Shloka 46

प्रह्लादचरितम् (हिरण्यकशिपोः स्वर्गापहरणं, प्रह्लादस्य विष्णुभक्तिः, उपदेशः)

Devanagari script

महाकाष्ठचयच्छन्नम् असुरेन्द्रसुतं ततः प्रज्वाल्य दानवा वह्निं ददहुः स्वामिचोदिताः

Transliteration

mahākāṣṭhacayacchannam asurendrasutaṃ tataḥ prajvālya dānavā vahniṃ dadahuḥ svāmicoditāḥ

Translation

Then, at their lord’s command, the Dānavas covered the Asura-king’s son with a vast heap of timber; they kindled the fire and burned him there.

Word by Word

• महाकाष्ठचयच्छन्नम्: covered with a heap of great logs
• महाकाष्ठचयच्छन्नम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महाकाष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक) + चय (प्रातिपदिक) + छन्न (√छद् धातु, क्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle) ‘छन्न’ = ‘आवृत’

• असुरेन्द्रसुतम्: the son of the lord of Asuras
• असुरेन्द्रसुतम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असुरेन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक) + सुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• ततः: then/thereupon
• ततः: Adhikarana (Context/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb) = ‘तदनन्तरम्/thereupon’

• प्रज्वाल्य: having kindled
• प्रज्वाल्य: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र (उपसर्ग) + √ज्वल् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund/absolutive) = ‘प्रज्वालयित्वा/after kindling’

• दानवाः: the Dānavas (demons)
• दानवाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दानव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• वह्निम्: fire
• वह्निम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वह्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• ददहुः: they burned
• ददहुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √दह् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपद

• स्वामिचोदिताः: urged by their master
• स्वामिचोदिताः: Karta (Agent-qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वामि (प्रातिपदिक) + चोदित (√चुद् धातु, क्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त = ‘प्रेरित/commanded’

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating) to Maitreya

Prahlada Narrative

Phase: Persecution

Bhakti Quality: Steadfast, fearless ekānta-bhakti that remains unshaken under torture

Persecution: Fire

Characters & Entities

• Dānavas
• Asura-indra (lord of Asuras)
• Asura-indra’s son

FAQs

What is the significance of ‘svāmi-coditāḥ’ (commanded by their master) in the Vishnu Purana?

It highlights coerced collective action under demonic sovereignty—violence carried out as obedience—often contrasted in the Purana with dharmic rule aligned to Vishnu’s cosmic order.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the moral tone of such Asura episodes?

Through concise narrative causality: Asuric power is shown as command-driven and destructive, setting up the Purana’s broader contrast between adharma-based dominion and Vishnu-centered order.

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

Even when Vishnu is not named in the verse, the episode functions within a Vishnu Purana framework where unrighteous sovereignty is ultimately subordinate to Vishnu’s supreme governance of dharma and cosmic balance.