Śrīla Bhakti Rakṣak Śrīdhar Dev-Goswāmī Mahārāj explains how Prahlād Mahārāj illuminates the meaning of Śrīmad Bhagavad-gītā.
Śrīla Jīva Goswāmī has accepted Prahlād Mahārāj as an example of this great poem in Bhagavad-gītā (9.32):
māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya ye ’pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ
striyo vaiśyās tathā śūdrās te ’pi yānti parāṁ gatim
Vyapāśritya, vi apa āśritya, means viśeṣa apa āśritya, that is, a very mean, lowly connection. Here Kṛṣṇa says, “O Arjuna, even one who comes to Me by adopting a very low, mean type of connection is taken to the highest position. Some people take shelter of Me in a mean way because their origin is of that type. They may live or have been born in filthy company. Striyo vaiśyās tathā śūdrās: they may be female, an ordinary trader, or a low-class labourer, but they achieve the highest, purest level.”
Śrīla Jīva Goswāmī has traced out how Prahlād Mahārāj began his life of devotion. I pray we may not commit any offence to Prahlād Mahārāj in recounting this. In his previous life, before he became a devotee, Prahlād was born in a very low family, and there was a Temple of Nṛsiṁhadev by the side of his house. The Temple was in a broken condition. Sometimes someone used to come at noon and offer something, but otherwise the Temple was almost deserted. There was a compound around the Temple, and Prahlād brought a girl there, cleansed the place, and enjoyed her. The day that he did this was Nṛsiṁha Chaturdaśī, and Nṛsiṁhadev was satisfied with him. Ignoring his purpose, his bad motive, Nṛsiṁhadev saw only the good, the bright side of Prahlād’s act: “He cleansed My compound at this auspicious time.” In this way Nṛsiṁhadev’s grace came to Prahlād: through a very bad deed the connection came. Thereafter the connection grew, developed gradually, and Prahlād was taken towards Nṛsiṁhadev. Prahlād Mahārāj is now a great example of a śuddha-bhakta [pure devotee]. His beginning was such.
māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya ye ’pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ
He came from that sort of clan [a sinful background (pāpa-yonayaḥ)], and he did such a thing [approached the Lord for a lowly purpose (vyapāśritya)], but he cleansed the Lord’s Temple at an auspicious time, and in that way his relationship with the Lord began.
māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya ye ’pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ
striyo vaiśyās tathā śūdrās te ’pi yānti parāṁ gatim
Here the Lord says, “I have so much purifying capacity, that the other side, the worth of the recipient, may not be considered at all. Any connection, even the slightest connection, with Me can purify anyone. It is so high, so pure, so benevolent.”
The Lord shows us that this is our prospect, and it is very encouraging.
kiṁ punar brāhmaṇāḥ puṇyā bhaktā rājarṣayas tathā
anityam asukhaṁ lokam imaṁ prāpya bhajasva mām
“What needs to be said then of the highest classes, the brāhmaṇs and kṣatriyas, who have good behaviour, customs, and livelihood. You are in the midst of an uncertain and unhappy atmosphere. Anyhow, connect with Me, and you will attain the highest position.”
It is straight. Kṛṣṇa put it very straight, “Wherever you are in the midst of uncertainty (anityam) and an unhappy atmosphere (asukham), get connection with Me and improve your fate. Go direct. I am such and such, and you are such and such. This is the fact. You have this prospect. Whatever low level you are staying at presently does not matter, it does not matter at all. All that matters is My connection. That is all-important, and that must be sincerely accepted. Do not be insincere. Sincerely connect with Me and you will not be able to expect how much you will attain.”
References
māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya ye ’pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ
striyo vaiśyās tathā śūdrās te ’pi yānti parāṁ gatim
kiṁ punar brāhmaṇāḥ puṇyā bhaktā rājarṣayas tathā
anityam asukhaṁ lokam imaṁ prāpya bhajasva mām