Appearance Day of the Lord Narisimha

...it's also the day The Divine Grace Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda dev-Goswami Maharaj came to the lotus feet of Srila Guru Maharaj at Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math in Nabadwip. I recall being in London with His Divine Grace and while His entourage were packing and preparing to go, He was reflecting upon His childhood pastimes in Bamunpara. Bamunpara means Brahmān—pure. Everyone traditionally there is Brahmān stock. We will find in the past time of Prahlād Maharaj, he's tortured for his devotion, for his spiritual culture. And if you talk to many people coming in connection with Kṛṣṇa Consciousness, they'll tell some story about how their life was not going so well before coming in connection with Kṛṣṇa Consciousness. And maybe that led them to more seriously explore spiritual options. Kṛṣṇa tells Arjun in Bagavad-gītā,

catur-vidhā bhajante māṁ
janāḥ su-kṛtino ’rjuna
ārto jijñāsur arthārthī
jñānī ca bharatarṣabha
(Śrīmad Bhagavad-gītā: 7.16)

Talking about the four types of people and by inference, we can say, four basic situations from which people make their approach... [Srila Goswami being disturbed by the noise: Were they doing that before I started speaking? Or are they just..oh ok. [laughing] Their translating it into Cicada [laughing] Hare Krishna. Their also feeling separation for Kṛṣṇa. What have we done?] So, anyway, those four situations where someone might get a little nudge going into the spiritual direction. As Kunti, has... tvām akiñcana-gocaram (Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam: 1.8.26.4)

vipadaḥ santu tāḥ śaśvat
  tatra tatra jagadguro
bhavato darśanaṁ yat syād
  apunar bhavadarśanam
(Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam: 1.8.25)

Saying actually, that when things are going very well there's a tendency to forget Kṛṣṇa; Sādhu, Śāstra, Guru, Vaishnav. But as Guru Maharaj said, "For those who fail to see the value of philosophy, when death comes suddenly, or death makes it's approach, then they start seeing that philosophy has some value". So Kunti says, that when there's adversity, that is the time that we become more earnest, intense in our need for Your connection. It's been pointed out, the American short story writer lady, Flannery O'Connor, she has a story called 'A Good Man is Hard to Find.' And the long and short of it is, in the end when some highway robber is threatening a women and her family, the women suddenly becomes very religious. And saying all these things, 'You are my child,' she starts saying all these nice things and talking about the bible and God. And the narrator says, "If she'd had a gun at her head at every moment of her life, just think how spiritual she would be". [laughing] She would have been a saint. So, of course, there it's being used as irony, but Kunti is saying, Actually, it's in times of great adversity, that we have more of a tendency to seek shelter; real shelter, āśraya; āśraya-vigraha. As oppose to durāśayā ye bahir-artha-māninaḥ (Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam: 7.5.31.2), taking shelter of external things. But, interestingly, Gurudev, ever one to contradict stereotype, He said, "How nice life was in Bamunpara." His life was wonderful, He was just musing, saying, "I loved everyone, everyone loved me". He said not only the people; the trees; the animals; even the rickshaw-wallahs. So there was this mutual appreciation. He was saying everything in His life was very happy. And then a representative of Guru Maharaj... [Srila Goswami disturbed by the sound: [laughing] I guess were going to have to learn with each other. [laughing]

...a representative of Guru Maharaj came...[ uh-huhh]...from the Math and he said, "Talking this nonsense." And what was that nonsense? He said, "Your mother is nothing, your father is nothing, this world is nothing, you'll have to give it all up some day". [laughing] The way he said it...talking this nonsense. He said but, it struck a sympathetic chord in my heart. I couldn't deny the validity that what he was saying was true. I was living my happy life, but he came talking all of these things that we here in the teaching of Prahlād Maharaj, that are thematically present through all the scriptures. And actually, not to pin the blame for this nonsense talk on sacred text, it's actually one of the themes of literature. Great literature will deal with these things. So, it's memento mori, it's dealing with the inevitability of mortality. So, I couldn't deny the truth, the validity of what he was saying. And the more suggestions that devotee made, Gurudev was being backed into the proverbial corner, so to speak. So, it came time to go to the Math, and Gurudev said, "I will go but, have to go right now, at this time, not tomorrow." That meant swimming, over, across the Ganga and at last coming upon Guru Maharaj's Ashram. Gurudev said, I've read about so many Ashrams in Ramaya, Mahabarata, Vedic literature, when I saw the Math at that time, there was some apprehension on His part and that devotee could see that and he said, It may me a very small ashram, and hut; thatched hut, but there's a very big Guru living inside. [laughing] And we know, in the very beginning, Guru Maharaj said to Gurudev, "Are you prepared to follow my direction and not your mind". So immediately it's about perspective. Acquiring the proper angle of vision.

And Guru Maharaj says in these past times of Prahlād Maharaj and Hiraṇyakaśipu and Nṛsringhadev. He says that Hiraṇyakaśipu's vision was falsified and Prahlād's vision was verified; his way of seeing. Which Hiraṇyakaśipu had a hint of. I remember reading in the Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu of Rupa Goswami, Prabhupad's 'Nectar of Devotion'. He was talking about the importance of association. Of all people Hiraṇyakaśipu is being quoted. And he's telling Prahlād, Prahlād you have to understand the importance of association. It's like crystal, whatever you put before it is reflected in, so be very careful about who you associate with, because you are likely to reflect those qualities. [laughing] His mind was somewhat disturbed. I ask the children here when they come from the school. I ask them, "What are you learning, what's your favorite subject, or did you learn something today, did you learn something this week?" It's only natural to ask that. So Hiraṇyakaśipu is asking Prahlād Maharaj what did you learn in school? And the famous śloka where he addresses him as asura-varya, the best...oh best of the Asura's. Saying, I've learned that mundane life is like falling into a well that has no water in it. We have a couple of wells here, they have a little bit of water in them, from time to time. [laughing] But falling...it's sometimes....hitvātma-pātaṁ gṛham andha-kupam (Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam: 7.5.5.3) . Like a well, like something that's covered with grass, mistakenly you didn't see it, you fell in it. And there's no water in it and on top of it all if you cry out; no one can here you.

He said, "Rather, I think, then getting involved in mundane life, one should head for the hills. One should go to the forrest, one should go to the van. Which is also interesting. The van and Prabhupad and his purports, he's saying, "Yes, what is that van, that forrest?" Vṛndāvan, that's the ultimate forrest. It's not that just saying, give up mundane life and just go to a place where you're totally isolated. And there you'll find peace; there you'll find happiness. No, there is an illusion to Vṛndāvan, muktir hitvānyathā rūpaṁ, sva-rūpeṇa vyavasthitiḥ (Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam: 2.10.6.3-4) The actual conception of liberation. You here...

naiṣāṁ matis tāvad urukramāṅghriṁ
  spṛśaty anarthāpagamo yadarthaḥ
mahīyasāṁ pāda-rajo-’bhiṣekaṁ
  niṣkiñcanānāṁ na vṛṇīta yāvat
(Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam: 7.5.32)

Urukram, He of wonderful stride, means he does wonderful things. We're saying here, tava kara-kamala-vare nakham adbhuta-śṛńgaḿ (Prayer to Lord Nṛsiṁha), a contradiction. Kara-kamala-vare nakham, the lotus we associate with softness. It's in His lotus-like palms, from these beautiful lotuses come out the nails that tear Hiraṇyakaśipu apart. It's mentioned in the Gītā, why does the Lord appear? We just sang this song Daśavatār, ten principle incarnations, but they're innumerable, according to the Bhāgavatam. Why?

paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ
vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām
dharma-saṁsthāpanārthāya
sambhavāmi yuge yuge
(Bhagavad-gītā: 4.8)

He appears yuga after yuga. Why? To... paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ (Bhagavad-gītā: 4.8.1), to protect the devotees, vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām (Bhagavad-gītā: 4.8.2.) The asuras, or those who are opposed to the culture of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, we can say, also. Hiraṇyakaśipu was performing austerities to accumulate mundane power. And he did... was unparalleled what he did. So intense were his austerities, we're told, a fire...he is standing without moving for 100 celestial years...a fire burst out of his brahma-randhra on his head that was causing the whole universe to boil. Including, all the living entities within it, even the Devas were starting to sweat. So, they sent Brahmā to him. All that remained of him, we're told, at that time was like the skeletal remains, but somehow alive. The ātma maintaining those skeletal remains, with the fire shooting out of his head. So that Brahmā came, and with his nectar pot poured some nectar on his head, and it was just like 'sabai', be calm, to calm him down. And that's when Hiraṇyakaśipu famously asked for an insurance policy.

What do mundane people do, in the world, to protect, to try and...what is the word?...[Devotee: "find security"] yes, find security against the inescapable sufferings of material existence? They take out an insurance policy. Depending on the policy, they say, it covers this it covers that it doesn't cover the; it doesn't cover that. An interesting phrase they use in the American one, they'll say, it doesn't cover 'Acts of God'. [laughing] That, Hiraṇyakaśipu should have read more carefully. It doesn't cover acts of...adhbutakaram-urukram, he who does...of wonderful strides, who does wonderful things. It doesn't cover that, but I can cover everything else. So, they wonder if it covers flood, what about if you get sick, if this happens, if that happens. So, because basically what everyone asking for is immortality. What do they call it, life insurance. As if they could guarantee you'll go on living. But, the irony of life insurance, is you only collect on it if you die. [laughing] But know one likes to call it, like, death insurance. That we can guarantee. Yes, you will die. [laughing] And for the minimum monthly payment. Now their saying, life insurance. And they always...the classic stereotype of someone selling life insurance is to say to a perspective client, "Have you ever thought of what happen at a time when you're no longer here"? And they would point to the wife and children, and trying to appeal to them, saying 'ohhh yeah,' I should do something about that.

But, Hiraṇyakaśipu wasn't exactly thinking like that. He was thinking about himself. He wanted immortality. Which is again, another theme in the Bhāgavatam. This is in the 7th Canto that amṛta, which is based on mṛtyu: death, mṛyate: death. Amṛta, that substance that will make you deathless, that will be dealt again in the 8th Canto. But anyway, he's trying, as mundane people do, to achieve immortality by the process of elimination; through science. So, he's asking, he's dealing in terms of life situations, circumstances, and other people. He won't be killed in the day or the night. It's like, check...check; by any man or beast, check...check; inside or outside, check...check; what else...[Devotee: by any weapons] oh, by any weapons; by anything dead, not alive or dead. And so, as they check one after another off the list, he thinks, I've got an insurance policy that basically guarantees me immortality. And Brahmā saying, "Remember, the clause about 'Acts of God,' that I can not guarantee, but everything else, you got it." Huh? [Devotee speaking: Brahmā didn't mention...] Yes. So, he's thinking that he's somehow out smarted death. That he's out smarted Brahmā. And back to Prahlād, after he sees the early signs of what he thinks are bad association, all this spiritual stuff. It's just like one of Guru Maharaj's relatives, he thought Guru Maharaj is at an early age showing too much signs of detachment. It's part of Prahlād's teachings, kaumāra ācaret prājño, dharmān bhāgavatān iha (Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam: 7.6.1.1-2) Saying, you should actually kaumār, means as a child, you should take to this as soon as possible. He later mentions, also, if you divide life up into how much time you spend playing; how much time you spend sleeping; how much time is spent eating or taking care of the body. You have a very short, or small, amount of time to spend on spiritual culture.

What is Shakespeare's famous line? "Out, out brief candle!" It's very short life. Out, out brief candle! There's awhile this candle is lit, and then it will be out. It will be over very quickly. So he is saying, if you can take it up in childhood. So, one of Guru Maharaj's relatives saw this natural tendency toward renunciation in him. And he said, You know, if you...or he said,—With the latest scientific information at the time— "That there are some stars that are so far away, their light is yet to reach the earth. And light travels at so many hundred thousand kilometers per second. So, if there is a God, this universe is so vast...you think He has time for you?" We're so insignificant...if there is a god...he's so far away. He's trying to get him to focus more locally. ...and god is so far away... But Guru Maharaj is already acquainted with the sayings of the Upanisads, particularly Isha Upanisad, tadhure, tadhantike. He said, "Yes, your right, He's so far away. But it also says tadhantike. He's so near, He's within everything. Is there anywhere God is not? Can you name one place where He isn't? So, yes, He maybe very far away in one sense, but He is very near in another sense". And that man was silenced. And this is more back on the theme.

What does is say in the song? bahir nṛsiḿho hṛdaye nṛsiḿho, He's within everything He's without. So, Prahlād's culturing this type of conceptualization. We're told, in the school, like A, B, C, D...sounds like 'ka', 'kha', 'ga', 'gha'...'ka', 'kha', 'ga', 'gha', 'ṇa'. So, when he would hear..when Pralhād would be reciting the alphabet, when he would say 'ka', that would remind him of Kṛṣṇa. So, just by going, 'ka', he would think of Kṛṣṇa and faint. Or get to 'ga' for Govinda he would faint. And it's mentioned in the Bhāgavatam, so pure was Prahlād Maharaj's as a child, in his chanting and remembrance, the Lord would appear to him. Sometimes stroking him, he would feel the soft touch of the Lord, of the touch of His lotus feet. As a child, he would imitate the past times of Kṛṣṇa. So, naturally Hiraṇyakaśipu was worried about him. So, after he saw the first sign of collusion, the spiritual contamination, he'd chastise the teachers and told them, put him more on the hard core mundane teachings. So, they thought, we have to update the ante with Prahlād. So, they went on training him for some time. And now their going to present 'The new improved, Prahlād Maharaj' to Hiraṇyakaśipu. And he's taking him on and say's, "So, tell me Prahlād, what are the best things you've learned in the Gurukula?" And Prahlād saying, "Oh, the best things, well actually there's just so many wonderful things, but if I had to categorize them I would say it's śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ smaraṇaṁ pāda-sevanam arcanaṁ vandanaṁ dāsyaṁ sakhyam ātma-nivedanam (Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 7.5.23), let me tell you about them. It's so wonderful, nine different processes of devotional, nava bhakti. And he says, "Culminating in giving yourself wholesale to the Lord and His agents." The svātmārpaṇaṁ...sva-ātma-arpaṇam, giving yourself−not giving something or just offering something−but actually offering yourself. It all culminates in that. And Guru Maharaj liked to remind us that Sridhar Swami, the great Bhāgavatam commentator, he says, ādau arpita paśchāt kriyeta, "For any of the śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ−the hearing, the chanting, the remembrance of all these things−really to be devotion, it has to be an act of self giving to Kṛṣṇa, beginning; middle; and end". [NOTE: As heard from Srila Śrīdhar Maharaja citing Śrīdhar Swāmī’s commentary on Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 7.5.23-24] We're told, hearing that this makes Hiraṇyakaśipu furious. And he throws Prahlād down and he's thinking...remember, his enemy is Vishnu. Why, because his brother, Hiraṇyākṣa, was killed by Vishnu. And if we go way back, it's also mentioned by Śukadev in the story that...we have to remember, these are great devotees playing these roles. So, Hiraṇyakaśipu is so stereotypically, classically evil, then an Oscar should be given to Jaya and Vijaya for their roles they've played. These characters still stand to this day. Because, we were told previously, when the Kumāras were trying enter Vaikuṇṭha...what's the famous śloka associated with it

tasyāravinda-nayanasya padāravinda-
  kiñjalkamiśratulasīmakarandavāyuḥ
antar-gataḥ sva-vivareṇa cakāra teṣāṁ
  saṅkṣobham akṣarajuṣām api cittatanvoḥ
(Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam: 3.15.43)

By smelling the flowers and the Tulsi, offered to the lotus feet of the Lord, takes on some divine fragrance. And although, they were spiritually realized in the neutral sense of the term, when the divine fragrance of the lotus feet of the Lord mixed with the Tulsi entered within them, their minds underwent some divine transformation. So those four bramhācharis came to enter Vaikuṇtha and the gate keepers, Jaya; Vijaya were there and they prevented them from entering. And this is also part of the play, so that they would become cursed by them. As you recall, there's three births that they would take−Hiraṇyākṣa, Hiraṇyakaśipu: Dantavakra, Śiśupāla: and Rāvaṇa, Kumbhakarṇa.

And some say, later they appear in Mahāprabhu's past times as Jagāi and Mādhāi. [laughing] So, we can understand how exalted they are that they get to play these roles. That's Guru Maharaj's point. That don't think...I mean we can be fearful of the character but, those who play the roles have to be confidential associates, that they can play these parts and play them so well. Still, Hiraṇyakaśipu is furious to hear someone is trying to train, to be a first class Asura, to be spouting all this devotional philosophy and Kṛṣṇa consciousness. And he knows the principle of association. And he's trying to track down where did Prahlād get this pollution. And we hear again, in the Bhāgavatam, that Nārada, whose ever a, like a transcendental mischief maker, revealed to the demigods that Hiraṇyakaśipu's wife was pregnant at the time. So, they wanted to commit infanticide, that after that child was born, to kill the child. So, they kidnapped her at some point and took her to his ashram. And it was revealed to them, at that time, that...because their thinking the child of such a great demon, will imbibe those same qualities and be mischief to the world. But, it's revealed to them that actually, it's the devoted Prahlād. So, they're...while under going the pregnancy, so many divine instructions are being given. And we're told, that the fetus can hear at that time. The story of Abhimanyu is there too. So, Prahlād is hearing all these things and on account of his acquirement...he's really...he's getting more benefit from the instructions then his mother is. So. he's getting high level spiritual association, even in the womb of his mother. And Bṛhad-bhagavatāmrta, when Śiva, after being praised by Nārada, is deflecting that praise and deferring to Prahlād Maharaj. When Nārada, on Śiva's advice, approaches Prahlād, we're told Prahlād has Guru Puja...approaching Nārada. And Nārada's ecstatic with praise of Prahlād Maharaj and the devotion of Prahlād Maharaj because this is the beginning of śuddha-bhakti. What does he say...later when Nrsingadev will offer boons and benedictions to Prahlād Maharaj, says, na sa bhṛtyaḥ sa vai vaṇik (Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam: 7.10.4.4), Prahlād's hurt. He's being tested and also a spotlight is shined on his devotion, he's saying, "I didn't worship you to get something. I'm not a vaṇik; a merchant. The real point of all this was to get something from you...I just want pure devotion." So, Prahlād's beginning of śuddha-bhakti...that's why it's important to understand the teachings of Prahlād Maharaj, matir na kṛṣṇe parataḥ svato vā, mitho ’bhipadyeta gṛha-vratānām (Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam: 7.5.30.1-2). You can't get this on your own or from a group of similar people. Only through having genuine association, being bathed in the dust of a genuine devotee can this be extended to you. Bhaktyā sañjātayā bhaktyā (Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam: 11.3.31.3) and we're told in the end, after so many instructions are given, etat sarvaṁ gurau bhaktyā, puruṣo hy añjasā jayet (Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam: 7.15.25.3-4), can all be distilled into one thing: Devotion to Guru.

So, when Nārada is praising Prahlād Maharaj, that's embarrassing to him; to get praise...for the disciple to be praised by the Guru. And he's saying, "Gurudev, I'm one of your insignificant devotees, why are you praising me? Actually, I don't think my situation is very good". He said, "I don't think there's evidence that I really got a drop of the mercy of the Lord, because I don't have any Seva. And then he starts praising Hanumān. Saying, "Yes, Nrsingadev appeared to me and then he went so quickly. And then, I was given a kingdom but not any personal direct Seva, like Hanumān. But anyway, Prahlād considering himself insignificant. But, Hiraṇyakaśipu...now their going to test their way of reading the environment. Hiraṇyakaśipu has got a way of interpreting the world and life and life's circumstances. Prahlād's got away of seeing things. Back to Guru Maharaj telling Gurudev, you're going to listen to me and not your own mind. Prahlād saying you can't get this by mental culture, intellectual culture or any such thing. You only get it in connection with a devotee and he had that connection. So, Hiraṇyakaśipu, we're told, tried in so many ways to break Prahlād by torturing him. And Guru Maharaj, at one point said, "So, what do we learn from these past times? That if you're going to pursue Kṛṣṇa conception be prepared for a life of trouble." [laughing] But, as Yudhiṣṭhir says a similar thing as Nārada in Bṛhad-bhagavatāmrtam, he says that when Nārada is praising him and the Pāṇḍavas, Yudhiṣṭhir saying, "Well, people will see by our past times that the Lord, being a devotee of Kṛṣṇa means a life of trouble." "You can expect to find yourself in so many difficult circumstances." And Nārada responds to that by saying, "No, what we understand is, life is full of troubles and as a devotee you can expect the Lord to come and save you from that.” So, as Hiraṇyakaśipu a great devotee of mundane culture and mundane power, he's fascinated how Prahlād is able to withstand all of the torture upon him; inflicted upon him by his surrogates. He's thinking, "This power that you have Prahlād, where did you get that?" And Prahlād saying, "Well, from the original source of all power. The same place you get your power. Remember the way you got your power? It's the same source but a little different." We're told, that in his arrogance, when he thought that even Vishnu, who'd killed his brother Hiraṇyākṣa, was now afraid of him. Because he had taken over Indra's throne, the Deva, even Nārada was playing along with him...the Gandharvas and others, they'd be offering him praise and songs in his assembly. And in his arrogance, he thought, Vishnu is such a coward. He's hiding from me. And the devotees say, yeah, that's true, Vishnu as part of his play thought he'd hide in the one place that you'd never think of looking for him; in your heart. So as Hiraṇyakaśipu's curiosity is aroused by Prahlād on finding the source of his powers. He's saying, "Oh, so it's the same source for him. And you say, 'That is Vishnu." Why, I think Vishnu is hiding. Where is this Vishnu whose the source of all your power? And he's saying, "Well, in basic Upanisadic philosophy... he's saying, actually he's within everything he's without everything. He's...one of his features is all pervasive...and we have the Brahmā conception, brahmeti paramātmeti, bhagavān iti śabdyate (Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam: 1.2.11.3-4) within everything, He's all permeating, all pervasive. And this is beginning to enrage Hiraṇyakaśipu to the point to where, in his anger, he pulls out his sword. And we have so any columns here he points to. And he's thinking, this is absurd. If he's in everything... he's within everything... is he in this pillar? And Prahlād says with great confidence, "Yes."

Sometimes Prabhupad said, 'He could see in Nrsingadev peeping." Like he's about... and he's saying... Yes, He's definitely within that pillar, within that particular one. So, Hiraṇyakaśipu is like the person who thinks if we smash the shaligram, the deity is finished. He smashes the pillar with his sword and we're told, at this point, Nrsingadev could not take it any longer, all the abuse that Prahlād was tolerating. And he came out of the pillar and this extro...what does it say...adbhuta-śṛṅgaṁ, this inconceivably wonderful form. At the same time, keeping intact all of Brahmā boons. So it's neither a man nor an animal. But Narahari, the half man, half lion form of the Lord. And as we are told, tava kara-kamala-vare nakham adbhuta-śṛṅgaṁ, the lotus, soft lotus-like palms but with nails. And the nails don't qualify as weapons and neither do they qualify as living or dead. There somewhere on the tata, between being alive and being dead. And it's not on the inside or outside but on a veranda; on the threshold of a veranda. Not in the day or the night but at twilight, like now. And, what other things? Did I miss something? [devotee speaking] Yeah, that we mentioned. Anyway...[devotee speaking]...Pardon me?...[devotee speaking, not dead or alive]...That I thought...[Srila Goswami laughing]...Alright, yes, that's what I mentioned nails, there not living or dead. Not a man or beast, but half man, half lion. And then, this isn't enough for Hiraṇyakaśipu actually. He decides to fight with Nrsingadev. And they fight around the veranda for sometimes, because he's a lion−has some cat-like tendencies−he's sort of playing with his prey for awhile. But at last Nrsingadev, roaring, grabs Hiraṇyakaśipu, puts him on his lap and rips him apart. We're told, the roar is so loud, some brahmān lady nearby, it caused her to prematurely give birth to a child. And how one's past time segues to another, so the husband cursed Nrsingadev. Saying, "In a future life you'll be overwhelmed by...you'll forget who you are." And that means, in Ram lila, he forgets that he's divine but acts like a king. But at any rate,

Hiraṇyakaśipu (should be Nrsingadev) puts Nrsingadev (should be Hiraṇyakaśipu) on his lap, rips him apart, pulls out his intestines, wears them as a garland. He's roaring, he's covered in blood. All the demi-gods, Brahmā, Śiva, and other, they all appear, start offering prayers to try a pacify the Lord. No one is able to...and Lakṣmīdevī on the side keeping silent because this moment is meant to put...to shine a spotlight on the devotion on Prahlād Maharaj, whose comes forward. And he alone can pacify Nrsingadev, who...whose mentioned in Bṛhad-bhagavatāmrtam. Nrsingadev, out of love and affection, starts licking the body of Prahlād Maharaj; his limbs, his face, everywhere. And Prahlād starts offering prayers to pacify the Lord. And the Lord's showing paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ, vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām (Bhagavad-gītā: 4.8.1-2), He will appear to protect his devotees and annihilate their enemies. So, all the devotees, to this day, pray to Nrsingadev to protect them and remove those things which are obstacles on the devotional path.

Sri Nrsingadev Chaturdasi ki jaya. Sri Prahlād Maharaj ki jaya. Can you sing, I can't sing, if you can sing the namas te narasiṁhāya prayer. Then have a kirtan. Pardon me? [devotee speaking: never sing this song before] It's very simple. Anyone else can sing? Paramananda? It goes like this...I'll try and sing it...