Shloka 49

प्रह्लादचरितम् (हिरण्यकशिपोः स्वर्गापहरणं, प्रह्लादस्य विष्णुभक्तिः, उपदेशः)

Devanagari script

राजन् नियम्यतां कोपो बाले ऽत्र तनये निजे कोपो देवनिकायेषु तत्र ते सफलो यतः

Transliteration

rājan niyamyatāṃ kopo bāle 'tra tanaye nije kopo devanikāyeṣu tatra te saphalo yataḥ

Translation

ข้าแต่พระราชา โปรดระงับโทสะต่อเด็กคนนี้—บุตรของพระองค์เอง—เถิด จงหันความพิโรธไปยังหมู่เทพ เพราะที่นั่นเท่านั้นความพยายามของพระองค์จึงจะสัมฤทธิ์ผล

Word by Word

• राजन्: O king
• राजन्: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• नियम्यताम्: let (it) be restrained
• नियम्यताम्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि (उपसर्ग) + √यम् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (आज्ञार्थ/Imperative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive) = ‘let (it) be restrained’

• कोपः: anger
• कोपः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कोप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• बाले: toward/with regard to the boy
• बाले: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण

• तनये: in/with regard to (your) son
• तनये: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तनय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• निजे: your own
• निजे: Adhikarana (Qualifier/अधिकरणविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (तनये इति विशेष्यस्य)

• कोपः: anger
• कोपः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कोप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• देवनिकायेषु: against the hosts of gods
• देवनिकायेषु: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक) + निकाय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• तत्र: there/in that case
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Context/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देश/प्रसङ्गवाचक (there/in that case)

• ते: your
• ते: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: मध्यमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सफलः: fruitful/effective
• सफलः: Karta (Qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सफल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (कोपः इति)

• यतः: because
• यतः: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; हेतु-वाचक (causal) = ‘because/since’

Speaker

Sunīti (counselling Dhruva, addressing him with royal courtesy)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Anger should be restrained and guided by discernment; violence against the innocent is adharma even when justified as ‘policy’.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Practice pause-and-discernment before acting on anger; protect dependents and avoid scapegoating the vulnerable.

Vishishtadvaita: Dharma is meaningful because beings are real dependents (śeṣa) of the Lord; harming them violates the order sustained by Him.

Prahlada Narrative

Phase: Persecution

Bhakti Quality: Innocent, unwavering devotion contrasted with misdirected wrath

Characters & Entities

• Dhruva
• Sunīti
• The Devas (Devanikāya)

FAQs

What is the significance of controlling anger in the Dhruva narrative of the Vishnu Purana?

This verse frames anger as something to be mastered, not vented on the innocent; it becomes a pivot that turns grievance into disciplined spiritual resolve.

How does Sunīti explain where Dhruva’s effort should be directed?

She advises that anger against one’s own child-self or family is futile, while confronting the divine order behind worldly outcomes is the meaningful arena—ultimately pushing Dhruva toward higher, God-centered striving.

What is the theological importance of the Devas in this context?

The Devas represent the cosmic administration of worldly honors; the verse implies that true transcendence comes not by harming others but by rising beyond dependence on such powers—culminating in devotion to Vishnu as the Supreme Reality.