Shloka 37

Devanagari script

अहोरात्रकृतं पापं प्रह्लादचरितं नरः शृण्वन् पठंश् च मैत्रेय व्यपोहति न संशयः

Transliteration

ahorātrakṛtaṃ pāpaṃ prahlādacaritaṃ naraḥ śṛṇvan paṭhaṃś ca maitreya vyapohati na saṃśayaḥ

Translation

O Maitreya, there is no doubt: one who listens to or recites the sacred account of Prahlāda drives away the sins accumulated through day and night.

Word by Word

• अहोरात्रकृतम्: done over day and night
• अहोरात्रकृतम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अहोरात्र (प्रातिपदिक) + कृत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √कृ + क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (अहोरात्रस्य कृतम् = done in day-and-night)

• पापम्: sin
• पापम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• प्रह्लादचरितम्: the story of Prahlāda
• प्रह्लादचरितम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रह्लाद (प्रातिपदिक) + चरित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √चर् + क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (प्रह्लादस्य चरितम्)

• नरः: a man/person
• नरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• शृण्वन्: hearing/listening
• शृण्वन्: Karta (Agent as participle)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √श्रु (धातु) + शतृ (वर्तमान कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमान कृदन्त (present active participle)

• पठन्: reciting/reading
• पठन्: Karta (Agent as participle)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √पठ् (धातु) + शतृ (वर्तमान कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमान कृदन्त

• च: and
• च: Sambandha/Conjunction
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-बोधक निपात (conjunction)

• मैत्रेय: O Maitreya
• मैत्रेय: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मैत्रेय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन

• व्यपोहति: removes/drives away
• व्यपोहति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + अप + √ऊह्/√वह् (धातु; व्यपोहन-प्रयोग)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; उपसर्गयुक्त धातु

• न: not/no
• न: Negation
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात (negation particle)

• संशयः: doubt
• संशयः: Pratijna/Predicate nominal
• Type: Noun
• Root: संशय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; वाक्ये 'न संशयः' इति निश्चयार्थक-प्रयोग

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (addressing Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Teaching: Devotional

Quality: authoritative

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Listening to and reciting Prahlāda’s account removes even the incessant sins accumulated day and night, without doubt.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Make a fixed daily practice of paṭhana/śravaṇa (even brief) with mindfulness, using it as a counter-current to habitual lapses.

Vishishtadvaita: The Lord’s saving power is accessed through loving remembrance and narration; the means is personal (bhakti) rather than merely impersonal effort.

Prahlada Narrative

Phase: Triumph

Bhakti Quality: Nitya-bhakti expressed as continual śravaṇa and paṭhana that burns away ahorātra-kṛta pāpa.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Characters & Entities

• Prahlada
• Maitreya
• Sage Parasara

FAQs

What is the significance of Prahlada’s story in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse states that simply hearing or reciting Prahlada’s account dispels the sins gathered in everyday life, highlighting Prahlada as an exemplar of devotion whose narrative carries purifying power.

How does Sage Parasara explain the benefit of hearing or reciting sacred narratives?

Parāśara presents śravaṇa (listening) and pāṭha (recitation) of Prahlada-charita as spiritually efficacious acts that remove accumulated demerit—an assured result, “with no doubt.”

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

Prahlada’s narrative is effective because it is grounded in unwavering devotion to Vishnu as the Supreme Lord; the purifying result underscores Vishnu’s sovereignty and the saving potency of bhakti.