Shloka 45
Āśā-prabhava (आशाप्रभव) — On the Rise and Power of Hope/Expectation
Sumitra Itihāsa Begins
दत्ते वरे गते विप्रे चिन्ता55सीन्महती तदा । प्रह्ादस्य महाराज निश्चयं न च जग्मिवान्
datte vare gate vipre cintāsīn mahatī tadā | prahrādasya mahārāja niścayaṃ na ca jagmivān ||
Après que le don eut été accordé et que le brahmane se fut retiré, ô roi, une grande inquiétude s’empara de Prahlāda. Il réfléchit à ce qu’il convenait de faire, sans pouvoir parvenir à une décision ferme.
ब्राह्मण उवाच
Educational Q&A
A promise or boon, once granted, can create a binding ethical burden; dharma is tested not only in giving but in responsibly fulfilling what one has pledged, even when uncertainty and fear arise.
Prahlāda has granted a boon to a Brahmin. After the Brahmin leaves, Prahlāda becomes deeply anxious and cannot decide what course of action to take, indicating an impending moral or practical difficulty connected with the boon.