How Prahlad Became a Devotee of Lord Nrsimhadeva

Prahlada said: O Supreme Lord! I bow down to You. O Lord Nrsimhadeva, I offer my obeisances to You. I am Your devotee. O Lord of lords, I now express to You my heartfelt inquiry. O Lord, how did I develop such intense devotion for You? O my Lord, kindly tell me-how did I become Your exalted devotee?

Lord Narasimhadeva said: O greatly learned one! O my son, listen carefully as I explain to you the reason for your devotion to Me that has made you very dear to Me.

In the ancient times, you were born as a brahmana but you did not study any of the scriptures. Your name was Vasudeva and you became attached to a prostitute.

In that birth, you became so attached to a prostitute that you did not bother to perform any pious activity, except for a single vow in relation to Me. As a result of observing that vow, you developed exalted devotion for Me.

Prahlada then said: O Lord Nrsimhadeva! O Acyuta! O Supreme Lord, who was my father in that lifetime? What was my duty? How did I observe Your vow, even though I was attached to a prostitute? Kindly explain all this to me in detail.

Lord Nrsimhadeva said: In ancient times, there was a brahmana who was well-versed in the Vedic literature. He lived in the city of Avantipura and was known as Vasu Sarma.

This pious brahmana used to perform fire sacrifice every day. He was very expert in performing all kinds of Vedic rituals and as such, he would satisfy the best of demigods by performing the agnistoma sacrifice. In that state of living, he did not commit any sinful activity.

His wife was very pious and humble. She was famous throughout the three worlds. She was chaste, expert in performing all kinds of pious activities, and always eager to serve her husband.

That exalted brahmana begot five sons within the womb of his wife. These sons were very pious, learned, and devoted to their father. Among them, you were the youngest and you became attached to a prostitute.

Due to being attached to a prostitute, you became accustomed to drinking wine and performing other sinful activities, so that you never engaged in the study of the Vedas.

You spent most of your time at the house of the prostitute. One day, however, you and her quarreled.

Because of that quarrel, you missed your meal that day and as a result, you unknowingly observed a sacred vow in relation to Me.

Because of that quarrel with the prostitute, you did not sleep the entire night. The prostitute also did not eat anything, nor did she sleep that night in your association.

Because of unknowingly observing this vow in relation to Me, throughout the entire day and night, both of you became purified and accumulated heaps of pious merit.

On the strength of observing this vow, the demigods are able to enjoy their lives in the heavenly planets. In order to acquire the power to create, Brahma had observed this vow.

Being empowered due to observing this vow in relation to Me, Brahma was able to create all moving and non-moving living entities. Mahadeva also observed this vow, so that he could kill the great demon, Tripurasura. It is a fact that by the strength of this vow, Siva was able to kill that formidable demon.

Many other demigods, ancient sages, and learned and pious kings, had previously followed this great vow in relation to Me.

By the influence of this vow, all of them attained the perfection of life. The prostitute also became devoted to Me and thereafter enjoyed great happiness within the three worlds. My dear child, it is for this reason that this vow in relation to Me is celebrated through the three worlds.

This vow came into existence just to deliver such rascals. O Prahlada, by the strength of that vow, you came to render devotional service unto Me.

In her next life, the prostitute was born in heaven as an Apsara and after enjoying life there immensely, she entered My supreme abode. O Prahlada, you will also return to My abode and enter into intimate communion with Me.

In order to propagate devotional service to Me, you have incarnated without Me. After completing the task of preaching the glories of devotional service, you will again enter My eternal abode.

Those who observe this supreme vow in relation to Me will never return to this material existence, even in hundreds and millions of kalpas.

Hari-bhakti-vilasa 14.418-441

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ALL GLORIES TO OUR ETERNAL GURU, SRILA PRABHUPADA!!!

Nṛsiṁha-caturdaśī
Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva's
Appearance Day
—
Boston, May 1, 1969

Prabhupāda: ...just like Janmāṣṭamī and Nandotsava. Yesterday you had some festival? No. That's all. So Nṛsiṁhadeva has appeared to convince the atheist (laughter) that there is no God. This is a lying propaganda that nobody has seen God. Everyone has seen God. The devotee sees within his heart, in the temple, and everywhere. And the atheist sees when he's... when the clock, the handles in the clock are over. You see? Prahlāda Mahārāja was seeing always, constantly Nṛsiṁhadeva. Mahābhāgavata. Premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santaḥ sadaiva hṛdayeṣu vilokayanti [Bs. 5.38]. Those who have developed love of God, prema, premāñjana-cchurita... When one's eyes are anointed with the, what is called?
Viṣṇujana: Salve.
Satsvarūpa: Ointment.
Prabhupāda: No, no. There is a technical name. Kajal?
Brahmānanda: Make-up?
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Devotee: Mascara?

Prabhupāda: Huh? Anyway, the ointment which is applied to the eyes for clear vision. So when the ointment of love of Godhead will be applied in our eyes, then with these eyes we shall be able to see God. God is not invisible. Simply just like a man with cataract or any other eye disease, he cannot see. That does not mean the things are not existing. He cannot see. God is there, but because my eyes are not competent to see God, therefore I deny God. God is there everywhere.

So in the material condition of our life, our eyes are blunt. Not only eyes, every sense. Especially eyes. Because we are very proud of our eyes, and we say, "Can you show me God?" You see. But he does not think that whether his eyes are competent to see God. That is atheism. He does not consider his position, "In what position I am." Even one cannot see a big man like President Nixon, and he wants to see God without qualification. That is not possible. 

Nāhaṁ prakāśaḥ sarvasya yoga-māyā-samāvṛtaḥ [Bg. 7.25]. Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā that "I am not exposed to everyone. There is a curtain of yogamāyā." The yogamāyā will not allow to see God. Just like we have our condition that if anyone wants to see here in the temple, we ask him that "First of all take your shoes." Just like a little condition. Similarly, to see God, there must be some condition. That condition is that unless you become a lover of God, God is not exposed to you. Otherwise God is there, always. Premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santaḥ sadaiva hṛdayeṣu [Bs. 5.38]. 

Sadaiva means always. Not that simply when we come to the temple we see God. No. God is always visible to the devotee. Sadaiva. Sadā. Sadā means always, twenty-four hours. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. The same example which I gave you, that the woman who has got a lover, and she's very busy in her duties, but she is always thinking of the lover, "When I shall meet him." This is an example given by Rūpa Gosvāmī that her mind is always engaged in the form or the activities of the lover. If that is materially possible, when you develop your love of Godhead, at that time you'll see God everywhere, always, twenty-four hours. 

That was the position of Prahlāda Mahārāja. He was seeing always God, Kṛṣṇa, but his father was not seeing because he was atheist. He was asking, challenging, "Where is your God? You are talking of so many times God. All right, I shall teach you a lesson today." So he took his sword and wanted to kill his own son. Atheist is so unkind, cruel, that he is prepared to kill his own son, beloved son, five years old. That is atheism. And theism, the father who tortured him so much. 

So after the death of his father, he's praying to Nṛsiṁhadeva, "Please excuse my father." This is theism. So that is the difference between Kṛṣṇa consciousness and ordinary consciousness. They're very kind, everyone. Vāñcha kalpatarubhyaś ca kṛpā-sindhubhya eva ca. You utter this prayer, krpa-sindhubhya eva ca. Vaiṣṇava is the ocean of mercy. There is no end. As you cannot, I mean to say, draw all the waters from the ocean, it is not possible. Similarly, a Vaiṣṇava, a devotee, ocean of mercy. You can draw from it as much mercy as you like; still, it is full.

So Prahlāda Mahārāja is the symbolic representation of Vaiṣṇava. So try to be not imitator, but follower. Don't try to imitate: "Oh, Prahlāda Mahārāja was thrown into boiling oil. Let me try, fall into the boiling oil." No. That is imitation. Just first of all you become like Prahlāda Mahārāja, then that will be possible. Don't try to make experimental. (laughter) That is not good. 

But follow, try to follow. Mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ [Cc. Madhya 17.186]. Mahājanas, great personalities, what they have done, you cannot imitate them. You have to follow them. You have to follow the instruction of Kṛṣṇa or His representative, but you cannot imitate them. Then you'll fall down. Anusaraṇa. Not anukaraṇa. Anukaraṇa means imitation; but anusaraṇa, follow. So what Prahlāda Mahārāja did, that we have to follow his example. 

His example was that in spite of continuous torturing by his father, he never forgot Kṛṣṇa. This we have to follow. In spite of all kinds of inconveniences and torture by the atheist class of men, we shall never forget Kṛṣṇa consciousness. There were many examples. Just like Lord Jesus Christ, he was tortured. So he was crucified, but he never agreed that there is no God. So that should be our motto. This is following. Either you be Christian or be Hindu or be any, but be God conscious. Kṛṣṇa conscious means God conscious. And in any circumstances do not forget. That is called śaraṇāgati. That is surrender.

So Prahlāda Mahārāja is protected by Nṛsiṁhadeva, and... Now, it is a fact that an atheist like Hiraṇyakaśipu, who denied the existence of God, so he was shown God at his last stage of life. Yes. So the atheist will see God, but when he will see, his life is finished. That means death. Atheist will see God in the form of death. And theist, Kṛṣṇa conscious devotee, will see God twenty-four hours within his heart. That is the difference. Nobody can avoid death. 

So atheist will see God. If he denies God, but he will see God in the form of death. That is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā, that every moment our things are being taken away by time. It is not difficult to understand. Just like my age, seventy-four years, seventy-five, that means seventy-four years from my whole duration of life is already taken away. Therefore everyone of you should think that every moment, whatever asset you have got, the most valuable asset is the life, duration of life. That is being taken away. That is the law of nature. And the last taking away is death. 

So Kṛṣṇa says that mṛtyuḥ sarva-haraś cāham [Bg. 10.34]. Mṛtyu, death, takes away everything. Your education, title, M.A., Ph.D., D.A.C., your bank balance, millions of dollars, your good name, your house, your family, your friends, your country—all taken away. All taken away. So for atheist, this is God. When He'll take away everything, he'll understand, "Yes, there is God." Yes. Just like a civil disobedient person, when he's arrested and he's put into the bars and given severe punishment, then he understands, "Yes, there is government. There is government." 

So government is there. For a nice citizen, government is there. He's taking all advantage offered by the government and he's obeying the laws of the government. No trouble. But one who says "I don't care for the government. I am free. I shall become naked..." Just like that John Lennon. (chuckling) He exposed himself naked, and government stopped immediately, that "You cannot do this."

So things are going like that. Atheist class of men, they're declaring themselves free, no God, and that is all nonsense—mūḍha. They have been described as mūḍha. First-class fool. Na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhā prapadyante narādhamāḥ [Bg. 7.15]. Study Bhagavad-gītā. Everything is there. Those who are narādhama, lowest of the mankind. As the lowest of the mankind is atheist, similarly, the highest of the mankind is Kṛṣṇa conscious. So try to be the highest kind of mankind. The world is suffering for want of highest kind of mankind. And be an example. So you'll learn this lesson in this day of the advent of Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva. Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. (kīrtana—chanting Nṛsiṁha prayers) (end)


Boston/may/01/1969