Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam: Canto 7: “The Science of God”
by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Chapter Five
SB7.5.42
TEXT 42
prayāse ’pahate tasmin
daityendraḥ pariśaṅkitaḥ
cakāra tad-vadhopāyān
nirbandhena yudhiṣṭhira
SYNONYMS
prayāse—when the endeavor; apahate—futile; tasmin—that; daitya-indraḥ—the King of the demons, Hiraṇyakaśipu; pariśaṅkitaḥ—very much afraid (considering how the boy was protected); cakāra—executed; tat-vadha-upāyān—various means for killing him; nirbandhena—with determination; yudhiṣṭhira—O King Yudhiṣṭhira.
TRANSLATION
My dear King Yudhiṣṭhira, when all the attempts of the demons to kill Prahlāda Mahārāja were futile, the King of the demons, Hiraṇyakaśipu, being most fearful, began contriving other means to kill him.
SB7.5.43-44
TEXTS 43–44
dig-gajair dandaśūkendrair
abhicārāvapātanaiḥ
māyābhiḥ sannirodhaiś ca
gara-dānair abhojanaiḥ
hima-vāyv-agni-salilaiḥ
parvatākramaṇair api
na śaśāka yadā hantum
apāpam asuraḥ sutam
cintāṁ dīrghatamāṁ prāptas
tat-kartuṁ nābhyapadyata
SYNONYMS
dik-gajaiḥ—by big elephants trained to smash anything under their feet; danda-śūka-indraiḥ—by the biting of the King’s poisonous snakes; abhicāra—by destructive spells; avapātanaiḥ—by causing to fall from the top of a mountain; māyābhiḥ—by conjuring tricks; sannirodhaiḥ—by imprisonment; ca—as well as; gara-dānaiḥ—by administering poison; abhojanaiḥ—by starving; hima—by cold; vāyu—wind; agni—fire; salilaiḥ—and water; parvata-ākramaṇaiḥ—by crushing with big stones and hills; api—and also; na śaśāka—was not able; yadā—when; hantum—to kill; apāpam—who was not at all sinful; asuraḥ—the demon (Hiraṇyakaśipu); sutam—his son; cintām—anxiety; dīrgha-tamām—long-standing; prāptaḥ—obtained; tat-kartum—to do that; na—not; abhyapadyata—achieved.
TRANSLATION
Hiraṇyakaśipu could not kill his son by throwing him beneath the feet of big elephants, throwing him among huge, fearful snakes, employing destructive spells, hurling him from the top of a hill, conjuring up illusory tricks, administering poison, starving him, exposing him to severe cold, winds, fire and water, or throwing heavy stones to crush him. When Hiraṇyakaśipu found that he could not in any way harm Prahlāda, who was completely sinless, he was in great anxiety about what to do next.
SB7.5.45
TEXT 45
eṣa me bahv-asādhūkto
vadhopāyāś ca nirmitāḥ
tais tair drohair asad-dharmair
muktaḥ svenaiva tejasā
SYNONYMS
eṣaḥ—this; me—of me; bahu—many; asādhu-uktaḥ—ill names; vadha-upāyāḥ—many varieties of means to kill him; ca—and; nirmitāḥ—devised; taiḥ—by those; taiḥ—by those; drohaiḥ—treacherous; asat-dharmaiḥ—abominable actions; muktaḥ—released; svena—his own; eva—indeed; tejasā—by prowess.
TRANSLATION
Hiraṇyakaśipu thought: I have used many ill names in chastising this boy Prahlāda and have devised many means of killing him, but despite all my endeavors, he could not be killed. Indeed, he saved himself by his own powers, without being affected in the least by these treacherous and abominable actions.
SB7.5.46
TEXT 46
vartamāno ’vidūre vai
bālo ’py ajaḍa-dhīr ayam
na vismarati me ’nāryaṁ
śunaḥ śepa iva prabhuḥ
SYNONYMS
vartamānaḥ—being situated; avidūre—not very far away; vai—indeed; bālaḥ—a mere child; api—although; ajaḍa-dhīḥ—complete fearlessness; ayam—this; na—not; vismarati—forgets; me—my; anāryam—misbehavior; śunaḥ śepaḥ—the curved tail of a dog; iva—exactly like; prabhuḥ—being able or potent.
TRANSLATION
Although he is very near to me and is merely a child, he is situated in complete fearlessness. He resembles a dog’s curved tail, which can never be straightened, because he never forgets my misbehavior and his connection with his master, Lord Viṣṇu.
PURPORT
The word śunaḥ means “of a dog,” and śepa means “tail.” The example is ordinary. However one may try to straighten a dog’s tail, it is never straight but always curved. Śunaḥ śepa is also the name of the second son of Ajīgarta. He was sold to Hariścandra, but he later took shelter of Viśvāmitra, Hariścandra’s enemy, and never left his side.
SB7.5.47 TEXT 47 aprameyānubhāvo ’yam akutaścid-bhayo ’maraḥ nūnam etad-virodhena mṛtyur me bhavitā na vā SYNONYMS aprameya—unlimited; anubhāvaḥ—glory; ayam—this; akutaścit-bhayaḥ—having no fear from any quarter; amaraḥ—immortal; nūnam—definitely; etat-virodhena—because of going against him; mṛtyuḥ—death; me—my; bhavitā—may be; na—not; vā—or.
TRANSLATION I can see that this boy’s strength is unlimited, for he has not feared any of my punishments. He appears immortal. Therefore, because of my enmity toward him, I shall die. Or maybe this will not take place. SB7.5.48 TEXT 48 iti tac-cintayā kiñcin mlāna-śriyam adho-mukham śaṇḍāmarkāv auśanasau vivikta iti hocatuḥ SYNONYMS iti—thus; tat-cintayā—with full anxiety because of Prahlāda Mahārāja’s position; kiñcit—somewhat; mlāna—lost; śriyam—bodily luster; adhaḥ-mukham—his face downward; śaṇḍa-amarkau—Ṣaṇḍa and Amarka; auśanasau—sons of Śukrācārya; vivikte—in a secret place; iti—thus; ha—indeed; ūcatuḥ—spoke.
TRANSLATION Thinking in this way, the King of the Daityas, morose and bereft of bodily luster, remained silent with his face downward. Then Ṣaṇḍa and Amarka, the two sons of Śukrācārya, spoke to him in secret. SB7.5.49 TEXT 49 jitaṁ tvayaikena jagat-trayaṁ bhruvor vijṛmbhaṇa-trasta-samasta-dhiṣṇyapam na tasya cintyaṁ tava nātha cakṣvahe na vai śiśūnāṁ guṇa-doṣayoḥ padam SYNONYMS jitam—conquered; tvayā—by you; ekena—alone; jagat-trayam—the three worlds; bhruvoḥ—of the eyebrows; vijṛmbhaṇa—by the expanding; trasta—become afraid; samasta—all; dhiṣṇyapam—the chief persons in every planet; na—not; tasya—from him; cintyam—to be anxious; tava—of you; nātha—O master; cakṣvahe—we find; na—nor; vai—indeed; śiśūnām—of children; guṇa-doṣayoḥ—of a good quality or fault; padam—the subject matter.
TRANSLATION O lord, we know that when you simply move your eyebrows, all the commanders of the various planets are most afraid. Without the help of any assistant, you have conquered all the three worlds. Therefore, we do not find any reason for you to be morose and full of anxiety. As for Prahlāda, he is nothing but a child and cannot be a cause of anxiety. After all, his bad or good qualities have no value. SB7.5.50 TEXT 50 imaṁ tu pāśair varuṇasya baddhvā nidhehi bhīto na palāyate yathā buddhiś ca puṁso vayasārya-sevayā yāvad gurur bhārgava āgamiṣyati SYNONYMS imam—this; tu—but; pāśaiḥ—by the ropes; varuṇasya—of the demigod known as Varuṇa; baddhvā—binding; nidhehi—keep (him); bhītaḥ—being afraid; na—not; palāyate—runs away; yathā—so that; buddhiḥ—the intelligence; ca—also; puṁsaḥ—of a man; vayasā—by increase of age; ārya—of experienced, advanced persons; sevayā—by the service; yāvat—until; guruḥ—our spiritual master; bhārgavaḥ—Śukrācārya; āgamiṣyati—will come.
TRANSLATION Until the return of our spiritual master, Śukrācārya, arrest this child with the ropes of Varuṇa so that he will not flee in fear. In any case, by the time he is somewhat grown up and has assimilated our instructions or served our spiritual master, he will change in his intelligence. Thus there need be no cause for anxiety. SB7.5.51 TEXT 51 tatheti guru-putroktam anujñāyedam abravīt dharmo hy asyopadeṣṭavyo rājñāṁ yo gṛha-medhinām SYNONYMS tathā—in this way; iti—thus; guru-putra-uktam—advised by Ṣaṇḍa and Amarka, the sons of Śukrācārya; anujñāya—accepting; idam—this; abravīt—said; dharmaḥ—the duty; hi—indeed; asya—unto Prahlāda; upadeṣṭavyaḥ—to be instructed; rājñām—of the kings; yaḥ—which; gṛha-medhinām—who are interested in householder life.
TRANSLATION After hearing these instructions of Ṣaṇḍa and Amarka, the sons of his spiritual master, Hiraṇyakaśipu agreed and requested them to instruct Prahlāda in that system of occupational duty which is followed by royal householder families. PURPORT Hiraṇyakaśipu wanted Prahlāda Mahārāja to be trained as a diplomatic king in ruling the kingdom, the country or the world, but not to be advised about renunciation or the renounced order of life. The word dharma here does not refer to some religious faith. As clearly stated, dharmo hy asyopadeṣṭavyo rājñāṁ yo gṛha-medhinām. There are two kinds of royal families—one whose members are simply attached to household life and the other consisting of rājarṣis, kings who govern with ruling power but are as good as great saints. Prahlāda Mahārāja wanted to become a rājarṣi, whereas Hiraṇyakaśipu wanted him to become a king attached to sense enjoyment (gṛha-medhinām). Therefore in the Āryan system there is varṇāśrama-dharma, by which everyone should be educated according to his position in society’s division of varṇa (brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya and śūdra) and āśrama (brahmacarya, gṛhastha, vānaprastha and sannyāsa).
A devotee purified by devotional service is always in the transcendental position above the mundane qualities. Thus the difference between Prahlāda Mahārāja and Hiraṇyakaśipu was that Hiraṇyakaśipu wanted to keep Prahlāda in mundane attachment whereas Prahlāda was above the modes of material nature. As long as one is under the control of material nature, his occupational duty is different from that of a person not under such control. One’s real dharma, or occupational duty, is described in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam [SB 6.3.19]). As described to his order carriers by Dharmarāja, or Yamarāja, a living being is a spiritual identity, and therefore his occupational duty is also spiritual. The real dharma is that which is advised in Bhagavad-gītā: sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja [Bg. 18.66]. One must give up one’s material occupational duties, just as one must give up his material body. Whatever one’s occupational duty, even according to the varṇāśrama system, one must give it up and engage in one’s spiritual function. One’s real dharma, or occupational duty, is explained by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Jīvera ‘svarūpa’ haya—kṛṣṇera ‘nitya-dāsa’: [Cc. Madhya 20.108] every living being is an eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa. That is one’s real occupational duty.
SB7.5.52 TEXT 52 dharmam arthaṁ ca kāmaṁ ca nitarāṁ cānupūrvaśaḥ prahrādāyocatū rājan praśritāvanatāya ca SYNONYMS dharmam—mundane occupational duty; artham—economic development; ca—and; kāmam—sense gratification; ca—and; nitarām—always; ca—and; anupūrvaśaḥ—according to order, or from the beginning to the end; prahrādāya—unto Prahlāda Mahārāja; ūcatuḥ—they spoke; rājan—O King; praśrita—who was humble; avanatāya—and submissive; ca—also.
TRANSLATION Thereafter, Ṣaṇḍa and Amarka systematically and unceasingly taught Prahlāda Mahārāja, who was very submissive and humble, about mundane religion, economic development and sense gratification. PURPORT There are four processes for human society—dharma, artha, kāma and mokṣa—and they culminate in liberation. Human society must follow a process of religion to advance, and on the basis of religion one should try to develop his economic condition so that he can fulfill his needs for sense gratification according to the religious rules and regulations. Then liberation from material bondage will be easier to attain. That is the Vedic process. When one is above the stages of dharma, artha, kāma and mokṣa, one becomes a devotee. He is then on the platform from which he is guaranteed not to fall again to material existence (yad gatvā na nivartante [Bg. 15.6]). As advised in Bhagavad-gītā if one transcends these four processes and is actually liberated, one engages in devotional service. Then he is guaranteed not to fall to material existence again.
SB7.5.53 TEXT 53 yathā tri-vargaṁ gurubhir ātmane upaśikṣitam na sādhu mene tac-chikṣāṁ dvandvārāmopavarṇitām SYNONYMS yathā—as; tri-vargam—the three processes (religion, economic development and sense gratification); gurubhiḥ—by the teachers; ātmane—unto himself (Prahlāda Mahārāja); upaśikṣitam—instructed; na—not; sādhu—really good; mene—he considered; tat-śikṣām—the education in that; dvandva-ārāma—by persons taking pleasure in duality (in material enmity and friendship); upavarṇitām—which is prescribed.
TRANSLATION The teachers Ṣaṇḍa and Amarka instructed Prahlāda Mahārāja in the three kinds of material advancement called religion, economic development and sense gratification. Prahlāda, however, being situated above such instructions, did not like them, for such instructions are based on the duality of worldly affairs, which involve one in a materialistic way of life marked by birth, death, old age and disease. PURPORT The entire world is interested in the materialistic way of life. Indeed, practically 99.9 percent of the people in the three worlds are uninterested in liberation or spiritual education. Only the devotees of the Lord, headed by such great personalities as Prahlāda Mahārāja and Nārada Muni, are interested in the real education of spiritual life. One cannot understand the principles of religion while staying on the material platform. Therefore one must follow these great personalities. As stated in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (6.3.20):
svayambhūr nāradaḥ śambhuḥ One must follow in the footsteps of such great personalities as Lord Brahmā, Nārada, Lord Śiva, Kapila, Manu, the Kumāras, Prahlāda Mahārāja, Bhīṣma, Janaka, Bali Mahārāja, Śukadeva Gosvāmī and Yamarāja. Those interested in spiritual life should follow Prahlāda Mahārāja in rejecting the education of religion, economic development and sense gratification. One should be interested in spiritual education. Therefore the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is spreading all over the world, following in the footsteps of Prahlāda Mahārāja, who did not like any of the materialistic education he received from his teachers.
SB7.5.54 TEXT 54 yadācāryaḥ parāvṛtto gṛhamedhīya-karmasu vayasyair bālakais tatra sopahūtaḥ kṛta-kṣaṇaiḥ SYNONYMS yadā—when; ācāryaḥ—the teachers; parāvṛttaḥ—became engaged; gṛha-medhīya—of household life; karmasu—in duties; vayasyaiḥ—by his friends of the same age; bālakaiḥ—boys; tatra—there; saḥ—he (Prahlāda Mahārāja); apahūtaḥ—called; kṛta-kṣaṇaiḥ—obtaining an opportune moment.
TRANSLATION When the teachers went home to attend to their household affairs, the students of the same age as Prahlāda Mahārāja would call him to take the opportunity of leisure hours for play. PURPORT In tiffin hours, the hours when the teachers were absent from the classroom, the students called Prahlāda Mahārāja, wanting to play with him. As will be seen from the following verses, however, Prahlāda Mahārāja was not very much interested in playing. Instead, he wanted to utilize every moment for advancing in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Therefore, as indicated in this verse by the word kṛta-kṣaṇaiḥ, at the opportune moment when it was possible to preach about Kṛṣṇa consciousness, Prahlāda Mahārāja used the time as follows.
SB7.5.55 TEXT 55 atha tāñ ślakṣṇayā vācā pratyāhūya mahā-budhaḥ uvāca vidvāṁs tan-niṣṭhāṁ kṛpayā prahasann iva SYNONYMS atha—then; tān—the class friends; ślakṣṇayā—with very pleasing; vācā—speech; pratyāhūya—addressing; mahā-budhaḥ—Prahlāda Mahārāja, who was highly learned and advanced in spiritual consciousness (mahā means “great,” and budha means “learned”); uvāca—said; vidvān—very learned; tat-niṣṭhām—the path of God realization; kṛpayā—being merciful; prahasan—smiling; iva—like.
TRANSLATION Prahlāda Mahārāja, who was truly the supreme learned person, then addressed his class friends in very sweet language. Smiling, he began to teach them about the uselessness of the materialistic way of life. Being very kind to them, he instructed them as follows. PURPORT Prahlāda Mahārāja’s smiling is very significant. The other students were very much advanced in enjoying materialistic life through religion, economic development and sense gratification, but Prahlāda Mahārāja laughed at them, knowing that this was not actual happiness, for real happiness is advancement in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. The duty of those who follow in the footsteps of Prahlāda Mahārāja is to teach the entire world how to be Kṛṣṇa conscious and thus be really happy. Materialistic persons take to so-called religion to get some blessings so that they can improve their economic position and enjoy the material world through sense gratification. But devotees like Prahlāda Mahārāja laugh at how foolish they are to be busy in a temporary life without knowledge of the soul’s transmigration from one body to another. Materialistic persons are engaged in striving for temporary benefits, whereas persons advanced in spiritual knowledge, such as Prahlāda Mahārāja, are not interested in the materialistic way of life. Instead, they want to be elevated to an eternal life of knowledge and bliss. Therefore, as Kṛṣṇa is always compassionate to the fallen souls, His servants, the devotees of Lord Kṛṣṇa, are also interested in educating the entire populace in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. The mistake of materialistic life is understood by devotees, and therefore they smile upon it, considering it insignificant. Out of compassion, however, such devotees preach the gospel of Bhagavad-gītā all over the world.
SB7.5.56-57 TEXTS 56–57 te tu tad-gauravāt sarve tyakta-krīḍā-paricchadāḥ bālā adūṣita-dhiyo dvandvārāmeritehitaiḥ paryupāsata rājendra tan-nyasta-hṛdayekṣaṇāḥ tān āha karuṇo maitro mahā-bhāgavato ’suraḥ SYNONYMS te—they; tu—indeed; tat-gauravāt—from great respect for the words of Prahlāda Mahārāja (due to his being a devotee); sarve—all of them; tyakta—having given up; krīḍā-paricchadāḥ—toys for playing; bālāḥ—the boys; adūṣita-dhiyaḥ—whose intelligence was not as polluted (as that of their fathers); dvandva—in duality; ārāma—of those taking pleasure (the instructors, namely Ṣaṇḍa and Amarka); īrita—by the instructions; īhitaiḥ—and actions; paryupāsata—sat down around; rāja-indra—O King Yudhiṣṭhira; tat—unto him; nyasta—having given up; hṛdaya-īkṣaṇāḥ—their hearts and eyes; tān—unto them; āha—spoke; karuṇaḥ—very merciful; maitraḥ—a real friend; mahā-bhāgavataḥ—a most exalted devotee; asuraḥ—Prahlāda Mahārāja, although born of an asura father.
TRANSLATION My dear King Yudhiṣṭhira, all the children were very much affectionate and respectful to Prahlāda Mahārāja, and because of their tender age they were not so polluted by the instructions and actions of their teachers, who were attached to condemned duality and bodily comfort. Thus the boys surrounded Prahlāda Mahārāja, giving up their playthings, and sat down to hear him. Their hearts and eyes being fixed upon him, they looked at him with great earnestness. Prahlāda Mahārāja, although born in a demon family, was an exalted devotee, and he desired their welfare. Thus he began instructing them about the futility of materialistic life. PURPORT The words bālā adūṣita-dhiyaḥ indicate that the children, being of a tender age, were not as polluted by materialistic life as their fathers. Prahlāda Mahārāja, therefore, taking advantage of the innocence of his class friends, began teaching them about the importance of spiritual life and the insignificance of materialistic life. Although the teachers Ṣaṇḍa and Amarka were instructing all the boys in the materialistic life of religion, economic development and sense gratification, the boys were not much polluted. Therefore, with great attention they wanted to hear from Prahlāda Mahārāja about Kṛṣṇa consciousness. In our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, the guru-kula plays an extremely important part in our activities because right from childhood the boys at the guru-kula are instructed about Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Thus they become steady within the cores of their hearts, and there is very little possibility that they will be conquered by the modes of material nature when they are older.
Thus end the Bhaktivedanta purports of the Seventh Canto, Fifth Chapter, of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, entitled “Prahlāda Mahārāja, the Saintly Son of Hiraṇyakaśipu.” THIS WEB PAGE URL: http://causelessmercy.com/SB7.5.3.htm
kumāraḥ kapilo manuḥ
prahlādo janako bhīṣmo
balir vaiyāsakir vayam