Çré Mohini Ekadäsé Issue no:135 4th May 2020 THE DEVOTIONAL SERVICE OF PRAHLADA MAHARAJA THREE INVISIBLE RESIDENCES THE DEVotioNAL SERVICE OF Srila Narada Muni PRAHLADA MAHARAJA Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura THE NATURE OF A PURE DEVotEE His Divine Grace THE MOST GLORioUS PERSON IN THE WORLD A.C.Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura THE CHARACTERIStiCS OF AN UNALLOYED DEVotEE Srila Narottam Das Thakura Circulaton 29, 665 Issue no 135, Page — 2 nityaà bhägavata-sevayä THREE INVISIBLE RESIDENCES is the source of that impersonal Brahman. Lord Srila Narada Muni Krishna is the origin of the transcendental bliss which great saintly persons perpetually seek., The principles of religion by which one can tru- Yet He, the Supreme Person, is your most dear ly understand the Supreme Personality of God- friend and well-wisher and is intimately related head are called bhägavata-dharma. Therefore, to you as the son of your maternal uncle. Indeed, this narration, which explains with these princi- He is always like your body and soul. Although ples, properly describes actual transcendence. He is worshipable, He acts as your servant and One who hears and chants this narration about sometimes as your spiritual master. Exalted per- the omnipotence of the Supreme Personality of sons like Lord Shiva and Lord Brahma can not Godhead, Visnu, is certainly liberated from ma- properly describe the Supreme Personality of terial bondage. Prahlada Maharaja was the best Godhead, Krishna. May the Lord, who is always among exalted devotees. Anyone who hears this worshiped as the protector of all devotees by narration concerning the activities of Prahlada great saints who observe vows of silence, med- Maharaja, the killing of Hiranyakashipu, and itation, devotional service and renunciation, be the activities of the Supreme Personality of God- pleased with us. head, Nasimhadeva, with great attention, surely My dear King Yudhishthira, long ago in histo- ascends to the transcendent spiritual world, ry, a demon known as Maya Danava, who was where there is no anxiety. had expertise in technical knowledge, dispar- Narada Muni said: My dear Maharaja Yudhis- aged Lord Shiva. In that situation, Krishna, the thira, you and your brothers [the Pandavas] are Supreme Personality of Godhead, saved Lord extremely fortunate, for the Supreme Personality Shiva. of Godhead, Krishna, lives in your palace just like Maharaja Yudhisthira said: What was the an ordinary human being. Great saintly persons cause of the demon Maya Danava defaming know this very well, and therefore they repeat- Lord Shiva? How did Lord Krishna save Lord edly visit you here. The impersonal Brahman not Shiva and restore his good reputation? Kindly different from Krishna because Krishna Himself describe these incidents. Bhāgavata Mahāvidyālaya www.ibmedu.org nityaà bhägavata-sevayä Issue no 135, Page—3 Narada Muni said: Once, when the demigods, who are always empowered by the mercy of Lord Krishna, fought with the asuras, the asuras were defeated. In that condition they took shelter of Maya Danava, the greatest of the demons. Maya Danava, the powerful leader of the de- mons, prepared three invisible flying vehicles for the demons. These dwellings were like air- planes made of gold, silver and iron, and they forbid them. The great mystic Maya Danava be- contained uncommon paraphernalia. My dear came aware that the calf and cow were drinking King Yudhisthira, because of these three dwell- the nectar, and he could understand this to be ings the commanders of the demons remained the unseen power of providence. Thus he spoke invisible to the demigods. Taking advantage to the demons, who were grievously lamenting. of this opportunity, the demons, remembering Maya Danava said: What has been destined their former enmity, began to attack the three by the Supreme Lord for oneself, for others, or worlds; the upper, middle and lower planetary for both oneself and others cannot be undone systems. Thereafter, when the demons had be- anywhere or by anyone, whether one be a demi- gun destroying the higher planetary systems, the god, a demon, a human being or anyone else. rulers of those planets went to Lord Shiva, fully surrendered unto him and said: Dear Lord, we Narada Muni continued: Thereafter, Lord demigods living in the three worlds are about to Krishna, by His own personal potency, consisting be vanquished. We are your followers. Kindly of religion, knowledge, renunciation, opulence, save us. austerity, education and activities, equipped The most powerful and able Lord Shiva reas- Lord Shiva with all the necessary paraphernalia, sured them and said, “Do not be afraid.” He then such as a chariot, a charioteer, a flag, horses, ele- fixed his arrows to his bow and released them phants, a bow, a shield and arrows. When Lord toward the three residences occupied by the Shiva was fully equipped in this way, he sat on demons. The arrows released by Lord Shiva ap- the chariot with his arrows and bow with the peared like fiery beams emanating from the sun intention of combating the demons. My dear globe and covered the three residential airplanes, King Yudhisthira, the most powerful Lord Shiva which could then no longer be seen. Attacked joined the arrows to his bow, and at noon he set by Lord Shiva’s golden arrows, all the demoniac fire to all three residences of the demons and inhabitants of those three dwellings lost their thus destroyed them. Seated in their airplanes lives and fell down. Then the great mystic Maya in the sky, the inhabitants of the higher planetary Danava dropped the demons into a nectarean systems beat many kettledrums. The demigods, well that he had created. When the dead bodies saints, Pitas, Siddhas and various great person- of the demons came in touch with the nectar, alities showered flowers on the head of Lord their bodies became invincible to thunderbolts. Shiva, wishing him all victory, and the Apsaras Endowed with great strength, they got up like began to chant and dance with great pleasure. lightning penetrating clouds. O King Yudhisthira, thus Lord Shiva is known as Seeing Lord Shiva very aggrieved and disap- Tripurari, the annihilator of the three dwellings of pointed, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the demons, because he burnt these dwellings Lord Visnu, considered how to stop this nuisance to ashes. Being worshiped by the demigods, created by Maya Danava. Then Lord Brahma headed by Lord Brahma, Lord Shiva returned to became a calf and Lord Visnu a cow, and at noon his own abode. The Supreme Lord, Sri Krishna, they entered the demons mystic residences and appeared as a human being, yet He performed drank all the nectar in the well. The demons many uncommon and wonderful pastimes by could see the calf and cow, but because of the His own potency. How can I say more about illusion created by the energy of the Supreme His activities than what has already been said by Personality of Godhead, the demons could not great saintly persons? Everyone can be purified www.ibmedu.org Bhāgavata Mahāvidyālaya Issue no 135, Page — 4 Top left 4 nityaà bhägavata-sevayä by His activities, simply by hearing about them that the Pandavas were no less fortunate than from the right source. Prahlada. Narada asserted that the Pandavas — Srimad-Bhagavatam (BhagavataPurana) » Canto 7 : The Science were as good as Prahlada Maharaja because of God » Chapter 10.Prahlada, the Best Among Exalted Devotees: Verses although Lord Narsimhadeva appeared for 45-70. Prahlada, the Supreme Personality of Godhead in His original form as Krishna was always living THE NATURE OF A PURE DEVotEE with the Pandavas. Although, because of the His Divine Grace influence of Krishna's yogamaya, the Pandavas, A.C.Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada could not assimilate their fortunate position, every saintly person, including the great sage yüyaà nå-loke bata bhüri-bhägä Narada, could understand it well, and therefore lokaà punänä munayo 'bhiyanti they regularly visited the palace of blessed Ma- yeñäà gåhän ävasatéti säkñäd haraja Yudhisthira. güòhaà paraà brahma manuñya-liìgam Any pure devotee who is constantly conscious of Krishna is naturally very fortunate. The word After hearing about the activities of Prahlada nåloke, meaning "within the material world," in- dicates that before the Pandavas there had been Maharaja, a pure devotee should be very anx- many devotees, such as the descendants of the ious to follow in his footsteps. However, such a Yadu dynasty and Vasistha, Marici, Kashyapa, devotee might be disappointed, thinking that not Lord Brahma and Lord Shiva, who were all ex- everyone can come to the standard of Prahlada tremely fortunate. The Pandavas, however, were Maharaja. This is the nature of a pure devotee; better than all of them because Krishna Himself he always thinks himself to be the lowest, to be constantly remained with them. Narada Muni incompetent and unqualified. Thus after hearing therefore specifically mentioned that within this the narration of Prahlada Maharaja's wonderful material world (nå-loke) the Pandavas were the activities, Maharaja Yudhisthira, who was on the most fortunate. same standard of devotional service as Prahlada, — Srimad-Bhagavatam (BhagavataPurana) » Canto 7 : The Science might have been thinking of his own humble of God » Chapter 10.Prahlada, the Best Among Exalted Devotees: Verses position. However, Narada Muni, could under- 45-70, Purport. stand Maharaja Yudhisthira's mind, and there- fore he promptly encouraged him by saying Bhāgavata Mahāvidyālaya www.ibmedu.org nityaà bhägavata-sevayä Issue no 135, Page—5 of all material contamination and desire, as if he THE DEVotioNAL SERVICE OF had been thoroughly cleansed. Therefore he at PRAHLADA MAHARAJA once became transcendentally situated, and all Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura the symptoms of ecstasy became manifest in his body. His heart brimmed with love, and his eyes Regarding the devotional service of Prahlada welled with tears, and thus he was able to com- Maharaja, Narada Muni narrates his characteristics pletely capture the lotus feet of the Lord within to Yudhisthira Maharaja in the following verses the core of his heart.