Srimad Bhagavatam. Canto 7: The Science of God

Chapter 5: Prahlada Maharaja, the Saintly Son of Hiranyakasipu. Text 35

अयं मे भ्रातृहा सोऽयं हित्वा स्वान् सुहृदोऽधमः ।
पितृव्यहन्तुः पादौ यो विष्णोर्दासवदर्चति ॥३५॥

ayaá¹ me bhrÄtá¹›-hÄ so 'yaá¹
hitvÄ svÄn suhá¹›do 'dhamaḥ
pitá¹›vya-hantuḥ pÄdau yo
viṣṇor dÄsavad arcati

 ayam - this; me - my; bhrÄtá¹›-hÄ - killer of the brother; saḥ - he; ayam - this; hitvÄ - giving up; svÄn - own; suhá¹›daḥ - well-wishers; adhamaḥ - very low; pitá¹›vya-hantuḥ - of He who killed his uncle HiraṇyÄká¹£a; pÄdau - at the two feet; yaḥ - he who; viṣṇoḥ - of Lord Viṣṇu; dÄsa-vat - like a servant; arcati - serves.


Text

This boy PrahlÄda is the killer of my brother, for he has given up his family to engage in the devotional service of the enemy, Lord Viṣṇu, like a menial servant.

Purport

HiraṇyakaÅ›ipu considered his son PrahlÄda MahÄrÄja to be the killer of his brother because PrahlÄda MahÄrÄja was engaged in the devotional service of Lord Viṣṇu. In other words, PrahlÄda MahÄrÄja would be elevated to sÄrÅ«pya liberation, and in that sense he resembled Lord Viṣṇu. Therefore PrahlÄda was to be killed by HiraṇyakaÅ›ipu. Devotees, Vaiṣṇavas, attain the liberations of sÄrÅ«pya, sÄlokya, sÄrṣṭi and sÄmÄ«pya, whereas the MÄyÄvÄdÄ«s are supposed to attain the liberation known as sÄyujya. SÄyujya-mukti, however, is not very secure, whereas sÄrÅ«pya-mukti, sÄlokya-mukti, sÄrṣṭi-mukti and sÄmÄ«pya-mukti are most certain. Although the servants of Lord Viṣṇu, NÄrÄyaṇa, in the Vaikuṇṭha planets are equally situated with the Lord, the devotees there know very well that the Lord is the master whereas they are servants.