Shloka 14
Maitreya’s Inquiry into Prahlāda: The Logic of Bhakti’s Invincibility
धर्मात्मनि महाभागे विष्णुभक्ते विमत्सरे दैतेयैः प्रहृतं कस्मात् तन् ममाख्यातुम् अर्हसि
dharmātmani mahābhāge viṣṇubhakte vimatsare daiteyaiḥ prahṛtaṃ kasmāt tan mamākhyātum arhasi
Por que aquele magnânimo—justo por natureza, devoto de Viṣṇu e livre de inveja—foi golpeado pelos Daitya? Peço-te que me contes isso em detalhe.
Maitreya (questioning Sage Parāśara)
Speaker: Maitreya
Topic: Why the righteous, envy-free Viṣṇu devotee Prahlāda was attacked by the Daityas
Teaching: Ethical
Quality: earnest, justice-seeking
Concept: The persecution of the virtuous prompts inquiry into the dynamics of adharma and the hidden workings of divine justice.
Vedantic Theme: Dharma
Application: When facing or witnessing injustice, seek understanding through śāstra and wise counsel rather than cynicism; remain grounded in dharma.
Vishishtadvaita: Apparent suffering of a devotee is not abandonment; it forms part of Bhagavān’s providential governance that ultimately reveals His protection.
Phase: Persecution
Bhakti Quality: steadfast devotion combined with moral innocence (vimatsaratā)
Vishnu Form: Hari
Bhakti Type: Shanta
FAQs
This verse highlights vimatsara as a hallmark of true devotion—showing that the devotee’s purity stands in contrast to the Daityas’ hostility, setting up a lesson on dharma and divine order.
Maitreya’s question frames the coming explanation: Parashara typically answers such paradoxes through karmic causality and the larger sovereignty of Vishnu, where apparent suffering serves a broader dharmic unfolding.
By identifying the victim primarily as viṣṇu-bhakta, the verse centers Vishnu as the supreme reference point—implying that events in the devotee’s life are ultimately situated within Vishnu’s cosmic governance.