दिग्दन्तिनां दन्तबूमिं स च कस्मान्नरूपितः । संशोषकोऽनिलश्चास्य प्रयुक्तः किं मुहासुरैः
And why was he made to lie on the tusk-ground of the elephants of the quarters? For what reason did the asuras set the drying wind upon him?
कृत्याञ्च दैत्यगुरवो युयुजुस्तत्र किं मुने । शम्बरश्चापि मायानां सहस्त्रं कि प्रयुक्तवान्
What sorcery did the Daitya teachers employ there, O sage? And what thousand illusions did Shambara unleash?
हालाहलं विषमहो दैत्यसूदैर्महात्मनः । कस्माद् दत्त विनाशाय यद जीर्णा तेन धीमता
Why was the deadly halahala poison given by the slayers of the Daitya lord to that great soul, and how was it digested by him?
एतत् सर्व्वं महाभाग प्रह्लादस्य महात्मनः । चरितं श्वोतुमिच्छामि महामाहात्म्यसूचकम्
All this, O highly fortunate one, I wish to hear—the deeds of the great-souled Prahlada, which reveal his supreme greatness.
न हि कौतूहलं तत्र यदू दैत्यैर्न हतो हि सः । अनन्यमनसो विष्णौ कः शक्नोति निपातने
There is no wonder in this, for he was not slain by the Daityas; for who, with mind devoted solely to Vishnu, is able to be cast down?
तस्मिन धर्म्मपरे नित्यं केशावरधानोद्य.ते । स्ववंशप्रभवैर्दैत्येः कर्त्तु द्रषोऽतिदुष्करः
In him, ever devoted to righteousness, intent on the destruction of Keshava's enemies, it is exceedingly difficult for the Daityas, born of his own lineage, to act or even to look upon him.
दर्म्मात्मनि महाभागे विष्णुभक्ते विमत्सरे । दैतेयैः प्रह्टतं यस्मात् तन्ममाख्यातुमर्हसि
Since the Daityas attacked that great soul, whose very nature is righteousness, who is devoted to Vishnu and free from envy, you ought to tell me about this.
प्रहरन्ति महात्मानो विपक्षा अपि नेदृशे । गुणौः समन्विते साचधौ किं पुनयः खपक्षजः
Even adversaries of great soul do not attack one endowed with such virtues and truthfulness; how much less, then, would birds or other creatures?
तदेतत् कथ्यतां सर्व्व विस्तरान्मुनिसत्तम । दैत्येश्वरस्य चरितं श्वोतुमिच्छाम्यशेषतः
Therefore, O best of sages, narrate all this in detail; I wish to hear completely the deeds of the lord of the Daityas.
पाराशर उवाच । मैत्रेय श्वूयतां सम्यक् चरितं तस्य धीमतः । प्रह्लादस्य सदोदारचीरितस्य महात्मनः
Parashara said: O Maitreya, listen well to the story of that wise one, Prahlada, the great soul whose conduct was ever noble.
दितेः पुत्रो महावीर्य्यो हिरण्यकशिपुः पुरा । त्रैलोक्यं वशमानिन्ये ब्रह्मणो वरदर्पितः
Diti's son, the mighty Hiraṇyakaśipu, once brought the three worlds under his control, empowered by a boon from Brahma.
इन्दत्वमकरोदू दैत्यः स चासीत् सविता स्वयम् । वायुरग्रिरपां नाथः सोमस्चाभूनूमहासुरः
That Daitya assumed the role of Indra, and he himself became the Sun; the mighty Asura became the Wind, Fire, Lord of Waters, and Soma.
धनानामधिपः सोऽभूत् स एवासीत् खयं यमः । यज्ञभागानशेषांस्तु स स्वयं बुभुजेऽसुरः
He became the lord of wealth, and he was also Yama, the lord of death; that Asura himself enjoyed all the shares of sacrifice without remainder.
देवाः सर्गं परित्यज्य ततूत्रासान्मुनिसत्तम । विचेरुरवनौ सर्वं बिब्राणा मानुषीं तनुम्
O best of sages, the gods, abandoning their realms in fear, wandered the earth in human form.
जिताव त्रिभुव्रनं सर्व्वं त्रैलोक्यैश्वर्य्यदर्पितः । उपगीयामानो गन्धर्वैर्बुभुजे विषयान् प्रियान्
Having conquered the three worlds, endowed with the pride of universal sovereignty, he enjoyed his beloved pleasures, praised by the Gandharvas.
पानासक्तं महात्मानं हिरणंयकशिपु तदा । उपासाञ्चकिरे सर्व्वै सिद्धगन्धर्वपन्नगाः
At that time, all the Siddhas, Gandharvas, and serpents attended upon the great-souled Hiraṇyakaśipu, who was addicted to drinking.
अवादयञ्जगुश्चान्ये जयशब्दानथापरे । दैत्यराजस्य पुरतश्चक्रुः सिद्धा मुदन्विताः
Some played instruments, others sang, and yet others shouted cries of victory; the Siddhas, filled with joy, performed before the Daitya king.
तत्र प्रनृत्याप्सरसि स्फटिकाभ्रमयेऽमुरः । पपौ पानं मुदा युक्तः प्रासादे सुमनोहरे
There, as the Apsaras danced on crystal floors, the Asura, filled with delight, drank wine in a most charming palace.
तस्य पुत्रो महाभागः प्रह्लादो नाम नामतः । पपाठ बालपाठयानि गुरुगेहे गतोऽर्भकः
His son, the illustrious Prahlada by name, went as a child to the house of his teacher and recited his lessons.
एकदा तुस धर्म्मात्मा जगाम गुरुणा सह । पानासक्तस्य पुरतः पितुर्दैत्यपतेस्तदा
Once, that righteous soul went with his teacher before his father, the lord of the Daityas, who was then absorbed in drinking.
पादप्रणामावनतं तमुत्थाप्य पिता सुतम् । हिरण्यकशिपुः प्राह प्रह्लादममितोजसम्
Hiraṇyakaśipu, raising his son who had bowed at his feet, spoke to Prahlada, whose energy was immeasurable.
पठयतां भवता वत्स ! सारभूतं सुभाषितम् । कालेनैतावता यत् ते सदोद्यु क्तने शिक्षितम्
O child, among all that you have studied and recited, what is the best and most excellent saying you have learned in this time?
श्वूयतां तात ! वक्ष्यामि सारभूतं तवाज्ञया । समाहितमना भूत्वा यन्मे चेतस्यवस्थितम्
Listen, dear one! By your command, I shall speak the essence; with a focused mind, I will express what is established in my heart.
अनादिमध्यान्तमजमवृद्धिक्षयमच्युतम् । प्रणातोऽस्मि महात्मानं सर्व्वकारणकारणम्
I bow to the great soul, the cause of all causes—beginningless, endless, unborn, unaging, undecaying, and unchanging.
एवं निशम्य दैन्येन्द्रः क्रोधसंरक्तलोचनः । विलोक्य तदूगुरुं प्राह स्फुरिताधरपल्लवः
Hearing thus, the king of the Daityas, his eyes reddened with anger, looked at his son's teacher and spoke, his lips quivering.
ब्रह्मबन्धो ! किमेतत् ते विपक्षस्तुतिसहितम् । असारं ग्राहितो बालो मामवज्ञाय दुर्मते !
O false Brahmin! What is this, filled with praise for the enemy? Foolish one, you have led this child astray, disregarding me!
दैत्येश्वर ! न कोपस्य वशमागन्तुमर्हसि । ममोपदेशजनितं नायं वदति ते सुतः
Lord of the Daityas, you should not give in to anger; your son does not speak what I have taught him.
अनुशास्तोसि केनेदृगु वत्स ! प्रह्लाद कथ्यताम् । ममोपदिष्ट नेत्येष प्रब्रवीति गुरुस्तव
By whom and how have you been instructed, child? Tell me, Prahlada. This is not what I have taught—so says your teacher.
शास्ता विष्णुरशेषस्य जगतो यो ह्टदि स्थितः । तमृते परमात्मानं तात ! कः केन शास्यते
Vishnu, who abides in the heart, is the ruler of the entire world; apart from that Supreme Self, dear father, who can instruct whom?
कोऽय विष्णुः सुदुर्बुद्ध ! यं ब्रवीषि पुनः पुनः । जगतामीश्वरस्येह पुरतः प्रसभं मम
Who is this Vishnu, you fool, whom you keep mentioning again and again, right here before me, the lord of the worlds?