Shloka 11

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

Devanagari script

एतत् सर्वं महाभाग प्रह्लादस्य महात्मनः चरितं श्रोतुम् इच्छामि महामाहात्म्यसूचकम्

Transliteration

etat sarvaṃ mahābhāga prahlādasya mahātmanaḥ caritaṃ śrotum icchāmi mahāmāhātmyasūcakam

Translation

O greatly fortunate one, I wish to hear in full the sacred life-story of the great-souled Prahlāda—an account that reveals extraordinary spiritual greatness.

Word by Word

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एतद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd case), एकवचन; सर्वनाम-विशेषण (demonstrative pronoun used adjectivally)

• सर्वम्: all, entire
• सर्वम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd case), एकवचन; विशेषण

• महाभाग: O fortunate one
• महाभाग: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाभाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/vocative), एकवचन; समासः महा+भाग (विशेषणपूर्वक कर्मधारय)

• प्रह्लादस्य: of Prahlāda
• प्रह्लादस्य: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रह्लाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/genitive), एकवचन

• महात्मनः: of the great-souled one
• महात्मनः: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महात्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/genitive), एकवचन; समासः महा+आत्मन् (कर्मधारय)

• चरितम्: deed(s), life-story
• चरितम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चरित (प्रातिपदिक; √चर् (धातु) से निष्पन्न)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd case), एकवचन

• श्रोतुम्: to hear
• श्रोतुम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √श्रु (धातु) + तुमुन् (कृदन्त)
• Form: तुमुनन्त (infinitive), अव्ययवत् प्रयोग; अर्थः ‘to hear’

• इच्छामि: I wish, I desire
• इच्छामि: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √इष्/इच्छ् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• महामाहात्म्यसूचकम्: indicating great glory
• महामाहात्म्यसूचकम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा+माहात्म्य+सूचक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd case), एकवचन; समासः (षष्ठी/तत्पुरुष) ‘महामाहात्म्यस्य सूचकः’

Speaker

Maitreya (addressing Sage Parāśara)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Maitreya

Topic: Request to hear the complete, greatness-revealing life-story (carita) of Prahlāda

Teaching: Devotional

Quality: reverential, inquiry-driven

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The saintly biography (carita) of a Viṣṇu-bhakta is itself a vehicle of spiritual revelation (mahāmāhātmya) and worthy of attentive hearing.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Practice śravaṇa by regularly reading/listening to Prahlāda’s story to strengthen steadiness and humility in devotion.

Vishishtadvaita: Bhagavān’s greatness is apprehended through the lives of His devotees; devotion is relational and grace-oriented rather than merely abstract knowledge.

Prahlada Narrative

Phase: Teaching (Prahlada's schools)

Bhakti Quality: śraddhā-yukta śravaṇa-icchā (the narrative is framed as a request to hear Prahlāda’s mahimā, foregrounding devotion as exemplary)

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Hari

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Characters & Entities

• Prahlada
• Maitreya
• Parasara

FAQs

What is the significance of Prahlada’s story in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse frames Prahlāda’s life as a “mahātmya”—a spiritually authoritative narrative meant to disclose the power of devotion and the higher sovereignty that protects the devotee.

How does Sage Parashara explain Prahlada’s greatness in the dialogue structure?

Maitreya’s request signals that Parāśara will present Prahlāda’s “carita” not as mere history, but as a teaching narrative whose purpose is to reveal sanctity (māhātmyasūcaka) and dharmic insight.

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

By treating Prahlāda’s life as a revelatory “mahātmya,” the text implies Vishnu’s supreme guardianship and the primacy of bhakti as a direct means of aligning with the Supreme Reality.