Pictures of the Narasimha and other avataras:
Mantras to Lord Narasimha
Nrisimha Kavacha - shield: of both Brahma and Prahlad maharaj:
108 Names of Narasimha for yajas - homa - havan
Sri Narasimha Nakha Stuti:
Sri Nrisimha Stuti:
Ahobilam Stotram

Nrisimha Chaturdasi puja:
Simple Tadiya Narasimha puja:

For more information on the Narasimha Avatara of Vishnu:
http://narasimha.avatara.org/

(from Sri Dasavatara-stotra, p. 97)
 

tava kara-kamala-vare nakham adbhuta-srngam

dalita-hiranyakasipu-tanu-bhrngam

keshava dhrta-narahari-rupa jaya jagadisa hare

"The fourth incarnation is Nåsiàhadeva. Nåsiàhadeva appeared to save Prahläda Mahäräja, who was five-years-old boy and he was being tortured by his atheistic father. So He appeared from the pillar of the palace as a half-man, half-lion. Because this Hiraëyakaçipu took benediction from Brahmä that he’ll not be killed by any man or any animal. So the Lord appeared neither man nor animal. This is the difference between the Lord’s intelligence and our intelligence. We are thinking that we can cheat the Lord by our intelligence, but the Lord is more intelligent than us. This Hiraëyakaçipu wanted to cheat Brahmä by indirect definition. First of all he wanted to become immortal. Brahmä said, “That is not possible because even I am not immortal. Nobody in this material world is immortal. That is not possible.” So Hiraëyakaçipu, the demon... The demons are very intelligent. He thought that “Round about way I shall become immortal.” He prayed to Brahmä that “Please give me the benediction that I shall not be killed by any man or any animal.” Brahmä said, “Yes, that is all right.” “I shall not be killed in the sky, on the water or on land.” Brahmä said, “Oh yes.” “I shall not be killed by any man-made weapons.” “That’s all right.” In this way he utilized his intelligence in so many ways just to come to the conclusion of being immortal. But the Lord is so cunning that He kept intact all the benediction given by Brahmä, still he was killed. He said that “I’ll not be killed either during daytime or night.” Brahmä said “Yes.” So he was killed just in the evening, just in the junction of day and night. You cannot say it is day or night. He took the benediction that “I shall not be killed in the sky, on the water, on the land.” So he was killed on His lap. He took the benediction that “I shall not be killed by any man-made or any God-made weapons.” That was given, “All right.” So he was killed by the nails. In this way, all the benedictions were kept intact, still he was killed. Similarly, we may make plan, we may make very advancement in scientific knowledge, but the killing process of nature will be there. Nobody can escape. By our intelligence we cannot escape. The four principles of material existence means birth, death, old age and disease. We can manufacture many medicines, many weapons, many means, many methods, but you cannot escape these four principles of material existence, however great you may be. That was proved by Hiraëyakaçipu. Hiraëyakaçipu was one of the stalwart materialistic and he wanted to live forever, enjoy, but he also could not live. Everything was finished" (A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. 18th February 1970. Class on Sri Varaha-dwadasi purporting the Dasavatar-stotra - Ten main incarnations of the Lor. Los Angeles.)

720527SB.LA

Prabhupäda: So today, appearance day of Lord Nåsiàhadeva. Lord Nåsiàhadeva appeared on this Nåsiàha Cäturdaçé on account of His devotee, Prahläda. As it is stated in the Bhagavad-gétä, yadä yadä hi dharmasya glänir bhavati bhärata, abhyutthänam adharmasya [Bg. 4.7]. Pariträëäya sädhünäà vinäçäya ca duñkåtäà, sambhavämi yuge yuge [Bg. 4.8]. The Lord appears with two purposes. Pariträëäya sädhünäm: just to give protection and rescue the devotees, and to kill the demons, vinäçäya ca duñkåtäm. So Prahläda Mahäräja, five-years-old boy, his only fault was that he was Kåñëa conscious. He was devotee of Kåñëa. That was his only fault. And the father was so unkind to a child, even five years old. He could not excuse, “Oh, let this boy do whatever, chanting Hare Kåñëa.” No. The demons are so much against God consciousness that even at his home he would not allow his own child to become God conscious. This is demoniac civili... So you’ll find many critics, many enemies, because you are making progress in Kåñëa consciousness. So the demons are always against this Kåñëa consciousness movement. That is the whole history. Just like Lord Jesus Christ, he was crucified. What was his fault? He was preaching God consciousness, that’s all. This society is so cruel. So Prahläda Mahäräja was tortured in so many ways. The torturing methods, I think you will find as you will see in today’s picture, how Prahläda Mahäräja was tortured.
So one day, Hiraëyakaçipu... After all, he was his son. Affection was there. So one day, Hiraëyakaçipu asked the boy,

prahrädänücyatäà täta
svadhétaà kiïcid uttamaà
kälenaitävatäyuñman
yad açikñäd guror bhavän
 [SB 7.5.22]

So he asked his son, “My dear son, what you have learned? The best thing, what you have learned from your teachers, so you kindly let me know.” So Prahläda Mahäräja informed that “I have learned like this.” What is that?

çravaëaà kértanaà viñëoù
smaraëaà päda-sevanam
arcanaà vandanaà däsyaà
sakhyam ätma-nivedanam

iti puàsärpitä viñëau
bhaktiç cen nava-lakñaëä
kriyeta bhagavaty addhä
tan manye ’dhétam uttamam
 [SB 7.5.23-24]

Tan manye ’dhétam uttamam: one who is engaged in the matter of hearing about Viñëu, çravaëaà kértanamviñëoù. We are engaged in hearing and talking and chanting about so many things non-Viñëu. Just like you’ll find thousands of, millions of different types of magazines sold in your country, in all countries. Some of the magazines are sex literature, some cinema literature, some this literature, that... So many different types. There is one paper I have seen, “Diabetes Literature.” There are many patients of diabetes, so they have formed a society, “Diabetic Society.” I have seen it. (laughter) And there are many diabetic patients, they are being hoaxed, that “You pay two dollars per year, and you get all information how to protect yourself from diabetes disease.” So in America two dollars is nothing, but it is collecting millions and millions of dollars, Diabetic Society. Diabetic magazine. So that sort of hearing and chanting is not needed. We are not interested in all these magazines, because we are followers of Prahläda Mahäräja. He’s our äcärya. He’s guru. Prahläda Mahäräja’s guru is Närada, and Närada is also our guru. Närada is guru of Vyäsadeva. So we are a branch, but the original guru is Närada, Brahma-sampradäya. So Prahläda Mahäräja is also a disciple of Närada Muni.
So he teaches that çravaëaà kértanaà viñëoù [SB 7.5.23]. We have to hear and talk and chant about Viñëu. Çravaëaà kértanaà viñëoù smaraëaà päda-sevanam. To remember Him always, to worship His lotus feet, päda-sevanam. Arcanam, temple worship, to keep the Deity nicely worshiped, offer foodstuff, ärati, this is called arcanaà. Vandanam, offering prayers. Just like we offer prayer, govindam ädi-puruñaà tam ahaà bhajämi **. These are prayers. There are so many prayers. Keçava-dhåta buddha-çaréra, keñava-dhåta narahari-rüpa. These are all prayers. This is also part of devotional service.

çravaëaà kértanaà viñëoù
smaraëaà päda-sevanam
arcanaà vandanaà däsyaà
sakhyam...
 [SB 7.5.23]

Arcanaà vandanaà däsyam. To be always in service of the Lord, däsyaà; sakhyam, to make friendship with Him, to consider Kåñëa as your friend. He says... Even if I do not say that He’s my friend, He says, “I am friend of everyone.” Suhådaà sarva-bhütänäm [Bg. 5.29]. He’s friend of everyone. We don’t want His friendship, but He wants our friendship. He wants us to go back to home, Godhead; we don’t want. So He is more anxious to take us, exactly like the father is more affectionate than the son. That’s a fact. So He’s the supreme father. So He wants that we may be happy, and therefore He comes to show us. He sends His representative, son. He leaves behind Him books so that we may go back to home, back to Godhead. So, sakhyam. He’s always sitting with me, within my heart. I am in the heart, and Paramätmä is also within the heart as friend to give me advice that “Why you are bothering in this material world? Please come back to home, back to Me.” This is going on. Sakhyam ätma-nivedanam. Ätma-nivedanam means fully surrendered. So there are examples of devotees who, sarvätma-nivedanam. Just like Bali Mahäräja. He gave everything to Kåñëa, even his body, everything, whatever, his kingdom, money, everything.
So Prahläda Mahäräja says, iti puàsärpitä viñëau bhaktiç cen nava-lakñaëä. All these items means hearing. Hearing about Viñëu, chanting about Kåñëa, giving everything to Viñëu, offering prayers to Viñëu, offering arcana, temple worship, Viñëu. In this way Prahläda Mahäräja summarizes that “Anyone who is doing like this, everything about Viñëu...” iti puàsärpitä viñëau bhaktiç cen nava-lakñaëä, “this nine kinds of different devotional services,” kriyeta bhagavatay addhä, “directly to the Supreme Personality of Godhead,” tan manye ’dhétam uttamam, “I think he is the best learned man in the world. He is the most learned.” Tan manye ’dhétam. “He has studied everything very nicely.” Actually, that is the fact. Jïäna, knowledge Knowledge means to know Kåñëa, God, and the Vedic injunction is, yasmin vijïäte sarvam evaà vijïätaà bhavanti. If you understand the Supreme Lord, then you understand everything. You haven’t got to study differently different subject matters. Just like we sometimes talk of science, of astronomy, economics, politics. We talk sometimes. But we are not going to, or we didn’t study all the subject matter separately. But in course of our studying Kåñëa consciousness, we know something of everything. So Prahläda Mahäräja says, tan manye adhétam uttamam: “One who is engaged in these nine kinds of devotional services directly...” So Prahläda Mahäräja recommends, kriyeta bhagavaty addhä tan manye ’dhétam uttamam.

niçamyaitat suta-vaco
hiraëyakaçipus tadä
guru-putraà cedaà ruñä
prasphuritädharaù

As soon as he heard, “Oh, what this nonsense boy is speaking?” he became so angry that sphuritädharaù. When one becomes angry, his lips vi..., I mean to say, jumps. What is called? Quiver, yes. So he became so angry that it is said, sphuritädharaù. (He) immediately called his teacher. He’s king... Because he thought, “The rascal teachers, they have taught him like this. I have entrusted the boy to the teachers, to brähmaëas, and they have taught this Kåñëa consciousness. So call him. Otherwise, how is that this small boy, five years old only, he’s talking just like a great saint? So call his teacher!”

brahma-bandho kim etat
te vipakñaà çrayatäsatä
asäraà grähito bälo
mäm anädåtya durmate

Hiraëyakaçipu became bitterest enemy of Viñëu because his brother Hiranyakña, he was killed by Viñëu taking the shape of Varäha. You know the story. Since then, Hiraëyakaçipu was bitterest enemy. “Oh, He has, Viñëu has killed my brother. So He is my greatest enemy.” So he won’t hear anything about Viñëu. Any Viñëu devotee, he will punish him, even his own son. That was his policy. So he immediately called him, the teachers, and addressed him,

brahma-bandho kim etat te
vipakñam çrayatäsatä
asäraà grähito bälo
mäm anädåtya durmate

So here... Teachers are generally brähmaëas. Not generally. To become teacher is the business of the brähmaëas. Brähmaëa means they have got six kinds of... Everyone must have livelihood. This material world is that you must work; otherwise you cannot get your livelihood. That is the law, whatever you may be. So the brähmaëas’ means of livelihood, six things: paöhana päöhana yajana yäjana däna pratigraha. Paöhana means he must be a very learned scholar, study the Vedic literature, and must teach others also. That is brähmaëa’s business. And in that way, whatever the disciples bring, that is his income. No salary, no contract, that “If you pay me hundred dollars or five hundred dollars weekly, then I can teach you.” No. There is no such contract. Teaching is free. It is the business of a brähmaëa to give free education to everyone. Now, it is the... Just like in our institution, I am your teacher, but there is no such contract that you have to pay me. But you pay me more than anything. So paöhana päöhana, that is the means of livelihood of brähmaëa. And kñatriya, they are kings. They can levy tax of the citizens because they are giving protection from being hurt by others. Kñatriya means one who gives protection (to) a man being hurt by others. That is the real root meaning. Kñatriya. And vaiçya means they should, kåñi-gorakñya-väëijyam, they should engage themselves in producing foodstuff, foodgrains, kåñi, protect cows. Especially gorakñya. As the king is meant for giving protection to the man, similarly, a vaiçya is supposed to give protection to the cows, or they keep cows and produce milk products. They are vaiçya. And çüdra, simply service. So these are the different types of employment of different kinds of social order. And a king, the king has to see that everyone is employed. Not that hundreds of people are unemployed, and government has to give welfare, subsidy. Not like that. The king’s duty is that everyone is independently earning his livelihood. That is king’s duty.
So here the teachers are addressed here brahma-bandho. Brahma-bandho means a person who is born by a brähmaëa father but is not acting as a brähmaëa. He’s called brahma-bandho, dvéja-bandhu. Dvéja-bandhu, one who is born of a, actually born of a brähmaëa father, but he’s not acting as a brähmaëa. So Hiraëyakaçipu addressed the teachers brahma-bandho, not brähmaëa. “Because you are untrustworthy. I gave you, I entrusted you with my son to be taught, and you have taught him this Kåñëa consciousness. So against my will...” He says practically, brahma-bandho kim etat te vipakñaà çrayatäsatä: “I entrusted my child for being educated by you, and you have instigated him to speak in favor of my enemy, Viñëu? Viñëu is my enemy. How is that?” Asäraà grähito bälo mäm anädåtya durmate. “This rascal boy, he does not care for me, and he has learned this Kåñëa consciousness, and you have taught him. How is that?”

santi hy asädhavo loke
durmaiträç chadma-veçiëaù
teñäà udety aghaà käle
rogaù pätakinäm iva

“So I think these demigods who are followers of Viñëu, they are coming in disguise and poisoning my son by teaching Kåñëa consciousness, and you did not take care of him. So what is this?”
Then the teachers replied,

na mat-praëétaà na para-praëétaà
suto vadaty eña tavendra-çatro
naisargikéyaà matir asya räjan
niyaccha manyuà kad adäù sma mä naù

They said, “My dear King, don’t think we have taught him like this. It is not... I know, it is not our duty to teach him against your will. But his Kåñëa consciousness is not due to our teaching; neither somebody is coming in disguise and teaching him.” Na mat-praëétaà na para-praëétam. “He is neither taught by us, nor by anyone else.” Suto vadaty eña tavendra-çatro. Indra-çatro. The enemy... The Hiraëyakaçipu is the enemy of the demigods; therefore he is addressed as Indra-çatro. As he addressed the brähmaëa, brahma-bandho, so they retaliated also, that “You are enemy of the demigods.” Naisargikéyam, “By nature he is doing that. We try to forbid him. We try to stop him chanting Hare Kåñëa, but still he’s doing.” Matir asya räjan niyaccha manyuà kad adäù sma mä. “You don’t be angry upon us. We never did it.” So... “He is, by his own nature he chants, he preaches, he’s doing all this.”

guruëaivaà pratiprokto
bhüya ähäsuraù sutaà
na ced guru-mukhéyaà te
kuto ’bhadräsaté matiù

Then he again asked his son, “Now I understand that your teacher has not taught you all these things. You rascal, where you have learned all this Kåñëa consciousness?” (laughter) Abhadra. Kuto abhadräsaté matiù: “Wherefrom you got this rascal wisdom? Tell me.” So this is the position, you see. Even father becomes enemy.
Now, Prahläda Mahäräja is replying. Prahläda Mahäräja is replying,

matir na kåñëe parataù svato vä
mitho ’bhipadyeta gåha-vratänäm
adänta-gobhir viçatäà tamisraà
punaù punaç carvita-carvaëänäm
 [SB 7.5.30]

“My dear father, don’t be afraid. It is not a thing to be taught.” Matir na kåñëe. “Nobody can become Kåñëa conscious,” matir na kåñëe parato, “being taught by others,” matir na kåñëe parataù svato vä, “or by mental speculation or thinking oneself,” mitho ’bhipadyeta, “or by making conference meeting, religious meeting, conference.” No. Three things. One thing is to learn Kåñëa consciousness by speculative method, self-realization. Just like so many people are very much interested that “Why shall I go to a guru? I can realize myself. I shall meditate.” So that is called svataù. And parataù means by others’ instruction. And mitho, mitho means by assembly. So who? Now, gåha-vratänäm. If one is gåha-vratä... There are two things: gåhastha and gåha-vratä, or gåhamedhi. “So those who are gåha-vratä...” because he is pointing out his father’s position, that he’s gåha-vratä. He has no other business. He simply wants to get money, hiraëya. Hiraëya means gold, and kaçipu, a nice apartment. That’s all. So he says that gåha-vratänäm, “If one makes it his point to remain in a comfortable home life, for him, either by speculation or by teaching or by meeting, he’ll never develop Kåñëa consciousness.” Gåha-vratänäm. Then what is their position? Now, adänta-gobhir viçatäà tamiñram: “They are unable to control their senses, and as such, they are entering into the darkest region of material existence.” Punaù punaç carvita-carvaëänäm: [SB 7.5.30] “Their only business is chewing the chewed.” They have no other ways. Gåha-vratänäm, those who want to be happy materially, actually they are chewing the chewed. Material happiness means sex life, ultimate, utmost, topmost happiness. So people are simply trying to, how to utilize this sex life in so many ways, in pictures and in... I do not wish to discuss. In dancing, in club, in so many ways. Because they cannot control the senses. The same thing, same thing, the same sex life in different way. Sometimes a naked dance, sometimes in this way, sometimes in that way. Therefore it is called punaù punaç carvita-carvaëänäm [SB 7.5.30]. I have heard that some people go to Florida and they spend fifty thousand dollars per week for organizing naked dance. So naked woman he has seen so many times, but still he spends more money to see it in a different way. That is called punaù punaç carvita-carvaëänäm [SB 7.5.30], “chewing the chewed.”
So persons who are too much attached to sense gratification, and they have made it their conclusion that “We shall be happy within our family life or this social life...” Vidyäpati sings, tätala saikate väri-bindu sama suto-mita-ramané-samäj(?). Our society means... Society, friendship, and love. There must be woman, must be children, suto-mita-ramané-samäje. So there is some pleasure, undoubtedly. Otherwise, why people are working so hard to stick to this position? Vidyäpati sings that tätala saikate väri-bindu sama suto-mita-ramané-samäj(?). There is undoubtedly some pleasure, but that pleasure is so insignificant that it can be compared: a drop of water on the desert. Desert, if you want to utilize desert to make it a garden or productive field, you have to pour water. The whole ocean water you have to pour there. Now, if somebody says, “All right, you want water. Now take this one drop water,” then what it will do? Similarly, our heart is hankering after so many things. We are hankering... Actually we are hankering after Kåñëa, but we do not know. We are trying to satisfy our hankering in so many ways in material life. Actually we are hankering after Kåñëa. Just like a small child, it is crying. It cannot express, but it is wanting the mother’s breast feeding. So you cannot stop him crying unless it is transferred to the mother. Similarly, actually we love Kåñëa. That is a fact. Because we love Kåñëa... Therefore you, who did not hear even the name of Kåñëa, say, four or five years ago, why you after so much Kåñëa? This is the proof, that actually we are after Kåñëa. This Kåñëa consciousness movement is being accepted in Western countries by the younger generation. Why? Because every one of us, we love Kåñëa. But it is now covered by mäyä. We have to simply take out the covering, mäyä; then we are Kåñëa conscious.
That is explained in the Caitanya-caritämåta,

nitya-siddha kåñëa-bhakti ‘sädhya’ kabhu naya
çravaëädi-çuddha-citte karaye udaya

That Kåñëa consciousness is not an artificial thing, that we are making some propaganda on Kåñëa consciousness, publishing some books, magazines, and our preachers are going place to place. No, there are so many propaganda is going on. But they are not so effective. And our, what means we have got to make propaganda? We simply make this propaganda, “Please chant Hare Kåñëa.” That’s all. Of course, we do sincerely. So if we propagate sincerely and seriously, as Caitanya Mahäprabhu has ordered, yäre dekha, täre kaha ‘kåñëa’ upadeça... [Cc. Madhya 7.128]. We must be sincere. Then, if we canvass, “Please chant Hare Kåñëa,” it will be effective. It will be effective. The business is not very serious or very difficult. Caitanya Mahäprabhu says, yäre dekha, täre kaha ‘kåñëa’... “Anyone you meet, you simply request him about hearing about Kåñëa.” So... But if one is so much covered by materialistic enjoyment, it takes little time. It takes little time. Otherwise, automatically there is love for Kåñëa, and çravaëädi-çuddha-citte...
Therefore Prahläda Mahäräja says, çravaëam. If we hear about Kåñëa constantly, through realized souls, not professional—if we hear, satäà prasaìgän mama vérya-saàvido [SB 3.25.25]—then automatically, our dormant Kåñëa consciousness come out. So Prahläda Mahäräja says, therefore, that “Those who are determined to become happy within this material world, they cannot be raised to Kåñëa consciousness either by personal teaching or by making conference or by mental speculation.” That is not possible, because he is determined. So our duty is that we should know that in the materialistic way of life we shall never be happy. This is called knowledge. And vairägya. So this vairägya and knowledge is not so easy. Prahläda Mahäräja says, adänta-gobhir viçatäà tamisram: it is not possible. That means he assures his father, “Don’t be worried. You will never be Kåñëa conscious. (laughter) Because your only aim is to stick to home and money and women. Therefore rest assured, you’ll not be ... It is not that a person like you will be raised to Kåñëa consciousness.” Then? How you have done? The next question should be: Why they are sticking to this materialistic way of life?
That is answered by Prahläda, na te viduù svärtha-gatià hi viñëum [SB 7.5.31]. “These persons, those who are so much materially attached, they do not know the ultimate goal of life is Viñëu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Viñëu.” That is actually the ultimate goal of life. We are here in this material world, forgetting Kåñëa, to enjoy, to lord it over the material nature. Everyone is trying to become the lord, master of material... That is struggle. Nobody can become lord or master of this material world. But that struggle to become master, they are taking it happiness. They are taking it happiness. That is the nature of persons who are influenced by the modes of passion. They’ll work hard, and that will, they will take it is very good, pleasing. Because they do not know that the... Na te viduù svärtha-gatià hi viñëuà duräçayä ye bahir-artha-mäninaù [SB 7.5.31]. They are hoping against hope to become happy within this material world. That is the whole history. Take the history, any history, modern history. There are so many empires: the Roman Empire, the Carthaginian Empire, the Greek Empire, the British Empire recently, Hitler’s Nazism, and so many. For some time they become very powerful. Just like Hiraëyakaçipu, he’s now very powerful. He’s thinking, “Nobody can...” Now today he’ll be killed. Keçava-dhåta narahari rüpa is coming. So this demonic civilization will never be successful. That’s a fact. But they are so fool, they do not see even historical evidences. So many empires failed. The Roman Empire failed, the British Empire failed. Still, somebody is trying to create another empire, another, different empire. Just like your President Nixon, he’s trying to influence all other nations under his control. Why? Of course, I should not speak all these things. There may be criticism. But that is the way, going on. That is the way. We can understand. We can understand politics, economics, everything, but we do not bother about. But our aim is that this way of life, to increase materially happiness, it will never be successful. That is our conclusion. We are not fools that we have given up everything for advance in Kåñëa consciousness. Because we know that this, this way we shall never be happy. It is not possible.
That is explained by Prahläda Mahäräja. These rascal people who are so much materially attached... Kåñëa also says in the Bhagavad-gétä,

 bhogaiçvarya-prasaktänäà
tayäpahåta-cetasäà
vyavasäyätmikä buddhiù
samädhau na nigacchati
 [Bg. 2.44]

Those who are too much attached, bhoga, material enjoyment, aiçvarya, material opulence ... Bhogaiçvarya-prasaktänäà tayäpahåta-cetasäm. Persons whose heart has been misled by this kind of civilization, they cannot take to Kåñëa consciousness. Therefore to become too much materially opulent is a disqualification for attaining Kåñëa consciousness. It is a disqualification. Because they don’t care. Just like in our temple, not very rich men, they are coming, because they (say,) “What is this nonsense, Kåñëa consciousness? We have got everything. These boys, they haven’t got to eat anything; therefore they are chanting Hare Kåñëa on the street. That’s all.” They think like that. “They’re needy. All right, they are needy. Give them some money.” That’s all. They don’t like to take anything from us because the same business, matir na kåñëe parataù svato vä. They’ll never understand, because their aim is grha-vratanam. They want to be happy... Although they are seeing there is no happiness, they never can be happy, still... This is called punaù punaç carvita-carvanänäm [SB 7.5.30], chewing the chewed. One, the sugarcane, is chewed by somebody. It is thrown away. And if somebody else comes and chew it again, what juice he will have it? So punaù punaç carvita... Na te viduù svärtha-gatià hi viñëuà [SB 7.5.31]. Duräçayä ye duräçayä viñaya väsé (reads Sanskrit commentary) tantraya käraëaà te hi viñëuà na viduù. Tatra hetu svasminn eva arthe puruñartha yeñäà teñäà gatià grämyaà. Na tu te ’pi guru pati syät viñëu jïäsyasi tatra bhak bahir viñaye bahavo yeñäà te bahir arthas tann eva guru tena mantra çélaà yeñäà te.
So one who is fixed up in this conclusion, that “We shall become happy with this materialistic way of life,” they cannot take to Kåñëa consciousness. And they do not know also that our ultimate goal of life is Kåñëa, Viñëu. Then why it is so? Now, andhä yathändhair upanéyamänäs te ’péça-tantryäm uru-dämni baddhäù. They have become blind. They are blind themselves, and they are also led by blind leaders. The leaders, at the present moment, leaders, they say that “Why you are going to church? Why you are going to temple? If you want your bread...” Just like in Christian religion you go to church, “O God, give us our daily bread.” But the atheist class, they are propagating, “For bread, why you are going to church? You make industry, you make business, and you get bread.” But actually... We were just talking that there are so many unemployment. Our Karandhara prabhu was... No. Who was talking? Çyämasundara. Çyämasundara said that the computer... What is called, computer? It can do thousands of men’s business. So they have discovered this machine. That means thousands of men will be unemployed. That is actually happening in your country due to so many machines. Now, take for example, formerly... You have seen the picture, Kåñëa, Våndävana picture, Kåñëa’s father transferring Kåñëa. They were going on bullock carts, no motorcar. You have seen the picture. So formerly, transport was bullock carts. The cows and the bulls, the bulls were employed for agricultural purpose, for drawing the carts. So there was no necessity of motorcar. Now you have got motor, motor-tractor. You don’t want the bullocks. Therefore kill them. How you can utilize them? Therefore you must have slaughterhouse to kill them. And as soon as you kill them, then you have to eat them. So this is the, I mean to say, entanglement. If you kill, then you become responsible for being killed. The subtle laws...
Therefore, without knowing our ultimate goal of life is Viñëu, na te viduù svärtha-gatià hi viñëum... [SB 7.5.31]. That is our interest. The human form of life is offered by nature after so much evolutionary process. Just to understand Viñëu, God, this is the only business. But instead of attending our real business, we are trying to be happy in other ways. Then you can say that “If we are engaged in real business, then how the economic question will be solved? We have to work.” That’s all right, you work. But work simple. Why you have invented so much botheration? Work is there. If you have cows and if you have got land, then you till the land, get grains, and there is milk, there is fruit, there is flower. Anywhere, you can live peacefully. Whole economic question is solved. And because we have forgotten, we have missed the real point, that our life is meant for God-realization. We are simply increasing botheration. Punaù punaç carvita. Adänta-gobhir viñatäà tamisram. Andhä yathändhair upanéyamänäù. The leaders are blind; we are also blind. So they are advising that “If you want to solve your economic problem, why you are going to church? Why you are going to temple? Come here, increase business, industry. Take loan and start business.” That’s all. This is going on. But actually, the more we are trying to mislead this people... Because they are thinking it is all right. They are... That the social condition is becoming more and more grave. That’s a fact. We are trying to solve one problem, but many other problems are coming because we do not know what is the ultimate goal of life. Because we are missing the real point.
Therefore Prahläda Mahäräja said, na te viduù svärtha-gatià hi viñëuà duräçayä ye bahir-artha-mäninaù [SB 7.5.31]. These rascals, they are thinking that by so-called economic development, by exploiting material resources, we shall be happy. That is not possible. The best example your country has given. You have exploited the material resources, and other countries are also following, but where is the happiness? Instead of happiness, there is “hippyness.” (laughter) So still, they have no eyes to see that “Where we are going?” Adänta-gobhir viçatäà tamisram punaù punaç carvita-carvanänäm [SB 7.5.30]. Because we cannot control our senses, we are driving, we are being pushed towards the darkest region of material existence, very hard to leave. Darkest region means that we are going to become animals next life. Because this is animalistic civilization. Nature gave us the opportunity to realize God, but God-realization is meant for human being. The human being, if he does not realize God, he’s simply engaged in animalistic way of life—eating, sleeping, mating—then nature will call, “All right, sir, again become animal.” Punar müñiko bhava: “Again become a mouse.” You know this story? Punar müñiko bhava. There is a story. There is a very nice story. One rat, mouse, he came to a saintly person. Everyone comes to saintly person for some blessing, you see. Real blessing they don’t want. Some material blessing. Real blessing, Kåñëa, they don’t want. If you give him some blessing that “You become very rich man and...” These are all very well, this. So this mouse also came and begged the saintly person, “Sir, I am in difficulty. If you give me some blessing?”
“What is that?”
“The cat chases after me always. I’m very unhappy.”
“So what do you want?”
“Now, if you make me a cat, then I can get relief from this thing.”
“All right, you become cat.” So he became cat.
So after few days, again he comes. “Sir, again I am in trouble.”
“What is that?”
“The dog is chasing me.” (laughter) Don’t laugh, hear seriously. “Dog is chasing me.”
“All right, then, what do you want?”
“Now, make me a tiger.”
“All right, you become a tiger.”
So when he became a tiger he was staring on the saintly person like this.
So he asked, “Why you are staring upon me? You want to eat me?”
“Yes.”
So he again curses, punar müñiko bhava: “Again you become mouse. Again you become mouse.”
So that is our position. We are advanced in civilization. Now we want to kill God. So we are again going to be uncivilized, to remain in the forest and to remain naked. Actually, they are practicing that: nature’s way. So again they are going to be aborigines. And that is being practiced. They are going to the forest, they remain naked. So actually, punar müñiko bhava: “Again become mouse.” Civilized human being means God conscious, happy life, no trouble, no enviousness, everything happy, no hard labor. Why hard labor? Everything is there. You just employ your little intelligence, you get sufficient food by grains, by fruits, by flowers, milk. There is no difficulty if we remain in our own way. So that is the difficulty, that we do not know that our ultimate goal of life is God-realization. Then God has got all arrangement. You cannot produce fruits and grains in factory. They are given by God. Why? That “You eat them and be Kåñëa conscious, chant Hare Kåñëa.” But we don’t want that. We want slaughterhouse, unnecessarily. Actually, if you go to the store... There are so many stores. How many stores are selling only meat? It is not possible. Ninety-nine percent fruits, vegetables, grains you are taking, and maybe a little percentage of meat. So why you cannot give up this little percentage? If you think that meat is very palatable, why don’t you live on meat? Russia is also trying like that. That has become the fashion. In Moscow, it was very difficult to find out nice grains. With great difficulty Çyämasundara used to spend two hours daily to secure these things.
So this is the problem. Na te viduù svärtha-gatià hi viñëuà durañçayä ye bahir-artha mäninaù [SB 7.5.31]. They are trying to be happy by the arrangement of these material activities. Andhä yathändhair upanéyamänäs te ’péça-tantryäm. They do not know that the material nature is so strong that you cannot get out of it unless you are prepared to suffer more and more. If you take to natural life and live peacefully and take to Kåñëa consciousness, that is your real life. And if you simply increase botheration and problems, then you’ll have to suffer. That is the position of modern civilization. Actually, superficially we see that material advancement of material science, people have got so many machines, so many facilities. But actually, they are in trouble. Just like I gave you one example: the computer machine. It can work for thousands of men. So thousands of men means the thousands of men must be unemployed. And especially in your country, they are taking advantage of this machine because the salary is If you want to pay to the worker, a big, big salary. So they want to save. They are taking machine, and they think they will save money, so many workers. But the workers are becoming unemployed. The government has to give them welfare. The government will tax. That’s all. (laughter.) Government will not give money, welfare, from government’s pocket. The government will increase your taxation. So you are..., you stop payment by importing some machine, now you have to pay that money to the government. This is called entanglement. This is a crude example. I don’t say that you stop all this business, but the material world is like that. You want to solve something; instead of solving, you’ll create so many problems. This is material life. Because our life is not meant for solving problems and creating problems. Our life is meant for understanding God. Then everything is all right. But that you have given up.

na te viduù svärtha-gatià hi viñëuà
duräçayä ye bahir-artha-mäninaù
andhä yathändhair upanéyamänäs
te ’péça-tantryäm uru-dämni baddhäù
 [SB 7.5.31]

They do not know that you cannot go an inch beyond the stringent laws of material nature. That is not possible.
Then the next question is that how... People are not interested in Kåñëa consciousness, and then, they are misled by blind leaders. So how, what is the solution? That is Prahläda Mahäräja saying,

naiñäà matis tävad urukramäìghrià
spåçaty anarthäpagamo yad-arthaù
mahéyasäà päda-rajo-’bhiñekaà
niñkiïcanänäà na våëéta yävat

Therefore one has to take shelter of a pure devotee. That is the only solution. He says, naiñäà matis tävad urukramäìgrhim. The beginning was that “They are not interested in Kåñëa consciousness.” Then how to become Kåñëa conscious if that is the solution? Then Prahläda Mahäräja says, naiñäà matis tävad: “So long one does not approach a pure devotee,” mahéyasäà niñkiïcanänäm, “great personalities, who has no more any material interest,” niñkiïcana, “and takes the dust of his lotus feet on the head...” Naiñäà matis tävad urukramäìghrim: “So long one does not approach such personality, there is no possibility of becoming Kåñëa conscious.” Naiñäà matis tävad urukramäìghrim. As soon as one approaches the pure devotee and takes the dust of his lotus feet and puts it on his head, immediately, anartha apagamaù, he’ll be freed from all this nonsense. That means he’ll forget this idea that “Materially we can advance.” This is the process. So we have to approach a niñkiïcana, who has nothing to do with this material world. His only ambition is to serve more Kåñëa. And if somebody approaches him and takes the dust of his lotus feet, then he can understand. Mahéyasäà päda-rajo-’bhiñekaà niñkiïcanänäà na våëéta yävat. (aside:) Our time is over? All right.
So in this way Prahläda Mahäräja talked with his father, and the father became more angry. Instead of taking the lesson ... Mürkhäya upadeça hi prakopäya na çäntaye. If you teach lesson to a foolish person, he’ll be simply angry. He’ll not take your lesson. How it is so? Payaù-pänaà bhujaìgänäà kevalaà viña-vardhanam. If you keep a snake and if you want to make friendly behavior with him, that, “My dear snake, don’t bite any more. I’ll give you milk and banana. You eat here and stay here nicely,” he’ll not... His poison will increase, and one day he will... There is a story in the Hitopadeça: one day, one... The same thing. So payaù-pänaà bhujaìgänäà kevalaà viña-vardhanam. So these are lessons, stories. So his father, Hiranyakasipu, became more and more angry. So one day... Because after all, son and father... The son was simple boy. So one day he said, “Prahläda, I shall now kill you. I shall see how your Kåñëa saves you.” So immediately, Prahläda was seeing to the pillars of the hall. He was king. So Hiraëyakaçipu asked him, “Is your God, Kåñëa, in the pillar?” He said, “Yes, sir. Yes, my father, He is there.” So immediately, with anger he broke the pillar and Nåsiàhadeva came out.
Now we can honor Him. (end)

For more information on the Narasimha Avatara of Vishnu:
http://narasimha.avatara.org/

Pictures of the Narasimha and other avataras:
Mantras to Lord Narasimha
Nrisimha Kavacha - shield: of both Brahma and Prahlad maharaj:
108 Names of Narasimha for yajas - homa - havan
Sri Narasimha Nakha Stuti:

The Nrisimha story

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