Srimad Bhagavatam — Saptama Skandha, Shloka 37

Brahmā’s Boons, Hiraṇyakaśipu’s Cosmic Tyranny, and Prahlāda’s Transcendental Qualities

Devanagari script

न्यस्तक्रीडनको बालो जडवत्तन्मनस्तया । कृष्णग्रहगृहीतात्मा न वेद जगदीद‍ृशम् ॥ ३७ ॥

Transliteration

nyasta-krīḍanako bālo jaḍavat tan-manastayā kṛṣṇa-graha-gṛhītātmā na veda jagad īdṛśam

Translation

From the very beginning of his childhood, Prahlāda Mahārāja was uninterested in childish playthings. Indeed, he gave them up altogether and remained silent and dull, being fully absorbed in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Since his mind was always affected by Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he could not understand how the world goes on being fully absorbed in the activities of sense gratification.

Synonyms

• nyasta-krīḍanakaḥ: having set aside his playthings
• nyasta-krīḍanakaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nyasta (कृदन्त, √as/√nyas) + krīḍanaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga (Masculine), Prathamā vibhakti (Nominative, 1st), Ekavacana (Singular); समासः—तत्पुरुषः (कर्मधारय-प्रायः): ‘न्यस्तं क्रीडनकं यस्य/येन’

• bālaḥ: the boy
• bālaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bāla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga, Prathamā (Nom. 1st), Ekavacana

• jaḍa-vat: like an inert (person)
• jaḍa-vat: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: jaḍa (प्रातिपदिक) + vat (तद्धित प्रत्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (indeclinable) तुलनार्थक-प्रयोगः; उपमानवाचक ‘-वत्’ (like/as)

• tat-manastayā: by that state of mind (that absorption)
• tat-manastayā: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tat (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + manas (प्रातिपदिक) + -tā (तद्धित/भाव)
• Form: Strīliṅga (Feminine), Tṛtīyā vibhakti (Instrumental, 3rd), Ekavacana; समासः—तत्पुरुषः: ‘तत्-मनस्’ (that-mindedness) + भाववाचक -ता

• kṛṣṇa-graha-gṛhīta-ātmā: whose self was seized by Krishna
• kṛṣṇa-graha-gṛhīta-ātmā: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṛṣṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + graha (प्रातिपदिक) + gṛhīta (कृदन्त, √grah) + ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga, Prathamā (Nom. 1st), Ekavacana; समासः—तत्पुरुषः: ‘कृष्ण-ग्रह’ (Krishna as the seizer/possessor) + ‘गृहीत-आत्मा’ (one whose self is seized)

• na: not
• na: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध/Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (निपात/अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; निषेध-निपात (negation particle)

• veda: knows
• veda: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vid (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ-lakāra (Present), Parasmaipada, Prathama-puruṣa (3rd person), Ekavacana; धातु: √विद् (to know)

• jagat: the world
• jagat: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jagat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुṁsakaliṅga (Neuter), Dvitīyā (Acc. 2nd), Ekavacana

• īdṛśam: such (as this)
• īdṛśam: Karma (कर्म/Object-complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: īdṛśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुṁsakaliṅga, Dvitīyā (Acc. 2nd), Ekavacana; विशेषणम् (qualifying ‘jagat’)

Purport

Prahlāda Mahārāja is the vivid example of a great person fully absorbed in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. In Caitanya-caritāmṛta ( Madhya 8.274) it is said:

Characters & Entities

• Prahlāda
• Kṛṣṇa

FAQs

What does Srimad Bhagavatam say about being absorbed in Krishna consciousness?

This verse describes total absorption: Prahlāda’s mind is so fixed on Kṛṣṇa that he appears outwardly inert and does not even register the world in the usual way.

Why is Prahlada described as giving up play and sitting like one dull?

Because his devotion had matured into deep remembrance of the Lord; worldly amusements lost all taste, and his external behavior reflected inner samādhi.

How can I apply Prahlada’s example of detachment in modern life?

Reduce distractions, set aside time daily for focused remembrance (japa, śravaṇa, kīrtana), and train the mind to return to Kṛṣṇa—so worldly stimuli gradually lose their grip.