Nṛsiṁha-caturdaśī Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva's Appearance Day

Prabhupāda: ...girls who have played the Prahlāda-caritra, Hiraṅyakaśipu-vadha. Today is the appearance day of Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva. It is called Nṛsiṁha-caturdaśī. So I am so pleased that within such a short time these boys have nicely learned how to play, and especially I have to thank Mr. Hiraṅyakaśipu. [applause] [laughs] Mr. Hiraṅyakaśipu has played his part very nicely.

So this is very instructive struggle between the atheist and the theist. This story of Prahlāda Mahārāja is eternally true. There is always a struggle between the atheist and the theist. If a person becomes God conscious, Kṛṣṅa conscious, so he will find many enemies, because the world is full of demons. What to speak of the devotee of Kṛṣṅa, even Kṛṣṅa, when He personally came, He had to kill so many demons. There was His maternal uncle, His mother's brother, very keenly related. Still, he wanted to kill Kṛṣṅa. As soon as any son was born to Devakī, immediately he killed, because he did not know who will be Kṛṣṅa. The prediction was that the eighth child of his sister will kill Kaṁsa. So he began to kill all the children. At last, Kṛṣṅa came. But he could not kill Kṛṣṅa. He was killed by Kṛṣṅa.

So nobody can kill God. The demons, godless society, they simply want to kill God. But actually, God is never killed, but the demon is killed by God. That is the law of nature. This is the instruction from Prahlāda Mahārāja's life. We can understand that, as it is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, mṛtyuḥ sarva-haraś cāham [Bg 10.34].

[I am all-devouring death, and I am the generator of all things yet to be. Among women I am fame, fortune, speech, memory, intelligence, faithfulness and patience.]

In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said that "I am also death in the shape of taking away everything, whatever you possess." We are very much proud of possessing material things, material acquisitions, but when Kṛṣṅa comes... Just like Mahārāja..., Prahlāda Mahārāja saw, Hiraṅyakaśipu, his father, also saw Nṛsiṁhadeva. This Hiraṅyakaśipu was very clever as the materialists, scientists, are very clever. Cleverly they are inventing so many things. What is the idea? The idea is, "We shall live forever and enjoy sense gratification more and more." This is called atheistic advancement of civilization. So Hiraṅyakaśipu was typical materialist. Hiraṅya means gold, and kaśipu means soft bed, cushion. So materialist persons, they are very much fond of gold and enjoying sex. That is their business. So Hiraṅyakaśipu is the typical example of this materialistic person. And Prahlāda Mahārāja, prakṛṣṭa-rūpeṅa āhlāda. Āhlāda means transcendental bliss.

Ānanda-cinmaya-rasa-pratibhāvitābhiḥ [Bs 5.37].

[I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, residing in His own realm, Goloka, with Rādhā, resembling His own spiritual figure, the embodiment of the ecstatic potency possessed of the sixty-four artistic activities, in the company of Her confidantes [sakhīs], embodiments of the extensions of Her bodily form, permeated and vitalized by His ever-blissful spiritual rasa.]

Living entities' real identification is prahlāda, blissfulness. But on account of material association, we are in miserable condition of life.

So... [children talking]

[aside:] Stop these children.

So this Hiraṅyakaśipu wanted to become immortal, and he underwent penances, severe penances, so much so, the whole universe became trembled, so that Brahmā, Lord Brahmā, had to come to pacify him, "What do you want?" So he wanted to become immortal. Lord Brahmā said that "Although I have got very long duration of life..." The duration of life of Brahmājī is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, sahasra-yuga-paryantam arhad yad brahmaṅo viduḥ [Bg 8.17].

[By human calculation, a thousand ages taken together is the duration of Brahmā's one day. And such also is the duration of his night.]

Sahasra-yuga, one group of yugas—Satya, Treta, Dvāpara, Kali—it becomes about forty-three lakhs of years. And multiply these forty-three lakhs of years by one thousand, that duration of time is Brahmā's twelve hours, one day. Sahasra-yuga-paryantam arhad yad brahmaṅo viduḥ. So that Brahmā who lives for millions of trillions of years, still, he has to die.

Janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha-doṣānu-darśanam [Bg 13.9].

[Humility, pridelessness, nonviolence, tolerance, simplicity, approaching a bona fide spiritual master, cleanliness, steadiness and self-control; renunciation of the objects of sense gratification, absence of false ego, the perception of the evil of birth, death, old age and disease; nonattachment to children, wife, home and the rest, and evenmindedness amid pleasant and unpleasant events; constant and unalloyed devotion to Me, resorting to solitary places, detachment from the general mass of people; accepting the importance of self-realization, and philosophical search for the Absolute Truth—all these I thus declare to be knowledge, and what is contrary to these is ignorance.]

Wherever you go within this material world, either in the Brahmaloka or in the Pātālaloka, you have to die. That is the problem. Kṛṣṅa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, "Real problem is janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi, birth, death, old age and disease." Just try to... So Hiraṅyakaśipu wanted to solve these in a materialistic way, but that is not possible. So in a negative way he wanted that "I shall not die on the land. I shall not die in the air. I shall not die in the water. I shall not be killed by any man-made weapon." In so many ways, negatively he thought that he has become immortal. But Kṛṣṅa is so intelligent that keeping all the words or the blessings given by Lord Brahmā to Hiraṅyakaśipu, He killed him. Just like Hiraṅyakaśipu wanted that he would not be killed either at day or in night. So Hiraṅyakaśipu was killed neither at day, neither in night, but just in the beginning of evening, which is neither day nor night. Then he wanted that he shall not be killed in the air, in the water or in the land. So Hiraṅyakaśipu was killed on the lap of the Lord. So he wanted that he would not be killed by any weapons made by man, so Lord killed him with His nails. Yes.

tava kara-kamala-vare nakham adbhuta-śṛṅgaṁ dalita-hiraṅyakaśipu-tanu-bhṛṅgam keśava dhṛta-narahari-rūpa jaya jagadīśa hare [Gītā Govinda, Śrī Daśāvatāra Stotra 4]

So we cannot cheat God. That is not possible. However scientifically you may be advanced, God is always more intelligent than ourself. We should always remember. So that is the difference between demon and devotee. Devotee knows that "God is great. I am His eternal servant," so he remains a humble servant of Kṛṣṅa. Therefore he has no danger. Even if he has danger, he will be saved. Kṛṣṅa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, kaunteya pratijānīhi na me bhaktaḥ praṅaśyati [Bg 9.31].

[He quickly becomes righteous and attains lasting peace. O son of Kuntī, declare it boldly that My devotee never perishes.]

Kaunteya pratijānīhi: "Arjuna, you can declare it all over the world that anyone who has taken shelter at My lotus feet, become devotee, he will never be vanquished." Ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ [Bg 18.66].

[Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reaction. Do not fear.]

So these are the assurances. But the atheist class of men like Hiraṅyakaśipu cannot understand this. That is the defect. They challenge always God. The dissension between the father and the son was that the son was believer in God, Kṛṣṅa, and the father was not. So at the end, the father saw what is God in the form of death. At that time he could not save him. So that is the difference between theist and atheist. The atheist always challenges, "Where is God? Can you show me?" Well, you will see. Not now. Just at the maturation of your all sinful activities, when death will come, you will see Him. This is going on.

So it is very instructive lesson, Prahlāda Mahārāja. Now it is getting late; otherwise, I would have recited some of the verses recited by Śrī Prahlāda Mahārāja. Prahlāda Mahārāja is one of our gurus. There are twelve gurus, or mahājana.

svayaṁbhur nāradaḥ śaṁbhuḥ kaumāraḥ kapilo manuḥ prahlādo janako bhīṣmo balir vaiyāsakhir vayam [SB 6.3.20]

[Lord Brahmā, Bhagavān Nārada, Lord Śiva, the four Kumāras, Lord Kapila [the son of Devahūti], Svāyambhuva Manu, Prahlāda Mahārāja, Janaka Mahārāja, Grandfather Bhīṣma, Bali Mahārāja, Śukadeva Gosvāmī and I myself know the real religious principle. My dear servants, this transcendental religious principle, which is known as bhāgavata-dharma, or surrender unto the Supreme Lord and love for Him, is uncontaminated by the material modes of nature. It is very confidential and difficult for ordinary human beings to understand, but if by chance one fortunately understands it, he is immediately liberated, and thus he returns home, back to Godhead.]

Actually, if we want to make progress in spiritual life, we have to follow the mahājanas, the great personalities. They are mentioned in the śāstras, svayaṁbhur nāradaḥ śaṁbhuḥ. Svayambhu means Brahmā. Lord Brahmā is svayaṁbhu. Without father and mother, he became manifest. Therefore his name is Svayambhu. Of course, his father is Nārāyaṅa, but not in the usual way. Therefore his name is Svayambhu. Nārada. Nārada Muni is also one of the mahājanas. And Śambhu, Lord Śiva. Kapila, Kapiladeva, the son of Devahūti. Svayaṁbhur nāradaḥ śaṁbhuḥ kapilo manuḥ. And Prahlāda Mahārāja. Prahlāda Mahārāja is our guru in the disciplic succession. So mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ [Cc Madhya 17.186].

[Dry arguments are inconclusive. A great personality whose opinion does not differ from others is not considered a great sage. Simply by studying the Vedas, which are variegated, one cannot come to the right path by which religious principles are understood. The solid truth of religious principles is hidden in the heart of an unadulterated self-realized person. Consequently, as the śāstras confirm, one should accept whatever progressive path the mahājanas advocate.]

Dharmasya tattvaṁ nihitaṁ guhāyāṁ mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ. We cannot chalk out what is the path of religion. It is very difficult to find out, because there are many different scriptures and there are many philosophers. Nāsau munir yasya mataṁ na bhinnam [Cc Madhya 17.186]. Each philosopher has got different opinion. So how to get real path of religious way? That is recommended in the śāstra, that mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ. You have to follow the footsteps of great personalities. And Prahlāda Mahārāja is one of them.

So Prahlāda Mahārāja was born in a demon's family. His father was a demon. Prahlāda Mahārāja used to address his father as asura-varya, "the best of the demons." You have seen... He was patting his son, "My dear son, do like this, do like that. Tell me what you have learned, the best thing." Prahlāda Mahārāja said, tat sādhu manye 'sura-varya dehinām. He didn't..., never said, "My dear father." "My dear the best of the demons." Tat sādhu manye. "I think that is very nice." What is that? Hitvātma-pātaṁ gṛham āndha-kupaṁ vanaṁ gato yad dharim āśrayeta [SB 7.5.5],

[Prahlāda Mahārāja replied: O best of the asuras, King of the demons, as far as I have learned from my spiritual master, any person who has accepted a temporary body and temporary household life is certainly embarrassed by anxiety because of having fallen in a dark well where there is no water but only suffering. One should give up this position and go to the forest [vana]. More clearly, one should go to Vṛndāvana, where only Kṛṣṅa consciousness is prevalent, and should thus take shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.]

that "This worldly life, materialistic life, is self-killing just like a dark well. So one should give it up and go to the forest and take shelter of Kṛṣṅa. That is the best way of life." So his father became very angry. So the atheist and the theist, they will never agree. But theist also never will submit to the atheist. This is the principle. Prahlāda Mahārāja was put into so many troubles by his father, but he never forgot chanting namo bhagavate vāsudevāya namaḥ. He never forgot.

So we should take lessons from this story, that even in dangerous position, we should not be forgetful of Kṛṣṅa. Kṛṣṅa will save us. It is said in the Bhagavad-gītā,

yaṁ labdhvā cāparaṁ lābhaṁ manyate nādhikaṁ tataḥ yasmin sthite guruṅāpi duḥkhena na vicālyate [Bg 6.22]

[The stage of perfection is called trance, or samādhi, when one's mind is completely restrained from material mental activities by practice of yoga. This is characterized by one's ability to see the self by the pure mind and to relish and rejoice in the self. In that joyous state, one is situated in boundless transcendental happiness and enjoys himself through transcendental senses. Established thus, one never departs from the truth, and upon gaining this he thinks there is no greater gain. Being situated in such a position, one is never shaken, even in the midst of greatest difficulty. This indeed is actual freedom from all miseries arising from material contact.]

Kṛṣṅa consciousness is so nice that if one gets Kṛṣṅa consciousness, yaṁ labdhvā cāparaṁ lābhaṁ, aparaṁ lābhaṁ, any other benefit or gain is never considered. This is so nice. We are hankering after getting this, that, this, that, this, that, so many things. Dehi, dehi, dehi, dehi. But as soon as you get Kṛṣṅa consciousness, you will be satisfied. As Dhruva Mahārāja said, svāmin kṛtārtho 'smi varaṁ na yāce [Cc Madhya 22.42].

[[When he was being blessed by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Dhruva Mahārāja said:] ’O my Lord, because I was seeking an opulent material position, I was performing severe types of penance and austerity. Now I have gotten You, who are very difficult for the great demigods, saintly persons and kings to attain. I was searching after a piece of glass, but instead I have found a most valuable jewel. Therefore I am so satisfied that I do not wish to ask any benediction from You.]

Just like Prahlāda Mahārāja. He was offered all benediction: "My dear Prahlāda, whatever you like, you can ask." He never asked anything. But he was so kind. That is the example of a Vaiṣṅava son in the family. Despite so much troubles given by his father, still, he begged from Narasiṁha-deva, "My Lord, my father has committed so many offenses. Kindly give him liberation." He did not ask anything for himself. So Hiraṅya..., Narahari, Nṛsiṁhadeva, immediately said, "Why do you speak of your father? Your father's father, his father, fourteen generations—all liberated because a son like you is in this family." So this is the benefit. If a son becomes a pure Vaiṣṅava, devotee, he can deliver fourteen generations. That is a special prerogative because he is born in a certain family. So what we can give service to the family, nation, materially? If we become devotee, we can give best service to the nation, to the family, to the humanity. That is the philosophy.

So our Kṛṣṅa consciousness movement is preaching this philosophy, that "You take to Kṛṣṅa consciousness; your life will be perfect." And the method is very simple. It can be..., there is no secrecy. Just like this evening I was talking with a boy. He has got a mantra, very secret. But we say we have no secret mantra. Our mantra, Hare Kṛṣṅa, is open to everyone. Why it should be secret? If by chanting Hare Kṛṣṅa mantra we can approach God, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, why it should remain secret? It should be distributed like anything so that everyone can go. So there is no secrecy. A secret mantra we don't approve. It must be very open. There is no secret. The śāstra never says that mantra can be secret.

harer nāma harer nāma harer nāmaiva kevalam kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva nāsty eva gatir anyathā [Cc Ādi 17.21]

[In this Age of Kali there is no other means, no other means, no other means for self-realization than chanting the holy name, chanting the holy name, chanting the holy name of Lord Hari.]

In this Age of Kali... Kali means the age of quarrel, age of misunderstanding, age of disagreement. So in this age it is very difficult to come to the right conclusion by philosophy and other methods. Therefore in the śāstra it has been openly declared,

harer nāma harer nāma harer nāmaiva kevalam kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva nāsty eva gatir anyathā [Cc Ādi 17.21]

Three times. Three times means yajña-dāna-tapaḥ-kriyā. There are many other things: meditation, sacrifices, worship in the temple. So in this age all these things are impossible to be performed, but even a child can chant Hare Kṛṣṅa mahā-mantra. That is proved here. Whenever there is Hare Kṛṣṅa mahā-mantra, even the child can take part, old man can take part. So this is the only method for God realization. There is no expenditure, but the gain is very, very great. That was the teaching of Śrī Prahlāda Mahārāja, and we are following his footsteps. Let us stick to his principle, mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ [Cc Madhya 17.186],

[Dry arguments are inconclusive. A great personality whose opinion does not differ from others is not considered a great sage. Simply by studying the Vedas, which are variegated, one cannot come to the right path by which religious principles are understood. The solid truth of religious principles is hidden in the heart of an unadulterated self-realized person. Consequently, as the śāstras confirm, one should accept whatever progressive path the mahājanas advocate.]

and thus become more and more advanced in Kṛṣṅa consciousness.

Thank you very much.

Devotees: Jaya Prabhupāda. [end]