After defeating and killing the cruel demon, Hiranyakasipu, Lord Narasimhadeva gave 3 important instructions to Prahlada Maharaj.
But before instructing, he wanted to know the desire of Prahlada. So, the Supreme Lord asked his dear devotee for any benediction. Prahlada had no material desires and did not want any material benediction from the Supreme Lord. The great devotee knew well that any material desire even if it is fulfilled is the source of terrible suffering.
So, he begged the Lord to not give him any material benediction. But just give him shelter at his transcendental feet which is the shelter of the entire universe.
Lord Narasimhadeva was so happy to know that his devotee is free of all material motives and is only absorbed in unalloyed pure devotional service.
The Supreme Lord is the Supreme benefactor, he knew what is best for Prahlada and what is best for the whole world.
So, Lord Narasimhadeva gave following 3 instructions to little Prahlada and asked him to follow it for his own benefit and for the benefit of the whole world.
Be the King & Enjoy the opulence
Prahlada was least interested, but the Lord enthroned him as the king. And also instructed him to enjoy the opulence accumulated by his father.
“The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: My dear Prahlāda, a devotee like you never desires any kind of material opulences, either in this life or in the next. Nonetheless, I order you to enjoy the opulences of the demons in this material world, acting as their king until the end of the duration of time occupied by Manu.” Srimad Bhagavatam 7.10.11
When Hiranyakasipu was torturing Prahlada and was trying to mercilessly kill him then no one came to rescue him. He was just 5 years old. It seems even her mother did not come to save her child. At least it is not mentioned in Bhagavatam that she was trying to save Prahlada. Maybe she was afraid of her husband.
None of the powerful demigods even tried to protect Prahlada. Prahlada did not look for shelter anywhere. He neither approached his mother nor the demigods. He only took shelter of the Supreme Lord. And the lord saved him. In Bhagavad Gita too, the Lord promises the same.
“Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reactions. Do not fear.” Bhagavad Gita 18.66
Devotees most fortunate
Now the Lord is offering all opulence to Prahlada and is making him the king. The devotees of the Supreme Lord are most intelligent and most fortunate because he remains happy in this world. And after this life returns back to the spiritual world.
It also seems that since Hiranyakasipu had created great havoc and had made people atheist, so the Lord wanted a powerful devotee preacher who ca lead the people on the path of devotion. So, he made Prahlada the king.
Like Prahlada, we should always take shelter of the Supreme Lord, in all situations and circumstances. Lord promises that he takes care of his devotees like a father who takes care of his son.
“But those who always worship Me with exclusive devotion, meditating on My transcendental form – to them I carry what they lack, and I preserve what they have.” Bhagavad Gita 9.22
Always think of me
Lord Narasimhadeva says to Prahlada, “It does not matter that you are in the material world. You should always, continuously, hear the instructions and messages given by Me and always be absorbed in thought of Me, for I am the Supersoul existing in the core of everyone’s heart. Therefore, give up fruitive activities and worship Me.” Srimad Bhagavatam 7.10.12
Although the Lord made him the king but immediately after that he is instructing that how he should act. The Lord says to Prahlada that you should not worry that you are in the material world. In this world too, if you are always worshipping me, chanting my names then you are always with me.
The Supreme Lord as Supersoul is always there with us in our heart. But we are so busy in our sense gratification that we hardly think about it. The Lord is so kind that in our heart as Supersoul, he patiently waits and hope that a day will come when we will notice him and start developing relationship with him. But if we always remain connected with our Supersoul, we will always be happy.
So, while engaged in our worldly duties, we should constantly meditate on the Supreme Lord, who resides in our heart. If we do so then we will always remain under the shelter of the Supreme Lord. Also, whatever activities we do in this world, it should be an offering to the Supreme Lord.
In Bhagavad Gita also Lord Krishna says to Arjuna:
“Whatever you do, whatever you eat, whatever you offer or give away, and whatever austerities you perform – do that, O son of Kuntī, as an offering to Me.” Bhagavad Gita 9.27
Like Prahlada we should sincerely execute our responsibilities and simultaneously meditate on the Lord.
Exhaust your pious & impious karma and come back to the spiritual world
Lord Narasimhadeva says, “My dear Prahlāda, while you are in this material world you will exhaust all the reactions of pious activity by feeling happiness, and by acting piously you will neutralize impious activity. Because of the powerful time factor, you will give up your body, but the glories of your activities will be sung in the upper planetary systems, and being fully freed from all bondage, you will return home, back to Godhead.” Srimad Bhagavatam 7.10.13
In this world if we do something bad then we have to suffer, most of us know about this. But if we do some pious activity then also it will not be of much help. Why? Because to enjoy punya we will have to take birth in this material world. And we know that this world is full of suffering.
Now, if someone thinks that he will only do pious activity and live happily in this material world, then that is also not easy to do. Because this material world is so designed that even if we do not want, we end up doing something improper.
There are so many stories in our scriptures regarding this. For example, king Dasharatha did not even think of killing pious, Sravan Kumar, but mistakenly he killed him. Now in our work also, we do not know if our activity is causing any harm to others.
Always keep Lord in the center
Suppose that someone is a doctor, he is trying his best to treat the patient but the hospital staff is not administering proper medicine to the patient and the patient dies. Although he is not directly responsible but since he is drawing his salary from that hospital so some portion of karma he will also get. Sometimes out of envy others may level false allegation against us to defame us in the society. So, while doing any activity we should be extra cautious.
But as long as we are caught up in the cycle of pap and punya, we will keep on transmigrating in the repeated cycle of birth and death.
However, if we try to do things as per the scriptures to the best of our capability and always keep Lord in the centre then we do not have to worry much. The Lord will make sure that he nullifies all our pious and impious activities. And then we will become qualified to return back to the spiritual world, to the kingdom of God.
Srila Prabhupada writes, “Although one does not want to act impiously, the world is so fashioned that there is always danger (padaṁ padaṁ yad vipadām). Thus even when performing devotional service a devotee has to create many enemies. Prahlāda Mahārāja himself had experience of this, for even his father became his enemy. A devotee should expertly manage to think always of the Supreme Lord so that the reactions of suffering cannot touch him. This is the expert management of pāpa-puṇya — pious and impious activities.”
Here the Supreme Lord, says to Prahlada that his glories will be sung everywhere especially in the upper planetary system because of his extraordinary deeds. And this is so true. This pastime of Lord Narasimhadeva took place in Satya Yuga and still we sing the glories of Prahlada Maharaj.
Conclusion
These were the three important instructions Lord Narasimhadeva gave to Prahlada. The Supreme lord wanted Prahlada to take up worldly responsibilities to teach people like you and me how to conduct ourselves in this material world. To become a pure devotee of the Lord, we do not have to give up our worldly responsibility. We should do our duties in a responsible way. And always worship the Lord who is always with us in our heart. Like Prahlada, we will also get the mercy of Lord Narasimhdeva.
We should pray at the lotus feet of Prahlada Maharaj and seek his blessings so that we can also follow his footsteps and please the Supreme Lord. Lord Narasimhadeva is very compassionate, he protects the devotees from all evil spirits, from all misfortunes and from all calamities. The Supreme Person removes all the obstacles from the path so that devotees can practice devotion without any fear and anxiety.
Lord Narasimhadeva gave these three instructions to Prahlada and if we also conduct ourselves like Prahlada then our life will become successful.
