Copyright © r The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International, Inc.His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, Founder Ācārya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness
| Canto 7: The Science of God | Chapter 5: Prahlāda Mahārāja, the Saintly Son of Hiranyakaśipu |
Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 7.5.15
etāvad brāhmanāyoktvā
SYNONYMS
śrī-nāradah uvāca — Nārada Muni said; etāvat — this much; brāhmanāya — unto the brāhmanas, the sons of Śukrācārya; uktvā — speaking; virarāma — became silent; mahā-matih — Prahlāda Mahārāja, who possessed great intelligence; tam — him (Prahlāda Mahārāja); sannibhartsya — chastising very harshly; kupitah — being angry; su-dīnah — poor in thought, or very much aggrieved; rāja-sevakah — the servants of King Hiranyakaśipu.
TRANSLATION
The great saint Nārada Muni continued: The great soul Prahlāda Mahārāja became silent after saying this to his teachers, Shanda and Amarka, the seminal sons of Śukrācārya. These so-called brāhmanas then became angry at him. Because they were servants of Hiranyakaśipu, they were very sorry, and to chastise Prahlāda Mahārāja they spoke as follows.
PURPORT
The word śukra means "semen." The sons of Śukrācārya were brāhmanas by birthright, but an actual brāhmana is one who possesses the brahminical qualities. The brāhmanas Shanda and Amarka, being seminal sons of Śukrācārya, did not actually possess real brahminical qualifications, for they engaged as servants of Hiranyakaśipu. An actual brāhmana is very much satisfied to see anyone, not to speak of his disciple, become a devotee of Lord Krishna. Such brāhmanas are meant to satisfy the supreme master. A brāhmana is strictly prohibited from becoming a servant of anyone else, for that is the business of dogs and śūdras. A dog must satisfy his master, but a brāhmana does not have to satisfy anyone; he is simply meant to satisfy Krishna (ānukūlyena krishnānuśīlanam). That is the real qualification of a brāhmana. Because Shanda and Amarka were seminal brāhmanas and had become servants of such a master as Hiranyakaśipu, they unnecessarily wanted to chastise Prahlāda Mahārāja.
Copyright © r The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International, Inc.
His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, Founder Ācārya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness