Shloka 51
Āśā-prabhava (आशाप्रभव) — On the Rise and Power of Hope/Expectation
Sumitra Itihāsa Begins
तत्र यास्यामि दैत्येन्द्र यत: शीलं॑ ततो हाहम् । प्रभो! ऐसा कहकर शील अदृश्य हो गया और इन्द्रके शरीरमें समा गया। उस तेजके चले जानेपर प्रह्नादके शरीरसे दूसरा वैसा ही तेज प्रकट हुआ। प्रह्नादने पूछा--/आप कौन हैं? उसने उत्तर दिया--'प्रह्नमाद! मुझे धर्म समझो। जहाँ वह श्रेष्ठ ब्राह्मण है
tatra yāsyāmi daityendra yataḥ śīlaṃ tato hāham | prabho! iti uktvā śīlaḥ adṛśyo 'bhavat indrasya śarīre ca samāviśat | tasya tejaso gate prahlādasya śarīrāt dvitīyaṃ tathaiva tejaḥ prādurabhavat | prahlāda uvāca—tvaṃ kaḥ? sa uvāca—prahlāda! māṃ dharmaṃ viddhi | yatra sa śreṣṭho brāhmaṇaḥ tatra yāsyāmi | daityarāja! yatra śīlaṃ tatra aham api tiṣṭhāmi ||
O brâmane disse: “Para lá irei, ó senhor dos Daityas—para onde quer que Śīla (a boa conduta) vá, para lá irei eu também.” Tendo dito isso, Śīla desapareceu e entrou no corpo de Indra. Quando aquele fulgor se retirou, outro fulgor semelhante manifestou-se do corpo de Prahlāda. Prahlāda perguntou: “Quem és tu?” E ele respondeu: “Prahlāda, sabe que sou Dharma. Onde estiver aquele brâmane excelso, para lá irei. Ó rei dos Daityas, onde habita a boa conduta, ali habito eu também.”
ब्राह्मण उवाच
Educational Q&A
Dharma is inseparable from śīla (good conduct): righteousness does not merely belong to a person by status, but abides where ethical character and disciplined behavior are present. The passage teaches that moral power ‘moves’ toward those who embody virtue.
Śīla (Good Conduct) disappears and enters Indra, indicating a transfer of moral radiance. Then a similar radiance arises from Prahlāda, identifying itself as Dharma. Dharma declares that it will dwell wherever the foremost Brahmin is, and that it remains wherever śīla is found.