Shloka 27
Prahlāda’s Prayers Pacify Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva
Prahlāda-stuti and the Lord’s Benediction Offer
नैषा परावरमतिर्भवतो ननु स्या- ज्जन्तोर्यथात्मसुहृदो जगतस्तथापि । संसेवया सुरतरोरिव ते प्रसाद: सेवानुरूपमुदयो न परावरत्वम् ॥ २७ ॥
naiṣā parāvara-matir bhavato nanu syāj jantor yathātma-suhṛdo jagatas tathāpi saṁsevayā surataror iva te prasādaḥ sevānurūpam udayo na parāvaratvam
हे प्रभो! आपण सामान्य जीवासारखे मित्र-शत्रू, अनुकूल-प्रतिकूल असा भेद करत नाही; आपल्यासाठी उच्च-नीच अशी कल्पनाच नाही. तरीही आपण सेवेच्या प्रमाणानुसार कृपा देता—कल्पवृक्ष जसा इच्छेनुसार फळ देतो, भेद न करता।
In Bhagavad-gītā (4.11) the Lord clearly says, ye yathā māṁ prapadyante tāṁs tathaiva bhajāmy aham: “As one surrenders to Me, I reward him accordingly.” As stated by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, jīvera ‘svarūpa’ haya — kṛṣṇera ‘nitya-dāsa’: every living being is an eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa. According to the service the living entity renders, he automatically receives benedictions from Kṛṣṇa, who does not make distinctions, thinking, “Here is a person in an intimate relationship with Me, and here is a person I dislike.” Kṛṣṇa advises everyone to surrender to Him ( sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja ). One’s relationship with the Supreme Lord is in proportion to that surrender and the service one renders unto the Lord. Thus throughout the entire world the higher or lower positions of the living entities are selected by the living entities themselves. If one is inclined to dictate that the Lord grant something, one receives benedictions according to his desires. If one wants to be elevated to the higher planetary systems, the heavenly planets, he can be promoted to the place he desires, and if one wants to remain a hog or a pig on earth, the Lord fulfills that desire also. Therefore, one’s position is determined by one’s desires; the Lord is not responsible for the higher or lower grades of our existence. This is further explained quite definitely in Bhagavad-gītā (9.25) by the Lord Himself:
FAQs
This verse explains that the Lord has no bias of higher or lower; the differing outcomes come from the devotee’s degree of service—His mercy manifests in proportion to one’s bhakti, like a wish-fulfilling tree responding to how one approaches it.
After the Lord protected him and destroyed Hiraṇyakaśipu, Prahlāda offers prayers to clarify that the Lord’s special favor toward devotees is not partiality—it is the natural response to loving service.
Practice steady devotion—hearing, chanting, prayer, and selfless service—without blaming God for unequal results; focus on increasing sincerity and consistency, trusting that spiritual growth appears according to one’s engagement.