Vishṇave namah

Prahlāda continued, “The servant who serves his master seeking fulfilment of desires is not a true servant at all! Similarly, the master who, with the desire of accomplishing his own material goals, fulfils the desires of his servant is not a true master at all!

O Lord, as a servant I never sought anything from You. As a master, You too have no expectations from me. Such is our relationship! While I aspire to unconditionally merge into You, O Lord You are tying me down with these boons. A servant executes all his duties because he is paid for them by the king. Isn’t the master-servant relationship that we share devoid of such expectations?

O Iśwara! You are the most supreme among those who shower boons. If You are truly pleased with me and seek to bestow boons upon me, then please ensure that no desire should ever sprout in me! This is what I desire.

**Indriyāṇi manaḥ prāṇa ātmā dharmo dhṛtir matiḥ Hrīḥ śrīs tejaḥ smṛtiḥ satyaṁ yasya naśyanti janmanā ** This is because, if a desire sprouts in the heart, then the senses, life-force, mind, body, righteousness (dharma), courage, wisdom, modesty, wealth, radiance, memory and truthfulness get totally destroyed! O lotus-eyes Lord! Only when the human being discards desires from his mind he will obtain Your form.

Namo bhagavate tubhyaṁ puruṣāya mahātmane Haraye ’dbhuta-siṁhāya brahmaṇe paramātmane

O Supreme Lord! You, the embodiment of completeness, are the Supreme Self. You, the Supreme Lord, are the Self who lives within close proximity to the living entity. O Lord Srihari! You have wonderfully manifested in the form of a man-lion. I offer obeisance to You.”

Lord Narasimha replied, “Prahlāda, You have pure selfless devotion towards Me which is free from any form of expectation. Devotees of your cadre never entertain desires pertaining to this world or the next. Even then, till the end of this time period (manvantara), you enjoy the material luxuries and comforts that demon-kings enjoy in normal course. Always listen to My divine transcendental stories which you dearly love.

There is nothing apart from Me in this creation. I am the one who resides as the Self within every living entity. With unflinching dedication fix your mind upon Me, the Lord of all Yagnas. With feelings of absolute self-surrender complete all duties and worship Me. Through this exhaust your prārabdha (destiny).

Enjoy worldly comforts. Engage in pious, meritorious and righteous deeds to wash away your sins. Earn that pure reputation by which you will be glorified even in celestial planes. In course of time you will discard this body and reach Me.

Ya etat kīrtayen mahyaṁ tvayā gītam idaṁ naraḥ Tvāṁ ca māṁ ca smaran kāle karma-bandhāt pramucyate

The human being who glorifies this hymn which you have composed upon Me and who remembers both you and Me will eventually be freed from these worldly karmic bondages”. Prahlāda said, “O Supreme Lord! O Swami! You are the Lord to all those who shower boons upon others. I have only one prayer. Ignorant about Your divine transcendental radiance, my father wrongly accused You of killing his brother. His mind was filled with sorrow, anger, hatred towards You. In addition, he sinned against me, your devotee. O ever competent Lord! You are the father of all living entities. By condemning and blaspheming You, my father has acquired so much sin that he can never ever be uplifted. O Lord, O saviour of the downtrodden. Please pardon his sin. May he be redeemed from all his sins. I know that the merciful glance which You had cast upon him at the time of his death has purified him completely”.

Hearing these words Lord Narasimha said, “O noble soul! O sinless one! Along with 21 generations of your fore-fathers, you father also has become purified. This is undoubtedly true. By taking birth in his home you have purified the entire lineage.

Yatra yatra ca mad-bhaktāḥ praśāntāḥ sama-darśinaḥ Sādhavaḥ samudācārās te pūyante ’pi kīkaṭāḥ

Noble devotees possess a pleasant mind and see the Supreme Lord as pervading everywhere. They are the repository of all noble qualities. All the places where they reside and the places where they place their foot are rendered pure, even if inherently they were impure.

O demon king! My devotees who are absolutely devoted towards Me and who do not entertain any desires, never ever harm any living entity. They strive in every possible way to discard violence. All those who diligently abide by your principles will naturally become my devotees. You, who are the best among all my devotees, will remain an example for all other devotees. They will be inspired by you.

My dear son! Merely by the touch of My limbs your father was freed from all his sins and was purified. For begetting a son like you he is now reaching higher planetary systems”. Swamiji explains: Saint Purandaradasa in his composition sings: The Lord says to Prahlada- Do you know that my compassionate gaze cast upon your father was actually a search for more hidden treasures like you? ‘The Lord did not kill Hiraṇyakaśipu. He was searching in his abdomen if any more gems like Prahlāda were hidden therein.’

“Rule this kingdom left behind by your father. Fix your mind solely upon Me. At all times. be rigid in your goal of obtaining Me! Without transgressing the dictates of the Vedic scholars conduct all your duties”- said Lord Narasimha.

Vamanaya namah