Shloka 16

Maitreya’s Inquiry into Prahlāda: The Logic of Bhakti’s Invincibility

Devanagari script

तद् एतत् कथ्यतां सर्वं विस्तरान् मुनिसत्तम दैत्येश्वरस्य चरितं श्रोतुम् इच्छाम्य् अशेषतः

Transliteration

tad etat kathyatāṃ sarvaṃ vistarān munisattama daityeśvarasya caritaṃ śrotum icchāmy aśeṣataḥ

Translation

অতএব হে মুনিশ্রেষ্ঠ, এ সমস্তই বিস্তারে আমাকে বলুন। দৈত্যেশ্বরের সম্পূর্ণ চরিত ও কর্মকথা আমি অবশিষ্ট না রেখে শুনতে চাই।

Word by Word

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• कथ्यताम्: let it be told
• कथ्यताम्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कथ् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (आज्ञार्थ), कर्मणि प्रयोग (Passive), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• सर्वम्: all, entire
• सर्वम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; विशेषण

• विस्तरान्: details, expansions
• विस्तरान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विस्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), बहुवचन

• मुनिसत्तम: O best of sages
• मुनिसत्तम: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि + सत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (मुनिनां सत्तमः)

• दैत्येश्वरस्य: of the lord of the Daityas
• दैत्येश्वरस्य: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठीसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दैत्य + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (दैत्यानाम् ईश्वरः)

• चरितम्: deed(s), story, conduct
• चरितम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चरित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √चर्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; भूतकृत्/कृत-प्रत्ययान्त (past participial noun)

• श्रोतुम्: to hear
• श्रोतुम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय-रूप (Infinitive)

• इच्छामि: I desire
• इच्छामि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: इष्/इच्छ् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपद, उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन

• अशेषतः: completely, without remainder
• अशेषतः: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अशेष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

Speaker

Maitreya (addressing Sage Parāśara)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Maitreya

Topic: Request to narrate in full the life and deeds of the Daitya-lord (Hiraṇyakaśipu) as prelude to the ensuing account.

Teaching: Historical

Quality: inquisitive, attentive, seeking exhaustive narration

Characters & Entities

• Maitreya
• Sage Parasara
• Daityas

FAQs

What is the significance of Maitreya asking for the Daitya-lord’s story in the Vishnu Purana?

It signals a narrative transition: the disciple prompts a detailed account of asura/daitya sovereignty so the sage can place it within the larger moral and cosmic order governed by Vishnu.

How does Sage Parāśara explain concepts through this dialogue format?

Parāśara teaches by responding to precise questions from Maitreya, unfolding history and theology step-by-step so events (even daitya rule) are interpreted through dharma and cosmic law.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu in this context?

Even when the verse focuses on a Daitya-lord, the Purāṇic intent is to show that all power and historical turns ultimately operate under Vishnu’s supreme sovereignty and sustaining order.