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TEXT 8
sri-prahrada uvaca
brahmadayah sura-gana munayo tha siddhah
sattvaikatana-gatayo vacasam pravahaih
naradhitum puru-gunair adhunapi pipruh
kim tostum arhati sa me harir ugra-jateh
SYNONYMS
sri-prahradah uvacaPrahlada Maharaja prayed; brahma-adayahheaded by Lord Brahma; sura-ganahthe inhabitants of the upper planetary systems; munayahthe great saintly persons; athaas well (like the four Kumaras and others); siddhahwho have attained perfection or full knowledge; sattvato spiritual existence; ekatana-gatayahwho have taken without diversion to any material activities; vacasamof descriptions or words; pravahaihby streams; nanot; aradhitumto satisfy; puru-gunaihalthough fully qualified; adhunauntil now; apieven; pipruhwere able; kimwhether; tostumto become pleased; arhatiis able; sahHe (the Lord); memy; harihthe Supreme Personality of Godhead; ugra-jatehwho am born in an asuric family.
TRANSLATION
Prahlada Maharaja prayed: How is it possible for me, who have been born in a family of asuras, to offer suitable prayers to satisfy the Supreme Personality of Godhead? Even until now, all the demigods, headed by Lord Brahma, and all the saintly persons, could not satisfy the Lord by streams of excellent words, although such persons are very qualified, being in the mode of goodness. Then what is to be said of me? I am not at all qualified.
PURPORT
A Vaisnava who is fully qualified to serve the Lord still thinks himself extremely low while offering prayers to the Lord. For example, Krsnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami, the author of Caitanya-caritamrta, says:
(Cc. Adi 5.205)
Thus he considers himself unqualified, lower than the worms in stool, and more sinful than Jagai and Madhai. A pure Vaisnava actually thinks of himself in this way. Similarly, although Prahlada Maharaja was a pure, exalted Vaisnava, he thought himself most unqualified to offer prayers to the Supreme Lord. Mahajano yena gatah sa panthah. Every pure Vaisnava should think like this. One should not be falsely proud of his Vaisnava qualifications. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu has therefore instructed us:
One should chant the holy name of the Lord in a humble state of mind, thinking oneself lower than the straw in the street; one should be more tolerant than a tree, devoid of all sense of false prestige and should be ready to offer all respect to others. In such a state of mind one can chant the holy name of the Lord constantly. Unless one is meek and humble, to make progress in spiritual life is very difficult.
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