श्रीनारद उवाच धर्मं पारमहंस्यं वै मुनेः श्रुत्वासुरेश्वरः पूजयित्वा ततः प्रीत आमन्त्र्य प्रययौ गृहम्
śrī-nārada uvāca dharmaṁ pāramahaṁsyaṁ vai muneḥ śrutvāsureśvaraḥ pūjayitvā tataḥ prīta āmantrya prayayau gṛham
Synonyms
śrī-nāradaḥ uvāca—Śrī Nārada Muni said; dharmam—the occupational duty; pāramahaṁsyam—of the paramahaṁsas, the most perfect human beings; vai—indeed; muneḥ—from the saintly person; śrutvā—thus hearing; asura-īśvaraḥ—the King of the asuras, Prahlāda Mahārāja; pūjayitvā—by worshiping the saintly person; tataḥ—thereafter; prītaḥ—being very pleased; āmantrya—taking permission; prayayau—left that place; gṛham—for his home..
Translation
Nārada Muni continued: After Prahlāda Mahārāja, the King of the demons, heard these instructions from the saint, he understood the occupational duties of a perfect person [paramahaṁsa]. Thus he duly worshiped the saint, took his permission and then left for his own home.
Purport
As quoted in Caitanya-caritāmṛta (Madhya 8.128), Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu said:
kibā vipra, kibā nyāsī, śūdra kene naya
yei kṛṣṇa-tattva-vettā sei 'guru' haya
A guru, or spiritual master, can be anyone who is well conversant with the science of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore although Prahlāda Mahārāja was a gṛhastha ruling over the demons, he was a paramahaṁsa, the best of human beings, and thus he is our guru. In the list of gurus, or authorities, Prahlāda Mahārāja's name is therefore mentioned:
svayambhūr nāradaḥ śambhuḥ
kumāraḥ kapilo manuḥ
prahlādo janako bhīṣmo
balir vaiyāsakir vayam
(Bhāg. 6.3.20)
The conclusion is that a paramahaṁsa is an exalted devotee (bhagavat-priya). Such a paramahaṁsa may be in any stage of life—brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha or sannyāsa—and be equally liberated and exalted.