Real pleasure is defined: ananta. Ananta means that which has no end. So that pleasure you can have only when you are spiritually realized soul. That is possible. That is possible. We are reading all these scriptures, Bhagavad-gītā, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, and there are so many Vedic literatures, that if anyone wants to have spiritual life, there is complete facility. There is complete facility.
Now, this Prahlāda . . . Prahlāda was a boy—a child, not boy: he was only five years old. So his father called him, "My dear son, what you have learned from your teacher best? Please explain." So he is explaining this, that:
- 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)
"My dear father . . ." And his father was materialist. Therefore materialists are called in Sanskrit language asura. Asura. There are two kinds of human being all the time: asura and deva. Deva, deva means human beings who are connected with the Supreme Lord. Their life is for realization of the Supreme Truth. They are called deva. Just like in higher planets, there are also living beings. They are called devatās, demigods, because their magnitude of pleasure is far, far greater than ours. But because they do everything in relation with the Supreme Lord, therefore they are called devatā. Devatā. Devatā means demigods. And asura. Asura means just the opposite. They simply enjoy life for the matter of sense pleasure. That's all.
So those who are interested in sense pleasure, they are called asuras, and those who are interested unending spiritual pleasure, they are called devatās. Devatā and asura does not mean that asuras are very ugly and devatās are very beautiful. Even the ugly man can become a devatā, or even a beautiful man may become a asura. That is due to his mentality. Because, after all, the soul is pure. When he is in unnatural condition of life, wants to enjoy simply the material senses, he becomes asura. So asura can be turned into devatā. There is no hindrance.
So Prahlāda Mahārāja . . . just see. The father was asura, and the son was devatā. So asura's son can be devatā. And a devatā's son can be asura. Just like in India. In India nowadays there is a great movement for removing the caste system, because the higher caste, brahmins, they are claiming, due to their birthright, higher position, and the other, they are in inconvenience: "Nowadays the brahmins are doing the same thing, what we are doing, a śūdra. Why he should claim?" So there is that quarrel.