Shloka 4

Adhyāya 180: Jīva, Śarīra, and the Fire Analogy (भृगु–भरद्वाज संवादः)

Devanagari script

प्रह्माद उवाच स्वस्थ: शक्तो मृदुर्दान्तो निर्विधित्सोडनसूयक: । सुवाक्‌ प्रगल्भो मेधावी प्राज्ञशक्षरसि बालवत्‌

Transliteration

Prahlāda uvāca: svasthaḥ śakto mṛdur dānto nirvidhitsodanasūyakaḥ | suvāk pragalbho medhāvī prājñaś ca kṣarasi bālavat ||

Translation

普罗诃罗陀说道：“婆罗门啊！你安然自持，身心康泰，强健而温和，能制御诸根；你不因躁动的冲动而贸然起事，也不在他人身上搜寻过失。你的言辞悦耳而周正；你勇毅、聪慧、博学而明达——却又如孩童般以纯朴之心行走世间。”

Word by Word

• प्रह्लादः: Prahlada
• प्रह्लादः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रह्लाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उवाच: said/spoke
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: Perfect, Third, Singular

• स्वस्थः: healthy/at ease
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वस्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• शक्तः: capable/strong
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• मृदुः: gentle/soft
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मृदु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• दान्तः: self-controlled/tamed
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दान्त (प्रातिपदिक; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त from दम्)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• निर्विधित्सुः: not wishing to undertake (actions)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्विधित्सु (प्रातिपदिक; desiderative adjective from √विध/√विद् in sense 'to undertake')
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उदनसूयकः: non-censorious; not finding fault with others
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनसूयक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सुवाक्: sweet-/good-spoken
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुवाक् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• प्रगल्भः: bold/confident
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रगल्भ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• मेधावी: intelligent
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मेधाविन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• प्राज्ञः: wise
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्राज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)

• चरसि: you move about/live
• Type: Verb
• Root: चर् (धातु)
• Form: Present, Second, Singular

• बालवत्: like a child
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: बालवत् (अव्ययभावे; प्रातिपदिक from बाल + वत्)

Speaker

प्रह्माद उवाच

Characters & Entities

• प्रह्लाद (Prahlāda)
• ब्रह्मन् (a Brahman/learned sage addressed)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse praises an ethical ideal: inner steadiness (svastha), strength without harshness (śakta yet mṛdu), disciplined senses (dānta), freedom from envy and fault-finding (anasūyaka), and refined truthful speech (suvāk). Even with wisdom and learning, one should retain childlike simplicity (bālavat), indicating humility and lack of ego.

What is happening in the narrative?

Prahlāda addresses a Brahman/sage-like figure, observing and commending his virtues. The description functions as a character assessment within the Śānti Parva’s moral discourse, highlighting the marks of a truly wise person whose conduct is gentle, non-malicious, and humble.