Shloka 72

प्रह्लादचरितम् (हिरण्यकशिपोः स्वर्गापहरणं, प्रह्लादस्य विष्णुभक्तिः, उपदेशः)

Devanagari script

बालो ऽहं तावद् इच्छातो यतिष्ये श्रेयसे युवा युवाहं वार्द्धके प्राप्ते करिष्याम्य् आत्मनो हितम्

Transliteration

bālo 'haṃ tāvad icchāto yatiṣye śreyase yuvā yuvāhaṃ vārddhake prāpte kariṣyāmy ātmano hitam

Translation

“So long as I am a child, I will strive for the good only when I feel like it. When I am a youth, I will pursue what is truly beneficial. And when old age arrives, then I will do what is for my highest welfare.”

Word by Word

• बालः: a child
• बालः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचनम्

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (1st), एकवचनम्; सर्वनाम

• तावत्: for the time being
• तावत्: Sambandha (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तावत् (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb), परिमाण/अवधि-वाचकः

• इच्छातः: out of desire
• इच्छातः: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इच्छा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb) = इच्छातः; हेतौ/कारणे (because of desire)

• यतिष्ये: I will strive
• यतिष्ये: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: यत् (धातु)
• Form: लृट्/लुट्? (future sense) actually लृट् (simple future), उत्तमपुरुषः (1st), एकवचनम्; आत्मनेपदम्

• श्रेयसे: for the good (highest good)
• श्रेयसे: Sampradana (Dative/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रेयस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः, चतुर्थी (4th), एकवचनम्

• युवा: (when) young
• युवा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युवन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचनम्

• युवा: young (person)
• युवा: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता-विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युवन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचनम्

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (1st), एकवचनम्; सर्वनाम

• वार्द्धके: in old age
• वार्द्धके: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वार्द्धक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचनम्

• प्राप्ते: when (it) has come/arrived
• प्राप्ते: Adhikarana (Locative absolute/सति-सप्तमी)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्राप्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √आप्/प्राप्)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्गः, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचनम्; सति-सप्तमी (locative absolute)

• करिष्यामि: I will do
• करिष्यामि: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (simple future), उत्तमपुरुषः (1st), एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्

• आत्मनः: for myself/of the self
• आत्मनः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचनम्

• हितम्: welfare/benefit
• हितम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचनम्

Speaker

A worldly person (illustrative voice in the narrative, cited by the narrator)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: The folly of postponing śreyas (ultimate good) across life-stages—childhood, youth, and old age.

Teaching: Ethical

Quality: admonitory

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Deferring spiritual welfare to a later age is self-delusion; śreyas must be pursued now, not ‘when convenient’.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Set a non-negotiable daily sādhana (japa, study, service) independent of mood and age.

Vishishtadvaita: Frames ‘highest welfare’ as a real telos (puruṣārtha) attainable through disciplined turning toward the Lord rather than time-based excuses.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Hari

Bhakti Type: Shanta

FAQs

What is the significance of procrastination as a theme in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse exposes the common self-deception of postponing spiritual effort to a “later” life-stage, implying that delaying dharma and self-discipline causes one to miss the opportunity for true welfare (śreyas).

How does the Vishnu Purana frame śreyas (ultimate good) versus desire-led living?

By contrasting “icchātaḥ” (acting only by whim) with “śreyase” (striving for the highest good), the verse critiques desire-driven life and urges deliberate pursuit of enduring spiritual benefit.

The theological importance of Lord Vishnu in this context?

Even when not named, the Purana’s moral teaching serves a Vaishnava aim: turning the mind from transient life-stages toward lasting refuge and right order (dharma), ultimately oriented to Vishnu as the supreme ground of welfare.