Shloka 91

प्रह्लादचरितम् (हिरण्यकशिपोः स्वर्गापहरणं, प्रह्लादस्य विष्णुभक्तिः, उपदेशः)

Devanagari script

तस्मिन् प्रसन्ने किम् इहास्त्य् अलभ्यं धर्मार्थकामैर् अलम् अल्पकास् ते समाश्रिताद् ब्रह्मतरोर् अनन्तान् निःसंशयं प्राप्स्यथ वै महत् फलम्

Transliteration

tasmin prasanne kim ihāsty alabhyaṃ dharmārthakāmair alam alpakās te samāśritād brahmataror anantān niḥsaṃśayaṃ prāpsyatha vai mahat phalam

Translation

When He is gracious, what in this world could possibly remain unattainable? Enough of chasing the small gains of dharma, artha, and kāma. Having taken refuge in the infinite Brahman-tree itself, you will—without doubt—attain a truly great fruit.

Word by Word

• तस्मिन्: in him / in that (one)
• तस्मिन्: अधिकरण (Locative/Adhikaraṇa)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे/नपुंसकलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः (Locative/7th), एकवचनम् (Singular)

• प्रसन्ने: when (he is) pleased
• प्रसन्ने: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रसन्न (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √सद्/सद् + प्र-; भूतकृदन्त/विशेषण)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे/नपुंसकलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (agreeing with तस्मिन्)

• किम्: what
• किम्: कर्म/प्रश्न (Interrogative object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (Nom./Acc.), एकवचनम्; प्रश्नार्थकम्

• इह: here
• इह: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of place)

• अस्ति: is/exists
• अस्ति: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकारः (Present), प्रथमपुरुषः (3rd), एकवचनम् (Singular)

• अलभ्यम्: unattainable
• अलभ्यम्: विधेय-विशेषण (Predicate qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अलभ्य (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √लभ्, तव्यत्/यत्-प्रत्ययः; नकारार्थे)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; विधेय-विशेषणम् (predicative adjective)

• धर्मार्थकामैः: by/with dharma, artha, and kāma
• धर्मार्थकामैः: करण (Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक) + काम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचनम् (Plural); इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः

• अलम्: enough; sufficient
• अलम्: क्रियाविशेषण/निषेधार्थ-समर्थक (Adverbial particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अलम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; पर्याप्त्यर्थक-अव्यय (particle meaning 'enough/sufficient')

• अल्पकाः: small/insignificant
• अल्पकाः: विशेषण (Qualifier of ते)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अल्पक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative/1st), बहुवचनम्; विशेषणम्

• ते: they/you (those)
• ते: कर्ता (Subject/Kartā)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्

• समाश्रितात्: from (one) who is resorted to / from the resorted (tree)
• समाश्रितात्: अपादान (Source/Ablative)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: समाश्रित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; सम्-आ-√श्रि, क्त-प्रत्ययः)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे/नपुंसकलिङ्गे, पञ्चमी-विभक्तिः (Ablative/5th), एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (qualifying ब्रह्मतरोः)

• ब्रह्मतरोः: of/from the wish-fulfilling tree (of Brahman)
• ब्रह्मतरोः: सम्बन्ध/अपादान (Genitive relation / Source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + तरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, षष्ठी/पञ्चमी-विभक्तिः (Gen./Abl.), एकवचनम्; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (ब्रह्मणः तरुः)

• अनन्तान्: endless; innumerable
• अनन्तान्: कर्म (Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचनम्; विशेषणम् (qualifying implied 'फलान्/कामान्')

• निःसंशयम्: undoubtedly
• निःसंशयम्: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: निःसंशयम् (अव्यय; निः + संशय)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समासः; क्रियाविशेषणम् (adverb)

• प्राप्स्यथ: you will obtain
• प्राप्स्यथ: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-√आप् (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकारः (Simple Future), मध्यमपुरुषः (2nd), बहुवचनम् (Plural)

• वै: indeed
• वै: निपात (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; निश्चयार्थक-निपात (emphatic particle)

• महत्: great
• महत्: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (qualifying फलम्)

• फलम्: fruit; result
• फलम्: कर्म (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: फल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya in the narrative frame)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Supremacy of taking refuge in the infinite Brahman/Hari over limited aims (dharma-artha-kama)

Teaching: Devotional

Quality: authoritative

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: When the Lord is pleased, all attainments follow, so one should abandon petty ends and take refuge in the infinite Brahman alone for the highest fruit.

Vedantic Theme: Moksha

Application: Prioritize sādhana centered on surrender and devotion (śaraṇāgati), treating worldly goals as secondary.

Vishishtadvaita: The ‘infinite Brahman-tree’ is the personal Supreme (Viṣṇu) who bestows all puruṣārthas; liberation is gained by dependence on Him rather than self-effort alone.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Characters & Entities

• Brahman
• Vishnu

FAQs

What is the significance of taking refuge (śaraṇāgati) in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse presents refuge in the Supreme (Brahman/Vishnu) as the decisive cause of the highest attainment, surpassing the limited rewards of dharma, artha, and kāma.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the limitation of dharma, artha, and kāma here?

He calls their results “small” (alpakāḥ), implying they remain worldly and finite, while devotion and refuge in the infinite Brahman yield the “great fruit” beyond ordinary aims.

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

Vishnu is implied as the gracious Supreme Reality whose favor makes all goals attainable and whose refuge grants the highest, unmistakable result—aligning liberation with divine sovereignty rather than mere ritual merit.