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Srimad Bhagavatam — Saptama Skandha, Shloka 20

Prahlāda Rejects Material Boons; Forgives His Father; Tripura and the Power of Remembrance

सर्वात्मना न हिंसन्ति भूतग्रामेषु किञ्चन । उच्चावचेषु दैत्येन्द्र मद्भ‍ावविगतस्पृहा: ॥ २० ॥

sarvātmanā na hiṁsanti bhūta-grāmeṣu kiñcana uccāvaceṣu daityendra mad-bhāva-vigata-spṛhāḥ

اے دَیتیوں کے سردار پرہلاد! میرے بھکتی بھاؤ میں جڑا ہوا میرا بھکت کسی بھی جاندار گروہ کو ہرگز نقصان نہیں پہنچاتا۔ وہ اونچ نیچ کا فرق نہیں کرتا اور کسی سے حسد نہیں رکھتا۔

sarvātmanāentirely, with all their being
sarvātmanā:
Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootsarva + ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
FormAvyayībhāva adverbial compound; Instrumental-form used adverbially (तृतीया-प्रयोग) meaning ‘with whole self/entirely’
nanot
na:
Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootna (अव्यय)
FormNegation particle (निषेध-निपात)
hiṁsantithey harm
hiṁsanti:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Roothiṁs (धातु)
FormPresent (लट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Plural (बहुवचन); parasmaipada
bhūta-grāmeṣuamong groups of living beings
bhūta-grāmeṣu:
Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootbhūta + grāma (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Locative (सप्तमी/7), Plural (बहुवचन); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (bhūtānāṁ grāmeṣu)
kiñcanaanything at all
kiñcana:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootkiñcana (प्रातिपदिक)
FormIndefinite pronoun (अनिश्चित-सर्वनाम), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन), Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग); object of hiṁsanti
uccāvaceṣuin high and low (conditions), in all varieties
uccāvaceṣu:
Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
TypeAdjective
Rootuccā + avaca (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Locative (सप्तमी/7), Plural (बहुवचन); dvandva ‘high and low/varied’ used adjectivally
daityendraO lord of the Daityas
daityendra:
Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
TypeNoun
Rootdaitya + indra (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Vocative (सम्बोधन), Singular (एकवचन); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष ‘lord of the Daityas’
mad-bhāva-vigata-spṛhāḥfree from longing for my position
mad-bhāva-vigata-spṛhāḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Rootmad + bhāva + vigata + spṛhā (प्रातिपदिक; √spṛh ‘to desire’)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Plural (बहुवचन); multi-member tatpurusha: ‘desire removed with regard to my state/being’ (mad-bhāve vigatā spṛhā yeṣām)
P
Prahlada Maharaja

FAQs

In this verse, Prahlada explains that devotees absorbed in the Lord and free from material craving do not harm any living being—high or low—showing ahimsa as a natural outcome of bhakti.

Prahlada was instructing the demoniac community on saintly conduct; he emphasizes that genuine devotion transforms character, making one compassionate and nonviolent toward all creatures.

Cultivate devotion and reduce selfish desire; then practice conscious non-harm through speech, actions, and choices that respect all beings, regardless of their social position.