Srimad Bhagavatam — Saptama Skandha, Shloka 1

Prahlāda’s Prayers Pacify Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva

Prahlāda-stuti and the Lord’s Benediction Offer

Devanagari script

श्रीनारद उवाच एवं सुरादय: सर्वे ब्रह्मरुद्रपुर: सरा: । नोपैतुमशकन्मन्युसंरम्भं सुदुरासदम् ॥ १ ॥

Transliteration

śrī-nārada uvāca evaṁ surādayaḥ sarve brahma-rudra-puraḥ sarāḥ nopaitum aśakan manyu- saṁrambhaṁ sudurāsadam

Translation

Nārada Muni poursuivit : Ainsi, les demi-dieux, conduits par Brahmā, Rudra (Śiva) et d’autres grands devas, n’osèrent pas s’avancer devant le Seigneur à cet instant, tant Sa colère était terrible et difficile d’accès.

Synonyms

• śrī-nāradaḥ: the venerable Nārada
• śrī-nāradaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śrī-nārada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga, Prathamā vibhakti, Ekavacana

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: Liṭ-lakāra (Perfect), Parasmaipada, Prathama-puruṣa, Ekavacana

• evam: thus
• evam: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: evam (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; manner adverb

• surādayaḥ: the gods and others
• surādayaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sura + ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga, Prathamā vibhakti, Bahuvacana; tatpuruṣa ‘gods and others’

• sarve: all
• sarve: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga, Prathamā vibhakti, Bahuvacana; viśeṣaṇa of 'surādayaḥ'

• brahma-rudra-puraḥsarāḥ: with Brahmā and Rudra as leaders
• brahma-rudra-puraḥsarāḥ: Apposition to Karta (कर्ता-समनाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman + rudra + puraḥsara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga, Prathamā vibhakti, Bahuvacana; dvandva (brahmā + rudra) as qualifier + puraḥsara ‘leaders’

• na: not
• na: Pratiṣedha (negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; niṣedha (negation particle)

• upaitum: to approach
• upaitum: Karma (object/complement of aśakan)
• Type: Verb
• Root: upa-i (धातु)
• Form: Tumun infinitive (तुमुन्), ‘to approach’

• aśakan: were able
• aśakan: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: śak (धातु)
• Form: Luṅ-lakāra (Aorist), Parasmaipada, Prathama-puruṣa, Bahuvacana

• manyu-saṁrambham: the anger and violent agitation
• manyu-saṁrambham: Karma (कर्म; object of upaitum)
• Type: Noun
• Root: manyu + saṁrambha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga, Dvitīyā vibhakti, Ekavacana; dvandva ‘anger and fury’ (as one mass)

• sudurāsadam: very difficult to approach
• sudurāsadam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: su-dur-āsada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga, Dvitīyā vibhakti, Ekavacana; viśeṣaṇa of 'manyu-saṁrambham'

Purport

Śrīla Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura has sung in his Prema-bhakti-candrikā, ‘krodha’ bhakta-dveṣi-jane: anger should be used to punish a demon who is envious of devotees. Kāma, krodha, lobha, moha, mada and mātsarya — lust, anger, greed, illusion, pride and envy — all have their proper use for the Supreme Personality of Godhead and His devotee. A devotee of the Lord cannot tolerate blasphemy of the Lord or His other devotees, and the Lord also cannot tolerate blasphemy of a devotee. Thus Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva was so very angry that the great demigods like Lord Brahmā and Lord Śiva and even the goddess of fortune, who is the Lord’s constant companion, could not pacify Him, even after offering prayers of glorification and praise. No one was able to pacify the Lord in His anger, but because the Lord was willing to exhibit His affection for Prahlāda Mahārāja, all the demigods and the others present before the Lord pushed Prahlāda Mahārāja forward to pacify Him.

Characters & Entities

• Nārada
• Brahmā
• Rudra (Śiva)
• the demigods (suras)

FAQs

Why could Brahmā, Śiva, and the demigods not approach Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva?

Because the Lord’s manyu-saṁrambha—His intense, wrathful agitation after destroying the demon—was sudurāsada, extremely difficult for even great devas to face.

Who is speaking this verse in Srimad Bhagavatam 7.9.1 and to whom?

Śrī Nārada Muni is narrating the events, describing to his listener(s) how the demigods reacted after Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva manifested His fierce mood.

What is the practical lesson of Bhagavatam 7.9.1 for modern life?

Even the most powerful cannot manage overwhelming situations by status alone; true resolution comes through humility and devotion—approaching the Divine mood with purity rather than pride.