144 Srimad-Bhagavatam [Canto 7, Ch. 3

called a Raksasa and Daitya? It is because whatever he did was for his
own sense gratification. His son Prahlada Maharaja was only five years
old, and so what could Prahlada do? Yet simply by performing a little
devotional service according to the instructions of Narada Muni,
Prahlada became so dear to the Lord that the Lord came to save him,
whereas Hiranyakasipu, in spite of all his austerities, was killed. This is
the difference between devotional service and all other methods of per-
fection. 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 (suhrdam sarva-
bhitanam). 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 al-
though Hiranyakasipu performed such a severe austerity, he remained a
Daitya and a Raksasa, whereas Prahlada Maharaja, although born of the
same Daitya father, became the most exalted devotee and was personally
protected by the Supreme Lord. Bhakti is therefore called sarvopadhi-
vinirmuktam, indicating that a devotee is freed from all material desig-
nations, and anydbhildsitd-siinyam, situated in a transcendental posi-
tion, free from all material desires.

TEXT 17
TENA
shasifts ag a ava:fagiste area |
aaiserare fararitfadt az 1 20ll

$ri-brahmovaca
uttisthottistha bhadram te
tapah-siddho ’si kasyapa
varado "ham anuprdpto
vriyatam ipsito varah

Sri-brahma uvaca—Lord Brahmi said; uttistha—please get up; ut-
tistha—get up; bhadram—good fortune; te—unto you; tapah-
siddhah—perfect in executing austerities; asi—you are; kasyapa—O
