FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 7.10.1

श्रीनारद उवाच भक्तियोगस्य तत्सर्वमन्तरायतयार्भक: । मन्यमानो हृषीकेशं स्मयमान उवाच ह ॥ १ ॥
śrī-nārada uvāca
[shree-naarada uvaacha]
bhakti-yogasya tat sarvam
[bhakti-yogasya tat sarvam]
antarāyatayārbhakaḥ
[antaraayatayaarbhakah]
manyamāno hṛṣīkeśaṁ
[manyamaano hrisheekesham]
smayamāna uvāca ha
[smayamaana uvaacha ha]
Word-for-word
śrī-nāradaḥ uvāca — Nārada Muni said bhakti-yogasya — of the principles of devotional service tat — those (blessings or benedictions offered by Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva) sarvam — each and every one of them antarāyatayā — because of being impediments (on the path of bhakti-yoga) arbhakaḥ — Prahlāda Mahārāja, although only a boy manyamānaḥ — considering hṛṣīkeśam — unto Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva smayamānaḥ — smiling uvāca — said ha — in the past.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
śrī-nārada uvāca
śrī-nāradaḥ uvāca
Nārada Muni said
bhakti-yogasya tat sarvam
bhakti-yogasya
of the principles of devotional service
tat
those (blessings or benedictions offered by Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva)
sarvam
each and every one of them
antarāyatayārbhakaḥ
antarāyatayā
because of being impediments (on the path of bhakti-yoga)
arbhakaḥ
Prahlāda Mahārāja, although only a boy
manyamāno hṛṣīkeśaṁ
manyamānaḥ
considering
hṛṣīkeśam
unto Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva
smayamāna uvāca ha
smayamānaḥ
smiling
uvāca
said
ha
in the past.
The saint Nārada Muni continued: Although Prahlāda Mahārāja was only a boy, when he heard the benedictions offered by Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva he considered them impediments on the path of devotional service. Thus he smiled very mildly and spoke as follows.
Purport

Material achievements are not the ultimate goal of devotional service. The ultimate goal of devotional service is love of Godhead. Therefore although Prahlāda Mahārāja, Dhruva Mahārāja, Ambarīṣa Mahārāja, Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja and many devotee kings were materially very opulent, they accepted their material opulence in the service of the Lord, not for their personal sense gratification. Of course, possessing material opulence is always fearful because under the influence of material opulence one may be misdirected from devotional service. Nonetheless, a pure devotee ( anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyam ) is never misdirected by material opulence. On the contrary, whatever he possesses he engages one hundred percent in the service of the Lord. When one is allured by material possessions, they are considered to be given by māyā, but when one uses material possessions fully for service, they are considered God’s gifts, or facilities offered by Kṛṣṇa for enhancing one’s devotional service.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
Nārada said: When the boy heard the benedictions offered by Nṛsiṁhadeva he considered them impediments on the path of devotional service. Thus he smiled and spoke as follows. The Tenth Chapter describes how the Lord gave benedictions to Prahlāda and then disappeared, and also tells how Śiva, on the order of the Lord, burned Tripura. Tat-sarvam means everything concerning the benedictions. Prahlāda smiled. He thought, “Tempting an ignorant boy, the Lord is testing me.”
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
Hearing Nṛsiṁha's offer of benedictions, Prahlāda treats them as impediments to devotional service and smiles mildly. The ultimate goal is love of Godhead, not material elevation — even from the Lord's own hand. Refusing the lesser gift is itself the great prayer.
Reflection Questions
  • Which benediction would you refuse if love of God were the only target?
  • Where do you mistake spiritual benefits for spiritual progress?
📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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