Shloka 28

प्रह्लादस्य अव्यभिचारिणी भक्ति, मायाविनाशः, तथा विष्णोः विश्वरूप-स्तुतिः

Devanagari script

गृहीतनीतिशास्त्रस् ते पुत्रो दैत्यपते कृतः प्रह्लादस् तत्त्वतो वेत्ति भार्गवेण यद् ईरितम्

Transliteration

gṛhītanītiśāstras te putro daityapate kṛtaḥ prahlādas tattvato vetti bhārgaveṇa yad īritam

Translation

O lord of the Daityas, your son Prahlāda has been trained in nīti-śāstra; yet, in the deepest truth, he truly understands what the Bhārgava sage has spoken.

Word by Word

• गृहीत-नीति-शास्त्रः: having learned the polity-treatise
• गृहीत-नीति-शास्त्रः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गृहीत (ग्रह् धातु, क्त) + नीति (प्रातिपदिक) + शास्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त विशेषण; समासः—नीतिशास्त्र (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष), गृहीतनीतिशास्त्र (तत्पुरुष/कर्मधारय-प्रायः)

• ते: your
• ते: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• पुत्रः: son
• पुत्रः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• दैत्य-पते: O lord of the Daityas
• दैत्य-पते: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दैत्य (प्रातिपदिक) + पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8), एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (‘दैत्यानां पतिः’)

• कृतः: has been made/has become
• कृतः: Kriya (Predicative/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृत (कृ धातु, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; विधेयविशेषण (predicate adjective)

• प्रह्लादः: Prahlāda
• प्रह्लादः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रह्लाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• तत्त्वतः: in truth/truly
• तत्त्वतः: Sambandha (Manner/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्त्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb)

• वेत्ति: knows
• वेत्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• भार्गवेण: by Bhārgava (Śukra)
• भार्गवेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भार्गव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन

• यत्: what/that which
• यत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक सर्वनाम

• ईरितम्: spoken/declared
• ईरितम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ईरित (ईर्/ईरय् धातु, क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (said/uttered)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: How Prahlāda’s learning differs in essence from Daitya political instruction—his grasp of tattva.

Teaching: Devotional

Quality: revealing

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Worldly disciplines (nīti) become truly ‘known’ only when penetrated by tattva—right vision rooted in devotion and truth.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Learn skills, but continually ask for their ‘tattva’: align power, leadership, and strategy with conscience, devotion, and the highest good.

Vishishtadvaita: Hints that true knowledge is not value-neutral: it is fulfilled when oriented to the supreme Reality (Nārāyaṇa), integrating worldly order with spiritual purpose.

Prahlada Narrative

Phase: Teaching (Prahlada's schools)

Bhakti Quality: Tattva-jñāna grounded in bhakti—he understands the ‘reality’ behind instruction, not merely political technique.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Characters & Entities

• Prahlada
• Hiranyakashipu
• Daityas
• Shukra (Bhargava)

FAQs

What is the significance of nīti-śāstra in this Vishnu Purana verse?

The verse contrasts formal training in statecraft with deeper understanding (tattvataḥ), indicating that true wisdom is more than political skill—it is insight into reality and dharma.

How does Sage Parāśara frame Prahlāda’s learning in the dialogue?

Parāśara presents Prahlāda as educated in governance like a prince should be, but emphasizes that Prahlāda’s real excellence is grasping the essence of what his teacher taught, not merely memorizing doctrine.

What is the theological importance of Vishnu in this context?

By highlighting “tattva” (ultimate truth) alongside worldly instruction, the narrative prepares the reader for Prahlāda’s higher devotion—where sovereignty and ethics find their fulfillment under the supremacy of Vishnu.