Text 32] Hiranyakasipu Terrorizes the Universe 197

vatsalah—kind to the poor; bhratr-vat—exactly like a brother; sadrse—
to his equals; snigdhah—very affectionate; gurusu—unto the spiritual
masters; isvara-bhavanah—who considered exactly like the Supreme
Personality of Godhead; vidya—education; artha—riches; ripa—
beauty; janma—aristocracy or nobility; G@dhyah—endowed with;
ména—pride; stambha—impudence; vivarjitah—completely free from.

TRANSLATION

[The qualities of Maharaja Prahlada, the son of Hiranyakaéipu,
are described herewith.] He was completely cultured as a qualified
brahmana, having very good character and being determined to
understand the Absolute Truth. He had full control of his senses
and mind. Like the Supersoul, he was kind to every living entity
and was the best friend of everyone. To respectable persons he
acted exactly like a menial servant, to the poor he was like a father,
to his equals he was attached like a sympathetic brother, and he
considered his teachers, spiritual masters and older Godbrothers
to be as good as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He was com-
pletely free from unnatural pride that might have arisen from his
good education, riches, beauty, aristocracy and so on.

PURPORT

These are some of the qualifications of a Vaisnava. A Vaisnava is auto-
matically a bréhmana because a Vaisnava has all the good qualities of a
brahmana.

Samo damas tapah saucarh
ksantir drjavam eva ca

Jnanam vijidnam astikyam
brahma-karma svabhava-jam

““Peacefulness, self-control, austerity, purity, tolerance, honesty,
wisdom, knowledge, and religiousness—these are the qualities by which
the bréhmanas work.” (Bg. 18.42) These qualities are manifest in the
body of a Vaisnava. Therefore a perfect Vaisnava is also a perfect
braéhmana, as indicated here by the words brahmanyah Sila-sampannah.
A Vaisnava is always determined to understand the Absolute Truth, and
