Shloka 2

प्रह्लादस्य अव्यभिचारिणी भक्ति, मायाविनाशः, तथा विष्णोः विश्वरूप-स्तुतिः

Devanagari script

प्रह्लाद सुप्रभावो ऽसि किम् एतत् ते विचेष्टितम् एतन् मन्त्रादिजनितम् उताहो सहजं तव

Transliteration

prahlāda suprabhāvo 'si kim etat te viceṣṭitam etan mantrādijanitam utāho sahajaṃ tava

Translation

Prahlāda, you are truly wondrous in power and purity—what is this remarkable conduct of yours? Has it arisen from mantras and disciplined practice, or is it innate within you?

Word by Word

• प्रह्लाद: O Prahlāda
• प्रह्लाद: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रह्लाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

• सुप्रभावः: of great power/splendor
• सुप्रभावः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु-प्रभाव (प्रातिपदिक; सु + प्रभाव)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; विशेषण (प्रह्लादस्य)

• असि: you are
• असि: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन

• किम्: what?
• किम्: Prashna (Interrogative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karma/Pratipādya (Object/that referred)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन

• ते: your
• ते: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6) एकवचन (ते = तव/your)

• विचेष्टितम्: act/behavior (done)
• विचेष्टितम्: Karma/Pratipādya (Object/that done)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वि-चेष्टित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; चेष्ट् धातु)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त)

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Pratipādya (That referred)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन

• मन्त्रादि-जनितम्: produced by mantra etc.
• मन्त्रादि-जनितम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मन्त्र-आदि-जनित (प्रातिपदिक; मन्त्र + आदि + जनित)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; विशेषण (एतत्/विचेष्टितम्); जनि धातु-निष्पन्न (क्त)

• उताहो: or else
• उताहो: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उत + आहो (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/विकल्पार्थक निपात (disjunctive particle: 'or else')

• सहजम्: innate/natural
• सहजम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सहज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; विशेषण (एतत्/विचेष्टितम्)

• तव: of you
• तव: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6), एकवचन

Speaker

Hiraṇyakaśipu (addressing Prahlāda, questioning the source of his devotion and fearlessness)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Prahlāda’s extraordinary conduct and the source of his purity/power (mantra-sādhana vs innate disposition).

Teaching: Devotional

Quality: revealing

Prahlada Narrative

Phase: Teaching (Prahlada's schools)

Bhakti Quality: Innate, unshaken devotion (sahaja-bhakti) that appears as extraordinary purity and power.

Characters & Entities

• Prahlada
• Hiranyakashipu

FAQs

What is the significance of Prahlāda being called “suprabhāva” in the Vishnu Purana?

It marks Prahlāda as possessing an extraordinary, auspicious spiritual nature—his devotion appears luminous and unshakable even under persecution.

How does this verse frame the debate: mantra-born practice vs innate devotion?

By asking whether Prahlāda’s conduct is “mantrādijanitam” or “sahajam,” the text foregrounds a key Purāṇic theme: true devotion can be spontaneous and grace-infused, not merely the product of technique.

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

Even when Vishnu is not named in the verse, Prahlāda’s inexplicable fearlessness and purity imply a higher refuge—Vishnu as the supreme protector whose grace can manifest as natural, irresistible bhakti.