Shloka 32
Nārada’s Protection of Kayādhu and Prahlāda’s Womb-Instructions: Ātma-tattva and the Path of Bhakti
हरि: सर्वेषु भूतेषु भगवानास्त ईश्वर: । इति भूतानि मनसा कामैस्तै: साधु मानयेत् ॥ ३२ ॥
hariḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu bhagavān āsta īśvaraḥ iti bhūtāni manasā kāmais taiḥ sādhu mānayet
હરી ભગવાન પરમાત્મા રૂપે દરેક જીવના હૃદયમાં સ્થિત છે—એવું સ્મરીને, કામનાઓ ત્યજી, દરેક જીવને તેની સ્થિતિ મુજબ માન આપવું જોઈએ.
Hariḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu. This statement is sometimes misunderstood by unscrupulous persons who wrongly conclude that because Hari, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is situated in every living entity, every living entity is therefore Hari. Such foolish persons do not distinguish between the ātmā and the Paramātmā, who are situated in every body. The ātmā is the living entity, and the Paramātmā is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The individual living entity, however, is different from the Paramātmā, the Supreme Lord. Therefore hariḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu means that Hari is situated as Paramātmā, not as ātmā, although ātmā is a part of Paramātmā. Offering respect to every living entity means offering respect to the Paramātmā situated in every living entity. One should not misunderstand every living entity to be the Paramātmā. Sometimes unscrupulous persons designate a living entity as daridra-nārāyaṇa, svāmī-nārāyaṇa, this Nārāyaṇa or that Nārāyaṇa. One should clearly understand that although Nārāyaṇa is situated in the core of the heart of every living entity, the living entity never becomes Nārāyaṇa.
FAQs
This verse teaches that Hari, the Supreme Lord, resides within all beings as the inner controller; therefore every creature deserves respect as connected to Him.
Prahlada instructed the sons of demons in devotional ethics—training them to see the Lord within everyone and to act without selfish, exploitative motives.
Practice seeing every person and creature with reverence, avoid using others to satisfy personal cravings, and cultivate compassion grounded in awareness of the Lord within.