Shloka 44

प्रह्लादचरितम् (हिरण्यकशिपोः स्वर्गापहरणं, प्रह्लादस्य विष्णुभक्तिः, उपदेशः)

Devanagari script

दन्ता गजानां कुलिशाग्रनिष्ठुराः शीर्णा यद् एते न बलं ममैतत् महाविपत्पापविनाशनो ऽयं जनार्दनानुस्मरणानुभावः

Transliteration

dantā gajānāṃ kuliśāgraniṣṭhurāḥ śīrṇā yad ete na balaṃ mamaitat mahāvipatpāpavināśano 'yaṃ janārdanānusmaraṇānubhāvaḥ

Translation

That the elephants’ tusks—hard and keen as the edge of a vajra—have shattered is not due to any strength of mine. This is the power born of remembering Janārdana: it destroys great calamity and washes away sin.

Word by Word

• दन्ताः: tusks
• दन्ताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• गजानाम्: of elephants
• गजानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन

• कुलिशाग्रनिष्ठुराः: hard as the edge of a thunderbolt
• कुलिशाग्रनिष्ठुराः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कुलिश (प्रातिपदिक) + अग्र (प्रातिपदिक) + निष्ठुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; कुलिश-अग्र (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष) + निष्ठुर (उपमान/तुल्यवाचक)

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

• यत्: since/that
• यत्: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: हेतु/यदर्थक-अव्यय (because/that)

• एते: these
• एते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

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

• बलम्: strength
• बलम्: Pratijna (Predicate/प्रत्यय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (here predicate nominative)

• मम: my
• मम: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Pratijna (Predicate/प्रत्यय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (here predicate)

• महाविपत्पापविनाशनः: destroyer of great calamity and sin
• महाविपत्पापविनाशनः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + विपत् (प्रातिपदिक) + पाप (प्रातिपदिक) + विनाशन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः (महाविपत् + पाप) इत्यस्य विनाशनः

• अयम्: this (is)
• अयम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• जनार्दनानुस्मरणानुभावः: the power/effect of remembering Janardana
• जनार्दनानुस्मरणानुभावः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जनार्दन (प्रातिपदिक) + अनुस्मरण (प्रातिपदिक) + अनुभाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; जनार्दन-अनुस्मरण (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष) + अनुभाव (तत्पुरुष)

Speaker

Gajendra (the elephant king), praising the saving power of remembering Janardana

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Teaching: Devotional

Quality: compassionate

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Protection and purification arise not from personal might but from Janārdana-anusmaraṇa, which destroys calamity and sin.

Vedantic Theme: Moksha

Application: Practice regular remembrance (japa, kīrtana, mental repetition) and consciously redirect credit from ego to grace when difficulties pass.

Vishishtadvaita: Grace (śeṣa-śeṣi relation) is central: the jīva is dependent, and the Lord’s saving power operates through devotion without denying embodied life.

Prahlada Narrative

Phase: Teaching (Prahlāda's schools)

Bhakti Quality: Humility and attribution of all protection to Janārdana-smaraṇa; faith in pāpa-nāśana power of bhakti.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Hari

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Antaryamin: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Janardana
• Gajendra
• Elephant (gaja)

FAQs

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

This verse presents remembrance (anusmaraṇa) as spiritually efficacious in itself—able to destroy sin and avert great calamities—showing that divine grace, not personal power, is decisive.

How does Sage Parasara explain the role of devotion versus physical strength?

Through this episode’s framing, the narrative emphasizes that deliverance comes from turning the mind to Vishnu; even seemingly “physical” outcomes are attributed to bhakti and the Lord’s protecting sovereignty.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu here?

Vishnu (Janardana) is shown as the Supreme refuge whose mere remembrance becomes a saving power—affirming Vaishnava theology that liberation and protection arise from the Lord’s grace accessed through devotion.