कथं मंत्रिष्वमात्येषु बाह्येष्वाभ्यंतरेषु च । चारेषु पौरवर्गेषु शङ्कितेष्वितरेषु च
How should one act with ministers, counselors, outsiders, insiders, spies, citizens, and those who are suspicious or otherwise?
कृत्याकृत्यविधानञ्च दुर्गाटविकसाधनम् । प्रह्लाद कथ्यतां सम्यक् तथा कण्टकशोधनम्
Tell me, Prahlada, the proper regulation of what should and should not be done, the securing of forts and forests, and likewise the removal of thorns.
एतच्चान्यच्च सकलमधीतं भवता यथा । तथा मे कथ्यतां ज्ञातुं तवेच्छामि मनोगतम्
And whatever else you have studied in full, tell me all of it as it is; I wish to know what is in your mind.
श्रीपराशर उवाच । प्रणिपत्य पितुः पादौ तदा प्रश्रयभूषणः । प्रह्लादः प्राह दैत्येन्द्रं कृतांजलिपुटस्तथा
Sri Parashara said: Then Prahlada, adorned with humility, bowed at his father’s feet and, with hands joined, addressed the lord of the Daityas.
प्रह्लाद उवाच । ममो पदिष्टं सकलं गुरुणा नात्र संशयः । गृहीतन्तु मया किन्तु न सदेतन्मतम्मम
Prahlada said: All that was instructed to me by the teacher, I have learned without doubt; but though I have grasped it, it is not truly my opinion.
साम चोपप्रदानं च भेददण्डौ तथापरौ । उपायाः कथिताः सर्वे मित्रादिनां च साधने
Conciliation, giving, division, and punishment—these means have all been taught for the accomplishment of friends and others.
तानेवाहं न पश्यामि मित्रादींस्तात मा क्रुधः । साध्याभावे महाबाहो साधनैः किं प्रयोजनम्
But, father, I do not see those friends and others; do not be angry. When there is nothing to be accomplished, what purpose do the means serve, O mighty-armed?
सर्वभूतात्मके तात जगन्नाथे जगन्मये । परमात्मनि गोविन्दे मित्रामित्रकथा कुतः
Father, in the soul of all beings, in the lord of the universe, in the universe itself, in the supreme soul Govinda—how can there be talk of friend and enemy?
त्वय्यस्ति भगवातन् विष्णुर्मयि चान्यत्र चास्ति सः । यतस्ततोयं मित्रं मे शत्रुश्चेति पृथक्कुतः
That Lord Vishnu is present in you, in me, and elsewhere; therefore, how can one be my friend and another my enemy, and how can there be distinction?
तदेभिरलमत्यर्थं दुष्टारम्भोक्तिविस्तरैः । अविद्यान्तर्गतैर्यत्नः कर्त्तव्यस्तात शोभने
Therefore, enough of these excessive and elaborate discussions about hostile undertakings, father; effort should be made, O noble one, only within ignorance.
विद्याबुद्धिरविद्यायामज्ञानान्तात जायते । बालोग्निं किं न खद्योतमसुरेश्व मन्यते
Knowledge and intellect arise only in ignorance, father; does a child not mistake a firefly for a fire, O lord of the Asuras?
तत्कर्म यन्न बन्धाय सा विद्या या विमुक्तये । आयासायापरं कर्म विद्यान्या शिल्पनैपुणम्
That action which does not bind is true action; that knowledge which liberates is true knowledge. Other actions are merely toil, and other knowledge is only skill in crafts.
तदेतदवगम्याहमसारं सारमुत्तमम् । निशामय महाभाग प्रणिपत्य ब्रवीमि ते
Thus, I have understood what is essence and what is not, O greatly fortunate one; listen as I bow and speak to you.
न चिन्तयति को राज्यं को धनं नाभिवाञ्छति । तथापि भाव्यमेवैतदुभयं प्राप्यते नरैः
No one thinks about kingship or desires wealth; yet both are destined to be attained by men.
सर्व एव महाभाग महत्त्वं प्रति सोद्यमाः । तथापि पुंसां भाग्यानि नोद्यमा भूतिहेतवः
All people, O noble one, strive for greatness; yet, even so, prosperity does not arise from effort alone, but from fortune.
जडानामविवेकानामशूराणमपि प्रभो । भाग्यभोज्यानि राज्यानि सन्त्यनीतिमतामपि
Even among the dull, the undiscerning, and the cowardly, O lord, kingdoms are enjoyed by those without virtue, as a matter of fate.
तस्माद्यतेत पुण्येषु य इच्छेन्महतीं श्रियम् । यतितव्यं समत्वे च निर्वाणमपि चेच्छता
Therefore, one who desires great prosperity should strive in virtuous deeds; and one who seeks liberation should strive for equanimity.
देवा मनुष्याः पशवः पक्षिवृक्षसरीसृपाः । रूपमेतदनन्तस्य विष्णोर्भिन्नमिव स्थितम्
Gods, humans, animals, birds, trees, and reptiles—these are all forms of the infinite Vishnu, appearing as if distinct.
एतद्विजानता सर्वं जगत्स्थावरजङ्गमम् । द्र ष्टव्यमात्मवद्विष्णुर्यतोयं विश्वरूपधृक्
Knowing this, one should see all the world, both moving and unmoving, as oneself—Vishnu, the bearer of the universal form, just as this water.
एवं ज्ञाते स भगवाननादिः परमेश्वरः । प्रसीदत्यच्युतस्तस्मिन्प्रसन्ने क्लेशसंक्षयः
When this is understood, the blessed, beginningless Supreme Lord, Achyuta, becomes pleased; and when He is pleased, all suffering is destroyed.
श्रीपराशर उवाच । एतच्छ्रुत्वा तु कोपेन समुत्थाय वरासनात् । हिरण्यकशिपुः पुत्रं पदा वक्षस्यताडयत् 1.19.
Śrī Parāśara said: Hearing this, Hiraṇyakaśipu rose in anger from his splendid seat and struck his son on the chest with his foot.
उवाच च स कोपेन सामर्षः प्रज्वलन्निव । निष्पिष्य पाणिना पाणिं हन्तुकामो जगद्यथा
And, burning with rage and indignation, he pressed his hand with his own, wishing to kill him, as if to crush the world.
हिरण्यकशिपुरुवाच । हे विप्रचित्ते हे राहो हे बलैष महार्णवे । नागपाशैर्दृढैर्बद्धा क्षिप्यतां मा विलंब्यताम्
Hiraṇyakaśipu said: O Vipracitti! O Rāhu! O Bala! Bind this wicked one firmly with strong serpent bonds and cast him into the great ocean—do not delay!
अन्यथा सकला लोकास्तथा दैतेयदानवाः । अनुयास्यन्ति मूढस्य मतमस्य दुरात्मनः
Otherwise, all the worlds and the Daityas and Dānavas will follow the foolish mind of this evil-hearted one.
बहुशो वारि तोस्माभिरयं पापस्तथाप्यरेः । स्तुतिं करोति दुष्टानां वध एवोपकारकः
Many times we have punished this wicked one, yet he still praises our enemy; for the wicked, only death is beneficial.
पराशर उवाच। ततस्ते सत्वरा दैत्या बद्धा तं नागबन्धनैः । भर्तुराज्ञां पुरस्कृत्य चिक्षिपुः सलिलार्णवे
Parāśara said: Then the Daityas, acting swiftly and obeying their lord's command, bound him with serpent bonds and cast him into the ocean.
ततश्चचाल चलता प्रह्लादेन महार्णवः । उद्वेलोभूत्परं क्षोभमुपेत्य च समन्ततः
Then, as Prahlāda entered, the great ocean began to shake; it surged and was greatly agitated in every direction.
भूर्लोकमखिलं दृष्ट्वा प्लाव्यमानं महाम्भसा । हिरण्यकशिपुर्दैत्यानिदमाह महामते
Seeing the entire earth being flooded by the great waters, Hiraṇyakaśipu, wise among the Daityas, spoke to them thus:
हिरण्यकशिपुरुवाच। दैतेयाः सकलैः शैलैरत्रैव वरुणालये । निश्छिद्रै ः! सर्वशः सर्वैश्चीयतामेष दुर्मतिः
Hiraṇyakaśipu said: O Daityas, with all the mountains, block this wicked one here in the abode of Varuṇa, sealing every gap completely!
नाग्निर्दहति नैवायं शस्त्रैश्छिन्नो न चोरगैः । क्षयं नीतो न वातेन न विषेण न कृत्यया
Fire does not burn him, nor is he cut by weapons, nor destroyed by serpents, nor by wind, nor by poison, nor by spells.