Shloka 14
प्रह्लादस्य अव्यभिचारिणी भक्ति, मायाविनाशः, तथा विष्णोः विश्वरूप-स्तुतिः
ततो विलोक्य तं स्वस्थम् अविशीर्णास्थिबन्धनम् हिरण्यकशिपुः प्राह शम्बरं मायिनां वरम्
tato vilokya taṃ svastham aviśīrṇāsthibandhanam hiraṇyakaśipuḥ prāha śambaraṃ māyināṃ varam
ನಂತರ ಅವನು ಕ್ಷೇಮವಾಗಿ, ಎಲುಬು-ಸಂಧಿಗಳು ಸಡಿಲವಾಗದೆ ಇರುವುದನ್ನು ನೋಡಿ, ಹಿರಣ್ಯಕಶಿಪು ಮಾಯಿಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ಶ್ರೇಷ್ಠನಾದ ಶಂಬರನಿಗೆ ಹೇಳಿದನು.
Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya; the quoted speech is by Hiraṇyakaśipu to Śambara)
Concept: When brute force fails, adharma turns to deception (māyā), revealing the asuric tendency to weaponize illusion against truth.
Vedantic Theme: Maya
Application: Recognize manipulation and misinformation as forms of māyā; respond with discernment (viveka) and steadiness rather than panic.
Vishishtadvaita: Asuric māyā is a dependent power within prakṛti, never equal to the Lord’s sovereignty that protects the devotee.
Phase: Persecution
Bhakti Quality: Steadfastness under repeated trials; faith evidenced by unharmed body
FAQs
Śambara represents the peak of asuric illusion—showing that when brute force fails against Prahlāda, adharma turns to deception; yet even māyā cannot override the Lord’s protection of a true devotee.
Parāśara narrates Prahlāda as remaining “svastha” (steady and well), implying inner anchoring in Vishnu; the body’s intactness mirrors the inviolability granted by devotion.
Even without Vishnu being named in the verse, the narrative assumes His supreme governance: the devotee’s safety reveals a higher sovereignty that nullifies both violence and illusion.