu, and his mother's name was Kayādhu.
SB 1.12.25, Purport:

Prahlāda Mahārāja: A perfect devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa (Viṣṇu). His father, Hiraṇyakaśipu, chastised him severely when he was only five years old for his becoming an unalloyed devotee of the Lord. He was the first son of Hiraṇyakaśipu, and his mother's name was Kayādhu. Prahlāda Mahārāja was an authority in the devotional service of the Lord because he had his father killed by Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva, setting the example that even a father should be removed from the path of devotional service if such a father happens to be an obstacle. He had four sons, and the eldest son, Virocana, is the father of Bali Mahārāja, mentioned above. The history of Prahlāda Mahārāja's activities is described in the Seventh Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.

SB Canto 2

The history of Hiraṇyakaśipu and his great devotee-son Prahlāda Mahārāja is narrated in the Seventh Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.
SB 2.7.14, Purport:

The history of Hiraṇyakaśipu and his great devotee-son Prahlāda Mahārāja is narrated in the Seventh Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Hiraṇyakaśipu became very powerful by material achievements and thought himself to be immortal by the grace of Brahmājī. Brahmājī declined to award him the benediction of immortality because he himself is not an immortal being. But Hiraṇyakaśipu derived Brahmājī's benediction in a roundabout way, almost equal to becoming an immortal being. Hiraṇyakaśipu was sure that he would not be killed by any man or demigod or by any kind of known weapon, nor would he die in day or night. The Lord, however, assumed the incarnation of half-man and half-lion, which was beyond the imagination of a materialistic demon like Hiraṇyakaśipu, and thus, keeping pace with the benediction of Brahmājī, the Lord killed him. He killed him on His lap, so that he was killed neither on the land nor on the water nor in the sky. The demon was pierced by Nṛsiṁha's nails, which were beyond the human weapons imaginable by Hiraṇyakaśipu.

Prahlāda Mahārāja happened to be the son of Hiraṇyakaśipu, and because the boy was a great devotee, his father tortured him to the best of his ability.
SB 2.7.14, Purport:

The literal meaning of Hiraṇyakaśipu is one who is after gold and soft bedding, the ultimate aim of all materialistic men. Such demonic men, who have no relationship with God, gradually become puffed up by material acquisitions and begin to challenge the authority of the Supreme Lord and torture those who are devotees of the Lord. Prahlāda Mahārāja happened to be the son of Hiraṇyakaśipu, and because the boy was a great devotee, his father tortured him to the best of his ability. In this extreme situation, the Lord assumed the incarnation of Nṛsiṁhadeva, and just to finish the enemy of the demigods, the Lord killed Hiraṇyakaśipu in a manner beyond the demon's imagination. Materialistic plans of godless demons are always frustrated by the all-powerful Lord.

SB Canto 4

Because Prahlāda Mahārāja was born in a family of demons, as the son of Hiraṇyakaśipu, by his mercy the demons were and still are able to have their drinks in the form of wine and beer.
SB 4.18.16, Purport:

The demons also have their own types of beverages in the form of liquors and beers, just as the demigods use soma-rasa for their drinking purposes. The demons born of Diti take great pleasure in drinking wine and beer. Even today people of demoniac nature are very much addicted to liquor and beer. The name of Prahlāda Mahārāja is very significant in this connection. Because Prahlāda Mahārāja was born in a family of demons, as the son of Hiraṇyakaśipu, by his mercy the demons were and still are able to have their drinks in the form of wine and beer. The word ayaḥ (iron) is very significant. Whereas the nectarean soma was put in a golden pot, the liquors and beers were put in an iron pot. Because the liquor and beer are inferior, they are placed in an iron pot, and because soma-rasa is superior, it is placed in a golden pot.

Hiraṇyakaśipu, the father of Prahlāda, always denied the existence of the Lord, and he tried to kill his five-year-old boy due to the boy's unflinching faith in God.
SB 4.24.65, Purport:

As Kṛṣṇa says in Bhagavad-gītā (10.34), mṛtyuḥ sarva-haraś cāham: "I am all-devouring death." The Lord is just like death to the atheists, for He takes away everything they accumulate in the material world. Hiraṇyakaśipu, the father of Prahlāda, always denied the existence of the Lord, and he tried to kill his five-year-old boy due to the boy's unflinching faith in God. However, in due course of time the Lord appeared as Nṛsiṁhadeva and killed Hiraṇyakaśipu in the presence of his son. As stated in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (1.13.47), this killing process is natural. Jīvo jīvasya jīvanam: "one animal is food for another animal." A frog is eaten by a snake, a snake is eaten by a mongoose, and the mongoose is eaten by another animal. In this way the process of destruction goes on by the supreme will of the Lord. Although we do not see the hand of the Supreme Lord directly, we can feel the presence of that hand through the Lord's process of destruction. We can see the clouds scattered by the wind, although we cannot see how this is being done because it is not possible to see the wind. Similarly, although we do not directly see the Supreme Personality of Godhead, we can see that He controls the process of destruction. The destructive process is going on fiercely under the control of the Lord, but the atheists cannot see it.

SB Canto 5

Hiraṇyakaśipu was envious of his little son Prahlāda, but Prahlāda Mahārāja asked a benediction for the benefit of his father.
SB 5.18.9, Purport:

Prahlāda Mahārāja thus requested the Lord to be merciful to everyone, including his father, a most envious person. According to Cāṇakya Paṇḍita, there are two kinds of envious living entities: one is a snake, and the other is the man like Hiraṇyakaśipu, who is by nature envious of everyone, even of his father or son. Hiraṇyakaśipu was envious of his little son Prahlāda, but Prahlāda Mahārāja asked a benediction for the benefit of his father. Hiraṇyakaśipu was very envious of devotees, but Prahlāda wished that his father and other demons like him would give up their envious nature by the grace of the Lord and stop harassing the devotees (khalaḥ prasīdatām). The difficulty is that the khala (envious living entity) is rarely pacified. One kind of khala, the snake, can be pacified simply by mantras or by the action of a particular herb (mantrauṣadhi-vaśaḥ sarpaḥ khalakena nivāryate). An envious person, however, cannot be pacified by any means. Therefore Prahlāda Mahārāja prays that all envious persons may undergo a change of heart and think of the welfare of others.

SB Canto 7

O my lord, Nārada Muni, why was there such enmity between Hiraṇyakaśipu and his beloved son Prahlāda Mahārāja?
SB 7.1.48, Translation and Purport:

Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira inquired: O my lord, Nārada Muni, why was there such enmity between Hiraṇyakaśipu and his beloved son Prahlāda Mahārāja? How did Prahlāda Mahārāja become such a great devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa? Kindly explain this to me.

All the devotees of Lord Kṛṣṇa are called acyutātmā because they follow in the footsteps of Prahlāda Mahārāja. Acyuta refers to the infallible Lord Viṣṇu, whose heart is always infallible. Because the devotees are attached to the infallible, they are called acyutātmā.

Finally, Nārada Muni describes the characteristics of Prahlāda Mahārāja, the son of Hiraṇyakaśipu, and describes how his father envied his own qualified son.
SB 7.4 Summary:

Lord Viṣṇu informed the demigods that they and the other living entities would be saved from the fearful conditions created by Hiraṇyakaśipu. Since Hiraṇyakaśipu was the oppressor of all the demigods, the followers of the Vedas, the cows, the brāhmaṇas and the religious, saintly persons, and since he was envious of the Supreme Lord, he would naturally be killed very soon. Hiraṇyakaśipu's last exploit would be to torment his own son Prahlāda, who was a mahā-bhāgavata, an exalted Vaiṣṇava. Then his life would end. When the demigods were thus reassured by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, everyone was satisfied, knowing that the miseries inflicted upon them by Hiraṇyakaśipu would come to an end.

Finally, Nārada Muni describes the characteristics of Prahlāda Mahārāja, the son of Hiraṇyakaśipu, and describes how his father envied his own qualified son. In this way the chapter ends.

SB 7.4.28, Translation:

When Hiraṇyakaśipu teases the great devotee Prahlāda, his own son, who is peaceful and sober and who has no enemy, I shall kill Hiraṇyakaśipu immediately, despite the benedictions of Brahmā.

The qualities of Mahārāja Prahlāda, the son of Hiraṇyakaśipu, are described herewith.
SB 7.4.31-32, Translation:

(The qualities of Mahārāja Prahlāda, the son of Hiraṇyakaśipu, are described herewith.) He was completely cultured as a qualified brāhmaṇa, having very good character and being determined to understand the Absolute Truth. He had full control of his senses and mind. Like the Supersoul, he was kind to every living entity and was the best friend of everyone. To respectable persons he acted exactly like a menial servant, to the poor he was like a father, to his equals he was attached like a sympathetic brother, and he considered his teachers, spiritual masters and older Godbrothers to be as good as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He was completely free from unnatural pride that might have arisen from his good education, riches, beauty, aristocracy and so on.

In spite of being the son of the demon Hiraṇyakaśipu, Prahlāda never feared the chastisements of the seminal brāhmaṇa sons of a demoniac father.
SB 7.5.16, Purport:

The members of our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement are in a position similar to that of Prahlāda Mahārāja. All over the world, ninety-nine percent of the people are godless demons, and therefore our preaching of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, following in the footsteps of Prahlāda Mahārāja, is always hampered by many impediments. Because of their fault of being devotees, the American boys who have sacrificed everything for preaching Kṛṣṇa consciousness are charged with being members of the CIA. Moreover, the seminal brāhmaṇas in India, who say that one can become a brāhmaṇa only if born in a brāhmaṇa family, charge us with ruining the Hindu system of religion. Of course, the fact is that one becomes a brāhmaṇa by qualification. Because we are training Europeans and Americans to become qualified and are awarding them brahminical status, we are being charged with destroying the Hindu religion. Nonetheless, confronting all kinds of difficulties, we must spread the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement with great determination, like that of Prahlāda Mahārāja. In spite of being the son of the demon Hiraṇyakaśipu, Prahlāda never feared the chastisements of the seminal brāhmaṇa sons of a demoniac father.

Although Prahlāda was born in the family of Hiraṇyakaśipu, an atheist, he was never attached to any kind of materialistic enjoyment.
SB 7.10.3, Purport:

In spite of coming to this material world, the nitya-siddha devotee is never attracted by the allurements of material enjoyment. A perfect example is Prahlāda Mahārāja, who was a nitya-siddha, a mahā-bhāgavata devotee. Although Prahlāda was born in the family of Hiraṇyakaśipu, an atheist, he was never attached to any kind of materialistic enjoyment. Desiring to exhibit the symptoms of a pure devotee, the Lord tried to induce Prahlāda Mahārāja to take material benedictions, but Prahlāda Mahārāja did not accept them. On the contrary, by his personal example he showed the symptoms of a pure devotee. In other words, the Lord Himself has no desire to send His pure devotee to this material world, nor does a devotee have any material purpose in coming. When the Lord Himself appears as an incarnation within this material world, He is not allured by the material atmosphere, and He has nothing to do with material activity, yet by His example He teaches the common man how to become a devotee. Similarly, a devotee who comes here in accordance with the order of the Supreme Lord shows by his personal behavior how to become a pure devotee. A pure devotee, therefore, is a practical example for all living entities, including Lord Brahmā.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta

CC Antya-lila

According to the opinion of some historians, Prahlāda Mahārāja was born in Tretā-yuga in the city of Multan, in the state of Punjab. He was born of Hiraṇyakaśipu, a king of the dynasty of Kaśyapa. Prahlāda Mahārāja was a great devotee of Lord Viṣṇu, but his father was very much against Viṣṇu.
CC Antya 9.10, Translation and Purport:

Prahlāda Mahārāja, Bali Mahārāja, Vyāsadeva, Śukadeva Gosvāmī and other great sages came to visit Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Upon seeing Him, they became unconscious in ecstatic love for Kṛṣṇa.

According to the opinion of some historians, Prahlāda Mahārāja was born in Tretā-yuga in the city of Multan, in the state of Punjab. He was born of Hiraṇyakaśipu, a king of the dynasty of Kaśyapa. Prahlāda Mahārāja was a great devotee of Lord Viṣṇu, but his father was very much against Viṣṇu. Because the father and son thus differed in their consciousness, the demon father inflicted all kinds of bodily pain upon Prahlāda. When this torture became intolerable, the Supreme Lord appeared as Nṛsiṁhadeva and killed the great demon Hiraṇyakaśipu.

Bali Mahārāja was the grandson of Prahlāda Mahārāja. The son of Prahlāda Mahārāja was Virocana, and his son was known as Bali. Appearing as Vāmana and begging Bali Mahārāja for three feet of land, the Lord took possession of the entire three worlds. Thus Bali Mahārāja became a great devotee of Lord Vāmana. Bali Mahārāja had one hundred sons, of whom Mahārāja Bāṇa was the eldest and most famous.

Vyāsadeva was the son of the great sage Parāśara. Other names for him are Sātyavateya and Kṛṣṇa-dvaipāyana Bādarāyaṇa Muni. As one of the authorities on the Vedas, he divided the original Veda, for convenience, into four divisions—Sāma, Yajur, Ṛg and Atharva. He is the author of eighteen Purāṇas as well as the theosophical thesis Brahma-sūtra and its natural commentary, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. He belongs to the Brahma-sampradāya and is a direct disciple of Nārada Muni.

Śukadeva Gosvāmī is the son of Vyāsadeva. He was a brahmacārī fully conscious of Brahman realization, but later he became a great devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa. He narrated Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam to Mahārāja Parīkṣit.

Lectures

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

He was born in a demonic family, Hiraṇyakaśipu. And his class friends, also, of the same category. So Prahlāda Mahārāja was advising them.
Lecture on BG 2.7 -- London, August 7, 1973:

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. So he was convincing them: durlabhaṁ manuṣyaṁ janma tad apy adhruvam arthadam. This human body is durlabhaṁ. Labdhvā sudurlabhaṁ idam bahu sambhavānte (SB 11.9.29). This human form of body is a great concession given by the material nature. People are so miscreant and foolish. They do not understand what is the value of this human form of life. They engage this body for sense gratification like cats and dogs.

So his name was Hiraṇyakaśipu. And the Prahlāda, his son.
Lecture on BG 2.13 -- New York, March 11, 1966:

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. But because we have no information of the spiritual pleasure and because we are conditioned by this material body, therefore we seek pleasure through matter. Now we have to raise ourself from this position. Then we can get unlimited pleasure. We want pleasure, but we do not want such pleasure which ends. We want nonending pleasure. That is our heart's desire.

Even Prahlāda Mahārāja, he was the son of Hiraṇyakaśipu.
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. So these things are there always. The demons, they are always after the devotees, how to harass him, how to give him trouble. Therefore one has to learn humility, otherwise one cannot make progress in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

This is the version of Prahlāda Mahārāja. He was preaching Kṛṣṇa consciousness among his school friends. Because he was born in a demon father's family, Hiraṇyakaśipu.
Lecture on BG 18.45 -- Durban, October 11, 1975:

This is the version of Prahlāda Mahārāja. He was preaching Kṛṣṇa consciousness among his school friends. Because he was born in a demon father's family, Hiraṇyakaśipu, he was stopped even uttering Kṛṣṇa. He could not get any opportunity in the palace, so when he was coming to school, at the tiffin hour he would call his small friends, five years old, and he would preach this Bhāgavata-dharma. And the friends would says, "My dear Prahlāda, we are now children. Oh, what is the use of this Bhāgavata-dharma? Let us play." "No," he said, "no." Kaumāra ācaret prājño dharmān bhāgavatān iha, durlabhaṁ mānuṣaṁ janma: (SB 7.6.1) "My dear friends, don't say that you'll keep it aside for cultivating Kṛṣṇa consciousness in old age. No, no." Durlabham. "We do not know when we shall die. Before the next death we must complete this Kṛṣṇa consciousness education."

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Just like Hiraṇyakaśipu, Prahlāda, the father and son.
Lecture on SB 1.2.8 -- Hyderabad, April 22, 1974:

There are two classes of men: deva and asura. Dvau bhūta-sargau loke 'smin daiva āsura eva ca (BG 16.6). Āsuras tad-viparyayaḥ. Viṣṇu-bhaktaḥ smṛto daiva āsuras tad-viparyayaḥ. Those who are devotees of the Lord, servants of the Lord, they are called deva, or demigods. Āsuras tad-viparyayaḥ. 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.

Just like Prahlāda Mahārāja became a great devotee by the grace of Nārada, although he was born of a father, atheist father, Hiraṇyakaśipu.
Lecture on SB 1.3.19 -- Los Angeles, September 24, 1972:

So sometimes in asura's family also, there are Vaiṣṇavas. By the grace of Nārada. Nārada makes... Just like Prahlāda Mahārāja became a great devotee by the grace of Nārada, although he was born of a father, atheist father, Hiraṇyakaśipu. So Nārada Muni's business is to travel all over the universe and make Vaiṣṇava. So this Bali Mahārāja, he conquered all over the universe, and the demigods were defeated. So Vāmanadeva, He also one of the considered demigods, Upendra. So He went to Bali Mahārāja by a trick. Because Bali Mahārāja... Kṛṣṇa knows that Bali Mahārāja was the grandson of Prahlāda Mahārāja and he was a great devotee at heart. He knew that. Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati (BG 18.61). Lord is situated in everyone's heart. He knows everyone. So therefore, in order to return back the kingdoms taken from the demigods, He made a trick. He went there. Bali Mahārāja was performing a great sacrifice, Bali-dhare.(?) So He went there and asked Bali Mahārāja, "Bali Mahārāja, you are performing such a great sacrifice. I am at your door. I am brāhmaṇa. Will you kindly give Me some donation?" "Yes, why not? That is my... I will give you. Whatever You want, I will give You."

Prahlāda Mahārāja, being the son of Hiraṇyakaśipu, he considered himself that "I am influenced by the rajo-guṇa and tamo-guṇa."
Lecture on SB 1.7.47-48 -- Vrndavana, October 6, 1976:

So here, in this material world, they are being influenced by the three rasas, and Prahlāda Mahārāja, being the son of Hiraṇyakaśipu, he considered himself that "I am influenced by the rajo-guṇa and tamo-guṇa." He's a Vaiṣṇava, he's above all guṇas, but a Vaiṣṇava is never proud of his guṇa. Actually, he does not feel like that, that he is very advanced, he is very enlightened.

Prahlāda Mahārāja said that "I am born in a low family. My father is Hiraṇyakaśipu.
Lecture on SB 1.8.44 -- Los Angeles, May 6, 1973:

So even we offer Kṛṣṇa prayer with broken languages, because Kṛṣṇa is Absolute, Kṛṣṇa will accept it. Bhāva-grāhī, bhāva-grāhī-janārdana. Janārdana, Kṛṣṇa, sees how much your heart is pure for serving Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa does not see the wording, the grammatical composition of your prayer. Therefore Prahlāda Mahārāja said... When other demigods were afraid of approaching Nṛsiṁhadeva, so Brahmā requested Prahlāda that "You offer prayer." So Brahmā's prayer is very..., Prahlāda Mahārāja's prayer... So Prahlāda Mahārāja says that "What prayer I shall offer to the Supreme Lord? Such big, big demigods like Brahmā and others, they are present here. Even goddess of fortune, Lakṣmī, is present here. They are afraid or they could not offer proper prayers to Kṛṣṇa, Nṛsiṁhadeva, to pacify Him. He's very angry. So everyone is afraid." So Prahlāda Mahārāja said that "I am born in a low family. My father is Hiraṇyakaśipu. So how I can offer prayer? If big, big demigods could not offer prayer and satisfy the Lord, so what I can do?"

He was Hiraṇyakaśipu's son.
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." So Nārada Muni was giving her advice about Kṛṣṇa consciousness. But her mind was absent, but the child within the womb, he was hearing. He was hearing. This is stated in the Bhāgavatam.

Just like Prahlāda Mahārāja. He is the son of an asura, Hiraṇyakaśipu.
Lecture on SB 2.9.10 -- Tokyo, April 26, 1972:

There, there is no more distinction between sura and asura. Here, asuras, they are not devotees. They deny. So asura, how the asura goes there? Asura does not go there as asura, but he goes there as devotee. Just like Prahlāda Mahārāja. He is the son of an asura, Hiraṇyakaśipu. Therefore he is classified asura, son of asura. But this asura quality is not more existing there, although he is promoted. In other words, when one is transferred to the Vaikuṇṭha world there is no such distinction between sura and asura.

Just like Hiraṇyakaśipu's son is Prahlāda.
Lecture on SB 6.1.27-34 -- Surat, December 17, 1970:

Prabhupāda: Brahmājī also enters the spiritual kingdom at the time of annihilation with his persons.

Revatīnandana: Does he undergo a change of body at that time?

Prabhupāda: Yes. That automatically takes place. Just like Hiraṇyakaśipu's son is Prahlāda. It doesn't matter. And spiritual body, material body, that can be changed. (break)

Revatīnandana: It will all be one thing(?), spiritual into material or material...

Prabhupāda: Material means when the consciousness is not Kṛṣṇa. That is material. The same example, that iron rod, if kept to the fire, gradually it becomes warm, warmer, and at last it becomes red. When it is red, it is no longer iron; it is fire. Similarly, by spiritual association, your body gradually becomes spiritualized. And at the perfection stage, there is no more material activities, simply the activities of the fire.

Prahlāda, from the beginning of his life, he was a Vaiṣṇava, although born of an atheist father, Hiraṇyakaśipu.
Lecture on SB 7.5.1, Pandal Lecture -- Bombay, January 12, 1973:

So long, long ago there was an 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 an 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..., 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.

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.
Lecture on SB 7.5.1, Pandal Lecture -- Bombay, January 12, 1973:

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.

Prahlāda Mahārāja was the son of Hiraṇyakaśipu, the famous demon. So it is not that a demon's son will be demon.
Lecture on SB 7.6.1 -- Vrndavana, December 2, 1975:

Then Prahlāda Mahārāja. Prahlāda Mahārāja was the son of Hiraṇyakaśipu, the famous demon. So it is not that a demon's son will be demon. That is not. Kṛṣṇa consciousness can be achieved by anyone.

He was born in a family of atheists. His father, Hiraṇyakaśipu, was atheist number one.
Lecture on SB 7.6.1 Excerpt -- Toronto, June 17, 1976:

This is the history of Prahlāda Mahārāja's birth. There are many other things. If you read this Seventh Canto, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam... So anyway, somehow or other, he became a great devotee of the Lord. But he was born in a family of atheists. His father, Hiraṇyakaśipu, was atheist number one, but the child was a devotee. Such thing happens. The father is devotee and the child is a demon. And sometimes the father is a demon but the child is a devotee. Everyone comes with his own karma. It doesn't mean that because the father is atheist, therefore the child has to become an atheist. Or the father is a devotee, therefore the child has to become a devotee, no. Everyone is responsible for his past deeds. So Prahlāda Mahārāja was a devotee, but his father did not like that the child should be trained up as a devotee. That was the misunderstanding between the father and the son and the whole history of Prahlāda Mahārāja's life is a description of misunderstanding between the father and the son. The father did not like that the son should be a devotee, but Prahlāda Mahārāja would not give up his devotional service.

He was himself the son of the king, Hiraṇyakaśipu.
Lecture on SB 7.7.40-44 -- San Francisco, March 20, 1967:

But Prahlāda Mahārāja says that the body itself, dehaḥ, sa vai dehas tu pārakyo bhaṅguro. Either you make your position secure and comfortable in this life or next life... Next life means there are many religious rituals which assures in your next life very comfortable life, very, I mean to say, long duration of life in other planets. So either you make arrangement in this life or in the next life, in the material world, if you make your next life in the spiritual world, then that is a different question. But so far we are materially concerned, either we make comfortable life in this life or in the next. But the body itself is kṣaṇa-bhaṅguraḥ, it is perishable. It is perishable. Sa vai dehas tu pārakyo bhaṅguro yāty upaiti.

kim u vyavahitāpatya-
dārāgāra-dhanādayaḥ
rājya-kośa-gajāmātya-
bhṛtyāptā mamatāspadāḥ
(SB 7.7.44)

They were all sons of big chieftains and ministers, and he was himself the son of the king, Hiraṇyakaśipu. Therefore he was speaking from his own standard. He says that kim u vyavahitāpatya-dārāgāra-dhanādayaḥ. Apatya means we are expanding. We are single. Now we are expanding by our children, apatya. And dāra means wife. The Sanskrit word strī... Strī means woman, and the root meaning of strī means "which expands." As soon as you have got wife, you expand yourself. You are one, and as soon as you get your wife, you become three, four, five. So strī means that helps me expanding. That is the root meaning. So Prahlāda Mahārāja says that what is the use by expanding your attachment to this material world by children?

Prahlāda Mahārāja never thou ght that "I am son of Hiraṇyakaśipu."
Lecture on SB 7.9.5 -- Mayapur, February 25, 1977:

Prahlāda Mahārāja is one of the mahājanas. Out of the twelve mahājanas, Prahlāda Mahārāja is one of the mahājanas. Svayambhūr nāradaḥ śambhuḥ kapilo manuḥ prahlādaḥ (SB 6.3.20). Prahlāda Mahārāja name is there. Janako bhīṣmo balir vaiyāsakir vayam. So Prahlāda Mahārāja is mahājana. So follow, try to follow, Prahlāda Mahārāja. Anusaraṇa. Sādhu-mārgānugamanam. So what Prahlāda Mahārāja did? He was put into so many troubles by his father, and what did he do? He was simply thinking of Kṛṣṇa, "What can I do? My father is against." That is man-manā bhava mad-bhaktaḥ. And at last, when the father is killed, he is offering obeisances. So these four things, follow in the footsteps sincerely, as an unalloyed devotee. Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktam (CC Madhya 19.170). Prahlāda Mahārāja never thou ght that "I am son of Hiraṇyakaśipu." Never thought. He always used to think, "I am the servant of Nārada." That he said. When He wanted to give him benediction, so he asked Nṛsiṁhadeva, "Kindly engage me in the service of Your servant, Nārada, by whom I have got this instruction." He never said, "Let me serve my father." No. Because he got instruction, he always... Cakṣudana dilo janme janme pitā sei. He is father. No other father. Cakṣudana dilo yei, janme janme pitā sei.

Prahlāda Mahārāja is considering himself born of a father, Hiraṇyakaśipu, as ugra-karma.
Lecture on SB 7.9.8 -- Mayapur, February 15, 1976:

So Prahlāda Mahārāja is considering himself born of a father, Hiraṇyakaśipu, as ugra-karma. So he's saying, harir ugra-jāteḥ, that the... Brahmādayaḥ sura-gaṇa, "Lord Brahmā and other demigods, they are coming from the higher planetary system, and they are in the sattvika guṇa, sattva-guṇa. They are not ordinary person." Just like coming from some pious pilgrimage, he's supposed to be very nice man, similarly, brahmādayaḥ, they are coming from svarga-loka. Why svarga-loka is better than this loka? The thing is, in the svarga-loka, although they are attached to material enjoyment, still, they are great devotees. Therefore svarga-loka is praised. They are not like us. Here, those who are attached to material prosperity, they forget Kṛṣṇa, or God.

He's thinking that "I am the son of Hiraṇyakaśipu. How I can offer?"
Lecture on SB 7.9.8 -- Mayapur, February 15, 1976:

Prahlāda Mahārāja, although born of a demonic father, he was completely pure. He was completely on the transcendental stage. Therefore he could offer prayers to the Lord; others cannot. So a Vaiṣṇava is very humble. He... Although everyone has admitted that he is on the stage of prema, but he is a Vaiṣṇava. He's thinking that "I am the son of Hiraṇyakaśipu. How I can offer?" This is Vaiṣṇava humbleness. That is the teaching of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

Because Prahlāda was born of a father, Hiraṇyakaśipu, and the most ferocious asura, so he cannot escape the relationship with his father, with reference to his father.
Lecture on SB 7.9.52 -- Vrndavana, April 7, 1976:

So we should not think independent. We must become bhadra. Then all auspicity will come. These two words, if you can understand... Prahlāda bhadra bhadraṁ te (SB 7.9.52). If you are not bhadra, then you will remain always abhadra, rākṣasa or asura. And here it is said, 'prīto haṁ te asurottamam: "You are the best of the asura family." Because Prahlāda was born of a father, Hiraṇyakaśipu, and the most ferocious asura, so he cannot escape the relationship with his father, with reference to his father. "How can I say that I am not son of a...?" There is that asura, mean, facility or disadvantage. But he is uttama. He surpassed that platform. How it is possible? Now, because Kṛṣṇa is pleased upon him. Prīto 'ham. Although he is born in an asura family, low-grade family, but because Kṛṣṇa is pleased upon him, he becomes immediately bhadra. This is the facility.

Nectar of Devotion Lectures

Prahlāda is the son of Hiraṇyakaśipu; a great devotee.
The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, December 27, 1972:

But the atheist class of men, they do not see. They do not like to see. Just like Hiraṇyakaśipu and Prahlāda. Prahlāda is the son of Hiraṇyakaśipu; a great devotee. And the father is atheist. That is the struggle. This struggle between the atheist and theist, always existing. But God, Hiraṇya, I mean to say, Nṛsiṁhadeva appeared. Nṛsiṁhadeva appeared for the solace of the devotee, Prahlāda, and for the death of the atheist. Both of them saw. Prahlāda saw Nṛsiṁhadeva as the most worshipable Deity, and Hiraṇyakaśipu saw the same person as death. Therefore God can be seen by everyone, atheist or theist, but they see in a different way. The, the theist, the devotee, sees God... Just like these devotees are worshiping the Lord, Kṛṣṇa, that "Here is Kṛṣṇa, Rādhārāṇī, and let us offer Him respect by offering ārātrika, prasādam." They're seeing also. The atheist will say, "What this nonsense? Some idol they are worshiping." The atheist will see, "What is this non...?" But that atheist will see God at the time of death, when He'll come as Nṛsiṁhadeva: immediately finished. All his assets, finished. With the body, the, everything he has possessed, the family or the house, the bank balance, this or that, everything is finished. Now he begins another chapter. He forgets.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

And Prahlāda, the son of Hiraṇyakaśipu.
Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 6.149-50 -- Gorakhpur, February 13, 1971:

Kapila is incarnation of God, Kapiladeva, the propounder of the Sāṅkhya philosophy. Kumāra, the four Kumāras, ever brahmacārī. And Manu, Vaivasvata Manu, the father of Mahārāja Ikṣvāku. And Prahlāda, the son of Hiraṇyakaśipu. The father was atheist and the son was a devotee, great devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa. Then Janaka Mahārāja, the father of Sītādevī. And Bhīṣma, the grandfather of the Pāṇḍavas. Prahlādo janako bhīṣmaḥ. Then Vaiyāsaki, Śukadeva Gosvāmī; and Yamarāja, they are authorities.

General Lectures

Then Prahlāda Mahārāja, Hiraṇyakaśipu's son, he is also mahājana.
Lecture -- London, August 23, 1973:

The original Manu is the emperor of the universe. That Manu. Then Prahlāda Mahārāja, Hiraṇyakaśipu's son, he is also mahājana. We have to learn how to execute dharma from these great personalities.

Prahlāda Mahārāja was born of Hiraṇyakaśipu, great demon.
Lecture Engagement at Birla House -- Bombay, December 17, 1975:

This is the instruction of Prahlāda Mahārāja to his class friend. Prahlāda Mahārāja was born of Hiraṇyakaśipu, great demon. He is described as demon because he was interested only in material comforts. Hiraṇya means gold, gold and very comfortable situation of material life. He was interested in that, and he wanted to teach his son about this economic development. But Prahlāda Mahārāja, when he was in the womb of his mother... There was fight between the demons and the demigods, so the demons—sometimes when there is fight, sometimes one party is victorious, sometimes the other party is victorious—so the demigods' party became victorious, and they were harassing the demons like anything. So Hiraṇyakaśipu's wife, she was pregnant, she was captured by Indra, the King of heaven, and she was being dragged to take her in the house of Indra. In the way, Nārada Muni met them; he chastised Indra. Nārada Muni was devarṣi, ṛṣi amongst the demigods. So he said, "Why you are giving trouble to this woman? This is not good." So the demons replied, demigods replied that "This woman is pregnant, and there is Hiraṇyakaśipu's son. So we want to kill that son also, because he is demon. So we are taking this woman to our place just to wait for the time of her delivering the child." At that time Nārada Muni said, "No, no. This child is not a demon child. This child who is within the womb of this woman, he is a great devotee, so don't try to kill him. Neither you can kill him, that is not possible." So they are demigods, they accepted Nārada Muni's proposal.

Page Title:Prahlada Maharaja was born of Hiranyakasipu, a king of the dynasty of Kasyapa
Compiler:Laksmipriya
Created:05 of Mar, 2012
Totals by Section:BG=1, SB=12, CC=1, OB=0, Lec=24, Con=0, Let=0
No. of Quotes:38