Srimad Bhagavatam — Saptama Skandha, Shloka 38
Prahlāda Rejects Demonic Diplomacy and Proclaims Navadhā Bhakti
सर्वैरुपायैर्हन्तव्य: सम्भोजशयनासनै: । सुहृल्लिङ्गधर: शत्रुर्मुनेर्दुष्टमिवेन्द्रियम् ॥ ३८ ॥
sarvair upāyair hantavyaḥ sambhoja-śayanāsanaiḥ suhṛl-liṅga-dharaḥ śatrur muner duṣṭam ivendriyam
Tulad ng mga pandamdam na hindi mapigilan na nagiging kaaway ng mga yogi, ang Prahlada na ito, na mukhang kaibigan, ay isang kaaway. Kaya naman, ang kaaway na ito ay dapat patayin sa anumang paraan, kumakain man, nakaupo, o natutulog.
Hiraṇyakaśipu planned a campaign to kill Prahlāda Mahārāja. He would kill his son by administering poison to him while he was eating, by making him sit in boiling oil, or by throwing him under the feet of an elephant while he was lying down. Thus Hiraṇyakaśipu decided to kill his innocent child, who was only five years old, simply because the boy had become a devotee of the Lord. This is the attitude of nondevotees toward devotees.
FAQs
This verse warns that a foe who appears as a well-wisher is especially dangerous—like uncontrolled senses that can ruin even a sage’s spiritual life.
Seeing Prahlāda’s devotion to Viṣṇu as a threat to his rule, Hiraṇyakaśipu orders that Prahlāda be eliminated by any means, even through deceptive social closeness.
Be discerning about influences that appear friendly but pull one away from dharma, and practice sense-control—since inner impulses can be more harmful than obvious external opposition.