Chapter 16
अध्यायः 16
Amsha I — Sarga (Creation), Chapter 16
Shlokas (16)
+ Add ShlokaInquiries of Maitreya respecting the history of Prahlāda - Verse 1
Vishnu Purana (GRETIL; M. M. Pathak critical edition) · Chapter 1 · Verse 16.1
कथितो भवता वंशो मानवानां महामुने कारणं चास्य जगतो विष्णुर एव सनातनः ।।
kathito bhavatā vaṃśo mānavānāṃ mahāmune kāraṇaṃ cāsya jagato viṣṇur eva sanātanaḥ ||
O great sage, you have spoken of the lineage of humans; indeed, Vishnu is the eternal cause of this universe.
Inquiries of Maitreya respecting the history of Prahlāda - Verse 2
Vishnu Purana (GRETIL; M. M. Pathak critical edition) · Chapter 1 · Verse 16.2
यत त्व एतद भगवान आह प्रह्लादं दैत्यसत्तमम ददाह नाग्निर नास्त्रैश च क्षुण्णस तत्याज जीवितम ।।
yat tv etad bhagavān āha prahlādaṃ daityasattamam dadāha nāgnir nāstraiś ca kṣuṇṇas tatyāja jīvitam ||
What the Lord said to Prahlada, the best of the demons, was that neither fire nor weapons could harm him, and he gave up his life.
Inquiries of Maitreya respecting the history of Prahlāda - Verse 3
Vishnu Purana (GRETIL; M. M. Pathak critical edition) · Chapter 1 · Verse 16.3
जगाम वसुधा क्षोभं यत्राब्धिसलिले स्थिते बन्धबद्धो ऽपि चलति विक्षिप्ताङ्गैः समाहता ।।
jagāma vasudhā kṣobhaṃ yatrābdhisalile sthite bandhabaddho 'pi calati vikṣiptāṅgaiḥ samāhatā ||
The earth experienced turmoil where it was situated in the ocean, and even bound beings moved about, struck by the violent waves.
Inquiries of Maitreya respecting the history of Prahlāda - Verse 4
Vishnu Purana (GRETIL; M. M. Pathak critical edition) · Chapter 1 · Verse 16.4
शैलैर आक्रान्तदेहो ऽपि न ममार च यः पुरा त्वयैवातीव माहात्म्यं कथितं यस्य धीमतः ।।
śailair ākrāntadeho 'pi na mamāra ca yaḥ purā tvayaivātīva māhātmyaṃ kathitaṃ yasya dhīmataḥ ||
Even though his body was struck by mountains, he did not die, for you have described his great glory.
Inquiries of Maitreya respecting the history of Prahlāda - Verse 5
Vishnu Purana (GRETIL; M. M. Pathak critical edition) · Chapter 1 · Verse 16.5
तस्य प्रभावम अतुलं विष्णोर भक्तिमतो मुने श्रोतुम इच्छामि यस्यैतच चरितं त्व अमितौजसः ।।
tasya prabhāvam atulaṃ viṣṇor bhaktimato mune śrotum icchāmi yasyaitac caritaṃ tv amitaujasaḥ ||
I wish to hear about the unparalleled glory of Vishnu, O sage, whose deeds are of infinite power.
Inquiries of Maitreya respecting the history of Prahlāda - Verse 6
Vishnu Purana (GRETIL; M. M. Pathak critical edition) · Chapter 1 · Verse 16.6
किंनिमित्तम असौ शस्त्रैर विक्षतो दितिजैर मुने किमर्थं चाब्धिसलिले निक्षिप्तो धर्मतत्परः ।।
kiṃnimittam asau śastrair vikṣato ditijair mune kimarthaṃ cābdhisalile nikṣipto dharmatatparaḥ ||
O sage, what is the reason for him being struck by the weapons of the demons? Why is he immersed in the ocean of water, devoted to righteousness?
Inquiries of Maitreya respecting the history of Prahlāda - Verse 7
Vishnu Purana (GRETIL; M. M. Pathak critical edition) · Chapter 1 · Verse 16.7
आक्रान्तः पर्वतैः कस्मात कस्माद दष्टो महोरगैः क्षिप्तः किम अद्रिशिखरात किं वा पावकसंचये ।।
ākrāntaḥ parvataiḥ kasmāt kasmād daṣṭo mahoragaiḥ kṣiptaḥ kim adriśikharāt kiṃ vā pāvakasaṃcaye ||
Why is he attacked by mountains? Why is he bitten by great serpents? Was he thrown from a mountain peak or from a collection of fire?
Inquiries of Maitreya respecting the history of Prahlāda - Verse 8
Vishnu Purana (GRETIL; M. M. Pathak critical edition) · Chapter 1 · Verse 16.8
दिग्दन्तिनां दन्तभूमिः स च कस्मान निरूपितः संशोषको ऽनिलश चास्य प्रयुक्तः किं महासुरैः ।।
digdantināṃ dantabhūmiḥ sa ca kasmān nirūpitaḥ saṃśoṣako 'nilaś cāsya prayuktaḥ kiṃ mahāsuraiḥ ||
What is the reason for the ground of the tooth of the elephant-faced beings? Why is it said that the wind is the devourer of him, O sage, by the great demons?
Inquiries of Maitreya respecting the history of Prahlāda - Verse 9
Vishnu Purana (GRETIL; M. M. Pathak critical edition) · Chapter 1 · Verse 16.9
कृत्यां च दैत्यगुरवो युयुजुस ते तु किं मुने शम्बरश चापि मायानां सहस्रं किं प्रयुक्तवान ।।
kṛtyāṃ ca daityaguravo yuyujus te tu kiṃ mune śambaraś cāpi māyānāṃ sahasraṃ kiṃ prayuktavān ||
What did the demon gurus do in their efforts? What did Shambara, the master of illusions, use a thousand for?
Inquiries of Maitreya respecting the history of Prahlāda - Verse 10
Vishnu Purana (GRETIL; M. M. Pathak critical edition) · Chapter 1 · Verse 16.10
हालाहलं विषं घोरं दैत्यसूदैर महात्मनः कस्माद दत्तं विनाशाय यज जीर्णं तेन धीमता ।।
hālāhalaṃ viṣaṃ ghoraṃ daityasūdair mahātmanaḥ kasmād dattaṃ vināśāya yaj jīrṇaṃ tena dhīmatā ||
What is the reason for the terrible poison, Hālāhala, given by the great-souled demon to cause destruction? It is indeed given by the wise.
Inquiries of Maitreya respecting the history of Prahlāda - Verse 11
Vishnu Purana (GRETIL; M. M. Pathak critical edition) · Chapter 1 · Verse 16.11
एतत सर्वं महाभाग प्रह्लादस्य महात्मनः चरितं श्रोतुम इच्छामि महामाहात्म्यसूचकम ।।
etat sarvaṃ mahābhāga prahlādasya mahātmanaḥ caritaṃ śrotum icchāmi mahāmāhātmyasūcakam ||
I wish to hear the entire story of the great soul Prahlada, which indicates his great glory.
Inquiries of Maitreya respecting the history of Prahlāda - Verse 12
Vishnu Purana (GRETIL; M. M. Pathak critical edition) · Chapter 1 · Verse 16.12
न हि कौतूहलं तत्र यद दैत्यैर न हतो हि सः अनन्यमनसो विष्णौ कः समर्थो निपातने ।।
na hi kautūhalaṃ tatra yad daityair na hato hi saḥ ananyamanaso viṣṇau kaḥ samartho nipātane ||
There is no curiosity there, as he is not killed by the demons. Who is capable of bringing down one who is solely devoted to Vishnu?
Inquiries of Maitreya respecting the history of Prahlāda - Verse 13
Vishnu Purana (GRETIL; M. M. Pathak critical edition) · Chapter 1 · Verse 16.13
तस्मिन धर्मपरे नित्यं केशवाराधनोद्यते स्ववंशप्रभवैर दैत्यैः कर्तुं द्वेषो ऽतिदुष्करः ।।
tasmin dharmapare nityaṃ keśavārādhanodyate svavaṃśaprabhavair daityaiḥ kartuṃ dveṣo 'tiduṣkaraḥ ||
In that realm of righteousness, the worship of Keshava is always performed, and it is extremely difficult for the demons born of his own lineage to act with hatred.
Inquiries of Maitreya respecting the history of Prahlāda - Verse 14
Vishnu Purana (GRETIL; M. M. Pathak critical edition) · Chapter 1 · Verse 16.14
धर्मात्मनि महाभागे विष्णुभक्ते विमत्सरे दैतेयैः प्रहृतं कस्मात तन ममाख्यातुम अर्हसि ।।
dharmātmani mahābhāge viṣṇubhakte vimatsare daiteyaiḥ prahṛtaṃ kasmāt tan mamākhyātum arhasi ||
In the righteous and great soul who is devoted to Vishnu and free from malice, why should I be told about what was done by the demons?
Inquiries of Maitreya respecting the history of Prahlāda - Verse 15
Vishnu Purana (GRETIL; M. M. Pathak critical edition) · Chapter 1 · Verse 16.15
प्रहरन्ति महात्मानो विपक्षे चापि नेदृशे गुणैः समन्विते साधौ किं पुनर यः स्वपक्षजः ।।
praharanti mahātmāno vipakṣe cāpi nedṛśe guṇaiḥ samanvite sādhau kiṃ punar yaḥ svapakṣajaḥ ||
The great souls strike back, and even against the opposition, when endowed with virtues, what can be said of one who is born of their own side?
Inquiries of Maitreya respecting the history of Prahlāda - Verse 16
Vishnu Purana (GRETIL; M. M. Pathak critical edition) · Chapter 1 · Verse 16.16
तद एतत कथ्यतां सर्वं विस्तरान मुनिसत्तम दैत्येश्वरस्य चरितं श्रोतुम इच्छाम्य अशेषतः ।।
tad etat kathyatāṃ sarvaṃ vistarān munisattama daityeśvarasya caritaṃ śrotum icchāmy aśeṣataḥ ||
Therefore, let all this be narrated in detail, O best of sages; I wish to hear the story of the lord of the demons in its entirety.