TEXT 11
sri-bhagavan uvaca
naikantino me mayi jatv ihasisa
asasate mutra ca ye bhavad-vidhah
tathapi manvantaram etad atra
daityesvaranam anubhunksva bhogan
SYNONYMS
sri-bhagavan uvacathe Supreme Personality of Godhead said; nanot; ekantinahunalloyed, without desires except for the one desire for devotional service; mefrom Me; mayiunto Me; jatuany time; ihawithin this material world; asisahbenedictions; asasateintent desire; amutrain the next life; caand; yeall such devotees who; bhavat-vidhahlike you; tathapistill; manvantaramthe duration of time until the end of the life of one Manu; etatthis; atrawithin this material world; daitya-isvaranamof the opulences of materialistic persons; anubhunksvayou can enjoy; bhoganall material opulences.
TRANSLATION
The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: My dear Prahlada, a devotee like you never desires any kind of material opulences, either in this life or in the next. Nonetheless, I order you to enjoy the opulences of the demons in this material world, acting as their king until the end of the duration of time occupied by Manu.
PURPORT
One Manu lives for a duration of time calculated to be an aggregate of seventy-one yuga cycles, each of which equals 4,300,000 years. Although atheistic men like to enjoy material opulences and they endeavor with great energy to build big residences, roads, cities and factories, unfortunately they cannot live more than eighty, ninety or at the utmost one hundred years. Although the materialist exerts so much energy to create a kingdom of hallucinations, he is unable to enjoy it for more than a few years. However, because Prahlada Maharaja was a devotee, the Lord allowed him to enjoy material opulence as the king of the materialists. Prahlada Maharaja had taken birth in the family of Hiranyakasipu, who was the topmost materialist, and since Prahlada was the bona fide heir of his father, the Supreme Lord allowed him to enjoy the kingdom created by his father for so many years that no materialist could calculate them. A devotee does not have to desire material opulence, but if he is a pure devotee, there is ample opportunity for him to enjoy material happiness also, without personal endeavor. Therefore, everyone is advised to take to devotional service under all circumstances. If one desires material opulence, he can also become a pure devotee, and his desires will be fulfilled. It is stated in Srimad-Bhagavatam (2.3.10):
Whether one desires everything or nothing, or whether he desires to merge into the existence of the Lord, he is intelligent only if he worships Lord Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, by rendering transcendental loving service.
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