Text 38

Text

sarvair upāyair hantavyaḥ
sambhoja-śayanāsanaiḥ
suhṛl-liṅga-dharaḥ śatrur
muner duṣṭam ivendriyam

Synonyms

sarvaiḥ—by all; upāyaiḥ—means; hantavyaḥ—must be killed; sambhoja—by eating; sayana—lying down; asanaih—by sitting; suhrt-liṅga-dharah—who has assumed the role of a friend; śatruḥ—an enemy; muneḥ—of a great sage; dustam—uncontrollable; iva—like; indriyam—the senses. 

Translation

Just as uncontrolled senses are the enemies of all yogīs engaged in advancing in spiritual life, this Prahlāda, who appears to be a friend, is an enemy because I cannot control him. Therefore this enemy, whether eating, sitting or sleeping, must be killed by all means. 

Purport

Hiraṇyakaśipu planned a campaign to kill Prahlāda Mahārāja. He would kill his son by administering poison to him while he was eating, by making him sit in boiling oil, or by throwing him under the feet of an elephant while he was lying down. Thus Hiraṇyakaśipu decided to kill his innocent child, who was only five years old, simply because the boy had become a devotee of the Lord. This is the attitude of nondevotees toward devotees. 

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