Text 38] Prahlada, the Saintly Son of Hiranyakasipu 277

that the rest of the body may live happily. Similarly, even one’s
own son, if unfavorable, must be rejected, although born of one’s

own body.

PURPORT

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu has instructed all devotees of the Lord to be
humbler than the grass and more tolerant than trees; otherwise there
will always be disturbances to their execution of devotional service. Here
is a vivid example of how a devotee is disturbed by a nondevotee, even
though the nondevotee is an affectionate father. The material world is
such that a nondevotee father becomes an enemy of a devotee son. Hav-
ing determined to kill even his son, Hiranyakasipu gave the example of
amputating a part of one’s body that has become septic and therefore in-
jurious to the rest of the body. The same example, of course, may also be
applied to nondevotees. Canakya Pandita advises, tyaja durjana-
samsargam bhaja sddhu-samagamam. Devotees actually serious about
advancing in spiritual life should give up the company of nondevotees
and always keep company with devotees. To be too attached to material
existence is ignorance because material existence is temporary and
miserable. Therefore devotees who are determined to perform tapasya
(penances and austerities) to realize the self, and who are determined to
become advanced in spiritual consciousness, must give up the company
of atheistic nondevotees. Prahlada Maharaja maintained an attitude of
noncooperation with the philosophy of his father, Hiranyakasipu, yet he
was tolerant and humble. Hiranyakasipu, however, being a nondevotee,
was so polluted that he was even prepared to kill his own son. He
justified this by putting forward the logic of amputation.

TEXT 38
atemdeedey: ara ATTATAA: |
afer:  — wadagefaalegay Rc
sarvair upayair hantavyah
sambhoja-sayandsanaih

suhrl-linga-dharah satrur
muner dustam ivendriyam
