Shloka 20
Āśā-prabhava (आशाप्रभव) — On the Rise and Power of Hope/Expectation
Sumitra Itihāsa Begins
प्रह्मादेन द्वतं राज्यं महेन्द्रस्य महात्मन: । शीलमाश्रित्य दैत्येन त्रैलोक्यं च वशे कृतम्
prahlādena hṛtaṃ rājyaṃ mahendrasya mahātmanaḥ | śīlam āśritya daityena trailokyaṃ ca vaśe kṛtam ||
«S’appuyant sur sa bonne conduite et sur un caractère discipliné, le Daitya Prahlāda s’empara de la souveraineté du magnanime Mahendra (Indra) et mit les trois mondes sous sa domination.»
घतयाट्र उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores the potency of śīla (character and disciplined conduct) as a source of authority and influence. It also invites reflection on ethical ambiguity: virtue can empower, but the ends to which it is applied—such as conquest—must be judged within dharma.
The speaker states that Prahlāda, a Daitya, relied on his exemplary conduct to overpower Mahendra (Indra), taking his kingdom and subjugating the three worlds—depicting a reversal of cosmic political order achieved through personal merit.