Verse 1.3.84

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration, Word-for-word and English translation of verse 1.3.84:

केवलं तन्-महा-प्रेष्ठ-प्रह्राद-प्रीत्य्-अपेक्षया ।
किं ब्रूयां परम् अत्रास्ते गौरी लक्ष्म्याः प्रिया सखी ॥ ८४ ॥

kevalaṃ tan-mahā-preṣṭha-prahrāda-prīty-apekṣayā |
kiṃ brūyāṃ param atrāste gaurī lakṣmyāḥ priyā sakhī || 84 ||

“It was only out of affection for His dearmost Prahlāda—this much I can say. What more to say, Śrī Mahālakṣmī’s beloved friend, Gaurī (Śrī Parvatī), is present here also.”

Commentary: Dig-darśinī-ṭīkā with Bhāvānuvāda

(By Śrīla Sanātana Gosvāmī himself including a deep purport of that commentary)

Granted, by spreading his glories, I could achieve the highest ecstasy, but in the upsurge of ecstasy, I would lose all composure. Keeping patience at present, these confidential things must not be spoken of aloud where Śrī Parvatī (Gaurī) could also overhear. She is the dear friend of Śrī Mahālakṣmī. Therefore, in comparsion to Śrī Mahālakṣmī, the glories of Śrī Prahlāda are greater, yet overhearing this matter, she would become intolerant and disregard you and me; this would not be such a good thing.

Although Bhagavān’s dearmost vaikuṇṭheśvarī Śrī Mahālakṣmī always resides on the chest of Śrī Bhagavān, still it would not be proper to compare and point out the present-day glories of Bhakta Prahlāda to be superior to that of Śrī Mahālakṣmī. Nonetheless, by the sweet will of Śrī Bhagavān, this happens. By a boon of Brahmājī daityarāja Hiraṇyakaśipu tormented the three worlds, and to eradicate the ensuing obstacles of bhagavad-bhakti and the miseries of His devotees, Śrī Bhagavān gave darśana Himself to His devotees. Thus to show the glories of bhakti at the time of the slaying of Hiraṇyakaśipu, He appeared before both contemporary and ancient devotees, namely, His Vaikuṇṭha pārṣadas. Up until that time, Mahālakṣmī was established as greater than Prahlāda Mahārāja. See specifically the description in the Seventh Canto.

For example, Śrī Śiva has said, “O Nārada, more than I, your father Brahmā and Garuḍa, as well His Vaikuṇṭha pārṣadas such as Śrī Mahālakṣmī, Śrī Prahlada is the recipient of Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s special mercy and is celebrated throughout the world. All of us demigods, including Śrī Lakṣmīdevī, directly experienced the unparalleled fortune of Prahlāda, after Hiraṇyakaśipu was slain and torn asunder.” (Bṛhad-Bhāgavatāmṛta 75, 80)

In this way, by the sweet will of Bhagavān, some of his glories became apparent. Otherwise, the breadth of his glories would never have been known.

Furthermore, Śrī Bhagavān expresses this from His own lotus mouth (Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam or Bhāgavata Purāṇa 11.14.15):

न तथा मे प्रियतम आत्म-योनिर् न शङ्करः
न च सङ्कर्षनो न श्रीर् नैवात्मा च यथा भवान्

na tathā me priyatama ātma-yonir na śaṅkaraḥ
na ca saṅkarṣano na śrīr naivātmā ca yathā bhavān

No one is more dearer than My devotee, not My son, Brahmā, My svarūpa-bhūta, Saṅkara, My brother Saṅkarṣana, neither My consort Lakṣmī—nor My very own Self is as dear.

Śrī Bhagavān also says (Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam or Bhāgavata Purāṇa 9.4.64):

नाहम् आत्मानम् आशासे मद्-भक्तैः साधुभिर् विना
श्रियम् आत्यन्तिकीं वापि येषां गतिर् अहं परा

nāham ātmānam āśāse mad-bhaktaiḥ sādhubhir vinā
śriyam ātyantikīṃ vāpi yeṣāṃ gatir ahaṃ parā

Other than the saintly devotees whose only shelter is Me, I have no desire for even My own constitutional happiness, nor the wealth of My eternal six opulences (nitya-ṣaḍ-aiśvarya).

Thus the glories of other present-day devotees are apparent by comparisons of the eternal associates of Vaikuṇṭha such as Śrī Saṅkarṣaṇa, up to Śrī Mahālakṣmī even.

Indeed, in comparison with the nitya-siddha associates, how are the glories of present-day bhaktas superior? In reply he says that the supremely pure prema-bhakti of the nitya-pārṣadas like Śrī Saṅkarṣaṇa and so on is innately perfect. Therefore, they do not have to give up anything, or accept any miseries, to obtain that premabhakti. However, present-day devotees have to give up everything and accept all kinds of miseries to attain that prema-bhakti.

After evaluating these topics, it is apparent that in comparison to the eternal associates of Vaikuntha, Bhagavān is proclaiming the glories of more recent devotees. Rather, those who are without expectations, that is, those who obtain prema-bhakti alone have given up all possessions, wealth, relatives and even their possessiveness for life itself. They are desireless, only propagating to the living entities bhagavad-bhakti, having only the desire to establish all the sādhana and sādhya that pertain to this life and the next. In such a way, Bhagavān appreciates such devotees who are forerunners or inaugurators of bhakti more than even His own nitya-siddha pārṣadas. This is glorious in every respect.

Although the supreme fruit of all sādhana culminates in direct darśana of Śrī Bhagavān and the consequent enjoyment of bliss, still this kind of good fortune of Śrī Bhagavān’s direct darśana that graced Śrī Prahlāda does not take place for Śrī Brahmā, Indra and other demigods. Especially by the aṅga of smaraṇa, or constant remembrance, Prahlāda is able to have the direct darśana of Bhagavān, thus his great attraction was not completely inside.

Śrī Prahlāda himself says in this regards (BṛhadŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam or Bhāgavata Purāṇa 4.20):

हनूमद्-आदि-वत् तस्य कापि सेवा कृतास्ति न
परं विघ्नाकुले चित्ते स्मरणं क्रियते मया

hanūmad-ādi-vat tasya kāpi sevā kṛtāsti na
paraṃ vighnākule citte smaraṇaṃ kriyate mayā

I have never done any service to Bhagavān like such devotees as Śrī Hanumān. I simply meditated upon Him within my heart when I was perturbed by calamities.

Nevertheless, Śrī Prahlāda is celebrated in the narration in the Fifth Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam in the topic of offering prayers constantly to the form of Bhagavān Śrī Nṛsiṃha in Hari-varṣa. Among the nine islands of Jambudvīpa, one of the tracts of land is called Hari-varṣa.

Although Prahlāda Mahārāja also has direct darśana of Śrī Bhagavān in His form as gatekeeper of Bali Mahārāja, thus seeing His all-attractive glories, still by the ease-loving, supreme and sweet nature of a sādhu endowed with humility and modesty, it is simply a natural function of bhakti that he feels dissatisfied and thinks, “I have never had darśana of Śrī Bhagavān.” This kind of reasoning is applicable to all the recipients of Śrī Bhagavān’s mercy, and it is spontaneously seen by the illustrious magnanimity of Śrī Prahlāda Mahārāja.

Enough said, out of fear of increasing the bulk of the book, no more will be elaborated upon here. Now, let the projected explanation of this topic be complete.