Prahlada Maharaja says, bharam udvahato vimudhan. Prahlada Maharaja, a great devotee, was offered a benediction by Nrsimhadeva: “My dear Prahlada, you have suffered so much for Me from your father’s side. He has chastised you in so many ways because you are My devotee. Now your father is killed. That is finished. Now you take whatever benediction you want from Me.” Prahlada Maharaja said, “My Lord, I have no problem, so why shall I ask You for anything? I have no problem.” Naivodvije para duratyaya-vaitaranyah: “Everyone has got problem in this material world. They’re trying to overcome the problem. But I have no problem.” Naivodvije para duratyaya-vaitaranyas tvad-virya-gayana-mahamrta-magna-cittah [SB 7.9.43]. “I have no problem because my mind is always absorbed in glorifying Your Lordship. Therefore, I have no problem.” Kirtan. You’ll feel immediately refreshed. However much burden you may feel, as soon as you perform krsna-kirtana, you’ll find yourself immediately refreshed. So one who has got taste for this kirtan, he has no problem. Prahlada Maharaja says, Tvad-virya-gayana-mahamrta-magna-cittah: “Because my heart is always merged into the ocean of Your glorification, I have no problem.” This is the devotee. Everyone goes to God to mitigate some problem, that “God, give us our daily bread.” That means bread is a problem. That is the general tendency. They go to temple, church, to mitigate some problem. And as soon as the problem is finished, they forget God—no more church, no more temple. You see? That is not devotion. Devotion is, “No problem. I am ready to serve You, my Lord.” That is life. No problem. We should not take to Krishna consciousness or sankirtana to solve some problem. No. That is not pure devotion. When you will feel that “There is no problem. I am chanting, glorifying. So I am becoming merged into the ocean of bliss,” that is perfect life. That is the symptom.
So, Prahlada Maharaja said, “I have no problem.” That is pure devotee. “But you seem to be very unhappy. Why?” “Yes, still, I am unhappy.” What is that? Soce tato vimukha-cetasa indriyartha-maya-sukhaya bharam udvahato vimudhan [SB 7.9.43]: “I am unhappy for these rascals. They have created a huge mode of civilization for temporary happiness.” Temporary happiness. That is not happiness. Maya-sukhaya. Maya, illusion.
—Srila Prabhupada, talk on Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.16.23, January 19, 1974, Honolulu
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