Srimad Bhagavatam — Saptama Skandha, Shloka 7

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

Devanagari script

यदि दास्यसि मे कामान्वरांस्त्वं वरदर्षभ । कामानां हृद्यसंरोहं भवतस्तु वृणे वरम् ॥ ७ ॥

Transliteration

yadi dāsyasi me kāmān varāṁs tvaṁ varadarṣabha kāmānāṁ hṛdy asaṁrohaṁ bhavatas tu vṛṇe varam

Translation

Lạy Đấng ban ân tối thượng, nếu Ngài muốn ban cho con một ân huệ, thì con xin chọn ân huệ này: trong tim con đừng nảy sinh mầm dục vọng vật chất.

Synonyms

• यदि: if
• यदि: सम्बन्ध (Condition marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि (अव्यय)
• Form: शर्तार्थक-अव्यय (conditional conjunction)

• दास्यसि: you will give
• दास्यसि: क्रिया (Kriyā/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple future), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन

• मे: to me
• मे: सम्प्रदान (Sampradāna/Dative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन (enclitic)

• कामान्: desires
• कामान्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

• वरान्: excellent / choice
• वरान्: कर्मविशेषण (Object-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifying ‘kāmān’)

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा, एकवचन

• वरदर्षभ: O best of boon-givers
• वरदर्षभ: सम्बोधन (Sambodhana/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वरद-ऋषभ (प्रातिपदिक; वरद + ऋषभ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन; कर्मधारयसमासः (वरदः ऋषभः)

• कामानाम्: of desires
• कामानाम्: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• हृदि: in the heart
• हृदि: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हृद्/हृदय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (or पुंलिङ्ग ‘हृद्’), सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• असंरोहम्: non-arising / no sprouting
• असंरोहम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अ-सम्-रोह (प्रातिपदिक; नञ् + संरोह)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; नञ्-समासभावः (negated noun)

• भवतः: of you
• भवतः: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भवत् (प्रातिपदिक; सर्वनाम-प्रयोग)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन (honorific)

• तु: however / indeed
• तु: Particle
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (contrast/emphasis)

• वृणे: I choose
• वृणे: क्रिया (Kriyā/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपद, उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन

• वरम्: a boon
• वरम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

Purport

Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu taught us how to pray for benedictions from the Lord. He said:

Characters & Entities

• Prahlāda
• Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about removing material desires from the heart?

In this verse, Prahlāda asks Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva for the highest boon: that no material desires may ever sprout in his heart, showing that freedom from kāma is itself a divine benediction.

Why did Prahlāda ask Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva for freedom from desires instead of wealth or power?

Prahlāda is a pure devotee; after being offered boons by the Lord, he chooses inner purity over external gains, revealing that devotion seeks the Lord’s service, not material rewards.

Practical application of Prahlāda’s teaching in modern life?

When praying or setting goals, prioritize character and inner freedom—ask for steadiness in devotion, self-control, and a heart not driven by compulsive wanting.