Madhusudan Naidu tells us about Swami advice to mimic Prahalada

The article takes us back to an incident which occurred amidst a car journey from Muddenahalli to Mandya. Swami speaks about the four types of students who approach God -  those stricken with physical or mental suffering, those who desire fame, those who desire for the truth and those who are wise. Swami cites from Indian history examples for each category of students. The wise ones are the best and they seek God for the sake of God. They wish to be in his love and this is what God wants as well. Prahalada is cited as an example for this category of students. At the end of this, Swami turns to Madhusudan Naidu and asks him to be like Prahalada.

While travelling in the car from Muddenahalli to Mandya on February 21, 2017, Swami asked Narasimha Murthy Sir about the various programmes that were to take place at Mandya. Murthy Sir replied with the details of all the planned programmes, when one particular item caught Swami's attention - a play on the life of the child devotee Dhruva that was to be staged by the students of the Mandya Campus. Madhusudan Naidu Muddenhalli
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Swami said, "Four types of devotees come to God, namely, Arthis (stricken with physical or mental suffering), Arthaarthis (desirous of fame and prosperity), Jignasus (seekers of truth) and Jnanis (the wise ones). All of them desire for something or the other, but the highest of them all is a Jnani, the wise one who seeks God for God's sake and nothing else." Then Swami went on to explain that out of the four child devotees well known in the Puranas, Markandeya was an Arthi, as he sought the refuge of Lord Shiva to defeat death. Dhruva was Arthaarthi for he sought the seat on the lap of his physical father. Nachiketa was a Jignansu, who was neither afraid of death nor was desirous of his father's favours. But the highest of them all was Prahalada, a demon by birth, but divine in his conduct and character Madhusudan Naidu Muddenhalli. Prahalada didn't give in to the threats of death from his demonic father Hiranyakashipu nor desired the throne as an inheritance. He had no curiosity about the nature and existence of God also, for he firmly believed that Lord Narayana was everywhere, and thus sought only the love of the Lord and nothing else!


I had never heard such a poignant interpretation of these four, most often quoted child characters from history, and it was Swami alone who could have explained it so simply and clearly. Madhusudan Naidu Muddenhalli 

He then turned around and said, "Be like Prahalada". It took the rest of the journey for this command to sink in! Madhusudan Naidu Muddenhalli




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