FolioCorpusBhagavad-gītā

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 7.9.8

శ్రీప్రహ్రాద ఉవాచ బ్రహ్మాదయ: సురగణా మునయోఽథ సిద్ధా: సత్త్వైకతానగతయో వచసాం ప్రవాహై: । నారాధితుం పురుగుణైరధునాపి పిప్రు: కిం తోష్టుమర్హతి స మే హరిరుగ్రజాతే: ॥ ౮ ॥
śrī-prahrāda uvāca
[shree-prahraada uvaacha]
brahmādayaḥ sura-gaṇā munayo ’tha siddhāḥ
[brahmaadayah sura-ganaa munayo ’tha siddhaah]
sattvaikatāna-gatayo vacasāṁ pravāhaiḥ
[sattvaikataana-gatayo vachasaam pravaahaih]
nārādhituṁ puru-guṇair adhunāpi pipruḥ
[naaraadhitum puru-gunair adhunaapi pipruh]
kiṁ toṣṭum arhati sa me harir ugra-jāteḥ
[kim toshtum arhati sa me harir ugra-jaateh]
śrī-prahrādaḥ uvāca — Prahlāda Mahārāja prayed brahma-ādayaḥ — headed by Lord Brahmā sura-gaṇāḥ — the inhabitants of the upper planetary systems munayaḥ — the great saintly persons atha — as well (like the four Kumāras and others) siddhāḥ — who have attained perfection or full knowledge sattva — to spiritual existence ekatāna-gatayaḥ — who have taken without diversion to any material activities vacasām — of descriptions or words pravāhaiḥ — by streams na — not ārādhitum — to satisfy puru-guṇaiḥ — although fully qualified adhunā — until now api — even pipruḥ — were able kim — whether toṣṭum — to become pleased arhati — is able saḥ — He (the Lord) me — my hariḥ — the Supreme Personality of Godhead ugra-jāteḥ — who am born in an asuric family.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
śrī-prahrāda uvāca
śrī-prahrādaḥ uvāca
Prahlāda Mahārāja prayed
brahmādayaḥ sura-gaṇā munayo ’tha siddhāḥ
brahma-ādayaḥ
headed by Lord Brahmā
sura-gaṇāḥ
the inhabitants of the upper planetary systems
munayaḥ
the great saintly persons
sattvaikatāna-gatayo vacasāṁ pravāhaiḥ
atha
as well (like the four Kumāras and others)
siddhāḥ
who have attained perfection or full knowledge
sattva
to spiritual existence
ekatāna-gatayaḥ
who have taken without diversion to any material activities
vacasām
of descriptions or words
nārādhituṁ puru-guṇair adhunāpi pipruḥ
pravāhaiḥ
by streams
na
not
kiṁ toṣṭum arhati sa me harir ugra-jāteḥ
ārādhitum
to satisfy
puru-guṇaiḥ
although fully qualified
adhunā
until now
api
even
pipruḥ
were able
kim
whether
toṣṭum
to become pleased
arhati
is able
saḥ
He (the Lord)
me
my
hariḥ
the Supreme Personality of Godhead
ugra-jāteḥ
who am born in an asuric family.
Prahlāda Mahārāja 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 Brahmā, 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.

A Vaiṣṇava who is fully qualified to serve the Lord still thinks himself extremely low while offering prayers to the Lord. For example, Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī, the author of Caitanya-caritāmṛta, says:

jagāi mādhāi haite muṣi se pāpiṣṭha purīṣera kīṭa haite muṣi se laghiṣṭha

( Cc. Ādi 5.205)

Thus he considers himself unqualified, lower than the worms in stool, and more sinful than Jagāi and Mādhāi. A pure Vaiṣṇava actually thinks of himself in this way. Similarly, although Prahlāda Mahārāja was a pure, exalted Vaiṣṇava, he thought himself most unqualified to offer prayers to the Supreme Lord. Mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ. Every pure Vaiṣṇava should think like this. One should not be falsely proud of his Vaiṣṇava qualifications. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu has therefore instructed us:

tṛṇād api sunīcena taror api sahiṣṇunā amāninā mānadena kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ

“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.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
Prahlāda said: How is it possible for me, who have been born in a family of demons, to please the Lord? The devatās headed by Lord Brahmā and all the sages and Siddhas who are immersed in sattva-guṇa could not properly worship the Lord by streams of excellent words. O remarkable Lord! It is hard to understand what quality you see in me that you are so merciful. Possessing sattva is not the cause of your mercy. What then to speak of a person possessing tamas? The devatās’ and sages’ minds are completely immersed in sattvic dharma, jṣāna and austerity. We are immersed in adharma, ajṣāna and material enjoyment. Ekatāna means “exclusive tendency” according to Amara-koṣa. And simply praising you is not a cause of your mercy. They praised you with streams of words, which were fresh, cool, sweet and pure like water, and which were embellished with ornaments and literary suggestions (puru-guṇaiḥ), but they were not able to make the you satisfied (ārādhayitum) with them. You are satisfied with me though I am born in a family possessing great tamas (ugra-jāteḥ).
📝 My note

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