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Shloka 36

Prahlāda Rejects Demonic Diplomacy and Proclaims Navadhā Bhakti

विष्णोर्वा साध्वसौ किं नु करिष्यत्यसमञ्जस: । सौहृदं दुस्त्यजं पित्रोरहाद्य: पञ्चहायन: ॥ ३६ ॥

viṣṇor vā sādhv asau kiṁ nu kariṣyaty asamañjasaḥ sauhṛdaṁ dustyajaṁ pitror ahād yaḥ pañca-hāyanaḥ

प्रल्हाद जरी केवळ पाच वर्षांचा असला, तरी त्याने आई-वडिलांचे प्रेम सोडले आहे. म्हणून तो नक्कीच अविश्वासू आहे. जो आई-वडिलांचा झाला नाही, तो विष्णूशी चांगले वागेल यावर विश्वास ठेवणे कठीण आहे.

viṣṇoḥof Viṣṇu
viṣṇoḥ:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
TypeNoun
Rootviṣṇu (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन)
or
:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Discourse particle)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootvā (अव्यय)
FormParticle/alternative (विकल्पार्थक निपात)
sādhuindeed; well; good
sādhu:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Discourse adverb)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootsādhu (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
FormAdverb (क्रियाविशेषण) used as approval/commendation
asauthat (person), he
asau:
Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
TypeNoun
Rootasau (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
FormPronoun (सर्वनाम), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)
kimwhat
kim:
Karma (कर्म/Object)
TypeNoun
Rootkim (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
FormInterrogative pronoun (प्रश्नवाचक सर्वनाम), Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)
nuindeed?; pray
nu:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Discourse particle)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootnu (अव्यय)
FormParticle (निपात), interrogative/emphatic
kariṣyatiwill do
kariṣyati:
Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
TypeVerb
Rootkṛ (धातु)
FormSimple future (लृट्), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)
asamañjasaḥof the improper/unsuitable (one)
asamañjasaḥ:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
TypeAdjective
Rootasamañjasa (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन); adjective qualifying implied person (asau)
sauhṛdamaffection; friendship
sauhṛdam:
Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
TypeNoun
Rootsauhṛda (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)
dustyajamhard to give up
dustyajam:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
TypeAdjective
Rootdus-tyaja (दुर् + त्यज, कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); past passive participle sense ‘hard to abandon’ (त्यज् धातोः कर्मणि शक्यार्थ) qualifying sauhṛdam
pitroḥof (his) parents
pitroḥ:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
TypeNoun
Rootpitṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Dual (द्विवचन)
ahātabandoned (left)
ahāt:
Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
TypeVerb
Roothā (धातु)
FormImperfect (लङ्), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन); with augment a-; negative sense implied by context ‘did not abandon’
yaḥwho
yaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
TypeNoun
Rootyad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
FormRelative pronoun (सम्बन्धवाचक), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)
pañca-hāyanaḥfive years old
pañca-hāyanaḥ:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
TypeAdjective
Rootpañca + hāyana (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); dvigu compound meaning ‘five-year-old’ qualifying yaḥ/asau
V
Viṣṇu
P
Prahlāda
H
Hiraṇyakaśipu

FAQs

The verse implies that one who is devoted to Viṣṇu is naturally saintly and unlikely to act improperly; the concern shifts to worldly attachments rather than any fault in bhakti.

He reasons that because Prahlāda is only five, he may still retain strong natural attachment to his father—suggesting the boy might be influenced or restrained by familial affection despite his Viṣṇu devotion.

It highlights balancing natural family affection with higher spiritual commitments—cultivating devotion without becoming controlled by attachment that opposes dharma.