देवा विस्मयम् आजग्मुश् शक्राद्यास् समरुद्गणाः । गृहीता वैष्णवी भक्तिर् दैत्यैः किम् इति राघव
The gods—Indra and the hosts of Maruts—were astonished: 'How is it, O Raghava, that the Daityas have embraced Vaishnava devotion?'
क्षीरोदे भोगिभोगस्थं विबुधा विस्मयाकुलाः । जग्मुर् अम्बरम् उत्सृज्य हरिम् आहवशालिनं
The gods, astonished, left the sky and went to the ocean of milk, where Vishnu, the wielder of valor, was reclining upon the serpent.
तत्रैतं दैत्यवृत्तान्तं कथयाम् आसुर् अस्य ते । पप्रच्छुश् चैनम् आसीनम् अपूर्वाश्चर्यविस्मयात्
There, they recounted to him the tale of the demons and, filled with wonder at the unprecedented marvel, questioned him as he sat.
किम् एतद् भगवन् दैत्या विरुद्धा ये सदैव ते । ते हि त्वन्मयतां याता मायेयम् इति भाव्यते
O Lord, who are those demons who have always been your adversaries? It appears that they have now become one with you—could this be your illusion at play?
क्व किलात्यन्तदुर्वृत्ता दानवा दलिताद्रयः । क्व पाश्चात्यमहाजन्मलभ्या भक्तिर् जनार्दने
How is it that those exceedingly wicked Dānavas, who shattered mountains, have attained devotion to Janārdana, which is rarely gained even after many great births?
प्राकृतो गुणवाञ् जात इत्य् एषा भगवन् कथा । अकालपुष्पमालेव सुखायोद्वेजनाय च
O Lord, this story—that a common being is born virtuous—seems like a flower out of season: pleasing, yet also perplexing.
नोपपन्नं हि यद् यत्र तत्र तन् न विराजते । मध्ये काचकलापस्य महामूल्यो मणिर् यथा
For, whatever is not appropriate in a given context does not shine there, just as a precious gem does not stand out among a heap of glass beads.
यो यो यादृग्गुणो जन्तुस् स ताम् एवैति संस्थितिम् । सदृशेष्व् अप्य् अजेषु श्वा न मन्ये रमते क्वचित्
Every creature attains the state that matches its own qualities; even among similar beings, a dog never delights in what is unsuitable to its nature.
न तथा दुःखयन्त्य् अङ्गे मज्जन्त्यो वज्रसूचयः । वैसादृश्येन सम्बद्धा यथैता वस्तुदृष्टयः
Just as diamond needles do not cause such pain when piercing the body, so too, perceptions of things that are discordant bring greater distress.
यद् यत्र क्रमसम्प्राप्तम् उपपन्नम् अनिन्दितम् । तद् एव राजते तत्र जले ऽम्भोजं न तु स्थले
Whatever arises in its proper place, fitting and blameless, shines there—like a lotus in water, not on land.
क्वाधमः प्राकृतारम्भो हीनकर्मरतिस् सदा । वराको दानवस् तुच्छजातिर् भक्तिः क्व वैष्णवी
Where is the lowly, ordinary undertaking, the one always delighting in inferior actions, the wretched demon of trivial birth—and where is devotion to Vishnu?
कमलिनी परुषोषरभूगता सुखयतीह यथा न दुराश्रया । दनुसुतो ऽपि हि माधवभक्तिमान् इति कथा न तथेश सुखाय नः
Just as a harsh wind passing over a lotus does not bring happiness, so too, the tale that a demon's son is devoted to Madhava does not bring us joy, O Lord.
गर्जन्तम् अतिसंरब्धं सुरलोकम् अथारिहा । उवाच माधवो वाक्यं शिखिवृन्दम् इवाम्बुदः
Then Madhava spoke words to the gods, who were roaring with great agitation, like a peacock flock addressed by a thundercloud.
विबुधा मा विषण्णास् स्थ प्रह्लादो भक्तिमान् इति । पाश्चात्यं जन्म तस्येदं मोक्षार्हो ऽसाव् अरिन्दमः
O gods, do not be disheartened; Prahlada is devoted. Though his birth is western, he is worthy of liberation, O destroyer of foes.
इत उत्तरम् एतेन गर्भता दनुसूनुना । न कर्तव्या प्रदग्धेन बीजेनेवाङ्कुरक्रिया
From now on, this demon's son, scorched in the womb, should not be continued—just as a burnt seed does not produce a sprout.
गुणवान् निर्गुणो जात इत्य् अनर्थक्रमं विदुः । निर्गुणो गुणवाञ् जात इत्य् आहुस् सिद्धिदं क्रमम्
The excellent ones know that being born with qualities from the qualityless is a sequence of misfortune; but they say that the qualityless becoming endowed with qualities is a path that grants accomplishment.
आत्मीयानि विचित्राणि भुवनान्य् अमरोत्तमाः । प्रयात नासुखायैषा प्राह्लादी गुणितेह वः
O best of immortals, the worlds belonging to you are diverse; this Prahlada, endowed with virtues, has not come for your unhappiness.
इत्य् उक्त्वा विबुधांस् तत्र क्षीरोदार्णववीचिषु । अन्तर्धानं ययौ देवस् तटतापिञ्छगुच्छवत्
Having spoken thus to the gods there, he vanished amidst the waves of the ocean of milk, like a cluster of peacock feathers on the shore.
सो ऽपि सम्पूजितहरिस् सुरौघो ऽव्रजद् अम्बरम् । पुनर् मन्दरनिर्धूतात् कणजालम् इवार्णवात्
That host of gods, having worshipped Hari, ascended to the sky, like a spray of drops rising again from the ocean when Mandara is churned.
प्रह्लादं प्रति गीर्वाणास् ततस् स्निग्धत्वम् आययुः । महान्तो यत्र नोद्विग्नास् तत्र विश्वासवन् मनः
From then on, the gods developed affection toward Prahlāda; where the great are not anxious, there the mind finds trust.
प्रत्यहं पूजयाम् आस देवदेवं जनार्दनम् । मनसा कर्मणा वाचा प्रह्लादो भक्तिमान् इति
Every day, Prahlāda, devoted in mind, deed, and word, worshipped Janārdana, the god of gods.
अथ पूजापरस्यास्य समवर्धन्त कालतः । विवेकानन्दवैराग्यविभवप्रमुखा गुणाः
Then, as he remained intent on worship, virtues led by discernment, bliss, detachment, and prosperity grew in him over time.
नाभ्यनन्दद् असौ भोगपूगं शुष्कम् इव द्रुमम् । न चारमत कान्तासु मृगो मरुमहीष्व् इव
He did not delight in heaps of pleasures, as one does not in a withered tree; nor did he wander among women, like a deer in barren deserts.
न रेमे लोकचर्चासु शास्त्रार्थकथनाद् ऋते । नाजायत रतिस् तस्य दृश्ये स्थल इवाब्जिनी
He took no joy in worldly talk, except in discussions of scripture; for him, pleasure did not arise in what is seen, like a lotus on dry ground.
न विशश्राम चेतो ऽस्य भोगरोगानुरञ्जने । मुक्ताफलम् असंश्लिष्टं मुक्ताफल इवातले
His mind did not rest in the allure of the disease of pleasures, like a pearl that does not cling to the surface of a pearl shell.
त्यक्तभोगाभिकलनं विश्रान्तिम् अथ नागतम् । चेतः केवलम् अस्यासीद् दोलायाम् इव योजितम्
Having abandoned all thoughts of enjoyment, and not yet attained repose, her mind was simply poised as if placed upon a swing.
प्राह्लादीं तां स्थितिं कृष्णदेहः क्षीरोदकोटरात् । विवेद सर्वगतया तया परमकान्तया
Krishna, whose body is dark, experienced that supremely delightful state, all-pervading and most beloved, from the depths of the ocean of milk.
अथ पातालमार्गेण विष्णुर् आह्लादिताग्रगः । पूजादेवगृहं तस्य प्रह्लादस्य समाययौ
Then, by the path of the netherworld, Vishnu, filled with joy, arrived at the temple of Prahlada, the foremost among the delighted.
विज्ञायाभ्यागतं देवं पूजया द्विगुणेद्धया । दैत्येन्द्रः पुण्डरीकाक्षम् आदरात् पर्यपूजयत्
Recognizing the arrival of the Lord, the king of the Daityas, with doubled fervor, worshipped the lotus-eyed one with great reverence.
पूजागृहगतं देवं प्रत्यक्षावस्थितं हरिम् । प्रह्लादः परमप्रीतो गिरा तुष्टाव पुष्टया
Seeing Hari, the Lord, present before him in the temple, Prahlada, filled with supreme joy, praised him with strong words.