Shloka 3

विषप्रयोगः कृत्योत्पादनं च (प्रह्लादस्य अवध्यता, कृत्याविनाशः, पुरोहितानां रक्षणम्)

Devanagari script

हालाहलं विषं तस्य सर्वभक्ष्येषु दीयताम् अविज्ञातम् असौ पापो वध्यतां मा विचार्यताम्

Transliteration

hālāhalaṃ viṣaṃ tasya sarvabhakṣyeṣu dīyatām avijñātam asau pāpo vadhyatāṃ mā vicāryatām

Translation

“Let the deadly Hālāhala poison be mixed into all his food. That sinful wretch acts unseen and unrecognized—put him to death at once; let there be no deliberation.”

Word by Word

• हालाहलम्: Hālāhala (deadly poison)
• हालाहलम्: कर्म (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हालाहल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• विषम्: poison
• विषम्: कर्म (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; हालाहलस्य विशेषण/अप्पोजिशन

• तस्य: for him / of him
• तस्य: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे/नपुंसकलिङ्गे, षष्ठी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• सर्वभक्ष्येषु: in all foods/edibles
• सर्वभक्ष्येषु: अधिकरण (Locative/Adhikaraṇa)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + भक्ष्य (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √भक्ष्, यत्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; कर्मधारयः (सर्वाणि भक्ष्याणि)

• दीयताम्: let it be given/put
• दीयताम्: आज्ञार्थ-क्रिया (Imperative verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √दा (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकारः (Imperative), प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्; कर्मणि-प्रयोगः (Passive)

• अविज्ञातम्: without being known; secretly
• अविज्ञातम्: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अविज्ञात (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; नञ् + वि-√ज्ञा, क्त)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण नपुंसक-एकवचनम् (acc. used adverbially)

• असौ: that one
• असौ: कर्ता (Subject/Kartā)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अदस् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• पापः: sinful; wicked
• पापः: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (qualifying असौ)

• वध्यताम्: let him be slain
• वध्यताम्: आज्ञार्थ-क्रिया (Imperative verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वध् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकारः (Imperative), प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्; कर्मणि-प्रयोगः (Passive)

• मा: do not
• मा: निषेध (Prohibition marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मा (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-निपात (prohibitive particle)

• विचार्यताम्: let it be considered/deliberated
• विचार्यताम्: आज्ञार्थ-क्रिया (Imperative verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-√चर् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकारः (Imperative), प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्; कर्मणि-प्रयोगः (Passive)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: The specific method of attempted murder: mixing Hālāhala poison into Prahlāda’s food

Teaching: Historical

Quality: revealing

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Unchecked hatred turns reason off (‘mā vicāryatām’), showing how adharma accelerates into violence when conscience is silenced.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Do not act under rage or group pressure; pause for discernment, especially when harm is proposed as ‘quick solution’.

Vishishtadvaita: The narrative presupposes the Lord’s guardianship over His bhakta, implying a personal, responsive Supreme who upholds dharma in lived history.

Prahlada Narrative

Phase: Persecution

Bhakti Quality: Fearless trust (abhaya) in Hari

Persecution: Poison

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Hari

Characters & Entities

• Hālāhala (poison)

FAQs

What is the significance of Hālāhala poison in the Vishnu Purana?

Hālāhala represents an extreme, world-threatening toxin in Purāṇic memory; invoking it here signals the harshest possible punitive intent within a royal or political crisis.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the response to hidden wrongdoing in this context?

By emphasizing “avijñātam” (unrecognized/secret), the verse frames the culprit as operating covertly, and the speaker demands immediate punishment—showing a narrative model of swift, sovereign retribution against concealed harm.

The theological importance of Lord Vishnu in this context?

Though Vishnu is not named in this verse, the Vishnu Purana’s broader frame treats rightful order (dharma and protection of the realm) as ultimately grounded in the Supreme Lord’s sustaining sovereignty.