Shloka 18

प्रह्लादस्य विष्णुमयता, विष्णोः दर्शनं, वरदानं, तथा चरितश्रवण-फलम्

Devanagari script

नाथ योनिसहस्रेषु येषु येषु व्रजाम्य् अहम् तेषु तेष्व् अच्युता भक्तिर् अच्युतास्तु सदा त्वयि

Transliteration

nātha yonisahasreṣu yeṣu yeṣu vrajāmy aham teṣu teṣv acyutā bhaktir acyutāstu sadā tvayi

Translation

O Lord, through whatever thousands of wombs I may pass—wherever I am born again and again—may my devotion remain unwavering, O Acyuta; and may You, the Unfailing One, ever abide as the constant refuge within my heart.

Word by Word

• नाथ: O lord
• नाथ: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8/सम्बोधन), एकवचन — vocative singular

• योनिसहस्रेषु: in thousands of births
• योनिसहस्रेषु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योनि-सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक; योनि=जन्मस्थान, सहस्र=1000)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7/अधिकरण), बहुवचन — locative plural; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (योनिनां सहस्रेषु)

• येषु: in which
• येषु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, सप्तमी (7/अधिकरण), बहुवचन — locative plural

• येषु: in whichever
• येषु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, सप्तमी (7/अधिकरण), बहुवचन — locative plural (पुनरुक्ति/अनुवृत्ति)

• व्रजामि: I go
• व्रजामि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: व्रज् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन — present, 1st person singular

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा (1/कर्ता), एकवचन — nominative singular

• तेषु: in those
• तेषु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, सप्तमी (7/अधिकरण), बहुवचन — locative plural

• तेषु: in those (same)
• तेषु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, सप्तमी (7/अधिकरण), बहुवचन — locative plural (पुनरुक्ति/अनुवृत्ति)

• अच्युता: O Acyuta
• अच्युता: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अच्युत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8/सम्बोधन), एकवचन — vocative singular (हे अच्युत)

• भक्तिः: devotion
• भक्तिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1/कर्ता), एकवचन — nominative singular

• अच्युत: O Acyuta
• अच्युत: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अच्युत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8/सम्बोधन), एकवचन — vocative singular

• अस्तु: let it be
• अस्तु: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (आज्ञार्थ), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन — imperative, 3rd person singular

• सदा: always
• सदा: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय — कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of time)

• त्वयि: in you
• त्वयि: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: मध्यमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, सप्तमी (7/अधिकरण), एकवचन — locative singular

Speaker

A devotee addressing Lord Vishnu (Acyuta), within the Parasara–Maitreya narrative frame

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Prahlāda’s chosen boon and its devotional meaning

Teaching: Devotional

Quality: compassionate

Avatara Context

Avatara: Narasimha

Purpose: He protects the devotee and establishes bhakti as the enduring refuge across births.

Leela: Moksha-dana

Dharma Restored: Continuity of devotion as the highest good beyond rebirth

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Even within saṃsāra’s countless births, the supreme boon is unbroken devotion and reliance on the unfailing Lord.

Vedantic Theme: Moksha

Application: When facing change and uncertainty, prioritize continuity of practice—japa, remembrance, and ethical living—over external outcomes.

Vishishtadvaita: The Lord as indwelling refuge for the jīva across embodiments, while the jīva’s devotion remains a real, enduring relation to Him.

Prahlada Narrative

Phase: Triumph

Bhakti Quality: Steadfast bhakti across saṃsāra; dependence on the Lord as constant support

Narasimha: Prahlāda requests unwavering devotion through countless rebirths and implies the Lord as inner refuge (antaryāmin-like abiding).

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Narayana

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Antaryamin: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu (Acyuta)

FAQs

What is the significance of praying for devotion across many births in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse frames bhakti as the one possession worth carrying through samsara—devotion that remains steady regardless of the form of rebirth becomes the soul’s continuous link to liberation.

How does Sage Parasara explain the path of liberation in such verses?

Within the Parasara–Maitreya teaching style, liberation is presented less as a single event and more as sustained God-centeredness—unceasing devotion and refuge in Vishnu that endures through changing lives.

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

Calling Vishnu “Acyuta” stresses His unfailing sovereignty and reliability: even when the soul’s births change, the Supreme Lord remains constant, making Him the ultimate ground for devotion and release.