Shloka 13

प्रह्लादचरितम् (हिरण्यकशिपोः स्वर्गापहरणं, प्रह्लादस्य विष्णुभक्तिः, उपदेशः)

Devanagari script

पठ्यतां भवता वत्स सारभूतं सुभाषितम् कालेनैतावता यत् ते सदोद्युक्तेन शिक्षितम्

Transliteration

paṭhyatāṃ bhavatā vatsa sārabhūtaṃ subhāṣitam kālenaitāvatā yat te sadodyuktena śikṣitam

Translation

Recite, dear child, the well-spoken teaching that is the very essence—whatever, in this time, you have learned through constant and earnest effort.

Word by Word

• पठ्यताम्: let (it) be recited/read
• पठ्यताम्: Kriya (Injunctive action/विधिक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पठ् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative/आज्ञार्थ), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd; passive-style injunction), एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोगार्थं (let it be read)

• भवता: by you (sir)
• भवता: Karta (Agent in passive/कर्तृ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भवत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक; आदरार्थ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; आदरार्थक सर्वनाम

• वत्स: dear child
• वत्स: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वत्स (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

• सारभूतम्: essential/containing the essence
• सारभूतम्: Visheshana (Adjectival qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सारभूत (प्रातिपदिक; सार + भूत)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying सुभाषितम्)

• सुभाषितम्: a well-spoken saying
• सुभाषितम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुभाषित (प्रातिपदिक; सु + भाषित)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्म (that which is to be recited)

• कालेन: by time / over time
• कालेन: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; हेतौ/अवधौ (by time, in the course of time)

• एतावता: by this much/so far
• एतावता: Adverbial (Measure/प्रमाण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एतावत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; प्रमाणवाचक (by this much)

• यत्: which/that
• यत्: Sambandha (Relative connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; सम्बन्धक (relative pronoun)

• ते: for you / of you
• ते: Sambandha (Genitive/Dative relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी/चतुर्थी (genitive/dative), एकवचन; enclitic pronoun

• सदोद्युक्तेन: by one always diligent
• सदोद्युक्तेन: Karta (Agent-instrumental/कर्तृ-तृतीया)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सदोद्युक्त (प्रातिपदिक; सदा + उद्युक्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying implied agent/teacher)

• शिक्षितम्: taught/learned
• शिक्षितम्: Karma (Result/object taught/कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: शिक्ष् (धातु) + शिक्षित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकृदन्त; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मणि (that which has been taught)

Speaker

A senior teacher/elder addressing a younger disciple/son (within the Purana’s instructional dialogue frame; overarching narration traditionally by Sage Parāśara to Maitreya)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: A life’s learning should be distilled into its essence (sāra)—the truly beneficial teaching, not mere display of knowledge.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Regularly ask: ‘What is the essence of what I am learning?’ and align study toward character and devotion rather than vanity.

Vishishtadvaita: The search for ‘sāra’ anticipates the Purāṇic conclusion that the highest essence is loving surrender to Viṣṇu, the inner ruler of all.

Prahlada Narrative

Phase: Teaching (Prahlada's schools)

Bhakti Quality: Truthfulness and clarity—prepared to state the ‘sāra’ that will become Hari-bhakti instruction.

FAQs

What is the significance of recitation (pāṭha) in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse underscores Purāṇic knowledge as something to be preserved and tested through oral recitation, emphasizing faithful transmission of the ‘essence’ of teaching.

How does the Vishnu Purana portray ideal learning and discipline?

It praises steady effort (sadodyukta) and frames learning as cumulative over time, valuing the distilled ‘sāra’ rather than mere quantity of memorized material.

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

Though Vishnu is not named here, the Purāṇic setting treats disciplined study and recitation as a means to internalize dharma and ultimately orient the mind toward the Supreme Reality taught throughout the text.