Shloka 11
Prahlāda Rejects Material Boons; Forgives His Father; Tripura and the Power of Remembrance
श्रीभगवानुवाच नैकान्तिनो मे मयि जात्विहाशिष आशासतेऽमुत्र च ये भवद्विधा: । तथापि मन्वन्तरमेतदत्र दैत्येश्वराणामनुभुङ्क्ष्व भोगान् ॥ ११ ॥
śrī-bhagavān uvāca naikāntino me mayi jātv ihāśiṣa āśāsate ’mutra ca ye bhavad-vidhāḥ tathāpi manvantaram etad atra daityeśvarāṇām anubhuṅkṣva bhogān
श्रीभगवान म्हणाले: प्रिय प्रह्लाद, तुझ्यासारखे अनन्य भक्त या लोकातही नाही, परलोकातही नाही—माझ्याकडून भौतिक वर मागत नाहीत। तरीही मी तुला आज्ञा देतो की या मन्वंतराच्या शेवटपर्यंत येथे दैत्यांचे ऐश्वर्य भोग आणि त्यांच्या राजाप्रमाणे राज्य कर।
One Manu lives for a duration of time calculated to be an aggregate of seventy-one yuga cycles, each of which equals 4,300,000 years. Although atheistic men like to enjoy material opulences and they endeavor with great energy to build big residences, roads, cities and factories, unfortunately they cannot live more than eighty, ninety or at the utmost one hundred years. Although the materialist exerts so much energy to create a kingdom of hallucinations, he is unable to enjoy it for more than a few years. However, because Prahlāda Mahārāja was a devotee, the Lord allowed him to enjoy material opulence as the king of the materialists. Prahlāda Mahārāja had taken birth in the family of Hiraṇyakaśipu, who was the topmost materialist, and since Prahlāda was the bona fide heir of his father, the Supreme Lord allowed him to enjoy the kingdom created by his father for so many years that no materialist could calculate them. A devotee does not have to desire material opulence, but if he is a pure devotee, there is ample opportunity for him to enjoy material happiness also, without personal endeavor. Therefore, everyone is advised to take to devotional service under all circumstances. If one desires material opulence, he can also become a pure devotee, and his desires will be fulfilled. It is stated in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (2.3.10) :
FAQs
This verse states that exclusive devotees (ekāntinaḥ) like Prahlāda do not desire benedictions from the Lord either in this world or the next; their devotion is motivated only by love and surrender, not reward.
Although Prahlāda did not seek any reward, the Lord still arranged for him to accept responsibility and prosperity for the remainder of that manvantara, demonstrating that divine grace may come even when a devotee is desireless.
Serve God and others without bargaining for outcomes—do your duty sincerely, accept what comes as grace, and keep devotion centered on love and integrity rather than gain.