Srimad Bhagavatam — Saptama Skandha, Shloka 54

Prahlāda Rejects Material Boons; Forgives His Father; Tripura and the Power of Remembrance

Devanagari script

स निर्माय पुरस्तिस्रो हैमीरौप्यायसीर्विभु: । दुर्लक्ष्यापायसंयोगा दुर्वितर्क्यपरिच्छदा: ॥ ५४ ॥ ताभिस्तेऽसुरसेनान्यो लोकांस्त्रीन् सेश्वरान्नृप । स्मरन्तो नाशयां चक्रु: पूर्ववैरमलक्षिता: ॥ ५५ ॥

Transliteration

sa nirmāya puras tisro haimī-raupyāyasīr vibhuḥ durlakṣyāpāya-saṁyogā durvitarkya-paricchadāḥ

Translation

Maya Dānava façonna trois cités—d’or, d’argent et de fer—difficiles à discerner et pourvues d’attributs merveilleux ; grâce à elles, les chefs asuras demeuraient invisibles aux demi-dieux.

Synonyms

• सः: he (Maya)
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• निर्माय: having built
• निर्माय: Purvakala (पूर्वकाल/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि + मा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Gerund/Absolutive), अव्ययभाव; ‘having constructed/created’

• पुरः: cities
• पुरः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुर्/पुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Vedic/epic form for पुरः = पुरान्/पुरीः); कर्मपदम्

• तिस्रः: three
• तिस्रः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (पुरः)

• हैम्यः: golden
• हैम्यः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हैम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (पुरः)

• रौप्यः: silver
• रौप्यः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रौप्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (पुरः)

• आयसीः: iron
• आयसीः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आयस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (पुरः)

• विभुः: the powerful one
• विभुः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; उपपद-विशेषणम् (सः)

• दुर्लक्ष्य-अपाय-संयोगाः: whose approach and departure were hard to perceive
• दुर्लक्ष्य-अपाय-संयोगाः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुर्लक्ष्य (प्रातिपदिक) + अपाय (प्रातिपदिक) + संयोग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; समासः (तत्पुरुष): ‘अपायस्य संयोगः’ + ‘दुर्लक्ष्यः’ (बहुपद-समास); विशेषणम् (पुरः)

• दुर्वितर्क्य-परिच्छदाः: with inconceivable coverings/defenses
• दुर्वितर्क्य-परिच्छदाः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुर्वितर्क्य (प्रातिपदिक) + परिच्छद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; समासः (तत्पुरुष): ‘दुर्वितर्क्यः परिच्छदः’ (hard-to-conceive covering/appearance); विशेषणम् (पुरः)

Characters & Entities

• Māyā Dānava
• Asuras

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about māyā (illusion) used by demons?

This verse shows demoniac māyā as engineered deception—structures and movements that are “difficult to perceive” and “beyond calculation,” meant to confuse and overpower others.

Who built the three cities (Tripura) mentioned in Bhagavatam 7.10?

Śukadeva describes a powerful being—Māyā Dānava—constructing three aerial cities made of gold, silver, and iron for the asuras.

Practical application: how can a devotee respond to confusing situations created by illusion?

Recognize that not everything is logically traceable; cultivate steadiness, avoid panic, and take shelter of dharma and devotion rather than being ruled by appearances.