Lessons on Curbing Enjoying Mentality from Prahlada

The five-year old Prahlada Maharaja has given beautiful instructions on the dangers of sense gratification and the necessity to avoid the same. Some of his statements concerning the futility and worthlessness of sense gratification form even his prayers to Nrsimhadeva.

When a servant is in full love with the master, the only relation that exists is their relationship in loving reciprocation. Why Prahlada, who had such deep love for the Lord, mentions the danger of sense gratification to Lord Nrsimha?

A person in love with another knows the obstacles in attaining that love. And he or she wishes to overcome those obstacles. Prahlada has already crossed multifold challenges in his loving devotion to Lord Narsimhadeva. But for teaching all of us, he mentions the obstacles in developing loving relationship with the Lord. When we clear those obstacles, then only there is some chance that we may develop love for the Lord. Anartha nivrtti (clearance of unwanted things) preceds nishtha (steadiness) and ruchi (attraction). How can one even have asakti or attachment for the Lord then?

Every devotee speaks as per his or her realizations. How does a devotee get realizations?

Realization may be a product of hearing from great realized souls.
Realization may be due to development of intense, or tivra bhakti. The Lord reveals them to a sincere devotee.
Realization may also come due to one’s experience, or it may come by seeing others’ experiences.

Out of the six anarthas, Hiranyakashipu represents lust. Prahlada, living in the same palace as Hiranyakashipu, observed his father’s cravings. He could see and realize how his father, although having all gold and beautiful women, as his name stands for, could not get any peace. Sb 7.4.19 describes,
sa itthaṁ nirjita-kakub
eka-rāḍ viṣayān priyān
yathopajoṣaṁ bhuṣjāno
nātṛpyad ajitendriyaḥ

In spite of achieving the power to control in all directions and in spite of enjoying all types of dear sense gratification as much as possible, Hiraṇyakaśipu was dissatisfied because instead of controlling his senses he remained their servant.

Not only that, Hiranyakashipu advised Prahlada that why he should seek any favor from Vishnu. His father was there, ready to provide him with anything he needed. He told that once you enjoy the company of youthful girls, you will forget all about Brahman realization. Just as a person without creative organ cannot enjoy Urvashi, similarly, you Prahlada, having born as my son and having this beautiful youth and abundant wealth, cannot enjoy all this due to your foolishness. What can be a greater misfortune for you?*

Therefore, another reason why Prahlada describes the perils of sense enjoyment is he has seen and heard his father’s insatiable cravings imposed upon him as well. And quite aptly he mentions the condition of his father – sada samudvighna dhiyam asat grhat.

Prahlada’s realizations are also a product of his having heard from the exalted devotee Narada, and his own pure practice of Krishna Consciousness. Prahlada Maharaja possesses unlimited compassion for the conditioned souls. And a manifestation of his compassion is seen in his prayers wherein he tells that real happiness can only be found in Lord’s service and in the association of devotees.

Following are the realizations of Prahlada as regards to the cravings that one experiences in this material world and as regards to material influence:

1] There is no longevity of anything material:

Prahlada has seen his power hungry father Hiranyakashipu. He saw how his father could even control all the demigods by a mere movement of his eyebrow. (SB 7.9.24) But how long did his power last? How long did his influence prevail? For a mere span of five years!!

Prahlada could clearly understand that anything material cannot have any endurance, and anything spiritual cannot be subject to destruction – nāsato vidyate bhāvo nābhāvo vidyate sataḥ.

Material accomplishments are like castles on a sea shore. They are bound to get washed away by the waves of time. His father was a vivid example of this. How hard he endeavored for getting his powers! And how soon did his powers vanish!

2] There is absolutely NO happiness in this world:

How much conviction does Prahlada have! He says that the happiness of this world is only in view, but not in reality. It is like the mirage in a desert. Big big leaders, politicians, etc. understand the same, but because of not being blessed by a pure devotee of the Lord, they cannot come to the right conclusion. Prahlada has understood the temporary nature of the disease-ridden body. Hence, he doesn’t wish to derive any pleasure from his body.

3] Contaminated Senses are an embarrassment for the Pure Soul:

Prahlada mentions how his senses run in different directions for sense gratification. (SB 7.9.40) Shrila Prabhupada has given a very beautiful translation for that verse. The translation has purport included within it.

The translation goes as follows,
“My dear Lord, O infallible one, my position is like that of a person who has many wives, all trying to attract him in their own way. For example, the tongue is attracted to palatable dishes, the genitals to sex with an attractive woman, and the sense of touch to contact with soft things. The belly, although filled, still wants to eat more, and the ear, not attempting to hear about You, is generally attracted to cinema songs. The sense of smell is attracted to yet another side, the restless eyes are attracted to scenes of sense gratification, and the active senses are attracted elsewhere. In this way I am certainly embarrassed.”

4] Sex life is the GREATEST Source of Distress:

This is the realization of a five-year old boy. Quite commendable!

Prahlada says,
yan maithunādi-gṛhamedhi-sukhaṁ hi tucchaṁ
kaṇḍūyanena karayor iva duḥkha-duḥkham
tṛpyanti neha kṛpaṇā bahu-duḥkha-bhājaḥ
kaṇḍūtivan manasijaṁ viṣaheta dhīraḥ

Sex life is compared to the rubbing of two hands to relieve an itch. Gṛhamedhis, so-called gṛhasthas who have no spiritual knowledge, think that this itching is the greatest platform of happiness, although actually it is a source of distress. The kṛpaṇas, the fools who are just the opposite of brāhmaṇas, are not satisfied by repeated sensuous enjoyment. Those who are dhīra, however, who are sober and who tolerate this itching, are not subjected to the sufferings of fools and rascals. SB 7.9.45

And finally, when Lord Narsimhadeva asks Prahlada for any benediction, Prahlada prays that his heart be devoid of all material desires.

yadi dāsyasi me kāmān
varāṁs tvaṁ varadarṣabha
kāmānāṁ hṛdy asaṁrohaṁ
bhavatas tu vṛṇe varam

O my Lord, best of the givers of benediction, if You at all want to bestow a desirable benediction upon me, then I pray from Your Lordship that within the core of my heart there be no material desires. SB 7.10.7

The prayers of a pure devotee Prahlada Maharaja tell us the need to avoid sense gratification, the problems due to engaging in it, and the solution to go beyond it.

*Some verses from Hari-bhakti Sudhodaya Chapter-10

durlabhaṁ mat-sutatvaṁ ca yauvanaṁ cedṛśīṁ śriyam |
labdhvāpi bhoktuṁ neśas tvaṁ jāḍyāt klība ivorvaśīm ||31||

bhajasva viṣayān ramyān kāntā-keli-rasojjvalān |
tyaja nirviṣayā vācas tvam āyur mā vṛthā kṛthāḥ ||33||

sābhilāsa-dṛśaḥ kṣībāḥ kāminīr icchayā bhajan |
punar brahma sukhaṁ ślāghyam iti naiva vadiṣyasi ||34||

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