Shloka 16

Devanagari script

एतन् निशम्य दैत्येन्द्रः कोपसंरक्तलोचनः विलोक्य तद्गुरुं प्राह स्फुरिताधरपल्लवः

Transliteration

etan niśamya daityendraḥ kopasaṃraktalocanaḥ vilokya tadguruṃ prāha sphuritādharapallavaḥ

Translation

Hearing this, the lord of the Daityas—his eyes reddened with wrath—looked toward that teacher and spoke, his lips trembling with fury.

Word by Word

• एतत्: this (statement/thing)
• एतत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• निशम्य: having heard
• निशम्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नि-√शम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund)

• दैत्य-इन्द्रः: the lord of the Daityas
• दैत्य-इन्द्रः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दैत्य (प्रातिपदिक) + इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (दैत्यानाम् इन्द्रः)

• कोप-संरक्त-लोचनः: whose eyes were reddened with anger
• कोप-संरक्त-लोचनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कोप (प्रातिपदिक) + संरक्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक) + लोचन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (कोपेन संरक्ते लोचने यस्य)

• विलोक्य: having looked at
• विलोक्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वि-√लोक् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund)

• तत्-गुरुम्: his teacher
• तत्-गुरुम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + गुरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (तस्य गुरुम्)

• प्राह: said
• प्राह: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (परोक्सभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• स्फुरित-अधर-पल्लवः: with quivering lips
• स्फुरित-अधर-पल्लवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्फुरित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक) + अधर (प्रातिपदिक) + पल्लव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (स्फुरितः अधरः पल्लव इव यस्य/स्फुरिताधरः)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya); within the narrative, the Daitya king is about to speak

Prahlada Narrative

Phase: Persecution

Bhakti Quality: Steadfastness under intimidation (implicit)

Characters & Entities

• Daityendra (Hiraṇyakaśipu)
• Guru (Prahlada’s teacher/preceptor)

FAQs

What is the significance of Hiraṇyakaśipu’s anger in the Vishnu Purana?

It marks the turning point where demonic sovereignty (based on force and ego) confronts the higher sovereignty of Vishnu upheld through Prahlada’s devotion, intensifying the conflict that leads to divine intervention.

How does Sage Parāśara present the role of the guru in this episode?

The verse frames the preceptor as a key intermediary in Prahlada’s formation; the king’s glare toward the teacher highlights how rulers attempt to control doctrine and education when challenged by transcendent devotion.

The theological importance of Lord Vishnu in this context?

Even before Vishnu is explicitly invoked in the verse, the narrative signals that worldly power cannot suppress dharma; Vishnu’s supremacy is implied as the ultimate authority that will protect the devotee and re-establish order.