Shloka 28
Prahlāda’s Prayers Pacify Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva
Prahlāda-stuti and the Lord’s Benediction Offer
एवं जनं निपतितं प्रभवाहिकूपे कामाभिकाममनु य: प्रपतन्प्रसङ्गात् । कृत्वात्मसात् सुरर्षिणा भगवन्गृहीत: सोऽहं कथं नु विसृजे तव भृत्यसेवाम् ॥ २८ ॥
evaṁ janaṁ nipatitaṁ prabhavāhi-kūpe kāmābhikāmam anu yaḥ prapatan prasaṅgāt kṛtvātmasāt surarṣiṇā bhagavan gṛhītaḥ so ’haṁ kathaṁ nu visṛje tava bhṛtya-sevām
ಓ ಭಗವಂತನೇ! ಲೌಕಿಕ ಆಸೆಗಳಿಂದ ನಾನು ಕತ್ತಲೆಯ ಬಾವಿಗೆ ಬೀಳುತ್ತಿದ್ದೆ, ಆದರೆ ನಾರದ ಮುನಿಗಳು ನನ್ನನ್ನು ಶಿಷ್ಯನಾಗಿ ಸ್ವೀಕರಿಸಿದರು. ಅವರ ಸೇವೆಯನ್ನು ನಾನು ಹೇಗೆ ತ್ಯಜಿಸಲಿ?
As will be seen in later verses, even though Prahlāda Mahārāja was directly offered all the benedictions he might have desired, he refused to accept such offerings from the Supreme Personality of Godhead. On the contrary, he asked the Lord to engage him in the service of His servant Nārada Muni. This is the symptom of a pure devotee. One should serve the spiritual master first. It is not that one should bypass the spiritual master and desire to serve the Supreme Lord. This is not the principle for a Vaiṣṇava. Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura says:
FAQs
This verse describes conditioned souls as fallen into a deep well of material existence, where one desire leads to another and association deepens the fall; rescue comes through saintly guidance and the Lord’s acceptance.
Prahlāda remembers that he was saved through the mercy of the great devotee Nārada; therefore he vows never to abandon serving devotees, seeing it as the channel through which the Lord’s grace reaches the fallen.
Reduce harmful association that fuels endless desires, seek guidance from genuine devotees/teachers, and practice consistent service to devotees—this steadies bhakti and draws the Lord’s mercy.