144
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam
[Canto 7, Ch. 3]
called a Rākṣasa and Daitya? It is because whatever he did was for his own sense gratification. His son Prahlāda Mahārāja was only five years old, and so what could Prahlāda do? Yet simply by performing a little devotional service according to the instructions of Nārada Muni, Prahlāda became so dear to the Lord that the Lord came to save him, whereas Hiraṇyakaśipu, in spite of all his austerities, was killed. This is the difference between devotional service and all other methods of perfection. One who performs severe austerities for sense gratification is fearful to the entire world, whereas a devotee who performs even a slight amount of devotional service is a friend to everyone ( suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānām ). Since the Lord is the well-wisher of every living entity and since a devotee assumes the qualities of the Lord, a devotee also acts for everyone's good fortune by performing devotional service. Thus although Hiraṇyakaśipu performed such a severe austerity, he remained a Daitya and a Rākṣasa, whereas Prahlāda Mahārāja, although born of the same Daitya father, became the most exalted devotee and was personally protected by the Supreme Lord.  Bhakti  is therefore called  sarvopādhivinirmuktam , indicating that a devotee is freed from all material designations, and  anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyam , situated in a transcendental position, free from all material desires.
TEXT 17
श्रीब्रह्मोवाच
उत्तिष्ठोत्तिष्ठ मद्रं ते तपःसिद्धोऽसि काश्यप । वरदोऽहमनुप्राप्तो वियतामीप्सितो वरः ॥१७॥
śrī-brahmovāca uttiṣṭhottiṣṭha bhadraṁ te tapaḥ-siddho 'si kāśyapa varado 'ham anuprāpto vriyatām īpsito varaḥ
śrī-brahmā uvāca—Lord Brahmā said; uttiṣṭha—please get up; ut-tiṣṭha—get up; bhadram—good fortune; te—unto you; tapaḥ-siddhaḥ—perfect in executing austerities; asi—you are; kāśyapa—O