Text 34] Hiranyakasipu Terrorizes the Universe 199

cause of pious activities); drstesu—as well as in temporal things seen;
gunesu—the objects of sense gratification under the modes of material
nature; avastu-drk—seeing as if insubstantial; danta—controlling; in-
driya—the senses; prana—the living force; sarira—the body; dhih—
and intelligence; sada—always; prasdnta—quieted; kamah—whose
material desires; rahita—completely devoid of; asurah—demoniac
nature; asurah—although born in a demoniac family.

TRANSLATION
Although Prahlada Maharaja was born in a family of asuras, he

himself was not an asura but a great devotee of Lord Visnu. Unlike
the other asuras, he was never envious of Vaisnavas. He was not
agitated when put into danger, and he was neither directly nor in-
directly interested in the fruitive activities described in the Vedas.
Indeed, he considered everything material to be useless, and
therefore he was completely devoid of material desires. He always
controlled his senses and life air, and being of steady intelligence
and determination, he subdued all lusty desires.

PURPORT

From this verse we discover that a man is not qualified or disqualified
simply by birth. Prahlada Maharaja was an asura by birth, yet he
possessed all the qualities of a perfect brahmana (brahmanyah Sila-
sampannah). Anyone can become a fully qualified brahmana under the
direction of a spiritual master. Prahlada Maharaja provided a vivid ex-
ample of how to think of the spiritual master and accept his directions
calmly.

TEXT 34

TPAHEAM TH Tera wage: |
a asgattdaed am aradtat ize

yasmin mahad-guna rajan
grhyante kavibhir muhuh

na te ‘dhuna pidhiyante
yatha bhagavatisvare
