Shloka 17
विषप्रयोगः कृत्योत्पादनं च (प्रह्लादस्य अवध्यता, कृत्याविनाशः, पुरोहितानां रक्षणम्)
पिता गुरुर् न संदेहः पूजनीयः प्रयत्नतः तत्रापि नापराध्यामीत्य् एवं मनसि मे स्थितम्
pitā gurur na saṃdehaḥ pūjanīyaḥ prayatnataḥ tatrāpi nāparādhyāmīty evaṃ manasi me sthitam
A father is, without any doubt, a guru and must be honored with sincere effort. Even so, this resolve stands firm within my heart: “Even there I shall not commit wrongdoing.”
A dutiful son/householder voice within the narrative (reported speech in the broader Parāśara–Maitreya discourse)
Concept: One must honor the father as guru with effort, yet maintain unwavering inner resolve not to commit wrongdoing even in delicate circumstances.
Vedantic Theme: Dharma
Application: Balance respect for elders with personal integrity: keep a non-negotiable commitment to non-offense and ethical speech/action.
Vishishtadvaita: Dharma is lived as service (śeṣatva) without compromising devotion-based conscience; reverence is disciplined by inner purity.
Bhakti Type: Dasya
FAQs
This verse frames the father as a primary source of authority and sacred guidance, making reverence to parents a core expression of dharma.
Through dharma-instructions embedded in the narrative, the teaching emphasizes honoring elders with effort while maintaining inner discipline and avoiding any offense or wrongdoing.
Dharma is presented as the stabilizing order upheld under Vishnu’s sovereignty; honoring rightful authority (like father/guru) becomes a practical way of aligning life with that cosmic order.