Shloka 14
Daitya–Dānava Vaṁśa, Kaśyapa’s Progeny, and the Birth of the Maruts
प्रह्लादस्य तु दैत्यस्य निवातकवचाः कुले समुत्पन्नाः सुमहता तपसा भावितात्मनः
prahlādasya tu daityasya nivātakavacāḥ kule samutpannāḥ sumahatā tapasā bhāvitātmanaḥ
From the lineage of Prahlāda, the Daitya, were born the Nivātakavacas—souls refined and empowered through exceedingly great austerities.
Sage Parāśara (narrating) to Maitreya
Concept: Tapas disciplines the self (bhāvitātman) and can generate formidable power even within otherwise asuric lineages.
Vedantic Theme: Dharma
Application: Undertake regulated austerity—truthfulness, restraint, steady practice—so power is yoked to clarity rather than ego.
Vishishtadvaita: Even those born in adverse lineages remain capable of refinement, underscoring the jīva’s dependence on the Lord’s order and grace for right orientation.
Dharma Exemplar: Tapas (austerity)
Vishnu Form: Narayana
Bhakti Type: Shanta
FAQs
This verse frames them as a notable Daitya group descended from Prahlāda, distinguished specifically by immense tapas, implying exceptional power and influence within Purāṇic history.
By describing them as bhāvitātmanaḥ—inner selves shaped by severe austerity—Parāśara attributes their potency to tapas rather than mere birth alone.
Even formidable lineages empowered by tapas remain part of the ordered cosmos; their rise and role unfold within the larger divine governance upheld by Vishnu as the supreme regulator of cosmic law.