life. From material point of view, Prahlada Maharaja could have asked
Nrsimhadeva, "My Lord, do not kill my father, the greatest of the
demons." He could have asked, and immediately his request would have
been granted. But he did not do that. He was standing and seeing. When
he was offered benediction, he did not take anything. He said, "My
Lord, what shall I do, all this material benediction? I have seen in
the case of my father. He was so strong that even the demigods were
frightened for his presence. His position was so strong, and You
finished it within a minute. So what is the benefit of taking? But
although he did not ask anything for his personal self, but he asked
the Lord that "One thing I request." "What is that?" "My father was a
great demon, and he was against You. He has committed so many sinful
activities. So I know he'll have to suffer for these things. I request
You to excuse him." This is Vaisnava.
Real putra, Prahlada Maharaja, he saved his father from the hellish
condition of life. Similarly, a father should be the protector of his
child not only simply by feeding him, making him very fat in this
life, but from "Na mocayed yah samupeta-mrtyum, pita na sa syat." One
should not become father, one should not become mother, one should not
become guru, one should not become relative, husband, and so many. The
list is there. Why? If he cannot save his subordinate from imminent
death. That is father; that is mother; that is guru. And how one can
be saved from imminent death or repeated death? Simply by Krsna
consciousness.
A boy was raised by his aunt very liberally. Then, gradually, the boy
became, in bad association, a thief. And the aunt was encouraging,
"Oh, it is a very good business. You are bringing so many things
without any labor." So out of affection he (she) did not chastise the
boy when he was stealing. Then he, at the end, became a murderer. So
he committed a murder. Then when he was to be hanged, so the
government men inquired, "What is your last wish?" "Now, I want to
speak with my aunt through the ear." Then he was allowed. And the aunt
was generally crying that "My nephew is going to be hanged." So he
caught up her ear with the teeth and cut it. So he said, "My dear
aunt, if you would have chastised me in the beginning, then today,
this position, that you are crying and I am going to be hanged, this
would not have happened. But you did not do that. Therefore you are
uselessly crying now, and this is your punishment: I cut off your ear
with the teeth." A very good instruction.
So the so-called sneha, if it is not properly done then nature's
regulation is so strict that you cannot avoid the consequence. That is
not possible. These are practical.
janma karma me divyam
yo janati tattvatah
tyaktva deham punar janma
naiti mam eti so 'rjuna
[Bg. 4.9]
So we can save our son, our disciple, our relative or anyone whom we
love. Real affection means giving him Krsna consciousness, and then
he'll be saved from repeated birth and death and return back to
Godhead.
- Jai Srila Prabhupada!
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