श्रुतेषु दृष्टेषु गुणेष्ववस्तुदृक् ।
दान्तेन्द्रियप्राणशरीरधीः सदा
प्रशान्तकामो रहितासुरोऽसुरः ॥३३॥
nodvigna-citto vyasaneṣu niḥspṛhaḥ
Å›ruteá¹£u dṛṣá¹eá¹£u guṇeá¹£v avastu-dá¹›k
dÄntendriya-prÄṇa-Å›arÄ«ra-dhīḥ sadÄ
praÅ›Änta-kÄmo rahitÄsuro 'suraḥ
na - not; udvigna - agitated; cittaḥ - whose consciousness; vyasaneá¹£u - in dangerous conditions; niḥspá¹›haḥ - without desire; Å›ruteá¹£u - in things heard of (especially elevation to heavenly planets because of pious activities); dṛṣá¹eá¹£u - as well as in temporal things seen; guṇeá¹£u - the objects of sense gratification under the modes of material nature; avastu-dá¹›k - seeing as if insubstantial; dÄnta - controlling; indriya - the senses; prÄṇa - the living force; Å›arÄ«ra - the body; dhīḥ - and intelligence; sadÄ - always; praÅ›Änta - quieted; kÄmaḥ - whose material desires; rahita - completely devoid of; asuraḥ - demoniac nature; asuraḥ - although born in a demoniac family.
Although PrahlÄda MahÄrÄja was born in a family of asuras, he himself was not an asura but a great devotee of Lord Viṣṇu. Unlike the other asuras, he was never envious of Vaiṣṇavas. He was not agitated when put into danger, and he was neither directly nor indirectly interested in the fruitive activities described in the Vedas. Indeed, he considered everything material to be useless, and therefore he was completely devoid of material desires. He always controlled his senses and life air, and being of steady intelligence and determination, he subdued all lusty desires.
From this verse we discover that a man is not qualified or disqualified simply by birth. PrahlÄda MahÄrÄja was an asura by birth, yet he possessed all the qualities of a perfect brÄhmaṇa (brahmaṇyaḥ śīla-sampannaḥ). Anyone can become a fully qualified brÄhmaṇa under the direction of a spiritual master. PrahlÄda MahÄrÄja provided a vivid example of how to think of the spiritual master and accept his directions calmly.
