Shloka 43

प्रह्लादचरितम् (हिरण्यकशिपोः स्वर्गापहरणं, प्रह्लादस्य विष्णुभक्तिः, उपदेशः)

Devanagari script

स्मरतस् तस्य गोविन्दम् इभदन्ताः सहस्रशः शीर्णा वक्षःस्थलं प्राप्य स प्राह पितरं ततः

Transliteration

smaratas tasya govindam ibhadantāḥ sahasraśaḥ śīrṇā vakṣaḥsthalaṃ prāpya sa prāha pitaraṃ tataḥ

Translation

As he remembered Govinda, countless elephant tusks shattered at once; and when they struck his chest, he then spoke to his father.

Word by Word

• स्मरतः: of (him) remembering / while remembering
• स्मरतः: Sambandha (Genitive absolute-like/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्मृ (धातु) + शतृ (कृदन्त)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकृदन्त; पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन (तस्य स्मरतः = while he was remembering)

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• गोविन्दम्: Govinda
• गोविन्दम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोविन्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• इभदन्ताः: elephants' tusks
• इभदन्ताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इभ (प्रातिपदिक) + दन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; इभ-दन्त = इभस्य दन्ताः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• सहस्रशः: by the thousand
• सहस्रशः: Sambandha (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक) + शस् (अव्ययीभाव/प्रत्यय)
• Form: प्रकार/परिमाणवाचक-अव्यय (in thousands; distributive)

• शीर्णाः: broken, shattered
• शीर्णाः: Kriya (Result/क्रिया)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शॄ (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; (agreeing with इभदन्ताः)

• वक्षःस्थलम्: the chest-region
• वक्षःस्थलम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वक्षस् (प्रातिपदिक) + स्थल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; वक्षः-स्थल = वक्षसः स्थलम् (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• प्राप्य: having reached
• प्राप्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्र + आप् (धातु) + ल्यप् (कृदन्त)
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययीभाव-भावकृदन्त (gerund); ‘having reached’

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

• प्राह: said
• प्राह: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + अह्/ब्रू (धातु; परस्मै)
• Form: लिट् (perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; ‘said’

• पितरम्: to (his) father
• पितरम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• ततः: then
• ततः: Adhikarana (Temporal/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: काल/अनन्तरवाचक-अव्यय (then/thereupon)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Teaching: Devotional

Quality: revealing

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Remembrance of Govinda renders external violence impotent, as divine protection manifests through the devotee’s unwavering mind.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Cultivate nāma-smaraṇa during fear or stress (japa, breath-linked remembrance) to steady the mind and dissolve panic.

Vishishtadvaita: The Lord as antaryāmin responds to the devotee’s inward turning; grace operates through embodied devotion, not by negating the world.

Prahlada Narrative

Phase: Divine-protection

Bhakti Quality: Smaraṇa-bhakti (continuous remembrance) that makes the body a locus of divine protection.

Persecution: Elephants

Narasimha: Implicitly foreshadows the Lord’s decisive intervention; here protection manifests through the devotee’s smaraṇa of Govinda.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Govinda

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Antaryamin: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Govinda
• Vishnu

FAQs

What is the significance of remembering Govinda in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse portrays smaraṇa (remembrance) of Govinda as a spiritually potent act that invokes divine protection, rendering even overwhelming physical attacks ineffective.

How does Sage Parāśara explain devotion in the midst of danger?

Through narrative action rather than abstract doctrine: the devotee’s recollection of Vishnu coincides with the collapse of violent force, showing bhakti as an active, saving alignment with the Supreme.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu here?

Vishnu, named Govinda, is presented as the supreme protector whose transcendent power governs events; the verse emphasizes His lordship over worldly strength and weaponry.