Srimad Bhagavatam — Saptama Skandha, Shloka 28

Prahlāda Rejects Material Boons; Forgives His Father; Tripura and the Power of Remembrance

Devanagari script

दिष्टय‍ा तत्तनय: साधुर्महाभागवतोऽर्भक: । त्वया विमोचितो मृत्योर्दिष्टय‍ा त्वां समितोऽधुना ॥ २८ ॥

Transliteration

diṣṭyā tat-tanayaḥ sādhur mahā-bhāgavato ’rbhakaḥ tvayā vimocito mṛtyor diṣṭyā tvāṁ samito ’dhunā

Translation

By great fortune, Hiraṇyakaśipu’s son Prahlāda Mahārāja has now been released from death, for although he is a child, he is an exalted devotee. Now he is fully under the protection of Your lotus feet.

Synonyms

• diṣṭyā: by good fortune; fortunately
• diṣṭyā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/भावसूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: diṣṭi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), interjection/exclamation (उद्गार) used as ‘fortunately/by good fortune’

• tat-tanayaḥ: his son
• tat-tanayaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tat (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + tanaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); तत्पुरुषः—‘tasya tanayaḥ’ (his son)

• sādhuḥ: virtuous; good
• sādhuḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sādhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; adjective qualifying tat-tanayaḥ

• mahā-bhāgavataḥ: a great devotee
• mahā-bhāgavataḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/उपपद-विशेष्यभाव)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + bhāgavata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; कर्मधारयः—‘mahān bhāgavataḥ’ (a great devotee)

• arbhakaḥ: the child
• arbhakaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: arbhaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• tvayā: by you
• tvayā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular; pronoun

• vimocitaḥ: freed; released
• vimocitaḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-muc (धातु)
• Form: Past passive participle (कृत्—क्त/क्तः), Masculine, Nominative, Singular; agrees with arbhakaḥ/tat-tanayaḥ

• mṛtyoḥ: from death
• mṛtyoḥ: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mṛtyu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular (also Genitive possible by form; here Ablative ‘from death’)

• diṣṭyā: by good fortune
• diṣṭyā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/भावसूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: diṣṭi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), exclamation ‘fortunately’ (repetition for emphasis)

• tvām: you
• tvām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; pronoun

• samitaḥ: has approached; has come to
• samitaḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-i (धातु)
• Form: Past passive participle (कृत्—क्त/क्तः), Masculine, Nominative, Singular; ‘approached/come near’ (with tvām as object)

• adhunā: now
• adhunā: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: adhunā (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), adverb (क्रियाविशेषण)

Characters & Entities

• Prahlada Maharaja
• Lord Nrsimhadeva
• Hiranyakashipu

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about a mahā-bhāgavata devotee?

This verse praises the child Prahlada as a mahā-bhāgavata—an exalted, saintly devotee—showing that pure devotion is recognized by unwavering surrender and divine protection.

Why did Prahlada Maharaja say this to Lord Nrsimhadeva?

After the Lord saved him from Hiranyakashipu’s violence, Prahlada expresses gratitude: the Lord delivered him from death and blessed Prahlada to personally meet and witness the Lord’s mercy.

Practical application of this teaching in modern life?

Cultivate steady devotion and gratitude in crises—remembering that sincere bhakti brings inner fearlessness and a sense of divine shelter even amid life-threatening pressures.