Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 7.13.46

śrī-nārada uvāca

dharmaḿ pāramahaḿsyaḿ vai

muneḥ śrutvāsureśvaraḥ

pūjayitvā tataḥ prīta

āmantrya prayayau gṛham

SYNONYMS

śrī-nāradaḥ uvāca — Śrī Nārada Muni said; dharmam — the occupational duty; pāramahaḿsyam — of the paramahaḿsas, the most perfect human beings; vai — indeed; muneḥ — from the saintly person; śrutvā — thus hearing; asura-īśvaraḥ — the King of the asuras, Prahlāda Mahārāja; pūjayitvā — by worshiping the saintly person; tataḥ — thereafter; prītaḥ — being very pleased; āmantrya — taking permission; prayayau — left that place; gṛham — for his home.

TRANSLATION

Nārada Muni continued: After Prahlāda Mahārāja, the King of the demons, heard these instructions from the saint, he understood the occupational duties of a perfect person [paramahaḿsa]. Thus he duly worshiped the saint, took his permission and then left for his own home.

PURPORT

As quoted in Caitanya-caritāmṛta (Madhya 8.128), Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu said:

kibā vipra, kibā nyāsī, śūdra kene naya

yei kṛṣṇa-tattva-vettā sei 'guru' haya

A guru, or spiritual master, can be anyone who is well conversant with the science of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore although Prahlāda Mahārāja was a gṛhastha ruling over the demons, he was a paramahaḿsa, the best of human beings, and thus he is our guru. In the list of gurus, or authorities, Prahlāda Mahārāja's name is therefore mentioned:

svayambhūr nāradaḥ śambhuḥ

kumāraḥ kapilo manuḥ

prahlādo janako bhīṣmo

balir vaiyāsakir vayam

(Bhāg. 6.3.20)

The conclusion is that a paramahaḿsa is an exalted devotee (bhagavat-priya). Such a paramahaḿsa may be in any stage of life — brahmacāri, gṛhastha, vānaprastha or sannyāsa — and be equally liberated and exalted.

Thus end the Bhaktivedanta purports of the Seventh Canto, Thirteenth Chapter, of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, entitled "The Behavior of a Perfect Person."

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