Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 7.9.15
Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devoteesDevotees Worship Even the Lord’s Fierce Form
“My Lord, who are never conquered by anyone, I am certainly not afraid of Your ferocious mouth and tongue, Your eyes bright like the sun or Your frowning eyebrows. I do not fear Your sharp, pinching teeth, Your garland of intestines, Your mane soaked with blood, or Your high, wedgelike ears. Nor do I fear Your tumultuous roaring, which makes elephants flee to distant places, or Your nails, which are meant to kill Your enemies.”
What the purport teaches
- Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva’s fierce appearance was dangerous for nondevotees, but it did not disturb Prahlāda Mahārāja. He was not afraid of the Lord’s teeth, roaring or nails.
- A lion’s cubs do not fear the lion, and a small fish is unafraid within the ocean. These examples show the security of taking shelter.
- The Lord sometimes assumes a fierce form to destroy wrongdoers, yet His devotees worship Him. They take pleasure in glorifying Him in both pleasing and fierce forms.
Try this today
Offer one sentence of praise to Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva, remembering Prahlāda’s confidence in Him.
Ask yourself
What does Prahlāda’s lack of fear teach you about taking shelter of the Lord?
Carry the question through the day, then answer it in your own words before sleep.
The study points, practice and question are short summaries drawn from Śrīla Prabhupāda's translation and purport. Read the full purport to go deeper.