Srimad Bhagavatam — Saptama Skandha, Shloka 37
Prahlāda’s Prayers Pacify Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva
Prahlāda-stuti and the Lord’s Benediction Offer
तस्मै भवान्हयशिरस्तनुवं हि बिभ्रद् वेदद्रुहावतिबलौ मधुकैटभाख्यौ । हत्वानयच्छ्रुतिगणांश्च रजस्तमश्च सत्त्वं तव प्रियतमां तनुमामनन्ति ॥ ३७ ॥
tasmai bhavān haya-śiras tanuvaṁ hi bibhrad veda-druhāv atibalau madhu-kaiṭabhākhyau hatvānayac chruti-gaṇāṁś ca rajas tamaś ca sattvaṁ tava priyatamāṁ tanum āmananti
Mahal kong Panginoon, nang magpakita Ka bilang Hayagrīva na may ulo ng kabayo, pinaslang Mo ang dalawang demonyong si Madhu at Kaiṭabha, mga lumalapastangan sa Veda at puspos ng rajas at tamas. Pagkaraan, ibinalik Mo ang mga śruti ng Veda kay Brahmā. Kaya tinatanggap ng mga dakilang banal ang Iyong mga anyo bilang transendental, hindi nadungisan ng mga katangiang materyal, bilang anyong śuddha-sattva na pinakamamahal Mo.
The Supreme Personality of Godhead in His transcendental form is always ready to give protection to His devotees. As mentioned herein, the Lord in the form of Hayagrīva killed two demons named Madhu and Kaiṭabha when they attacked Lord Brahmā. Modern demons think that there was no life in the beginning of creation, but from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam we understand that the first living creature created by the Supreme Personality of Godhead was Lord Brahmā, who is full of Vedic understanding. Unfortunately, those entrusted with distributing Vedic knowledge, such as the devotees engaged in spreading Kṛṣṇa consciousness, may sometimes be attacked by demons, but they must rest assured that demoniac attacks will not be able to harm them, for the Lord is always prepared to give them protection. The Vedas provide the knowledge by which we can understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead ( vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ ). The devotees of the Lord are always ready to spread knowledge by which one may understand the Lord through Kṛṣṇa consciousness, but the demons, being unable to understand the Supreme Lord, are full of ignorance and passion. Thus the Lord, whose form is transcendental, is always ready to kill the demons. By culturing the mode of goodness, one can understand the position of the transcendental Lord and how the Lord is always prepared to remove all obstacles on the path of understanding Him.
FAQs
In this verse, Prahlāda recalls that the Lord assumed the Hayagrīva form, killed Madhu and Kaiṭabha who had violated the Vedas, and restored the śruti—showing the Lord as the eternal protector of Vedic revelation.
Prahlāda is glorifying the same Supreme Lord who appeared as Nṛsiṁha by citing earlier divine deeds—especially the rescue of the Vedas—thereby praising the Lord’s guardianship of dharma and sacred knowledge.
The verse highlights purity (sattva) as dearest to the Lord; a devotee can cultivate it through truthful living, self-control, clean habits, and regular hearing/reading of sacred teachings that elevate the mind.