22.53
naisam matis tavad urukramanghrim
sprsaty anarthapagamo yad-arthah
mahiyasam pada-rajo-’bhisekam
niskincananam na vrnita yavat
SYNONYMS
na—not; esam—of those who are attached to household life; matih—the interest; tavat—that long; urukrama-anghrim—the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is credited with uncommon activities; sprsati—touches; anartha—of unwanted things; apagamah—vanquishing; yat—of which; arthah—result; mahiyasam—of the great personalities, devotees; pada-rajah—of the dust of the lotus feet; abhisekam—sprinkling on the head; niskincananam—who are completely detached from material possessions; na vrnita—does not do; yavat—as long as " ’Unless human society accepts the dust of the lotus feet of great mahatmas-devotees who have nothing to do with material possessions-mankind cannot turn its attention to the lotus feet of Krsna.
Those lotus feet vanquish all the unwanted miserable conditions of material life.’
PURPORT
This verse appears in Srimad-Bhagavatam (7.5.32).
When the great sage Narada was giving instructions to Maharaja Yudhisthira, he narrated the activities of Prahlada Maharaja.
This verse was spoken by Prahlada Maharaja to his father, Hiranyakasipu, the king of demons.
Prahlada Maharaja informed his father of the nine basic processes of bhakti-yoga.
Whoever takes to these processes is to be considered a highly learned scholar.
Hiranyakasipu, however, did not like his son to talk about devotional service; therefore he immediately called his teacher, Sandamarka.
The teacher explained that he did not teach devotional service to Prahlada but that the boy was naturally inclined that way.
At that time Hiranyakasipu became very angry and asked Prahlada why he had become a Vaisnava.
In answer to this question, Prahlada Maharaja recited this verse to the effect that one cannot become the Lord’s devotee without receiving the mercy and blessings of another devotee.