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Kasipu means

Srimad-Bhagavatam

SB Canto 5

Hiraṇya means "gold," and kaśipu means "a soft cushion or bed."
SB 5.18.8, Translation and Purport:

I offer my respectful obeisances unto Lord Nṛsiṁha-deva, the source of all power. O my Lord who possess nails and teeth just like thunderbolts, kindly vanquish our demonlike desires for fruitive activity in this material world. Please appear in our hearts and drive away our ignorance so that by Your mercy we may become fearless in the struggle for existence in this material world.

In Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (4.22.39) Sanat-kumāra speaks the following words to Mahārāja Pṛthu:

yat-pāda-paṅkaja-palāśa-vilāsa-bhaktyā
karmāśayaṁ grathitam udgrathayanti santaḥ
tadvan na rikta-matayo yatayo 'pi ruddha-
srotogaṇās tam araṇaṁ bhaja vāsudevam

"Devotees always engaged in the service of the toes of the Lord's lotus feet can very easily become free from hard-knotted desires for fruitive activities. Because this is very difficult, the nondevotees—the jñānīs and yogīs—cannot stop the waves of sense gratification, although they try to do so. Therefore you are advised to engage in the devotional service of Kṛṣṇa, the son of Vasudeva."

Every living being within this material world has a strong desire to enjoy matter to his fullest satisfaction. For this purpose, the conditioned soul must accept one body after another, and thus his strongly fixed fruitive desires continue. One cannot stop the repetition of birth and death without being completely desireless. Therefore Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī describes pure bhakti (devotional service) as follows:

anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṁ
jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam
ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānu-
śīlanaṁ bhaktir uttamā
(CC Madhya 19.167)

"One should render transcendental loving service to the Supreme Lord Kṛṣṇa favorably and without desire for material profit or gain through fruitive activities or philosophical speculation. That is called pure devotional service." Unless one is completely freed of all material desires, which are caused by the dense darkness of ignorance, one cannot fully engage in the devotional service of the Lord. Therefore we should always offer our prayers to Lord Nṛsiṁha-deva, who killed Hiraṇyakaśipu, the personification of material desire. Hiraṇya means "gold," and kaśipu means "a soft cushion or bed." Materialistic persons always desire to make the body comfortable, and for this they require huge amounts of gold. Thus Hiraṇyakaśipu was the perfect representative of materialistic life. He was therefore the cause of great disturbance to the topmost devotee, Prahlāda Mahārāja, until Lord Nṛsiṁha-deva killed him. Any devotee aspiring to be free of material desires should offer his respectful prayers to Nṛsiṁha-deva as Prahlāda Mahārāja did in this verse.

Other Books by Srila Prabhupada

Sri Isopanisad

Hiraṇya means "gold," and kaśipu means "soft bed."
Sri Isopanisad 11, Purport:

Hiraṇya means "gold," and kaśipu means "soft bed." This cunning gentleman Hiraṇyakaśipu was interested in these two things—money and women—and he wanted to enjoy them by becoming immortal. He asked from Brahmā many benedictions in hopes of indirectly fulfilling his desire to become immortal. Since Brahmā told him that he could not grant the gift of immortality, Hiraṇyakaśipu requested that he not be killed by any man, animal, god or any other living being within the 8,400,000 species. He also asked that he not die on land, in the air or water, or by any weapon. In this way Hiraṇyakaśipu foolishly thought these guarantees would save him from death. Ultimately, however, although Brahmā granted him all these benedictions, he was killed by the Personality of Godhead in the form of Nṛsiṁha, the Lord's half-lion, half-man incarnation, and no weapon was used to kill him, for he was killed by the Lord's nails. Nor was he killed on the land, in the air or in the water, for he was killed on the lap of that wonderful living being, Nṛsiṁha, who was beyond his conception.

Lectures

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Hiraṇya means gold, and kaśipu means soft bed.
Lecture on BG 2.13 -- New York, March 11, 1966:

So whole disturbance of mind... It is described in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam,

tat sādhu manye 'sura-varya dehināṁ
sadā samudvigna-dhiyām asad-grahāt
hitvātma-pātaṁ gṛham andha-kūpaṁ
vanaṁ gato yad dharim āśrayeta
(SB 7.5.5)

The... This is a verse in connection with talks between Mahārāja Prahlāda and his father, Hiraṇyakaśipu. His father was gross materialist, Hiraṇyakaśipu. Hiraṇya means gold, and kaśipu means soft bed. So materialists, they are concerned with gold and soft bed for enjoyment. You see? So his name was Hiraṇyakaśipu. And the Prahlāda, his son... Prahlāda means prakṛṣṭa-rūpeṇa āhlāda. Āhlāda means pleasure. He's always full of pleasure. He has nothing to do with material... Because material pleasure cannot give us pleasure. It is our mistake. But because we have no information of the spiritual pleasure and because we are conditioned by this material body, therefore we seek pleasure through matter. Now we have to raise ourself from this position. Then we can get unlimited pleasure. We want pleasure, but we do not want such pleasure which ends. We want nonending pleasure. That is our heart's desire.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Hiraṇya means gold and kaśipu means soft bed, cushion.
Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- New Vrindaban, September 5, 1972:

Actually we cannot be happy by material prosperity, that is a fact. That is also stated in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Prahlāda Mahārāja says to his atheistic father... His father was Hiraṇyakaśipu. Hiraṇya means gold and kaśipu means soft bed, cushion. That is material civilization. They want very soft bed, and the bed companion, and sufficient bank balance, money. That is another meaning of Hiraṇyakaśipu. So he was not happy also. Hiraṇyakaśipu was not happy—at least he was not happy that his son Prahlāda was becoming a devotee of the Lord, which he did not like. So he inquired from his son that "How you are feeling? You are a small boy, child, how you are feeling so much comfortable despite all my threatening. So what is your actual asset?" So he replied, "My dear father, na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇum (SB 7.5.31). Foolish persons, they do not know that their ultimate goal of happiness is Viṣṇu, God, the Supreme Lord." Durāśayā ye bahir-artha-māninaḥ. Durāśayā, dur, hope against hope, they're hoping something which is never to be fulfilled. What is that? Durāśayā ye bahir-artha-māninaḥ. Bahir-artha, bahir means external, artha means interest.

Hiraṇya means gold, and kaśipu means nice bed, very soft, cushioned bed.
Lecture on SB 7.5.30 -- London, September 9, 1971:

So Prahlāda Mahārāja, when he was inquired by his father that "Who has taught you this Kṛṣṇa consciousness...?" Because he knew that "He is my son, king's son. He does not go to mix with anyone else. He simply takes his lesson from the appointed teachers. How is that this boy, five years old only, and he is so much Kṛṣṇa conscious?" So he was surprised. He asked him that "How you have taken to this Kṛṣṇa consciousness?" The answer is that "My dear father, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness cannot be achieved by a person like you, whose vow is simply to enjoy this material world." Hiraṇya. Hiraṇya means gold, and kaśipu means nice bed, very soft, cushioned bed. Hiraṇyakaśipu.

Hiraṇya means gold, and kaśipu means enjoyment in soft bedding.
Lecture on SB 7.6.1 -- New York, April 9, 1969:

So one of the authorities, Prahlāda Mahārāja, we are speaking today about his instruction. And what is the history of Prahlāda Mahārāja? Prahlāda Mahārāja born in the family of a great atheist. His father was a great atheist, Hiraṇyakaśipu. Hiraṇya means gold, and kaśipu means enjoyment in soft bedding. So he was concerned with two things, money and next, sense enjoyment. So that was his business, and he wanted to train his boy in that way. But fortunately, this boy happened to be a great devotee by instruction of Nārada. So this boy, although born in the family of atheist—his father is great atheist—but because he was bestowed benediction by a great devotee, Nārada, he became a great devotee. Now he took the opportunity of spreading Kṛṣṇa consciousness where? In his school. In his school. He was five years old boy, and as soon as he would get opportunity he would spread Kṛṣṇa consciousness to his classfellows. That was his business.

Festival Lectures

Hiraṇya means gold, and kaśipu means soft bed, cushion.
Nrsimha-caturdasi Lord Nrsimhadeva's Appearance Day -- Bombay, May 5, 1974:

Just like Mahārāja, Prahlāda Mahārāja saw Hiraṇyakaśipu. His father also saw Nṛsiṁhadeva. This Hiraṇyakaśipu was very clever as the materialists, scientists, are very clever. Cleverly they are inventing so many things. What is the idea? The idea is "We shall live forever and enjoy sense gratification more and more." This is called atheistic advancement of civilization. So Hiraṇyakaśipu was typical materialist. Hiraṇya means gold, and kaśipu means soft bed, cushion. So materialist persons, they are very much fond of gold and enjoying sex. That is their business. So Hiraṇyakaśipu is the typical example of this materialistic person. And Prahlāda Mahārāja, prakṛṣṭa-rūpeṇa āhlāda. Āhlāda means transcendental bliss. Ānanda-cinmaya-rasa-pratibhāvitābhiḥ (Bs. 5.37). Living entities' real identification is prahlāda, blissfulness. But on account of material association, we are in miserable condition of life. So... (aside:) Stop these children.

General Lectures

Hiraṇya means gold and kaśipu means soft cushion. That means complete materialist.
Pandal Lecture -- November 14, 1971, Delhi:

So this Bhāgavata-dharma long, long ago was sometimes discussed by Prahlāda Mahārāja, a great devotee, a boy devotee, 5 years old boy, and he was a great devotee although born in an atheistic family. His father was a great atheist, Hiraṇyakaśipu. Hiraṇya means gold and kaśipu means soft cushion. That means complete materialist. The materialist want these two things, woman and money. So Hiraṇyakaśipu was very expert in this business. But fortunately he had a great son, Prahlāda Mahārāja. So this Prahlāda Mahārāja, when he was in the womb of his mother, he had the chance of hearing about Bhāgavata-dharma from Nāradaji. You have heard that there is always fight between the atheist and the theist, or the demigods and the demons, sura asura. So sometimes there was a fight between the asuras and the devas. The asuras became defeated, and Hiraṇyakaśipu left the battle.

Conversations and Morning Walks

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

Hiraṇya means gold, and kaśipu means soft bed.
Morning Walk -- October 18, 1975, Johannesburg:

Prabhupāda: The European lady will never take a burden on head like this, but Indians, they do. Even respectable family woman, they also carry on the head. You will find many Gujarati. Simple living is natural.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: How is it that the Europeans especially, they have become the vanguard of rascal culture?

Prabhupāda: Because they are rākṣasas. They are eating meat and drinking wine and illicit sex. Rākṣasa civilization. Hiraṇyakaśipu means... Hiraṇya means gold, and kaśipu means soft bed. To learn, this is rākṣasa civilization. They are searching after soft bed and gold mine, hiraṇya.

Page Title:Kasipu means
Compiler:Rishab, Serene
Created:14 of Jan, 2012
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=1, CC=0, OB=1, Lec=6, Con=1, Let=0
No. of Quotes:9