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?
न शह्दगोचरे यस्य योगिध्येयं परं पदम् । यतो यश्व स्वयं विश्वं स विष्णुः परमेश्वरः
He whose supreme state is not within the reach of words, who is meditated upon by yogis—he, from whom the universe arises, is Vishnu, the Supreme Lord.
परमेश्वरसंज्ञोऽज्ञ ! किमन्यो मययवस्थिते । तवास्ति मर्त्तुकामस्त्व प्रब्रवीषि पुनः पुनः
Ignorant one! Who else is called the Supreme Lord, existing through his own power? You must wish to die, since you keep saying this again and again.
न केवलं तात ! मम प्रजानां स ब्रह्मभूतो भवतश्व विष्णुः । धाता विधाता परमेश्वरश्च प्रसीद कोपं कुरुषे किमर्थम
Not only mine, father, but of all beings, that Vishnu is the source and creator, the Supreme Lord. Be gracious—why do you show anger?
प्रविचष्टः कोऽस्य ह्टदये दुर्बुद्धेरतिपापकृत् । येनेदृशान्यसाधूनि वदत्याविष्टमानसः
Who has corrupted the heart of this wicked, evil-minded one, so that, possessed in mind, he speaks such unrighteous words?
न केवलं मदूह्टदयं स विष्णु--राक्रम्य लोकान् सकलानवस्थितः । स मां त्वदादींश्च पितः ! समस्तान् समस्तचेष्टासु युनक्ति सर्वगः
Not only my heart does Vishnu pervade—he abides in all the worlds; he, all-pervading, unites me, you, and all our kin in every action, O father.
निष्काम्यतामयं दुष्टः शास्यताञ्च गुरोगृ हे । योजितो दुर्म्मतिः केन विपक्षवितथस्तुतौ
Let this wicked one be restrained and disciplined in the teacher's house; by whom has this evil-minded boy been led to praise the enemy falsely?
इत्युक्तोऽसौ तदा दैत्यैर्नीतो गुरुगृहं पुनः । जग्राह विद्यामनिशं गुरुशुश्वू षणोद्यतः
Thus addressed, he was then taken by the Daityas again to the teacher's house, where he diligently learned knowledge day and night, eager to listen.
कालेऽतीते च महति प्रह्लादमसुरेश्वरः । समाहूयाब्रवीत् पुत्र ! गाध काचित् प्रगीयताम्
When a long time had passed, the lord of the Asuras summoned Prahlada and said, 'My son, recite some verse you have learned.'
यतः प्रधानपुरुषौ यतश्चैतज्वराचरम् । कारणां सकलस्यास्य स नो विष्णुः प्रसीदतु
From whom both Pradhāna and Puruṣa arise, and from whom all this moving and unmoving world comes—may that Vishnu, the cause of all, be gracious to us.
दुरात्मा वध्यतामेष ननिनार्थोऽस्ति जीवता । खपक्षहानिकर्त्तृ त्वाद यः कुलाङ्गारतां गतः
This evil-hearted one should be killed; there is no purpose in his living. He has become a disgrace to the family, like one who cuts the wings of a bird.