Teachings of Prahlad

All Glories to HDG Srila Bhakti Promode Puri Goswami Maharaj

All Glories  to HDG Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur Prabhupada

The son of Hiranyakasipu was Prahlad Maharaj. The meaning of Hiranya is gold and Kasipu means bed ,meaning  King Hiranyakasipu was always absorbed in the pleasures of the bed and  lure of gold. Previously , he had done great austerities with staying out a hundred celestial  years without drinking water such that the during that period  ants had devoured all  his flesh  and skin with only his bones remaining  visible but in that time, he had unwittingly manged to maintain his  life consciousness in Samadhi. Brahma by observing his austerities  became astonished saying,' what you have done is possible by no other as even the Rsis have never done such austerities before and will never be possible for people in future.' Therefore, Hiranyakasipu was  indeed capable of incredible austerities. One in whose heart there is the  real or the most superior joy(ahlada)is called Prahlada .The reason is  that Lord Krishna is always residing in his heart. Lord Sri Krishna who is  always complete in every way possessing  the highest pleasure. Even from his early ages, it was Prahlad's bent of mind to always be attracted to the lotus feet of the Lord. Hiranyakasipu at the proper time  sent Prahlad to study under the tutelage of the sons of  his  guru, Sukracharya  named Sanda  and Armarka. Many of the other demon children of the age of Prahlada  were also studying with him under these same teachers. Prahlada had actually no desire to study under these teachers as they were very much attached to their  wife ,children being  in the bodily conception of life and duplicitous by nature but being  bond to obey the instruction of his father pretended to be a student of their school. He was always busy in his devotional service  contemplating  the Supreme Lord Vishnu and His pure devotees. One time, these two teachers being wrapped in their materialistic household life had to go away for some time. Prahlad then deciding that this was the best time then began to relate all what he had learnt from  his guru,Narada Muni to all his classmates. 

For those who think that only  when one is old and his senses  not that sharp is the best time to perform HariBhajan , or that to reject one's family as father and mother ,the family life to be  compared  to a deep well ,society and friends as being factors not favorable to HariBhajan are completely mistaken  and without spiritual purpose. Those who think that knowledge ,yoga ,austerities and fruitive work are all separate ways of obtaining peace in this material world and for those who are under the idea that there is no difference between the one Supreme Lord and the rest of His servants  as those in the form of the lower deities are ignorant which can be dissipated only  if one were to listen the essence of the instructions of Prahlad Maharaj who was then a mere five year old child. Prahlad informs his school mates ,'hey brothers !when one is very small at that time usually  one will not be able to understand the topics relating to the Lord but as  soon when gets older up to 5 years old then one interest in knowledge is generally  awakened and at this age it is the duty of the intelligent aspirant to practise hearing and chanting in the form of devotional service to the Supreme Lord. The reason being this human body is very rare and already after traversing through eighty four species of life as beasts ,birds ,insects and worms, creepers and trees  and then after passing through uncivilized  human bodies does one get the opportunity to get this rare human body .Even after getting this rare human body still death may strike us at any moment as the body is impermanent .Nonetheless , even though  this body is flickering like the lotus in water yet the highest goal of life can be attained through it. Therefore, to serve and worship Lord Vishnu is the most superior duty as all other beings are subject to destruction. He is the Supreme Lord  of the Universe and friend and well wisher of all living beings. O my dear demon friends !if you were thinking that in the beginning we were all set to enjoy our life ,so why should we reject such enjoyment now ?The reason is that just as unhappiness comes to us without we wishing for it, in the same way too happiness too comes inevitably as a matter of course. This type of bodily happiness is  also enjoyed by the dogs ,jackals and pigs .Therefore to strive in vain for material pleasures means just to waste this  valuable human form of life. The auspiciousness that is produced by service to Lord Mukunda is incomparable and no other service can equal its value. In conclusion, as long as the body is fit and healthy in this material world and until that time it is not destroyed ,one should  strive in that time for one's eternal benefit in the form of devotional service to Lord Vishnu.