Shloka 38
Hiraṇyakaśipu’s Wrath, the Assault on Vedic Culture, and the Boy-Yamarāja’s Teaching on the Soul
अहो वयं धन्यतमा यदत्र त्यक्ता: पितृभ्यां न विचिन्तयाम: । अभक्ष्यमाणा अबला वृकादिभि: स रक्षिता रक्षति यो हि गर्भे ॥ ३८ ॥
aho vayaṁ dhanyatamā yad atra tyaktāḥ pitṛbhyāṁ na vicintayāmaḥ abhakṣyamāṇā abalā vṛkādibhiḥ sa rakṣitā rakṣati yo hi garbhe
Oh, que nous sommes bénis ! Bien que nous soyons des enfants laissés sans père ni mère, nous ne nous tourmentons pas. Nous sommes faibles, et pourtant ni loups ni bêtes féroces ne nous ont dévorés. Ainsi avons-nous la ferme foi que le Seigneur Suprême, qui nous protégea même dans le sein maternel, nous protégera partout.
As stated in Bhagavad-gītā (18.61) , īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe ’rjuna tiṣṭhati: the Lord is present in the core of everyone’s heart. Thus the Lord gives protection to everyone and gives the different types of bodies the living entity wants to enjoy. Everything is done by the order of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore one should not lament the birth and death of a living being, which have been arranged by the Supreme Lord. Lord Kṛṣṇa says in Bhagavad-gītā (15.15) , sarvasya cāhaṁ hṛdi sanniviṣṭo mattaḥ smṛtir jñānam apohanaṁ ca: “I am seated in everyone’s heart, and from Me come remembrance, knowledge and forgetfulness.” One must act according to the direction of the Lord within the heart, but because the conditioned soul wants to act independently, the Lord gives him the facility to act and experience the reactions. The Lord says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja: “Give up all other duties and simply surrender unto Me.” One who does not abide by the orders of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is given the facility to enjoy this material world. Instead of restricting him, the Lord gives the conditioned soul the opportunity to enjoy so that by mature experience, after many, many births ( bahūnāṁ janmanām ante ), he will understand that surrender to the lotus feet of Vāsudeva is the only duty of all living beings.
FAQs
This verse teaches that the same Supreme Lord who protects a living being even in the womb continues to protect the devotee externally as well, so fear and anxiety can be replaced by faith.
Prahlāda’s confidence rests on devotion: he trusts that parental help is secondary, and that Viṣṇu—who sustained him in the womb—will also safeguard him against wild beasts and all threats.
When facing uncertainty or lack of support, cultivate steadiness through prayer, remembrance of God’s past help, and responsible action—while keeping inner trust that the Supreme arranges protection and guidance.