Shloka 18

प्रह्लादस्य अव्यभिचारिणी भक्ति, मायाविनाशः, तथा विष्णोः विश्वरूप-स्तुतिः

Devanagari script

समाहितमना भूत्वा शम्बरे ऽपि विमत्सरः मैत्रेय सो ऽपि प्रह्लादः सस्मार मधुसूदनम्

Transliteration

samāhitamanā bhūtvā śambare 'pi vimatsaraḥ maitreya so 'pi prahlādaḥ sasmāra madhusūdanam

Translation

With his mind gathered into perfect composure, and free from envy even toward Śambara, O Maitreya, Prahlāda remembered Madhusūdana (Viṣṇu) within his heart.

Word by Word

• समाहितमना: with composed mind
• समाहितमना: Karta (Subject qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: समाहित + मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन; समास: समाहितः मनाः (मनस्) = 'composed-minded'

• भूत्वा: having become
• भूत्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Absolutive/Gerund) = 'having become'; धातु: भू

• शम्बरे: towards/in regard to Śambara
• शम्बरे: Adhikarana (Context/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शम्बर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन

• अपि: also, even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (निपात/समुच्चय) = 'also/even'

• विमत्सरः: free from envy
• विमत्सरः: Karta (Subject qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि + मत्सर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन; प्रह्लादस्य विशेषणम्

• मैत्रेय: O Maitreya
• मैत्रेय: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मैत्रेय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (निपात) = 'also'

• प्रह्लादः: Prahlāda
• प्रह्लादः: Karta (Subject apposition/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रह्लाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन; सः इत्यस्य अपपद-सम्बन्धः

• सस्मार: remembered
• सस्मार: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/Past), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; धातु: स्मृ

• मधुसूदनम्: Madhusūdana (Vishnu)
• मधुसूदनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मधु + सूदन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; समास: मधोः सूदनः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (addressing Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Teaching: Devotional

Quality: revealing

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: In adversity, the devotee gathers the mind (samāhita-manāḥ), abandons envy, and takes refuge in continuous remembrance of Madhusūdana.

Vedantic Theme: Moksha

Application: Use japa or nāma-smaraṇa during stress; pair it with deliberate cultivation of forgiveness toward aggressors.

Vishishtadvaita: Personal Lord as the immediate inner object of meditation (smṛti) who responds to the devotee—bhakti as a real relation, not mere abstraction.

Prahlada Narrative

Phase: Divine-protection

Bhakti Quality: Vimatsaratā (freedom from envy) and ekāgratā culminating in Madhusūdana-smṛti

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Hari

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Antaryamin: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Prahlada
• Maitreya
• Madhusudana (Vishnu)
• Shambara

FAQs

What is the significance of Prahlāda remembering Madhusūdana in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse highlights smaraṇa-bhakti: even under hostility, Prahlāda steadies his mind and turns inward to Viṣṇu as the Supreme refuge, showing devotion that is independent of circumstances.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the role of inner composure in devotion?

By describing Prahlāda as samāhita-manā (mentally collected) and vimatsara (without envy), Parāśara frames devotion as supported by ethical purity and meditative steadiness, not merely external ritual.

What is the theological importance of calling Vishnu ‘Madhusūdana’ here?

The epithet presents Viṣṇu as the sovereign protector who overcomes forces opposed to cosmic order; Prahlāda’s remembrance affirms Vishnu’s supremacy and the devotee’s reliance on that supreme reality.