In plain words
As man’s cleverness grows, his humanness declines
We may think, “Why do we need this at so young an age? We can think of God in old age, can’t we? There is still plenty of time, isn’t there?” What does it mean, that there is plenty of time? What proof is there? You cannot think, “My health is good, I have plenty of money, all is well at home, I hold a position of power, so I will not die now.” Within three steps a heart attack may come. Who can say? Life is but a bubble on the water! It is like a drop of water at the tip of a leaf on a branch. At the slightest stir, that drop falls to the ground. So you cannot put off the thought of God, saying ‘some day, some day’. We must be ready at every moment. That is the dharma of our life. You must be pure of heart: spotless, steady, selfless. It is of such a human life that it was said, ‘Among all creatures, a human birth is hard to gain.’ Even after taking such a rare human birth, we behave in ways lower than beasts, birds and animals. Animals have no envy. They have no pride in owning property. Still less a bank balance. They have no way of drawing a salary. They eat as each moment comes. They sleep at ease in the trees and pass their life happily. As man enjoys more cleverness, more knowledge, insight and science, his humanness sinks lower still.
Hiraṇyakaśipu hated Hari; Prahlāda loved Hari
Students! You too must try to recognise this well. Prahlāda too was a student! His father Hiraṇyakaśipu tried hard to see that he too advanced in many kinds of learning. He appointed great scholars, all of them, as his teachers. He handed him over to them, telling them to discipline him as they pleased and set him on the path of progress. Caṇḍa and Amarka were great scholars, yet even they could not hold the boy in check. After some time Hiraṇyakaśipu sent for his son.