CHAPTER FIVE

Prahlada Maharaja,
the Saintly Son of Hiranyakasipu

Prahlada Maharaja did not carry out the orders of his teachers, for he
was always engaged in worshiping Lord Visnu. As described in this
chapter, Hiranyakasipu tried to kill Prahlada Maharaja, even by having a
snake bite him and by putting him under the feet of elephants, yet he
was unsuccessful. ;

Hiranyakasipu’s spiritual master, Sukracarya, had two sons named
Sanda and Amarka, to whom Prahlada Maharaja was entrusted for
education. Although the teachers tried to educate the boy Prahlada in
politics, economics and other material activities, he did not care for their
instructions. Instead, he continued to be a pure devotee. Prahlada
Maharaja never liked the idea of discriminating between one’s friends
and enemies. Because he was spiritually inclined, he was equal toward
everyone.

Once upon a time, HiranyakasSipu inquired from his son what the best
thing was that he had learned from his teachers. Prahlada Maharaja
replied that a man engrossed in the material consciousness of duality,
thinking, “This is mine, and that belongs to my enemy,” should give up
his householder life and go to the forest to worship the Supreme Lord.

When Hiranyakasipu heard from his son about devotional service, he
decided that this small boy had been polluted by some friend in school.
Thus he advised the teachers to take care of the boy so that he would not
become a Krsna conscious devotee. However, when the teachers inquired
from Prahlada Maharaja why he was going against their teachings,
Prahlada Maharaja taught the teachers that the mentality of ownership is
false and that he was therefore trying to become an unalloyed devotee of
Lord Visnu. The teachers, being very angry at this answer, chastised and
threatened the boy with many fearful conditions. They taught him to the
best of their ability and then brought him before his father.

Hiranyakasipu affectionately took his son Prahlada on his lap and then
inquired from him what the best thing was that he had learned from his

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