Canto 7: The Science of GodChapter 10: Prahlāda, the Best Among Exalted Devotees

Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 7.10.22

kuru tvaḿ preta-kṛtyāni

pituḥ pūtasya sarvaśaḥ

mad-ańga-sparśanenāńga

lokān yāsyati suprajāḥ

SYNONYMS

kuru — perform; tvam — you; preta-kṛtyāni — the ritualistic ceremony performed after death; pituḥ — of your father; pūtasya — already purified; sarvaśaḥin all respects; mat-ańga — My body; sparśanena — by touching; ańga — My dear child; lokānto planets; yāsyatihe will be elevated; su-prajāḥto become a devotee-citizen.

TRANSLATION

My dear child, your father has already been purified just by the touch of My body at the time of his death. Nonetheless, the duty of a son is to perform the śrāddha ritualistic ceremony after his father's death so that his father may be promoted to a planetary system where he may become a good citizen and devotee.

PURPORT

In this regard, Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura says that although Hiraṇyakaśipu was already purified, he had to take birth on a higher planetary system to become a devotee again. Prahlāda Mahārāja was advised to perform the ritualistic ceremony as a matter of etiquette, for the Supreme Personality of Godhead under no circumstances wants to stop the regulative principles. Madhva Muni also instructs:

madhu-kaiṭabhau bhakty-abhāvā

dūrau bhagavato mṛtau

tama eva kramād āptau

bhaktyā ced yo hariḿ yayau

When the demons Madhu and Kaiṭabha were killed by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, their kinsmen also observed the ritualistic ceremonies so that these demons could return home, back to Godhead.

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