Shloka 12

Maitreya’s Inquiry into Prahlāda: The Logic of Bhakti’s Invincibility

Devanagari script

न हि कौतूहलं तत्र यद् दैत्यैर् न हतो हि सः अनन्यमनसो विष्णौ कः समर्थो निपातने

Transliteration

na hi kautūhalaṃ tatra yad daityair na hato hi saḥ ananyamanaso viṣṇau kaḥ samartho nipātane

Translation

ଏଥିରେ କୌଣସି ଆଶ୍ଚର୍ଯ୍ୟ ନାହିଁ—ଦୈତ୍ୟମାନେ ତାଙ୍କୁ ହତ କରିପାରିଲେ ନାହିଁ; ଯାହାର ମନ ଏକାଗ୍ର ଭାବେ ବିଷ୍ଣୁରେ ନିବିଷ୍ଟ, ତାଙ୍କୁ ପତିତ କରିବାକୁ କିଏ ସମର୍ଥ?

Word by Word

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय (negative particle)

• हि: indeed, for
• हि: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic/causal particle)

• कौतूहलम्: wonder, curiosity
• कौतूहलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कौतूहल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd case), एकवचन

• तत्र: there, in that matter
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक अव्यय (locative adverb)

• यत्: that which
• यत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd case), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)

• दैत्यैः: by the Daityas (demons)
• दैत्यैः: Karana (Instrument/Agent-in-passive/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दैत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/instrumental), बहुवचन

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय

• हतः: killed (was killed)
• हतः: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √हन् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphasis)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• अनन्यमनसः: of one with unwavering mind
• अनन्यमनसः: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनन्य+मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/genitive), एकवचन; समासः (तत्पुरुष) ‘अनन्यं मनः यस्य’ इति (अर्थतः बहुव्रीहिवत्), रूपतः षष्ठी-एकवचन ‘of one whose mind is undistracted’

• विष्णौ: in/with regard to Viṣṇu
• विष्णौ: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/locative), एकवचन

• कः: who?
• कः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/nominative), एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक सर्वनाम

• समर्थः: capable
• समर्थः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: समर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण

• निपातने: in bringing down, in killing
• निपातने: Adhikarana (Topic/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निपातन (प्रातिपदिक; √पत् with नि-)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/locative), एकवचन; भाववाचक

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Daityas

FAQs

What is the significance of single-minded devotion to Vishnu in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse presents ananya-manasaḥ—undivided attention to Vishnu—as a source of invincibility: when consciousness is anchored in Vishnu, hostile forces lose the capacity to defeat the devotee.

How does Sage Parāśara explain divine protection in this context?

Parāśara frames survival against the Daityas as unsurprising, implying a consistent rule of the Purana’s theology: Vishnu’s guardianship naturally follows unwavering devotion, making defeat spiritually impossible.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu here?

Vishnu is implied as the supreme ground of security and sovereignty—greater than demonic or worldly power—so that reliance on Him becomes the decisive factor in protection and steadfastness.