Shloka 10

Devanagari script

सकाशम् आगम्य ततः प्रह्लादस्य पुरोहिताः सामपूर्वम् अथोचुस् ते प्रह्लादं विनयान्वितम्

Transliteration

sakāśam āgamya tataḥ prahlādasya purohitāḥ sāmapūrvam athocus te prahlādaṃ vinayānvitam

Translation

Then, approaching Prahlāda, his household preceptors addressed the humble, well-mannered Prahlāda first with conciliatory words—gentle and diplomatically spoken.

Word by Word

• सकाशम्: near, in the presence of
• सकाशम्: Adhikarana (Locative sense/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सकाश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण/उपपद-निपात), अर्थे: ‘समीपे/निकटे’ (near)

• आगम्य: having come
• आगम्य: Kriya (पूर्वक्रिया/पूर्वकर्म)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आ-गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive), ‘आगत्य’ (having come)

• ततः: then, thereafter
• ततः: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (तद्-प्रातिपदिकात्)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण), अर्थे: ‘तस्मात्/तत्पश्चात्’ (then/from there)

• प्रह्लादस्य: of Prahlāda
• प्रह्लादस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रह्लाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• पुरोहिताः: priests, preceptors
• पुरोहिताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरोहित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• सामपूर्वम्: beginning with conciliation
• सामपूर्वम्: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: साम + पूर्व (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास, अव्ययभावे (adverbial), अर्थे: ‘सामपूर्वकं’ (with conciliation first)

• अथ: then
• अथ: Kriya-vishesana (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चय/अनन्तर-निपात), अर्थे: ‘ततः/अनन्तरम्’ (then)

• ऊचुः: said
• ऊचुः: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (Subject apposition/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• प्रह्लादम्: Prahlāda (to Prahlāda)
• प्रह्लादम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रह्लाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• विनय-अन्वितम्: endowed with humility
• विनय-अन्वितम्: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विनय (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्वित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, √इ ‘अन्वि’ भावे)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (सप्तमी/तृतीया-सम्बन्धार्थे ‘विनयेन अन्वितः’), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (प्रह्लादम्)

Speaker

Prahlada’s purohitas (preceptors/household priests), within Parasara’s narration to Maitreya

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Prahlāda’s devotion and the attempts to turn him away from Viṣṇu

Teaching: Devotional

Quality: authoritative

Prahlada Narrative

Phase: Teaching (Prahlada's schools)

Bhakti Quality: Vinaya-yukta steadfastness—humble, non-reactive devotion under pressure

Vaishnava Theology

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Characters & Entities

• Prahlada
• Purohitas (preceptors)

FAQs

What is the significance of sāma (conciliation) in this Vishnu Purana verse?

The verse highlights that the preceptors begin with gentle persuasion—showing that even in conflict, counsel traditionally starts with non-coercive, diplomatic speech before harsher measures.

How does the Vishnu Purana portray Prahlada’s character here?

Prahlāda is described as vinayānvita—marked by humility and disciplined conduct—setting him up as an ideal devotee whose inner virtue contrasts with external pressure.

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

Though Vishnu is not named in this line, the scene prepares the central theme: worldly instructors attempt to redirect Prahlāda, but his humility and steadfast devotion ultimately point to Vishnu as the Supreme refuge beyond social or political authority.