 |
 |
 |
 |
Chapter:9
AÜ`m`
- 9 Prahlada
Maharaja prayed : How is it possible for me, who have been born in a
family of asuras, to offer suitable prayers to satisfy the Supreme
Personality of Godhead ? Even until now, all the demigods, headed by
Lord Brahma, and all the saintly persons, could not satisfy the Lord
by streams of excellent words, although such persons are very
qualified, being in the mode of goodness. Then what is to be said of
me ? I am not at all qualified. [8] _Ý`o
YZm{^OZê$nVn:lwVm¡O- Prahlada
Maharaja continued : One may possess wealth, an aristocratic family,
beauty, austerity, education, sensory expertise, luster, influence,
physical strength, diligence, intelligence and mystic yogic power,
but I think that even by all these qualifications one cannot satisfy
the Supreme Personality of Godhead. However, one can satisfy the
Lord simply by devotional service. Gajendra did this, and thus the
Lord was satisfied with him. [9]
{dàmX²
{ÛfS²JwU`wVmXa{dÝXZm^- If
a Brahmana has all twelve of the brahminical qualifications [as they
are stated in the book called Sanat-sujata] but is not a devotee and
is averse to the lotus feet of the Lord, he is certainly lower than
a devotee who is a dog-eater but who has dedicated everything-mind, words, activities, wealth and life-to the Supreme
Lord. Such a devotee is better than such a brahmana because the
devotee can purify his whole family, whereas the so-called brahmana
in a position of false prestige cannot purify even himself. [10] Z¡dmË_Z:
à^wa`§ {ZObm^nyUm} The
Supreme Lord, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is always fully
satisfied in Himself. Therefore when something is offered to Him,
the offering, by the Lord's mercy, is for the benefit of the
devotee, for the Lord does not need service from anyone. To give an
example, if one's face is decorated, the reflection of one's face in
a mirror is also seen to be decorated. [11] Vñ_mXh§
{dJV{dŠbd B©œañ` Therefore,
although I was born in a demoniac family, I may without a doubt
offer prayers to the Lord with full endeavor, as far as my
intelligence allows. Anyone who has been forced by ignorance to
enter the material world may be purified of material life if he
offers prayers to the Lord and hears the Lord's glories. [12] gd}
ø_r {d{YH$amñVd gÎdYmåZmo O
my Lord, all the demigods, headed by Lord Brahma, are sincere
servants of Your Lordship, who are situated in a transcendental
position. Therefore they are not like us [Prahlada and his father,
the demon Hiranyakasipu]. Your appearance in this fearsome form is
Your pastime for Your own pleasure. Such an incarnation is always
meant for the protection and improvement of the universe. [13] VX²
`ÀN> _Ý`w_gwaíM hVñËd`mÚ My
Lord Nrsinhadeva, please, therefore, cease Your anger now that my
father, the great demon Hiranyakasipu, has been killed. Since even
saintly persons take pleasure in the killing of a scorpion or a
snake, all the worlds have achieved great satisfaction because of
the death of this demon. Now they are confident of their happiness,
and they will always remember Your auspicious incarnation in order
to be free from fear. [14] Zmh§
{~^oå`{OV Vo@{V^`mZH$mñ`-
My
Lord, who are never conquered by anyone, I am certainly not afraid
of Your ferocious mouth and tongue, Your eyes bright like the sun or
Your frowning eyebrows. I do not fear Your sharp, pinching teeth,
Your garland of intestines, Your mane soaked with blood, or Your
high, wedgelike ears. Nor do I fear Your tumultuous roaring, which
makes elephants flee to distant places, or Your nails, which are
meant to kill Your enemies. [15] ÌñVmo@ñå`h§
H¥$nUdËgb Xw:ghmoJ«- O
most powerful, insurmountable Lord, who are kind to the fallen
souls, I have been put into the association of demons as a result of
my activities, and therefore I am very much afraid of my condition
of life within this material world. When will that moment come when
You will call me to the shelter of Your lotus feet, which are the
ultimate goal for liberation from conditional life ? [16] `ñ_mV²
{à`m{à`{d`moJg`moJOÝ_-
gmo@h§
{à`ñ` gwöX: naXodVm`m O my Lord Nrsimhadeva, by engaging in Your transcendental loving service in the association of devotees who are liberated souls [hamsas], I shall become completely uncontaminated by the association of the three modes of material nature and be able to chant the glories of Your Lordship, who are so dear to me. I shall chant Your glories, following exactly in the footsteps of Lord Brahma and his disciple succession. In this way I shall undoubtedly be able to cross the ocean of nescience. [18] ~mbñ`
Zoh eaU§ {nVam¡ Z¥qgh Whatever
remedies they accept, although perhaps temporarily beneficial, are
certainly impermanent. For example, a father and mother cannot
protect their child, a physician and medicine cannot relieve a
suffering patient, and a boat on the ocean cannot protect a drowning
man. [19] `pñ_Ý`Vmo
`{h© `oZ M `ñ` `ñ_mX My
dear Lord, everyone in this material world is under the modes of
material nature, being influenced by goodness, passion and
ignorance. Everyone–from the greatest personality, Lord Brahma,
down to the small ant–works under the influence of these modes.
Therefore everyone in this material world is influenced by Your
energy. The cause for which they work, the place where they work,
the time when they work, the matter due to which they work, the goal
of life they have considered final, and the process for obtaining
this goal-all are nothing but manifestations of Your energy. Indeed,
since the energy and energetic are identical, all of them are but
manifestations of You. [20] _m`m
_Z: g¥O{V H$_©_`§ ~br`: O
Lord, O supreme eternal, by expanding Your plenary portion You have
created the subtle bodies of the living entities through the agency
of Your external energy, which is agitated by time. Thus the mind
entraps the living entity in unlimited varieties of desires to be
fulfilled by the Vedic directions of karma-kanda [fruitive activity]
and the sixteen elements. Who can get free from this entanglement
unless he takes shelter at Your lotus feet ? [21] g
Ëd§ {h {ZË`{d{OVmË_JwU: ñdYmåZm My
dear Lord, O supreme great, You have created this material world of
sixteen constituents, but You are transcendental to their material
qualities. In other words, these material qualities are under Your
full control, and You are never conquered by them. Therefore the
time element is Your representation. My Lord, O Supreme, no one can
conquer You. As for me, however, I am being crushed by the wheel of
time, and therefore
I surrender fully unto You. Now kindly take me under the protection
of Your lotus feet. [22]
Ñï>m
_`m {X{d {d^mo@{Ib{YîÊ`nmZm- My
dear Lord, people in general want to be elevated to the higher
planetary systems for a long duration of life, opulence and
enjoyment, but I have seen all of these through the activities of my
father. When my father was angry and he laughed sarcastically at the
demigods, they were immediately vanquished simply by seeing the
movements of his eyebrows. Yet my father, who was so powerful, has
now been vanquished by You within a moment. [23] Vñ_mX_yñVZw^¥Vm_h_m{efmok My
dear Lord, now I have complete experience concerning the worldly
opulence, mystic power, longevity and other material pleasures
enjoyed by all living entities, from Lord Brahma down to the ant. As
powerful time, You destroy them all. Therefore, because of my
experience, I do not wish to possess them, My dear Lord, I request
You to place me in touch with Your pure devotee and let me serve him
as a sincere servant. [24] Hw$Ìm{ef:
lw{VgwIm _¥JV¥pîUê$nm: In
this material world, every living entity desires some future
happiness, which is exactly like a mirage in the desert. Where is
water in the desert, or, in other words, where is happiness in this
material world ? As for this body, what is its value ? It is merely
a source of various diseases. The so-called philosophers, scientists
and politicians know this very well, but nonetheless they aspire for temporary happiness. Happiness
is very difficult to obtain, but because they are unable to control
their senses, they run after the so-called happiness of the material
world and never come to the right conclusion. [25] ¹$mh§
aO:à^d B©e V_mo@{YHo$@pñ_Z O
my Lord, O Supreme, because I was born in a family full of the
hellish material qualities of passion and ignorance, what is my
position ? And what is to be said of Your causeless mercy, which was
never offered even to Lord Brahma, Lord Siva or the goddess of
fortune, Laksmi ? You never put Your lotus hand upon their heads,
but You have put it upon mine. [26] Z¡fm
namda_{V^©dVmo ZZw ñ`m- Unlike
and ordinary living entity, my Lord, You do not discriminate between
friends and enemies, the favorable and the unfavorable, because for
You there is no conception of higher and lower. Nonetheless, You
offer Your benedictions according to the level of one's service,
exactly as a desire tree delivers fruits according to one's desires
and makes no distinction between the lower and the higher. [27] Ed§
OZ§ {Zn{VV§ à^dm{hHy$no My dear Lord, O Supreme Personality of Godhead, because of my association with material desires, one after another, I was gradually falling into a blind well full of snakes, following the general populace. But Your servant Narada Muni kindly accepted me as his disciple and instructed me how to achieve this transcendental position. Therefore, my first duty is to serve him. How could I leave his service ? [28]
My dear Lord, You alone manifest Yourself as the entire cosmic manifestation, for you existed before the creation, You exist after the annihilation, and You are the maintainer between the beginning and the end. All this is done by Your external energy through actions and reactions of the three modes of material nature. Therefore whatever exists–externally and internally–is You alone. [30] Ëd§ dm BX§ gXgXre ^dm§ñVVmo@Ý`mo My dear Lord, O Supreme Personality of Godhead, the entire cosmic creation is caused by You, and the cosmic manifestation is an effect of Your energy. Although the entire cosmos is but You alone, You keep Yourself aloof from it. The conception of ‘‘mine and yours,’’ is certainly a type of illusion [maya] because everything is an emanation from You and is therefore not different fromYou. Indeed, the cosmic manifestation is nondifferent from You, and the annihilation is also caused by You. This relationship between Your Lordship and the cosmos is illustrated by the example of the seed and the tree, or the subtle cause and the gross manifestation. [31] `ñ`oX_mË_{Z OJX² {db`må~w_Ü`o O my Lord, O Supreme Personality of Godhead, after the annihilation the creative energy is kept in You, who appear to sleep with half-closed eyes. Actually, however, You do not sleep like an ordinary human being, for You are always in a transcendental stage, beyond the creation of the material world, and You always feel transcendental bliss. As Karanodakasayi Vishnu, You thus remain in Your transcendental status, not touching material objects. Although You appear to sleep, this sleeping is distinct from sleeping in ignorance. [32]
Vñ`¡d Vo dnw[aX§ {ZOH$mbeŠË`mg#mmo{XVàH¥${VY_©U AmË_JyT>åŸ& This cosmic manifestation, the material world, is also Your body. This total lump of matter is agitated by Your potent energy known as kala-sakti, and thus the three modes of material nature are manifested, You awaken from the bed of Sesa, Ananta, and from your navel a small transcendental seed is generated. It is from this seed that the lotus flower of the gigantic universe is manifested, exactly as a banyan tree grows from a small seed. [33]
From that great lotus flower, Brahma was generated, but Brahma certainly could see nothing but the lotus. Therefore, thinking You to be outside, Lord Brahma dove into the water and attempted to find the source of the lotus for one hundred years. He could find no trace of You, however, for when a seed fructifies, the original seed cannot be seen. [34]
g ËdmË_`mo{Za{V{dpñ_V AmpñWVmo@ãO§
Ed§ ghòdXZm[”«{ea:H$amoé- Lord Brahma could then see You possessing thousands and thousands of faces, feet, heads, thighs, noses, ears and eyes. You were very nicely dressed, being decorated and bedecked with varieties of ornaments and weapons. Seeing You in the form of Lord Vishnu, Your symptoms and form being transcendental, Your legs extending from the lower planets, Lord Brahma achieved transcendental bliss. [36]
Vñ_¡ ^dmÝh`{eañVZwd§ M {~^«X My dear Lord, when You appeared as Hayagriva, with the head of a horse, You killed two demons known as Madhu and Kaitabha, who were full of the modes of passion and ignorance. Then You delivered the Vedic knowledge to Lord Brahma. For this reason, all the great saints accept Your forms as transcendental, untinged by material qualities. [37]
ËW§ Z¥{V`©J¥{fXodPfmdVma¡-
In this way, my Lord, You appear in various incarnations as a human being, an animal, a great saint, a demigod, a fish or a tortoise, thus maintaining the entire creation in different planetary systems and killing the demoniac principles. According to the age, O my Lord, You protect the principles of religion. In the age of kali, however, You do not assert Yourself as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and therefore You are known as Triyuga, or the Lord who appears in three yugas. [38]
m¡VÝ_ZñVd H$Wmgw {dHw$ÊR>ZmW
My dear Lord of the Vaikuntha planets, where is no anxiety, my mind is extremely sinful and lusty, being sometimes so-called happy and sometimes so-called distressed. My mind is full of lamentation and fear, and it always seeks more satisfied in topics concerning You. I am therefore most fallen and poor. In such a status of life, how shall I be able to discuss Your activities ? [39]
{Oˆ¡H$Vmo@À`wV
{dH$f©{V _m{dV¥ám
{Oˆ¡H$Vmo@À`wV {dH$f©{V _m{dV¥ám
Ed§ ñdH$_©n{VV§ ^dd¡VaÊ`m-
Indeed, we have fallen into this river and are repeatedly suffering the pains of birth and death and eating horrible things. Now kindly look upon us not only upon me but also upon all others who are suffering and by Your causeless mercy and compassion, deliver us and maintain us. [41]
H$mo ÝdÌ Vo@{IbJwamo ^JdÝà`mg
O my Lord, O Supreme Personality of Godhead, original spiritual master of the entire world, what is the difficulty for You, who manage the affairs of the universe, in delivering the fallen souls engaged in Your devotional service ? You are the friend of all suffering humanity, and for great personalities it is necessary to show mercy to the foolish. Therefore I think that You will show Your causeless mercy to persons like us, who engage in Your service. [42]
Z¡dmo{ÛOo naXwaË``d¡VaÊ`m-
O best of the great personalities, I am not at all afraid of material existence, for wherever I stay I am fully absorbed in thoughts of Your glories and activities. My concern is only for the fools and rascals who are making elaborate plans for material happiness and maintaining their families, societies and countries. I am simply concerned with love for them. [43]
àm`oU Xod
_wZ`: ñd{d_w{º$H$m_m My dear Lord Nrsimhadeva, I see that there are many saintly persons indeed, but they are interested only in their own deliverance. Not caring for the big cities and towns, they go to the Himalayas or the forest to meditate with vows of silence [mauna-vrata]. They are not interested in delivering others. As for me, however, I do not wish to be liberated alone, leaving aside all these poor fools and rascals. I know that without Krishna consciousness, without taking shelter of Your lotus feet, one cannot be happy. Therefore I wish to bring them back to shelter at Your lotus feet. [44]
mÝ_¡WwZm{X J¥h_o{YgwI§ {h VwÀN>§H$ÊSy>`ZoZ H$a`mo[ad Xw:IXw:IåŸ&
Sex life is compared to the rubbing of two hands to relieve an itch. Grhamedhis, so-called grhasthas who have no spiritual knowledge, think that this itching is the greatest platform of happiness, although actually it is a source of distress. The krpanas, the fools who are just the opposite of brahmanas, are not satisfied by repeated sensuous enjoyment. Those who are dhira, however, who are sober and who tolerate this itching, are not subjected to the sufferings of fools and rascals. [45]
_m¡Zd«VlwVVnmo@Ü``ZñdY_©-
O Supreme Personality of Godhead, there are ten prescribed methods on the path to liberation–to remain silent, not to speak to anyone, to observe vows, to amass all kinds lf Vedic knowledge, to undergo austerities, to study the Vedas and other Vedic literatures, to execute the duties of varnasrama-dharama, to explain the sastras, to stay in a solitary place, to chant mantras silently, and to be absorbed in trance. These different methods for liberation are generally only a professional practice and means of livelihood for those who have not conquered their senses. Because such persons are falsely proud, these procedures may not be successful. [46]
ê$no B_o gXgVr V~ doXg¥ï>o
By authorized Vedic knowledge one can see that the forms of cause and effect in the cosmic manifestation belong to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, for the cosmic manifestation is His energy. Both cause and effect are nothing but energies of the
Lord. Therefore, O my Lord, just as a wise man, by considering cause and effect, can see how fire pervades wood, those engaged in devotional service understand how You are both the cause and effect. [47]
Ëd§ dm`wa{¾ad{Z{d©`Xå~w_mÌm: O Supreme Lord, You are actually the air, the earth, fire, sky and water. You are the objects of sense perception, the life airs, the five senses, the mind, consciousness and false ego. Indeed, You are everything, subtle and gross. The material elements and anything expressed, either by the words or by the mind, are nothing but You. [48]
m¡Vo JwUm Z Jw{UZmo _hXmX`mo `o
Neither the three modes of material nature [sattva-guna, rajoguna and tamo-guna], nor the predominating deities controlling these three modes, nor the five gross elements, nor the mind, nor the demigods, nor the human beings can understand Your Lordship, for they are all subjected to birth and annihilation. Considering this, the spiritually advanced have taken to devotional service. Such wise men hardly bother with Vedic study. Instead, they engage themselves in practical devotional service. [49]
VV² Vo@h©Îm_ Z_:ñVw{VH$_©nyOm: Without rendering six kinds of devotional service unto You–offering prayers, dedicating all the results of activities, worshiping You, working on Your behalf, always remembering Your lotus feet and hearing about Your glories–who can achieve that which is meant for the paramahansas ? [50] mmhmËå`--à‡mXOr Ûmam Z¥qgh ^JdmZ² H$s `h ñVw{V H$ë`mUH$mar h¡Ÿ& BgH$m _mhmËå` Agr_ h¡Ÿ& H$ë`mUH$m_r nwéfm| H$mo BgH$m ào_ Am¡a lÕm go {Z`{_V nmR> H$aZm Mm{h`oŸ& Bg àmW©Zm go _Zwî` H$m Aew^ g§ñH$ma P‹S> OmVm h¡Ÿ& ^JdmZ² Ho$ JwUm| H$m {MÝVZ H$aVo hþE ào_JÒX dmUr go `h ñVw{V H$aZo na ^JdmZ² H$m H$mo_b öX` dËgb^md go Ð{dV hmo OmVm h¡ Am¡a ^º$ Ho$ à{V do AË`ÝV X`mbw hmo CR>Vo h¢Ÿ& Bg àmW©Zm H$s e{º$ go ^º$ à‡mXOr Zo Z¥qgh ^JdmZ² Ho$ H«$moY H$mo emÝV H$aHo$ ñd`§ _m`m go _wº$ hmoH$a AnZm _hmH$ë`mU {H$`mŸ& ^JdmZ² AË`ÝV àgÞ hmoH$a CZgo Hw$N> ^r daXmZ _m±JZo Ho$ {b`o H$hm, {H$ÝVw CÝhm|Zo CZHo$ MaU-H$_bm| H$s ^{º$ hr _m±JrŸ& Am¡a `h daXmZ _m±Jm {H$ _oao öX` _| H$^r {H$gr H$m_Zm H$m ~rO A§Hw$[aV Z hmoŸ& Ordm| H$mo AnZr BÀN>mAm| H$mo nyU© H$aZo Ho$ {b`o gmpËdH$ öX` go `h ñVw{V H$aZr Mm{h`oŸ& Bggo XrZOZm| Ho$ na_ {hV¡fr ^JdmZ² H$mo jwÐ-go-jwÐ ì`{º$ ^r àgÞ H$aHo$ CZH$s Agr_ H¥$nm nm gH$Vm h¡Ÿ& Bg Z¥qgh ê$n ^JdmZ² H$m Ü`mZ Omo H$moB© EH$mJ« _Zgo H$aoJm, Cgo _maZo H$s BÀN>m go AmB© hþB© _¥Ë`w ^r Hw$N> {~Jm‹S> Zht gH$VrŸ& |
|
||
|
||||
| About us | Contact with us | Books & CD | Disclaimer |
| All copy rights Reserved to Dhanukas Group. (srimadbhagavat.com, Kolkata, India.) |