Shloka 51

Devanagari script

बालत्वं सर्वदोषाणां दैत्यराजास्पदं यतः ततो ऽत्र कोपम् अत्यर्थं योक्तुम् अर्हसि नार्भके

Transliteration

bālatvaṃ sarvadoṣāṇāṃ daityarājāspadaṃ yataḥ tato 'tra kopam atyarthaṃ yoktum arhasi nārbhake

Translation

เพราะวัยเด็กเป็นที่ตั้งซึ่งความบกพร่องทั้งปวงหยั่งรากได้ง่าย โอ้ราชาแห่งไทตยะ ดังนั้นในเรื่องนี้ท่านไม่ควรผูกโทสะอันเกินควรต่อเด็กน้อยเลย

Word by Word

• बालत्वम्: childhood; being a child
• बालत्वम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बालत्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; भाववाचक-नाम (abstract noun)

• सर्वदोषाणाम्: of all faults
• सर्वदोषाणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व-दोष (प्रातिपदिक; सर्व + दोष)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (सर्वे दोषाः यस्य/येषां)

• दैत्यराजास्पदम्: a seat/abode for the demon-king
• दैत्यराजास्पदम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दैत्य-राज-आस्पद (प्रातिपदिक; दैत्य + राज + आस्पद)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (दैत्यराजस्य आस्पदम्)

• यतः: since; because
• यतः: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यतस् (अव्यय; यत्-प्रत्ययान्त)
• Form: अव्यय; सम्बन्धबोधक-कारणार्थक (conj. ‘since/from which reason’)

• ततः: therefore; then
• ततः: Sambandha/Discourse link
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततस् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तस्मात्-अर्थे (therefore/then)

• अत्र: here; in this matter
• अत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb)

• कोपम्: anger
• कोपम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कोप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• अत्यर्थम्: excessively; very much
• अत्यर्थम्: Visheshana (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्यर्थ (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक-नपुंसक)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb ‘excessively/very much’)

• योक्तुम्: to apply; to direct (anger)
• योक्तुम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: युज् (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive); धातुः—युज् (योजने)

• अर्हसि: you ought; you are fit
• अर्हसि: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्ह् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• न: not
• न: Negation
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation particle)

• अर्भके: in/with regard to a child; the little one
• अर्भके: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्भक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; सम्बोधनार्थेऽपि प्रयोगः (vocative sense possible)

Speaker

Narratorial voice within the Parasara–Maitreya frame (a counsel-like utterance addressed to the Daitya king in the embedded story)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Prahlāda’s unwavering devotion and Hiraṇyakaśipu’s hostility toward Hari

Teaching: Devotional

Quality: revealing

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Do not direct excessive anger toward a child, since childish faults arise easily and are corrigible.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Practice proportionate response and compassionate correction, especially with the young or inexperienced.

Vishishtadvaita: Implicitly upholds dharma as service to Bhagavān’s order, where compassion toward the vulnerable is a divine-aligned virtue.

Prahlada Narrative

Phase: Persecution

Bhakti Quality: Steadfast, fear-free single-point devotion (ananyabhakti) despite intimidation

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Hari

Characters & Entities

• Daitya king (Hiranyakashipu, implied)
• a child (Prahlada, implied)

FAQs

What is the significance of childhood (bālatva) in this Vishnu Purana verse?

The verse treats childhood as a vulnerable stage where errors arise easily, so harsh judgment—especially excessive anger—is portrayed as adharma.

How does the Vishnu Purana frame righteous conduct when correcting wrongdoing?

It emphasizes proportion and discernment: correction should not be driven by extreme krodha, particularly when the subject is a child.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu in this context?

Though Vishnu is not named here, the verse supports the Purana’s Vaishnava ethic: compassion and dharma align with the higher order ultimately protected by Vishnu.