Shloka 16
Prahlāda Rejects Demonic Diplomacy and Proclaims Navadhā Bhakti
आनीयतामरे वेत्रमस्माकमयशस्कर: । कुलाङ्गारस्य दुर्बुद्धेश्चतुर्थोऽस्योदितो दम: ॥ १६ ॥
ānīyatām are vetram asmākam ayaśaskaraḥ kulāṅgārasya durbuddheś caturtho ’syodito damaḥ
Принесите мне палку! Этот Прахлада губит наше имя и славу. По своей дурной разумности он стал позором в роду дайтьев; потому его следует усмирить четвертым средством — наказанием (данда).
In political affairs, when a person disobediently agitates against the government, four principles are used to suppress him — legal orders, pacification, the offer of a post, or, finally, weapons. When there are no other arguments, he is punished. In logic, this is called argumentum ad baculum. When the two seminal brāhmaṇas Ṣaṇḍa and Amarka failed to extract from Prahlāda Mahārāja the cause for his having opinions different from those of his father, they called for a stick with which to chastise him to satisfy their master, Hiraṇyakaśipu. Because Prahlāda had become a devotee, they considered him to be contaminated by bad intelligence and to be the worst descendant in the family of demons. As it is said, where ignorance is bliss, it is folly to be wise. In a society or family in which everyone is a demon, for someone to become a Vaiṣṇava is certainly folly. Thus Prahlāda Mahārāja was charged with bad intelligence because he was among demons, including his teachers, who were supposedly brāhmaṇas.
FAQs
Because Prahlāda’s devotion to Viṣṇu opposes Hiraṇyakaśipu’s atheistic rule; the king sees it as a betrayal that will disgrace and “burn” the family’s demoniac legacy.
Hiraṇyakaśipu, enraged by Prahlāda’s steadfast bhakti teachings, orders corporal punishment, escalating discipline as he tries to break the boy’s devotion.
It highlights how genuine spiritual conviction can face social or institutional pressure; the devotee learns steadiness, patience, and integrity even when misunderstood or opposed.