TEXT 53
yatha tri-vargam gurubhir
atmane upasiksitam
na sadhu mene tac-chiksam
dvandvaramopavarnitam
SYNONYMS
yathaas; tri-vargamthe three processes (religion, economic development and sense gratification); gurubhihby the teachers; atmaneunto himself (Prahlada Maharaja); upasiksitaminstructed; nanot; sadhureally good; menehe considered; tat-siksamthe education in that; dvandva-aramaby persons taking pleasure in duality (in material enmity and friendship); upavarnitamwhich is prescribed.
TRANSLATION
The teachers Sanda and Amarka instructed Prahlada Maharaja in the three kinds of material advancement called religion, economic development and sense gratification. Prahlada, however, being situated above such instructions, did not like them, for such instructions are based on the duality of worldly affairs, which involve one in a materialistic way of life marked by birth, death, old age and disease.
PURPORT
The entire world is interested in the materialistic way of life. Indeed, practically 99.9 percent of the people in the three worlds are uninterested in liberation or spiritual education. Only the devotees of the Lord, headed by such great personalities as Prahlada Maharaja and Narada Muni, are interested in the real education of spiritual life. One cannot understand the principles of religion while staying on the material platform. Therefore one must follow these great personalities. As stated in Srimad-Bhagavatam (6.3.20):
svayambhur naradah sambhuh
kumarah kapilo manuh
prahlado janako bhismo
balir vaiyasakir vayam
One must follow in the footsteps of such great personalities as Lord Brahma, Narada, Lord Siva, Kapila, Manu, the Kumaras, Prahlada Maharaja, Bhisma, Janaka, Bali Maharaja, Sukadeva Gosvami and Yamaraja. Those interested in spiritual life should follow Prahlada Maharaja in rejecting the education of religion, economic development and sense gratification. One should be interested in spiritual education. Therefore the Krsna consciousness movement is spreading all over the world, following in the footsteps of Prahlada Maharaja, who did not like any of the materialistic education he received from his teachers.

Link to this page: https://prabhupadabooks.com/sb/7/5/53

Previous: SB 7.5.52     Next: SB 7.5.54

If you Love Me Distribute My Books -- Srila Prabhupada