Shloka 96
Narasiṃha’s Greatness and the Slaying of Hiraṇyakaśipu
Boon, Portents, and Cosmic Restoration
प्रह्लादस्य वचः श्रुत्वा हिरण्यकशिपुः प्रभुः । उवाच दानवान्सर्वान्गणांश्च सगणाधिपः
prahlādasya vacaḥ śrutvā hiraṇyakaśipuḥ prabhuḥ | uvāca dānavānsarvāngaṇāṃśca sagaṇādhipaḥ
പ്രഹ്ലാദന്റെ വാക്കുകൾ ശ്രവിച്ച പ്രഭു ഹിരണ്യകശിപു, നേതാക്കളോടുകൂടിയ എല്ലാ ദാനവഗണങ്ങളെയും സമവേത സംഘങ്ങളെയും അഭിസംബോധന ചെയ്തു പറഞ്ഞു।
Narrator (introducing Hiraṇyakaśipu’s speech after hearing Prahlāda)
Concept: Worldly sovereignty reacts to bhakti with coercive control; the devotee’s truth provokes the tyrant’s insecurity.
Application: When confronted by intimidation after speaking truth, remain steady; coercive power often escalates before it collapses.
Primary Rasa: raudra
Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka
Type: celestial_realm
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Inside a vast asura assembly hall, Hiraṇyakaśipu rises from a jeweled throne, his posture rigid with offended authority after hearing Prahlāda. Rows of Dānavas and their captains lean forward, weapons and banners catching the light, as the air thickens with impending violence.","primary_figures":["Hiraṇyakaśipu","Prahlāda","Dānavas (asura chiefs)","assembly leaders (gaṇādhipas)"],"setting":"Asuric sabhā with black-stone pillars, gem-inlaid floor, hanging standards, and a high throne dais; Prahlāda stands calm amid hostile courtiers.","lighting_mood":"temple lamp-lit","color_palette":["obsidian black","blood red","antique gold","smoky violet","emerald green"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: Hiraṇyakaśipu on a towering gold-leaf throne in an opulent asura sabhā, heavy gold leaf embossing on pillars and crown, rich crimson and emerald textiles, gem-studded ornaments, Prahlāda depicted serene with a small Viṣṇu emblem on his chest, traditional South Indian iconographic symmetry, intricate floral borders and halo-like aureoles.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: a courtly interior with delicate linework, Hiraṇyakaśipu gesturing sharply toward assembled Dānavas, Prahlāda small yet luminous and composed, cool shadowed architecture with lyrical detailing, refined faces, subtle gradients, patterned carpets and banners, restrained but tense composition.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold black outlines and flat natural pigments, Hiraṇyakaśipu’s fierce eyes and towering crown emphasized, rows of Dānavas in rhythmic repetition, Prahlāda calm with gentle facial expression, red-yellow-green dominant palette, temple-wall aesthetic with ornamental creepers framing the sabhā.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: narrative panel framing the asura sabhā as a dramatic counter-scene, ornate floral borders and lotus motifs ironically surrounding the court, deep indigo background with gold highlights, Prahlāda as a devotional focal point with subtle Viṣṇu symbols, intricate textile patterns and stylized attendants."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"narrative","suggested_raga":"Durga","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["low drum pulse","murmuring crowd","clinking armor","distant conch (foreshadowing)"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: पदच्छेदः: प्रह्लादस्य; वचः; श्रुत्वा; हिरण्यकशिपुः; प्रभुः; उवाच; दानवान्+सर्वान्; गणान्+च; स+गणाधिपः. ‘दानवान्सर्वान्’ = दानवान् सर्वान् (न्+स). ‘गणांश्च’ = गणान्+च (न्+च → ंश्च)।
FAQs
The verse is narrative: it reports that after hearing Prahlāda, Hiraṇyakaśipu begins addressing the gathered Dānavas and their leaders.
It frames Prahlāda’s speech as significant enough to provoke an immediate public response from Hiraṇyakaśipu, setting the stage for the classic Bhakti-versus-tyranny conflict.
A ruler’s reaction to truthful or principled counsel—especially from within one’s own family—can determine whether power is used for correction and justice or for escalation and persecution.