Shloka 53

प्रह्लादचरितम् (हिरण्यकशिपोः स्वर्गापहरणं, प्रह्लादस्य विष्णुभक्तिः, उपदेशः)

Devanagari script

एवम् अभ्यर्थितस् तैस् तु दैत्यराजः पुरोहितैः दैत्यैर् निष्क्रामयाम् आस पुत्रं पावकसंचयात्

Transliteration

evam abhyarthitas tais tu daityarājaḥ purohitaiḥ daityair niṣkrāmayām āsa putraṃ pāvakasaṃcayāt

Translation

Thus entreated by the priests and by the Daityas themselves, the king of the Daityas caused his son to be brought out from the piled-up blaze of fire.

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Visheshana (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (adverb ‘thus’)

• अभ्यर्थितः: having been entreated
• अभ्यर्थितः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-अर्थ् (धातु)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle, क्त); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; धातुः—अर्थ् (याचने) उपसर्गः—अभि

• तैः: by them
• तैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• तु: but; indeed
• तु: Discourse particle
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधान/विरोधसूचक (particle ‘but/indeed’)

• दैत्यराजः: the demon-king
• दैत्यराजः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दैत्य-राज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (दैत्यानां राजा)

• पुरोहितैः: by the priests
• पुरोहितैः: Karana (Instrument/Agent group)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरोहित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• दैत्यैः: by the demons
• दैत्यैः: Karana (Instrument/Agent group)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दैत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• निष्क्रामयाम्: caused to come out; brought out
• निष्क्रामयाम्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: निस्-क्रम् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद; causative sense in form ‘(he) caused to go out’ expressed with periphrastic perfect + āsa

• आस: was/did (aux.)
• आस: Kriya (Auxiliary/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद; सहायक-क्रिया (auxiliary with periphrastic perfect)

• पुत्रम्: son
• पुत्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• पावकसंचयात्: from the heap of fire
• पावकसंचयात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पावक-संचय (प्रातिपदिक; पावक + संचय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (पावकस्य संचयः)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: How Prahlāda survived successive lethal persecutions

Teaching: Devotional

Quality: revealing

Prahlada Narrative

Phase: Divine-protection

Bhakti Quality: Unshaken equanimity under lethal trials; trust in Hari’s protection

Persecution: Fire

Characters & Entities

• Daityas
• Daitya king
• Purohitas (priests)
• Son (putra)
• Fire (Pāvaka)

FAQs

What is the significance of the Daitya king acting on the request of priests in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse highlights how royal power is expected to align with counsel and communal appeal—purohitas and elders function as guardians of order, guiding the ruler’s actions even in crisis.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the unfolding of events in this episode?

Parāśara narrates the sequence causally: collective entreaty (by priests and Daityas) leads directly to decisive royal action—having the son brought out from the fire—showing the Purana’s emphasis on moral and political causation.

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

Even when Vishnu is not named in the verse, the narrative operates within Vishnu Purana’s framework where preservation and the restoration of order are ultimately grounded in Vishnu’s sovereign cosmic governance.