Shloka 41

Prahlada's Counsel to Andhaka — Shukra’s Curse on King Danda and Prahlada’s Counsel to Andhaka on Dharma

Devanagari script

पुलस्त्य उवाच इत्येवमुक्ते वचने प्रह्लादं प्राह चान्धकः भवान् धर्मपरस्त्वेको नाहं धर्म समाचरे

Transliteration

pulastya uvāca ityevamukte vacane prahlādaṃ prāha cāndhakaḥ bhavān dharmaparastveko nāhaṃ dharma samācare

Translation

പുലസ്ത്യൻ പറഞ്ഞു—ഇങ്ങനെ വചനങ്ങൾ പറഞ്ഞശേഷം അന്ധകൻ പ്രഹ്ലാദനോട് പറഞ്ഞു: ‘നീ മാത്രമാണ് ധർമ്മപരൻ; ഞാൻ ധർമ്മം ആചരിക്കുന്നില്ല.’

Speakers

• Pulastya narrates; Andhaka speaks to Prahlada

Key Themes

• Contrast of dharmic and adharmic dispositions
• Prahlada as moral exemplar
• Confession of adharma as narrative foreshadowing

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

{ "primaryRasa": "karuna", "secondaryRasa": "shanta", "rasaIntensity": 0, "emotionalArcPosition": "", "moodDescriptors": [] }

FAQs

What is the narrative function of Andhaka’s statement ‘I do not practice dharma’?

It marks a deliberate rejection of moral restraint, setting up the ethical polarity needed for the ensuing conflict: Prahlāda embodies dharma, while Andhaka self-identifies with adharma, foreshadowing downfall and divine/heroic intervention in the larger Andhaka-cycle.

Why is Prahlāda singled out as ‘eko’ (alone)?

The phrasing heightens Prahlāda’s exceptionalism among Asuras: he is portrayed as a solitary standard-bearer of dharma within a community otherwise inclined toward transgression.

Does this verse contribute to the Vāmana Purāṇa’s sacred geography emphasis?

Not directly. It is a dialogue hinge in a mythic-ethical narrative; no rivers, tīrthas, forests, or regions are named here.