Shloka 14
Maitreya’s Inquiry into Prahlāda: The Logic of Bhakti’s Invincibility
धर्मात्मनि महाभागे विष्णुभक्ते विमत्सरे दैतेयैः प्रहृतं कस्मात् तन् ममाख्यातुम् अर्हसि
dharmātmani mahābhāge viṣṇubhakte vimatsare daiteyaiḥ prahṛtaṃ kasmāt tan mamākhyātum arhasi
Why was that great-souled one—righteous in nature, devoted to Lord Viṣṇu, and free from envy—struck down by the Daityas? You should tell me this in full.
Maitreya (questioning Sage Parāśara)
Speaker: Maitreya
Topic: Why the righteous, envy-free Viṣṇu devotee Prahlāda was attacked by the Daityas
Teaching: Ethical
Quality: earnest, justice-seeking
Concept: The persecution of the virtuous prompts inquiry into the dynamics of adharma and the hidden workings of divine justice.
Vedantic Theme: Dharma
Application: When facing or witnessing injustice, seek understanding through śāstra and wise counsel rather than cynicism; remain grounded in dharma.
Vishishtadvaita: Apparent suffering of a devotee is not abandonment; it forms part of Bhagavān’s providential governance that ultimately reveals His protection.
Phase: Persecution
Bhakti Quality: steadfast devotion combined with moral innocence (vimatsaratā)
Vishnu Form: Hari
Bhakti Type: Shanta
FAQs
This verse highlights vimatsara as a hallmark of true devotion—showing that the devotee’s purity stands in contrast to the Daityas’ hostility, setting up a lesson on dharma and divine order.
Maitreya’s question frames the coming explanation: Parashara typically answers such paradoxes through karmic causality and the larger sovereignty of Vishnu, where apparent suffering serves a broader dharmic unfolding.
By identifying the victim primarily as viṣṇu-bhakta, the verse centers Vishnu as the supreme reference point—implying that events in the devotee’s life are ultimately situated within Vishnu’s cosmic governance.