like a mother taking care of a child

Prahlada Maharaja was always absorbed in thought of Krsna. Thus, being always embraced by the Lord, he did not know how his bodily necessities, such as sitting, walking, eating, lying down, drinking and talking, were being automatically performed. (More...)

A small child, while being cared for by his mother, does not know how the needs of the body for eating, sleeping, lying down, passing water and evacuating are being fulfilled. He is simply satisfied to be on the lap of his mother. Similarly, Prahlada Maharaja was exactly like a small child, being cared for by Govinda. The necessary activities of his body were performed without his knowledge. As a father and mother care for their child, Govinda cared for Prahlada Maharaja, who remained always absorbed in thoughts of Govinda. This is Krsna consciousness. Prahlada Maharaja is the vivid example of perfection in Krsna consciousness. (More...)

When an exalted devotee feels that Kṛṣṇa is invisible, having gone away, he cries in separation, and sometimes, when he sees that Kṛṣṇa has returned to care for him, he laughs, just as a child sometimes laughs upon unde

Because of advancement in Krsna consciousness, he sometimes cried, sometimes laughed, sometimes expressed jubilation and sometimes sang loudly. (More...)

This verse further clarifies the comparison of a devotee to a child. If a mother leaves her small child in his bed or cradle and goes away to attend to some family duties, the child immediately understands that his mother has gone away, and therefore he cries. But as soon as the mother returns and cares for the child, the child laughs and becomes jubilant. Similarly, Prahlada Maharaja, being always absorbed in thoughts of Krsna, sometimes felt separation, thinking, "Where is Krsna?" This is explained by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Sūnyayitam jagat sarvam govinda-virahena me. When an exalted devotee feels that Krsna is invisible, having gone away, he cries in separation, and sometimes, when he sees that Krsna has returned to care for him, he laughs, just as a child sometimes laughs upon understanding that his mother is taking care of him. These symptoms are called bhava. In The Nectar of Devotion, various bhavas, ecstatic conditions of a devotee, are fully described. These bhavas are visible in the activities of a perfect devotee. (More...)

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