True devotion begins with unwavering faith that serving Krishna fulfills all religious duties and paths.Listen — Srila Prabhupada Uvaca
] Prabhupāda: brahmādayaḥ sura-ganā munayo 'tha siddhāḥ sattvaikatāna-gatayo vacasāṁ pravāhaiḥ nārādhituṁ puru-guṇair adhunāpi pipruḥ kiṁ toṣṭum arhati sa me harir ugra-jāteḥ [SB 7.9.8] [Prahlāda Mahārāja prayed: How is it possible for me, who have been born in a family of asuras, to offer suitable prayers to satisfy the Supreme Personality of Godhead? Even until now, all the demigods, headed by Lord Brahmā, and all the saintly persons could not satisfy the Lord by streams of excellent words, although such persons are very qualified, being in the mode of goodness. Then what is to be said of me? I am not at all qualified.] This is Prahlāda Mahārāja praying.
Prayers of Prahlāda Mahārāja is very important, most glorious prayer of Prahlāda Mahārāja. This is after the death of his father, Hiraṇyakaśipu. When Lord Nṛsiṁha appeared, half lion, half man, with terrible sounds, very gigantic form, and within a second He finished that gigantic demon Hiraṇyakaśipu, the whole world became afraid. Even Lakṣmījī, constant companion of Lord Viṣṇu, she also became afraid.
When all the demigods assembled there—Lord Śiva, Lord Brahmā and Indra, and many other denizens of higher planets—they came to see why the Lord is so angry, and they tried to pacify Him. But He was still roaring just like a lion. He was roaring because he could not tolerate that "My devotee has been so much tortured, this little boy, five years old. Simply for the reason that he is Kṛṣṇa conscious, only for this fault, this rascal has tortured him so much." So everyone was afraid. Nobody could pacify Him.
At that time Brahmā—he is the supreme living entity of this universe—so intelligently, he pushed forward Prahlāda Mahārāja, "My dear boy, you just try to pacify your Lord, because the Lord has appeared to protect you, for you only. So we could not pacify Him. I think if you go forward and pray and pacify the Lord, He may agree." That is a fact. So Prahlāda Mahārāja, he was not afraid. That will be explained in these verses, that when Lord asked him, "My dear Prahlāda, are you afraid by seeing My these features?" he replied, "My dear Lord, I am not at all afraid, but I am afraid of this material existence." That is very nice explanation; we shall come.
Now, he says humbly... Vaiṣṇava is always humble. He did not think that "Oh, all other demigods failed to pacify the Lord. Now it is my turn, so how great I am, that I am superseding all these great demigods." So this is the Vaiṣṇava devotee's temperament: humble and meek.
They, although they are always in the exalted position, they never advertise that "I am in exalted position." He is never puffed up. As you have read it, the author of Caitanya-caritāmṛta, such a great devotee, who could produce in his ripe old age such nice transcendental literature, which is certified by my Guru Mahārāja as the postgraduate study of the devotees. So Bhagavad-gītā is the study for the neophytes, those who are entering, those who are trying to understand the science of God, for them. That means it is primary study. And after studying Bhagavad-gītā, just like the boys, after passing the school final examination, they are allowed to enter into the degree college, similarly, one who has understood Bhagavad-gītā very nicely and taken up the instruction, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja [Bg. 18.66], such person is eligible to enter into the study of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. [Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reaction. Do not fear.] He accepts Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This is a preliminary qualification. The beginning of devotional service is to accept Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme. In the Caitanya-caritāmṛta it is also said that what is the beginning of devotional life.
He has explained that śraddhā. Devotion means... The Sanskrit word is śraddhā: devotion, affection, affinity, attachment. So...