All glories to Sri Guru and Sri Gauranga
The Holy Appearance Day of Lord Nrsimhadev
An extract from a discourse given by His Divine Grace Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj on 2nd May 1999, Sri Nrsimha Chaturdasi day, at Sri Govinda Dham, Murwillumbah, Australia.
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In this way Hiranyakasipu was very disturbed as no-one could kill his son. He was so angry and he said to Sanda and Amarka, "Bring him in front of me and I shall kill him." Then Prahlad came with folded hands in front of his father. His father said, "Oh, you are so crazy. Indra, Chandra, Vayu, Varuna, all the demigods are so fearful of me. Even that Yamaraja, he is cutting the grass for my horse, and you have no fear of me! Where have you got that power?" Prahlad said,
na kevalam me bhavatas ca rajan
sa vai balam balinam caparesam
pare 'vare 'mi sthira-jangama ye
brahmadayo yena vasam pranitah
(Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.8.7)"It is not only my power, it is your power also. What you are saying - you are doing those things by His power. By His power everything has happened. Why are you asking me this? Without His mercy, without His power, the jiva-soul cannot do anything. I have got power from Visnu." In this way Hiranyakasipu and Prahlad discussed several topics in their conversation. When Hiranyakasipu could no longer tolerate, his body was shaking.
~~~
"The key to success in spiritual life is unflinching devotion to both the spiritual master and Krsna. To those great souls who have full faith in both Krsna and the spiritual master, the inner meaning of the scriptures is fully revealed." The Guru is Krsna's representative. We are in search of divinity, and so, we must try to concentrate all our energy wherever we find a real connection with divinity. That is the key to success, because Krsna is all-conscious. So, the response to our devotional efforts will come from Krsna according to our attentiveness to Him. He is everywhere. In the conception of infinite, everywhere there is center, nowhere is there circumference. In every point there may be the center. Prahlada Maharaja saw the center present everywhere. Hiranyakasipu asked him, "Is your God in this pillar?" Prahlada replied, "Yes. He is there." And when Hiranyakasipu demolished the pillar, Lord Nrsimhadeva came out.
~Srila Sridhar Maharaj, Sri Guru and His Grace
satyam vidhatum nija-bhrtya-bhasitam
vyaptim ca bhutesv akhilesu catmanah
Adrsyatatyadbhuta-rupam udvahan
stambhe sabhayam na mrgam na manusamTo prove that the statement of His servant Prahlad Maharaj was substantial - in other words, to prove that the Supreme Lord is present everywhere, even within the pillar of an assembly hall - the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Hari, exhibited a wonderful form never before seen. The form was neither that of a man nor that of a lion. Thus the Lord appeared in His wonderful form in the assembly hall.
~Srimad Bhagavatam, 7.8.17
The kunda where Lord Nrsimhadeva bathed after killing Hiranyakashipu, recently visited by pilgrims on Sri Nabadwip Dham Parikrama visvak sphurantam grahanaturam harir
vyalo yathakhum kulisaksata-tvacam
dvary urum apatya dadara lilaya
nakhair yathahim garudo maha-visamAs a snake catches a mouse or Garuda captures a very venomous snake, Lord Nrsimhadev captured Hiranyakasipu, who could not be pierced even by the thunderbolt of King Indra. As Hiranyakasipu moved his limbs here, there and all around, very much afflicted at being captured, Lord Nrsimhadeva placed the demon on His lap, supporting him with his thighs, and in the doorway of the assembly hall the Lord very easily tore the demon to pieces with the nails of his hand.
~Srimad Bhagavatam, 7.8.29
aham tv akamas tvad-bhaktas
tvam ca svamy anapasrayah
nanyathehavayor artho
nanyathehavayor artho
raja-sevakayor iva"O my Lord, I am your unmotivated servant, and you are my eternal master. There is no need of our being anything other than master and servant. You are naturally my master, and I am naturally Your servant. We have no other relationship."
~Srimad Bhagavatam, 7.10.6
In the Srimad-Bhagavatam, Sri Prahlada Maharaja refused to accept any boons offered to him by the Lord. He said, "One who accepts boons in return for his service to You is not Your servant but a merchant" (na sa bhrtyah sa vai vanik, Bha: 7.10.4). Those who approach Guru and Krsna with their separate interest have come only to make trade. They have come to acquire something to satisfy their own purpose. We must be very cautious to avoid such traits within ourselves. For what have I come? There may be many motives.
~Sermons of the Guardian of Devotion, Volume One
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We should approach the devotees for faith. They are like many pillars of faith. We are told that electricity can flow everywhere, but practically, we must be connected with the dynamo. Dynamos can show electrical power, and similarly, there are many devotees, past and present, in whom we can find real Godliness. They stand like pillars of faith, in their dealings and example. If we approach Christ, his ideal and sacrifice will encourage faith in us. If we examine the history of Prahlada, we will come to understand what a great devotee he is. Our hearts will become filled to the brim: "Here is faith - here is the presence of the Almighty." ~~~ The whole structure of the devotional world is based on saranagati. Without saranagati there can be no real entrance into the domain of service. Saranagati is the very life and essence of devotion, so it must be present in all forms of services. Without saranagati, service will be mere imitation, mere lifeless activity, and not devotion proper. Saranagati is the first condition. Prahlada Maharaja has said, manye tad etad akhilam nigamasya satyam, svatmarpanam svasuhrdah paramasya pumsah: the whole gist of Vedic teachings is svatmarpanam - to give and fully dedicate oneself to the Lord. To give oneself is the substance of all devotional activity.
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