Shloka 81

प्रह्लादचरितम् (हिरण्यकशिपोः स्वर्गापहरणं, प्रह्लादस्य विष्णुभक्तिः, उपदेशः)

Devanagari script

अथ भद्राणि भूतानि हीनशक्तिर् अहं परम् मुदं तथापि कुर्वीत हानिर् द्वेषफलं यतः

Transliteration

atha bhadrāṇi bhūtāni hīnaśaktir ahaṃ param mudaṃ tathāpi kurvīta hānir dveṣaphalaṃ yataḥ

Translation

Then, even if my power is diminished, I should still bring the highest joy to all auspicious beings; for loss and ruin arise as the fruit of hatred.

Word by Word

• अथ: now/then
• अथ: Sambandha (Discourse connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; आरम्भार्थक/अनन्तरार्थक (particle: now/then)

• भद्राणि: auspicious/good
• भद्राणि: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति; बहुवचन (neuter nom/acc pl)

• भूतानि: beings
• भूतानि: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति; बहुवचन (neuter nom pl)

• हीनशक्तिः: of diminished power / weak
• हीनशक्तिः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हीन (प्रातिपदिक) + शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति; एकवचन (fem nom sg); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (हीना शक्ति यस्य/यस्या)

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम; प्रथमा विभक्ति; एकवचन (1st person pronoun nom sg)

• परम्: supreme/highest
• परम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति; एकवचन (neuter acc sg)

• मुदम्: joy
• मुदम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति; एकवचन (fem acc sg)

• तथापि: even so/however
• तथापि: Sambandha (Discourse connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय) + अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अव्ययसमुच्चय (concessive: even so/however)

• कुर्वीत: should do/should make
• कुर्वीत: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative); प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन; परस्मैपदम् (should do/make)

• हानिः: loss/ruin
• हानिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हानि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति; एकवचन (fem nom sg)

• द्वेषफलम्: the fruit/result of hatred
• द्वेषफलम्: Prayojana/Phala (Result/फल)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वेष (प्रातिपदिक) + फल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति; एकवचन (neuter nom/acc sg); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (द्वेषस्य फलम्)

• यतः: because/since
• यतः: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यतस् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; हेत्वर्थक (causal: because/since)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Ethical counsel to abandon hatred and cultivate universal welfare despite diminished power

Teaching: Ethical

Quality: compassionate

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Even when one is weakened, one should choose beneficence toward beings, since hatred ripens into one’s own ruin.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Respond to conflict with restraint and constructive action; treat resentment as self-harm and practice deliberate goodwill.

Vishishtadvaita: Ethics grounded in the vision that all beings are related within the Lord’s order, making hatred a violation of dharma.

Vaishnava Theology

Bhakti Type: Shanta

FAQs

What is the significance of hatred (dveṣa) in this Vishnu Purana verse?

The verse frames hatred as a direct cause of decline—its “fruit” is hāni (loss), so dharmic conduct requires avoiding hostility and choosing benevolence.

How does Sage Parāśara explain right conduct even when one is weak?

Parāśara teaches that diminished strength is not an excuse for malice; one should still aim to create the highest good and joy for others, maintaining dharma.

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

Even when not named, the teaching aligns with Vaishnava ethics: sustaining cosmic order through compassion and restraint reflects the Supreme’s governance of the world through dharma.