Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Srimad Bhagavatam 4.18.16

daiteya danava vatsam

prahladam asurarshabham

vidhayaduduhan kshiram

ayah-patre surasavam

SYNONYMS

daiteyah -- the sons of Diti; danavah -- demons; vatsam -- the calf; prahladam -- Prahlada Maharaja; asura -- demon; rishabham -- the chief; vidhaya -- making; aduduhan -- they milked out; kshiram -- milk; ayah -- iron; patre -- in a pot; sura -- liquor; asavam -- fermented liquids like beer.

TRANSLATION

The sons of Diti and the demons transformed Prahlada Maharaja, who was born in an asura family, into a calf, and they extracted various kinds of liquor and beer, which they put into a pot made of iron.

PURPORT

The demons also have their own types of beverages in the form of liquors and beers, just as the demigods use soma-rasa for their drinking purposes. The demons born of Diti take great pleasure in drinking wine and beer. Even today people of demoniac nature are very much addicted to liquor and beer. The name of Prahlada Maharaja is very significant in this connection. Because Prahlada Maharaja was born in a family of demons, as the son of Hiranyakasipu, by his mercy the demons were and still are able to have their drinks in the form of wine and beer. The word ayah (iron) is very significant. Whereas the nectarean soma was put in a golden pot, the liquors and beers were put in an iron pot. Because the liquor and beer are inferior, they are placed in an iron pot, and because soma-rasa is superior, it is placed in a golden pot.

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His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Founder Acarya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness