Prahläda Mahäräja, the

Saintly Son of
Hiraëyakaçipu
Canto 7- Chapter 5
SB 7.5.1
çré-närada uväca
paurohityäya bhagavän
våtaù kävyaù kiläsuraiù
ñaëòämarkau sutau tasya
daitya-räja-gåhäntike
SB 7.5.1 SYNONYMS
⚫ çré-näradaù uväca—the great saint Närada said;
⚫ paurohityäya—to work as priest;
⚫ bhagavän—the most powerful;
⚫ våtaù—chosen;
⚫ kävyaù—Çukräcärya;
⚫ kila—indeed;
⚫ asuraiù—by the demons;
⚫ ñaëòa-amarkau—Ñaëòa and Amarka;
⚫ sutau—sons;
⚫ tasya—of him;
⚫ daitya-räja—of the King of the demons,
Hiraëyakaçipu;
SB 7.5.1 Translation
⚫ The great saint Närada Muni said: The demons,
headed by Hiraëyakaçipu, accepted Çukräcärya as
their priest for ritualistic ceremonies. Çukräcärya's
two sons, Ñaëòa and Amarka, lived near
Hiraëyakaçipu's palace.
SB 7.5.1 Purport
⚫ Çukräcärya became the priest of the atheists, especially
Hiraëyakaçipu
⚫ Çukräcärya should not have become the priest of
Hiraëyakaçipu because Hiraëyakaçipu and his followers
were all atheists.
⚫ A brähmaëa should become the priest of a person
interested in the advancement of spiritual culture.
⚫ The very name Çukräcärya, however, indicates a person
interested in obtaining benefits for his sons and
descendants, regardless of how the money comes.
⚫ A real brähmaëa would not become a priest for atheistic
men.
Link
⚫ Who spoke this particular verse?
⚫ Ans: Narada Muni
⚫ To whom did Narada Muni spoke this verse?
⚫ Ans: Yudhistira Maharaja
⚫ What question was asked by Yudhistira, that made Narada to speak
Prahlada story?
⚫ Ans: generally parents are affectionate to the children. Why
Hiranyakasipu gave trouble to his exalted son?
⚫ Srimad Bhagavatam is conversation between Parikshit Maharaj and
______________?
⚫ Ans: Sukadeva Goswami
⚫ Then how Narada and Yudhistira conversation started?
⚫ Ans: In the beginning of 7th chapter, Parikshit asked why Lord took the
side of Devatas? Sukadeva Goswami quotes Narada- Yudhistira
conversation, where Yudhistira questions, ‘Mukthi is so difficult, how
come demons like Sisupala were getting it?’
⚫ Of the descendants of Vṛṣṇi I am Vāsudeva, and of the
Pāṇḍavas I am Arjuna. Of the sages I am Vyāsa, and
among great thinkers I am Uśanā.
 Sväyambhuva Manu +
Çatarüpä

Äküti+ Prajäpati Ruci Devahüti + Sage Kardama Prasüti + Dakña (s/o Brahmä)
16 daughters
9 daughters (Kalä, (Çraddhä, Maitré,
Yajïa (Supreme Lord) and Anasüyä, Çraddhä,
Dakñiëä (Portion of Lakshmi) Dayä, Sänti, Tuñöi,
Havirbhü, Gati, Kriyä, Puñöi, Kriyä, Unnati,
Khyäti, Arundhaté, and Buddhi, Medhä,
Çanti) Titikñä, Hré, Mürti,
Yajïa + Dakñiëä
Svähä, Svadhä, and
1 Son (Kapiladev) Saté)
12 sons, Tuñitas (Toña,
Pratoña, Santoña, Bhadra,
Sänti, Iòaspati, Idhma, Kavi,
Vibhu, Svahna, Sudeva and
Rocana)
 Devahuti +
Kardama

Khyäti
Kriyä (D6) Ürjä(D7) + Citti (D8) +
(D9) +
+ Kratu Vasiñöha Atharvä
Bhågu
60000
great Dhätä + Vidhätä +
Dadhyaïca 1 daughter
sages Seven Äyati (d/o Niyati (d/o
, firm in – Çré
Välakhilya spotlessly Meru) Meru)
vows,
s (brilliant sages Måkaëòa
having a Präëa ->
with headed by ->
horse’s The sage
spiritual Citraketu Märkaëòey
head Vedaçirä
knowledge a Muni
)
Sukracharya
⚫ King Priyavrata then gave his daughter, Ürjasvaté, in
marriage to Çukräcärya, who begot in her a daughter
named Devayäné.
 The following rejected their superiors, because
they are incapable to deliver from Birth-Death
cycle

Guru Sukracharya By Bali Maharaj

Father Hiranyakasipu by Prahlada

Mother Kaikeyi By Bharata

Brahmanas by Brahmana patnis

Husband

Demigod Indra by Khatvanga

⚫ Brahmana is meant to satisfy Krsna
⚫ Sanda and Amarka felt sorry when Prahlada is serving
Krsna
⚫ The word śukra means "semen."
⚫ The sons of Śukrācārya were brāhmaṇas by birthright, but
an actual brāhmaṇa is one who possesses the brahminical
qualities.
⚫ The brāhmaṇas Ṣaṇḍa and Amarka, being seminal sons of
Śukrācārya, did not actually possess real brahminical
qualifications, for they engaged as servants of
Hiraṇyakaśipu.
⚫ Prahlada rejected seminal guru, but accepted srotriya
⚫ Bali rejected- because Sukracarya was asking him to
deny promise to Vamanadeva
⚫ Yat karosi yad asnasi…
⚫ Sukracharya was interested in his family maintenance
⚫ He curses the disciple to lose all the opulences
SB 8.23.16
⚫ mantratas tantrataç chidraà
⚫ deça-kälärha-vastutaù
⚫ sarvaà karoti niçchidram
⚫ anusaìkértanaà tava

⚫ There may be discrepancies in pronouncing the mantras and

observing the regulative principles, and, moreover, there may
be discrepancies in regard to time, place, person and
paraphernalia. But when Your Lordship's holy name is
chanted, everything becomes faultless.
⚫ Although Çukräcärya was a strict brähmaëa addicted to
ritualistic activities, he also admitted, niçchidram
anusaìkértanaà tava: "My Lord, constant chanting of the holy
name of Your Lordship makes everything perfect."
⚫ Devayani and Sarmishta
⚫ Yayati meets Devayani
⚫ Story of Kacha
⚫ As Çukräcärya listened to what had happened to
Devayäné, his mind was very much aggrieved.
Condemning the profession of priesthood and
praising the profession of uïcha-våtti [collecting
grains from the fields], he left home with his
daughter.
⚫ Depends on the mercy of the Lord
SB 7.5.56-57
te tu tad-gauravät sarve
tyakta-kréòä-paricchadäù
bälä adüñita-dhiyo
dvandvärämeritehitaiù
paryupäsata räjendra
tan-nyasta-hådayekñaëäù
tän äha karuëo maitro
mahä-bhägavato 'suraù
SB 7.5.56-57 Translation
⚫ My dear King Yudhiñöhira, all the children were very
much affectionate and respectful to Prahläda Mahäräja,
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 Prahläda Mahäräja,
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. Prahläda Mahäräja,
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.
SB 7.5.56-57 Purport
⚫ bälä adüñita-dhiyaù- Due to tender age, not polluted by
materialistic life as their fathers
⚫ Prahlada took advantage of this innocence and taught
them
⚫ Importance of spiritual life
⚫ Insignificance of material life
⚫ Sanda and Amarka were teaching the Dharma, artha,
kama, moksha, but the boys are not yet polluted
⚫ With great attention they heard from Prahlada Maharaj
⚫ Gurukula is important
⚫ Little possibility they get contaminated when they
become older
Mantra 9
andhaà tamaù praviçanti
ye 'vidyäm upäsate
tato bhüya iva te tamo
ya u vidyäyäm ratäù
⚫ Those who (ye) engage (upäsate) in the culture of
nescient activities (avidyäm) shall enter into
(praviçanti) the darkest region (tamaù) of ignorance
(andham). Worse still (tataù bhüyaù) are those (ye)
engaged (ratäù) in the culture of so-called
knowledge (vidyäyäm).
⚫ Avidya: Ignorant pursuit of sense gratification
(Ignorant masses)
⚫ Vidya: Knowledge for pursuing sense gratification
(Materialistic scientists, Veda vada ratas,
Mayavadis)
Why Vidya < Avidya?
How Vidya is More dangerous?
⚫ Avidya is undoubtedly dangerous
⚫ Vidya is more dangerous when misguided or mistaken
⚫ Now mass education increased, but people are more
unhappy than ever before
⚫ This is due to exclusion of spiritual aspect
⚫ Earlier people would sweat in sun and now in AC
office because of stress.
⚫ Martin Luther King : we have guided missiles and
misguided men
⚫ We have controlled machines and uncontrolled
minds.
To be in ignorance Bad Ignorant masses, who
does not have any
knowledge
1. To be in Worse Non theistic scientists-
ignorance They have knowledge
2. To claim to be about matter and claims it
in knowledge as highest
1. To be in Worst Atheistic scientists- They
ignorance have knowledge about
2. To claim to be matter and claims it as
in knowledge highest. Criticizes the
3. To condemn the people who are practicing
real knowledge spiritual life
as ignorance
SP Lecture, Sri Isopanishad, Mantra
9, Los Angeles, May 13, 1970
⚫ There are big, big institutions for technology, how a
motorcar can move, how aeroplane can move
⚫ There is no educational institution how the mover, the
spirit soul, is moving.
⚫ I lectured in the Massachusetts Technological College,
so I inquired that "Where is that technology to study
the mover?“
⚫ so many universities, but what class of men you are
producing? The students are coming to become
hippies. Why?
Isop Mantra 10-P3- Avidya leads to
undesirable qualities
⚫ Young boys don’t respect elderly men
⚫ They give headache to elders
⚫ Universities
⚫ The universities are centers of nescience only
⚫ Scientists are discovering lethal weapons
⚫ Students are not given instructions in brahmacharya
⚫ They do not have faith in the scriptural injunctions
⚫ Religion is taught for name and fame, not for practical
application
SB 4.3.17
⚫ vidyä-tapo-vitta-vapur-vayaù-kulaiù
⚫ satäà guëaiù ñaòbhir asattametaraiù
⚫ småtau hatäyäà bhåta-mäna-durdåçaù
⚫ stabdhä na paçyanti hi dhäma bhüyasäm

⚫ Although the six qualities education, austerity,

wealth, beauty, youth and heritage are for the highly
elevated, one who is proud of possessing them
becomes blind, and thus he loses his good sense
and cannot appreciate the glories of great
personalities.
⚫ bhaja govindaṁ bhaja govindaṁ
govindaṁ bhaja mūḍha-mate |
samprāpte sannihite kāle
nahi nahi rakṣati ḍukr̥ṅkaraṇe ||

⚫ Worship Govinda, worship Govinda,

Worship Govinda, oh deluded mind!
At the time of your death,
Rules of grammar will not save you.
CC Madhya 8.245
⚫ prabhu kahe,—“kon vidyä vidyä-madhye sära?”
⚫ räya kahe,—“kåñëa-bhakti vinä vidyä nähi ära”

⚫ On one occasion the Lord inquired, “Of all types of

education, which is the most important?”
⚫ Rämänanda Räya replied, “No education is important
other than the transcendental devotional service of
Kåñëa.”
⚫ vairägya-vidyä-nija-bhakti-yoga-
⚫ çikñärtham ekaù puruñaù puräëaù
⚫ çré-kåñëa-caitanya-çaréra-dhäré
⚫ kåpämbudhir yas tam ahaà prapadye

⚫ “Let me take shelter of the Supreme Personality of

Godhead, Çré Kåñëa, who has descended in the form of
Lord Caitanya Mahäprabhu to teach us real knowledge,
His devotional service and detachment from whatever
does not foster Kåñëa consciousness. He has
descended because He is an ocean of transcendental
mercy. Let me surrender unto His lotus feet.