Shloka 8

Devanagari script

पितामहो मे भवदीयसम्मत: प्रह्लाद आविष्कृतसाधुवाद: । भवद्विपक्षेण विचित्रवैशसं सम्प्रापितस्त्वं परम: स्वपित्रा ॥ ८ ॥

Transliteration

pitāmaho me bhavadīya-sammataḥ prahrāda āviṣkṛta-sādhu-vādaḥ bhavad-vipakṣeṇa vicitra-vaiśasaṁ samprāpitas tvaṁ paramaḥ sva-pitrā

Translation

My grandfather Prahlāda Mahārāja is honored by all Your devotees and renowned as a saint. Though his father Hiraṇyakaśipu, Your enemy, subjected him to many strange torments, he remained steadfast, taking shelter of Your lotus feet.

Synonyms

• पितामहः: grandfather
• पितामहः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितामह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• मे: my
• मे: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन

• भवदीय-सम्मतः: approved by you
• भवदीय-सम्मतः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भवदीय (प्रातिपदिक) + सम्मत (√मन्/√मन्?; कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक ‘approved/esteemed’)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (bhavataḥ sammataḥ = approved by you)

• प्रह्लादः: Prahlāda
• प्रह्लादः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रह्लाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेष्य (apposition to pitāmahaḥ)

• आविष्कृत-साधु-वादः: whose praise of the virtuous is manifest
• आविष्कृत-साधु-वादः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आविष्कृत (√कृ धातु; कृदन्त) + साधु (प्रातिपदिक) + वाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (āviṣkṛtaḥ sādhu-vādaḥ yasya / or āviṣkṛtaḥ sādhu-vādaḥ = whose praise of the good is manifest)

• भवत्-विपक्षेण: by your opponent
• भवत्-विपक्षेण: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भवत् (प्रातिपदिक) + विपक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (bhavataḥ vipakṣaḥ = your opponent)

• विचित्र-वैशसम्: a wondrous cruelty
• विचित्र-वैशसम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विचित्र (प्रातिपदिक) + वैशस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (strange cruelty/violence)

• सम्प्रापितः: was made to undergo/was brought to
• सम्प्रापितः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्प्रापित (√प्राप् धातु; णिच् causative PPP)
• Form: णिजन्त-भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (causative PPP), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; त्वम्-इत्यस्य विधेय-विशेषणम्

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• परमः: supreme/most excellent
• परमः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• स्व-पित्रा: by (his) own father
• स्व-पित्रा: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (svaḥ pitā = one’s own father)

Purport

A pure devotee like Prahlāda Mahārāja, although harassed circumstantially in many ways, never gives up the shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead to take shelter of anyone else. A pure devotee never complains against the mercy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. A vivid example is Prahlāda Mahārāja. Examining the life of Prahlāda Mahārāja, we can see how severely he was harassed by his own father, Hiraṇyakaśipu, yet he did not divert his attention from the Lord even to the smallest extent. Bali Mahārāja, following in the footsteps of his grandfather Prahlāda Mahārāja, remained fixed in his devotion to the Lord, despite the Lord’s having punished him.

Characters & Entities

• Prahlada
• Hiranyakashipu
• Bali Maharaja

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about Prahlada being persecuted for devotion?

This verse highlights that Prahlāda was recognized as saintly, yet he suffered extreme cruelty simply because his devotion opposed the demoniac agenda—showing how bhakti can be tested by hostility, even within one’s own family.

Why did Bali Maharaja mention Prahlada and his father Hiranyakashipu here?

Bali invokes his family history to acknowledge that devotion may bring conflict with one’s own side; he cites Prahlāda’s persecution by Hiranyakāśipu as a stark example of how opposition to adharma can provoke severe reactions.

What is the practical application of Prahlada’s example in modern life?

Remain steady in spiritual principles even when misunderstood or pressured by relatives or society; genuine devotion and integrity may face resistance, but perseverance is praised as saintly.