Shloka 50

प्रह्लादचरितम् (हिरण्यकशिपोः स्वर्गापहरणं, प्रह्लादस्य विष्णुभक्तिः, उपदेशः)

Devanagari script

तथा तथैनं बालं ते शासितारो वयं नृप यथा विपक्षनाशाय विनीतस् ते भविष्यति

Transliteration

tathā tathainaṃ bālaṃ te śāsitāro vayaṃ nṛpa yathā vipakṣanāśāya vinītas te bhaviṣyati

Translation

“So be it. O King, we shall discipline and train this boy in that very way, so that—well instructed and self-controlled—he becomes fit to destroy your adversaries.”

Word by Word

• तथा: thus
• तथा: Sambandha (Manner/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (thus/in such a way)

• तथा: so
• तथा: Sambandha (Manner/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; पुनरुक्ति-बल (in that very way)

• एनम्: him
• एनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (enam = ‘him/this one’)

• बालम्: the boy
• बालम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• ते: your
• ते: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: मध्यमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• शासितारः: discipliners/teachers
• शासितारः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शासितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; कर्तृवाचक नाम (agent noun)

• वयम्: we
• वयम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• नृप: O king
• नृप: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• यथा: so that
• यथा: Prayojana (Purpose-link/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमान/प्रकार/उद्देश्यसूचक (so that/as)

• विपक्षनाशाय: for the destruction of opponents
• विपक्षनाशाय: Sampradana (Purpose/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विपक्ष (प्रातिपदिक) + नाश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• विनीतः: well-trained/disciplined
• विनीतः: Karta (Subject-qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि (उपसर्ग) + √नी (धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त = ‘विनीत/discipline-trained’

• ते: your
• ते: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: मध्यमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• भविष्यति: will become/will be
• भविष्यति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भू (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (भविष्यत्/Future), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

Speaker

Royal instructors/discipliners (ministers/teachers) addressing the king (as reported by the Purāṇic narrator)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Education and discipline become adharma when weaponized for hatred and destruction; true vinaya is self-control aligned with dharma, not manipulation.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Choose teachers and institutions that cultivate virtue and compassion; resist ideological training that targets ‘enemies’.

Vishishtadvaita: Vinaya properly culminates in śeṣatva (humble God-centeredness), not egoic power—aligning conduct with the Lord’s order.

Prahlada Narrative

Phase: Teaching (Prahlada's schools)

Bhakti Quality: Resistance to coercive ‘training’ that aims to uproot devotion; inner steadfastness

Characters & Entities

• King (nṛpa)
• Prince (bāla)
• Rivals/Opposing faction (vipakṣa)

FAQs

What is the significance of disciplining the prince in this Vishnu Purana verse?

It frames royal education (vinaya) as essential to stable sovereignty—training the heir so he can protect the kingdom by neutralizing hostile rivals.

How does the Vishnu Purana present statecraft in dynastic narratives?

Through concise courtly exchanges like this one, it shows that ministers and teachers shape the king’s future security by forming the prince’s character and capability.

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

Even when Vishnu is not named, the Purāṇa’s dynastic material assumes a Vishnu-grounded dharma: political authority and succession are meaningful insofar as they uphold cosmic and moral order.