Shloka 39

प्रह्लादचरितम् (हिरण्यकशिपोः स्वर्गापहरणं, प्रह्लादस्य विष्णुभक्तिः, उपदेशः)

Devanagari script

स त्व् आसक्तमतिः कृष्णे दंश्यमानो महोरगैः न विवेदात्मनो गात्रं तत्स्मृत्याह्लादसंस्थितः

Transliteration

sa tv āsaktamatiḥ kṛṣṇe daṃśyamāno mahoragaiḥ na vivedātmano gātraṃ tatsmṛtyāhlādasaṃsthitaḥ

Translation

But he—his mind utterly absorbed in Kṛṣṇa—though being bitten by great serpents, did not even perceive his own body; for he remained established in the bliss that arises from the remembrance of Him.

Word by Word

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1/प्रथमा), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• तु: but, indeed
• तु: Discourse particle
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधान/विरोधार्थक निपात (but/indeed)

• आसक्त-मतिḥ: with mind attached
• आसक्त-मतिḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आसक्त (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक) + मति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1/प्रथमा), एकवचन; विशेषण (one whose mind is attached)

• कृष्णे: in/unto Kṛṣṇa
• कृष्णे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7/सप्तमी), एकवचन

• दंश्यमानः: being bitten
• दंश्यमानः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √दंश् (धातु) + य (कर्मणि) + शानच् (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकर्मणि कृदन्त (शानच्), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1/प्रथमा), एकवचन; कर्मणि (being bitten)

• महोरगैः: by great serpents
• महोरगैः: Karana/Agent (By great serpents/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + उरग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3/तृतीया), बहुवचन

• न: not
• न: Negation particle
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात (negation)

• विवेद: he perceived, he knew
• विवेद: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि√विद् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/परिपूर्ण), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• आत्मनः: of himself
• आत्मनः: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6/षष्ठी), एकवचन

• गात्रम्: body/limb
• गात्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• तत्-स्मृत्या: by that remembrance
• तत्-स्मृत्या: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + स्मृति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3/तृतीया), एकवचन; ‘तस्य स्मृत्या’ (by remembrance of him/that)

• आह्लाद-संस्थितः: established in joy
• आह्लाद-संस्थितः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आह्लाद (प्रातिपदिक) + संस्थित (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1/प्रथमा), एकवचन; विशेषण (situated in bliss)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Why Prahlāda remained unharmed despite deadly attacks.

Teaching: Devotional

Quality: revealing

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: He is remembered as the Supreme Lord whose grace makes His devotee fearless and untouched by mortal afflictions.

Leela: Moksha-dana

Dharma Restored: Bhakti-dharma and the inviolability of the Lord’s refuge (śaraṇāgati).

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: When consciousness is wholly absorbed in Kṛṣṇa through remembrance, bodily suffering is not owned as ‘I’, and bliss (ānanda) becomes the devotee’s stable ground.

Vedantic Theme: Moksha

Application: Cultivate daily smaraṇa—japa, nāma-saṅkīrtana, and mindful recollection during stress—to lessen reactive identification with pain and fear.

Vishishtadvaita: Bhakti is a real mode of communion with the personal Brahman (Kṛṣṇa/Nārāyaṇa) that grants experiential ānanda while embodied; the self remains distinct yet supported by the Lord.

Prahlada Narrative

Phase: Divine-protection

Bhakti Quality: Smaraṇa-bhakti: continuous remembrance producing ānanda and bodily non-identification.

Persecution: Serpents

Narasimha: The narrative is moving toward the Lord’s decisive intervention; here protection is shown through smṛti-born bliss even before the theophany.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Krishna

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Characters & Entities

• Krishna
• Vishnu
• Serpents (Mahoraga)

FAQs

What is the significance of constant remembrance (smṛti) in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse presents smṛti of Kṛṣṇa as a state that generates bliss so profound that bodily affliction is no longer even noticed, highlighting remembrance as a direct spiritual power in bhakti.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the devotee’s experience of suffering here?

Parāśara depicts absorption in the Lord as transforming awareness itself: even while bitten by great serpents, the devotee remains established in joy born of remembrance, indicating transcendence rather than mere endurance.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu (as Krishna) in this context?

Kṛṣṇa is shown as the Supreme Reality worthy of total mental absorption; devotion to Him yields ananda that overrules physical distress, reinforcing Vaishnava theism where the Lord is the ultimate refuge and goal.