When Kṛṣṇa . . . er, Arjuna inquired from Kṛṣṇa that, "A yogī, he cannot finish his duty, or yogic process, in one life. Then what happens? He becomes neither this way or that way?" Kṛṣṇa said: "No. Whatever he has finished, that is his permanent assets.
Next life he begins from that point and he gets the opportunity of take birth"—śucīnāṁ śrīmatāṁ gehe—"he is given birth in very nice family, either in very nice brahmin family or very rich family." In these two places one gets the opportunity to increase his Kṛṣṇa consciousness very easily. If he gets his birth in a nice brahmin family, automatically he is trained in that way. And if he gets his birth in a rich family, he has no economic demand. He hasn't got to earn. He can save the time for developing Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
So those who are born in rich family, they should know that, "By the grace of Kṛṣṇa, by the grace of Lord, we are born with silver spoon. But we should utilize this opportunity." Not only rich man; every human being should be conscious to utilize this human form of life to understand God. That is the highest perfection of life. Otherwise it is animal life. The animal life means the animals are also eating, sleeping, mating and defending. So if we are simply engaged with four principles of bodily demand and do not inquire about the Brahma—athāto brahma jijñāsā, that is the Vedānta-sūtra—then we are no better than animals.
So Prahlāda Mahārāja was in his . . . before his birth he was taught by Nārada Muni. Therefore naturally he was in devotional service. So he was executing, the boy. Devotional service . . . if one is devotee, he cannot sit down silently. He wants to preach God's glories to others, even at the risk of life, like Lord Jesus Christ did it. Even at the risk of life, he preached God consciousness. That is the duty of a devotee. Lord Nityānanda did it, Haridāsa Ṭhākura did it. There are many instances, a devotee risked life for preaching glories of God.
So Prahlāda Mahārāja also doing that. He knew that, "My father is nothing but a ferocious animal, Hiraṇyakaśipu." Even big, big demigods would be threatened by his red eyes, he was so powerful. Still, he was executing devotional service at the risk of life. And he was put to so many dangerous condition of life. Still, he did not give up.
Then if we try to understand Prahlāda Mahārāja's character . . . now, at the present moment the teacher said that naisargikīyaṁ matir asya rājan: "My dear king, your boy, this tendency of God consciousness, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, is by nature. We never taught him. Please don't be angry with us unnecessarily." Niyaccha manyum. "Please give up your anger."
Niyaccha manyuṁ kad adāḥ sma mā naḥ: "Don't degrade us in that way." So he was king. He could understand that the boy is . . . by nature he is doing that. Then he inquired, "Prahlāda, wherefrom you have learned this art of God consciousness? Tell me. Wherefrom you have got this Kṛṣṇa consciousness?" Then Prahlāda Mahārāja, explaining to his father:
- prahlada uvāca
- matir na kṛṣṇe parato svato vā
- mitho 'bhipadyeta gṛha-vratānām
- (SB 7.5.30)
Gṛha-vratānām: "those who have taken it as vow to be happy in this material world." Therefore they are called gṛha-vrata. Gṛhastha . . . there are two words in Sanskrit language. One is gṛha-stha, and one is gṛha-vrata, or gṛha-medhi. Gṛhastha means gṛhastha-āśrama. As soon as . . . those who are conversant with Vedic language, they know: āśrama means something in connection with God. That is called āśrama. So gṛhastha-āśrama means one may live with family, children, wife, children, friends—that's all right. Live. Whatever life is suitable for you, you accept. But you chase Kṛṣṇa consciousness, cultivate Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is āśrama.