Srimad Bhagavatam — Saptama Skandha, Shloka 41

Brahmā’s Boons, Hiraṇyakaśipu’s Cosmic Tyranny, and Prahlāda’s Transcendental Qualities

Devanagari script

क्‍वचिदुत्पुलकस्तूष्णीमास्ते संस्पर्शनिर्वृत: । अस्पन्दप्रणयानन्दसलिलामीलितेक्षण: ॥ ४१ ॥

Transliteration

kvacid utpulakas tūṣṇīm āste saṁsparśa-nirvṛtaḥ aspanda-praṇayānanda- salilāmīlitekṣaṇaḥ

Translation

Minsan, sa pagdama sa haplos ng mga kamay na parang lotus ng Panginoon, napupuno siya ng espirituwal na galak at nananatiling tahimik; tumitindig ang balahibo at dumadaloy ang luha ng pag-ibig mula sa mga matang bahagyang nakapikit, habang siya’y hindi kumikilos.

Synonyms

• kvacit: sometimes
• kvacit: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kvacit (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; adverb

• utpulakaḥ: with hairs standing on end
• utpulakaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: utpulaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga, Prathamā (Nom. 1st), Ekavacana; विशेषणम् (having horripilation)

• tūṣṇīm: silently
• tūṣṇīm: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tūṣṇīm (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: silently)

• āste: he remains/sits
• āste: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √ās (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ-lakāra (Present), Ātmanepada, Prathama-puruṣa (3rd), Ekavacana

• saṁsparśa-nirvṛtaḥ: blissed by (divine) touch
• saṁsparśa-nirvṛtaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: saṁsparśa (प्रातिपदिक) + nirvṛta (कृदन्त, nir-√vṛ)
• Form: Puṁliṅga, Prathamā (Nom. 1st), Ekavacana; समासः—तत्पुरुषः: ‘संस्पर्शेण निर्वृतः’ (delighted by touch)

• aspanda-praṇaya-ānanda-salila-āmīlita-īkṣaṇaḥ: whose eyes were (gently) closed, moistened by tears of unmoving loving bliss
• aspanda-praṇaya-ānanda-salila-āmīlita-īkṣaṇaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: aspanda (प्रातिपदिक) + praṇaya (प्रातिपदिक) + ānanda (प्रातिपदिक) + salila (प्रातिपदिक) + āmīlita (कृदन्त, ā-√mīl) + īkṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga, Prathamā (Nom. 1st), Ekavacana; समासः—तत्पुरुष-श्रृङ्खला: ‘प्रणय-आनन्द’ (love-joy) → ‘आनन्द-सलिल’ (tears of joy) → ‘सलिल-आमीलित-ईक्षण’ (eyes closed/moistened by tears); ‘अस्पन्द’ (unblinking/without movement) qualifies the state

Purport

When a devotee feels separation from the Lord, he becomes eager to see where the Lord is, and sometimes when he feels pangs of separation, tears flow incessantly from his half-closed eyes. As stated by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu in His Śikṣāṣṭaka, yugāyitaṁ nimeṣeṇa cakṣuṣā prāvṛṣāyitam. The words cakṣuṣā prāvṛṣāyitam refer to tears falling incessantly from the devotee’s eyes. These symptoms, which appear in pure devotional ecstasy, were visible in the body of Prahlāda Mahārāja.

Characters & Entities

• Prahlāda Mahārāja
• Hiraṇyakaśipu

FAQs

What are the symptoms of pure devotion (bhakti) described in Srimad Bhagavatam?

This verse describes classic ecstatic symptoms of advanced bhakti—horripilation, silence, stillness, closed eyes, and tears arising from loving bliss and felt closeness to the Lord.

Why is Prahlada described as silent and motionless in Canto 7 Chapter 4?

Śukadeva depicts Prahlāda’s absorption in remembrance of the Lord: overwhelmed by affectionate bliss, he becomes externally still, as if experiencing the Lord’s touch within the heart.

How can this teaching be applied in modern spiritual practice?

Practice steady remembrance—hearing, chanting, and meditation on the Lord—without chasing external displays; genuine devotion naturally deepens into inner peace, gratitude, and heartfelt emotion.