Poison, the Sorceress, and Prahlada's Compassion

Verse 1 (vishnu.1.18.1)

श्रीपराशर उवाच । तस्यैतां दानवाश् चेष्टां दृष्ट्वा दैत्यपतेर् भयात् । आचचक्षुः स चोवाच सूदान् आहूय सत्वरः

śrīparāśara uvāca tasyaitāṁ dānavāś ceṣṭāṁ dṛṣṭvā daityapater bhayāt ācacakṣuḥ sa covāca sūdān āhūya satvaraḥ

Parashara said: The Danavas, seeing this behavior of his, out of fear reported it to the lord of the Daityas; he, summoning the cooks in haste, said:

Verse 2 (vishnu.1.18.2)

हिरण्यकशिपुर् उवाच । हे सूदा मम पुत्रोऽसाव् अन्येषाम् अपि दुर्मतिः । कुमार्गदेशिको दुष्टो हन्यताम् अविलम्बितम्

hiraṇyakaśipur uvāca he sūdā mama putro 'sāv anyeṣām api durmatiḥ kumārgadeśiko duṣṭo hanyatām avilambitam

Hiranyakashipu said: 'Ho, cooks! This son of mine, ill-minded even toward others, a guide down the wrong path, wicked — let him be slain without delay.'

Verse 3 (vishnu.1.18.3)

हालाहलं विषं तस्य सर्वभक्ष्येषु दीयताम् । अविज्ञातम् असौ पापो वध्यतां मा विचार्यताम्

hālāhalaṁ viṣaṁ tasya sarvabhakṣyeṣu dīyatām avijñātam asau pāpo vadhyatāṁ mā vicāryatām

'Let the Halahala poison be given to him, mixed among all his food; let this sinner be killed unknowingly — let there be no deliberation about it.'

Verse 4 (vishnu.1.18.4)

श्रीपराशर उवाच । ते तथैव ततश् चक्रुः प्रह्लादाय महात्मने । विषदानं यथाज्ञप्तं पित्रा तस्य महात्मनः

śrīparāśara uvāca te tathaiva tataś cakruḥ prahlādāya mahātmane viṣadānaṁ yathājñaptaṁ pitrā tasya mahātmanaḥ

Parashara said: They then did exactly as commanded by his father, giving that great-souled Prahlada the poison.

Verse 5 (vishnu.1.18.5)

हालाहलं विषं घोरम् अनन्तोच्चारणेन सः । अभिमन्त्र्य सहान्नेन मैत्रेय बुभुजे तदा

hālāhalaṁ viṣaṁ ghoram anantoccāraṇena saḥ abhimantrya sahānnena maitreya bubhuje tadā

That terrible Halahala poison, consecrated with the ceaseless recitation of the name Ananta, he then, O Maitreya, ate along with his food.

Verse 6 (vishnu.1.18.6)

अविकारं स तद् भुक्त्वा प्रह्लादः स्वस्थमानसः । अनन्तख्यातिनिर्वीर्यं जरयाम् आस दुर्विषम्

avikāraṁ sa tad bhuktvā prahlādaḥ svasthamānasaḥ anantakhyātinirvīryaṁ jarayām āsa durviṣam

Having eaten it without any harm, his mind at ease, Prahlada, by the power of the fame of the Infinite One, rendered that terrible poison powerless and digested it.

Verse 7 (vishnu.1.18.7)

ततः सूदा भयत्रस्ता जीर्णं दृष्ट्वा महाविषम् । दैत्येश्वरम् उपागम्य प्रणिपत्येदम् अब्रुवन्

tataḥ sūdā bhayatrastā jīrṇaṁ dṛṣṭvā mahāviṣam daityeśvaram upāgamya praṇipatyedam abruvan

Then the cooks, terrified, seeing that great poison digested, went to the lord of the Daityas, and, bowing before him, said this.

Verse 8 (vishnu.1.18.8)

सूदा ऊचुः । दैत्यराज विषं दत्तम् अस्माभिर् अतिभीषणम् । जीर्णं तच् च सहान्नेन प्रह्लादेन सुतेन ते

sūdā ūcuḥ daityarāja viṣaṁ dattam asmābhir atibhīṣaṇam jīrṇaṁ tac ca sahānnena prahlādena sutena te

The cooks said: 'O king of the Daityas, the most fearsome poison we gave has been digested, along with his food, by your son Prahlada.'

Verse 9 (vishnu.1.18.9)

हिरण्यकशिपुर् उवाच । त्वर्यतां त्वर्यतां सद्यो हे हे दैत्यपुरोहिताः । कृत्यां तस्य विनाशाय उत्पादयत मा चिरम्

hiraṇyakaśipur uvāca tvaryatāṁ tvaryatāṁ sadyo he he daityapurohitāḥ kṛtyāṁ tasya vināśāya utpādayata mā ciram

Hiranyakashipu said: 'Hurry, hurry at once, ho, priests of the Daityas! Conjure up a sorcery for his destruction — without delay!'

Verse 10 (vishnu.1.18.10)

श्रीपराशर उवाच । सकाशम् आगम्य ततः प्रह्लादस्य पुरोहिताः । सामपूर्वम् अथोचुस् ते प्रह्लादं विनयान्वितम्

śrīparāśara uvāca sakāśam āgamya tataḥ prahlādasya purohitāḥ sāmapūrvam athocus te prahlādaṁ vinayānvitam

Parashara said: Then the priests, coming into Prahlada's presence, first spoke with conciliating words to that gentle Prahlada.

Verse 11 (vishnu.1.18.11)

पुरोहिता ऊचुः । जातस् त्रैलोक्यविख्यात आयुष्मन् ब्रह्मणः कुले । दैत्यराजस्य तनयो हिरण्यकशिपोर् भवान्

purohitā ūcuḥ jātas trailokyavikhyāta āyuṣman brahmaṇaḥ kule daityarājasya tanayo hiraṇyakaśipor bhavān

The priests said: 'You have been born, long-lived one, renowned throughout the three worlds, in the line of Brahma, as the son of the king of the Daityas, Hiranyakashipu.'

Verse 12 (vishnu.1.18.12)

किं दैवैः किम् अनन्तेन किम् अन्येन तवाश्रयः । पिता समस्तलोकानां त्वं तथैव भविष्यसि

kiṁ daivaiḥ kim anantena kim anyena tavāśrayaḥ pitā samastalokānāṁ tvaṁ tathaiva bhaviṣyasi

'What need have you of the gods, of the Infinite, or of any other refuge? You yourself shall become, in just the same way, the father of all the worlds.'

Verse 13 (vishnu.1.18.13)

तस्मात् परित्यजैनां त्वं विपक्षस्तवसंहिताम् । वाच्यः पिता समस्तानां गुरूणां परमो गुरुः

tasmāt parityajaināṁ tvaṁ vipakṣastavasaṁhitām vācyaḥ pitā samastānāṁ gurūṇāṁ paramo guruḥ

'Therefore abandon this, laden with praise for the opposing side; before all people, your father, the supreme guru above all gurus, should be proclaimed.'

Verse 14 (vishnu.1.18.14)

श्रीप्रह्लाद उवाच । एवम् एतन् महाभागाः श्लाघ्यम् एतन् महाकुलम् । मरीचेः सकलेऽप्य् अस्मिन् त्रैलोक्ये नान्यथा वदेत्

śrīprahlāda uvāca evam etan mahābhāgāḥ ślāghyam etan mahākulam marīceḥ sakale 'py asmin trailokye nānyathā vadet

Shri Prahlada said: 'This is exactly so, O greatly blessed ones; this is a praiseworthy great lineage, that of Marichi — in this entire triple world no one would say otherwise.'

Verse 15 (vishnu.1.18.15)

पिता च मम सर्वस्मिञ् जगत्य् उत्कृष्टचेष्टितः । एतद् अप्य् अवगच्छामि सत्यम् अत्रापि नानृतम्

pitā ca mama sarvasmiñ jagaty utkṛṣṭaceṣṭitaḥ etad apy avagacchāmi satyam atrāpi nānṛtam

'And my father, of the most excellent conduct in all the world — this too I understand; here too there is truth, not falsehood.'

Verse 16 (vishnu.1.18.16)

गुरूणाम् अपि सर्वेषां पिता परमको गुरुः । यद् उक्तं भ्रान्तिस् तत्रापि स्वल्पापि हि न विद्यते

gurūṇām api sarveṣāṁ pitā paramako guruḥ yad uktaṁ bhrāntis tatrāpi svalpāpi hi na vidyate

'Among all gurus, the father is the supreme guru — in this too, what has been said contains not even the slightest error.'

Verse 17 (vishnu.1.18.17)

पिता गुरुर् न संदेहः पूजनीयः प्रयत्नतः । तत्रापि नापराध्यामीत्य् एवं मनसि मे स्थितम्

pitā gurur na saṁdehaḥ pūjanīyaḥ prayatnataḥ tatrāpi nāparādhyāmīty evaṁ manasi me sthitam

'The father, the guru — without doubt he is to be honored with diligence; in this too I do not fall short — thus it stands fixed in my mind.'

Verse 18 (vishnu.1.18.18)

यत् त्व् एतत् किम् अनन्तेनेत्य् उक्तं युष्माभिर् ईदृशम् । को ब्रवीति यथायुक्तं किं तु नैतद् वचोऽर्थवत्

yat tv etat kim anantenety uktaṁ yuṣmābhir īdṛśam ko bravīti yathāyuktaṁ kiṁ tu naitad vaco 'rthavat

'But as for this that you have said, 'What need of the Infinite?' — who says such a thing rightly? This speech is without meaning.'

Verse 19 (vishnu.1.18.19)

इत्य् उक्त्वा सोऽभवन् मौनी तेषां गौरवयन्त्रितः । प्रहस्य च पुनः प्राह किम् अनन्तेन साध्व् इति

ity uktvā so 'bhavan maunī teṣāṁ gauravayantritaḥ prahasya ca punaḥ prāha kim anantena sādhv iti

Having said this, he fell silent, bound by respect for them; then, laughing, he spoke again — ''What need of the Infinite' — well said!'

Verse 20 (vishnu.1.18.20)

साधु भोः किम् अनन्तेन साधु भो गुरवो मम । श्रूयतां यद् अनन्तेन यदि खेदं न यास्यथ

sādhu bhoḥ kim anantena sādhu bho guravo mama śrūyatāṁ yad anantena yadi khedaṁ na yāsyatha

'Well said, my honored teachers, 'What need of the Infinite'! Well said! Hear now what comes of the Infinite, if you will not fall into distress.'

Verse 21 (vishnu.1.18.21)

धर्मार्थकाममोक्षाख्यः पुरुषार्थ उदाहृतः । चतुष्टयम् इदं यस्मात् तस्मात् किं किम् इदं वृथा

dharmārthakāmamokṣākhyaḥ puruṣārtha udāhṛtaḥ catuṣṭayam idaṁ yasmāt tasmāt kiṁ kim idaṁ vṛthā

'The four aims of human life are declared to be dharma, artha, kama, and moksha; since these are but this fourfold set, why say, in vain, 'what need'?'

Verse 22 (vishnu.1.18.22)

मरीचिमिश्रैर् दक्षेण तथैवान्यैर् अनन्ततः । धर्मः प्राप्तस् तथैवान्यैर् अर्थः कामस् तथापरैः

marīcimiśrair dakṣeṇa tathaivānyair anantataḥ dharmaḥ prāptas tathaivānyair arthaḥ kāmas tathāparaiḥ

'By Marichi and the others, and by Daksha likewise, and by many others, dharma was obtained from that very Infinite; likewise artha by others, and kama by others,'

Verse 23 (vishnu.1.18.23)

तत्तत्त्ववेदिनो भूत्वा ज्ञानध्यानसमाधिभिः । अवापुर् मुक्तिम् अपरे पुरुषा ध्वस्तबन्धनाः

tattattvavedino bhūtvā jñānadhyānasamādhibhiḥ avāpur muktim apare puruṣā dhvastabandhanāḥ

'and others still, becoming knowers of that very truth, through knowledge, meditation, and absorption, having shattered their bonds, attained liberation.'

Verse 24 (vishnu.1.18.24)

संपदैश्वर्यमाहात्म्यज्ञानसंततिकर्मणाम् । विमुक्तेश् चैकतो लभ्यं मूलम् आराधनं हरेः

saṁpadaiśvaryamāhātmyajñānasaṁtatikarmaṇām vimukteś caikato labhyaṁ mūlam ārādhanaṁ hareḥ

'Wealth, sovereignty, greatness, knowledge, continuity of offspring, and works — and liberation too — all these have one and the same root: the worship of Hari.'

Verse 25 (vishnu.1.18.25)

यतो धर्मार्थकामाख्यं विमुक्तिश् च फलं द्विजाः । तेनापि हि किम् इत्य् एवम् अनन्तेन किम् उच्यते

yato dharmārthakāmākhyaṁ vimuktiś ca phalaṁ dvijāḥ tenāpi hi kim ity evam anantena kim ucyate

'Since dharma, artha, kama, and liberation too, O twice-born, are his fruit — why, then, is it said, 'what need of the Infinite'?'

Verse 26 (vishnu.1.18.26)

किं वात्र बहुनोक्तेन भवन्तो गुरवो मम । वदन्तु साधु वासाधु विवेकोऽस्माकम् अल्पकः

kiṁ vātra bahunoktena bhavanto guravo mama vadantu sādhu vāsādhu viveko 'smākam alpakaḥ

'Or what use is much speaking here? You, my honored teachers, tell me — is this good, or not good? My own discernment is but small.'

Verse 27 (vishnu.1.18.27)

पुरोहिता ऊचुः । दह्यमानस् त्वम् अस्माभिर् अग्निना बाल रक्षितः । भूयो न वक्ष्यसीत्य् एवं नैवं ज्ञातोऽस्य् अबुद्धिमान्

purohitā ūcuḥ dahyamānas tvam asmābhir agninā bāla rakṣitaḥ bhūyo na vakṣyasīty evaṁ naivaṁ jñāto 'sy abuddhimān

The priests said: 'You were saved by us, child, when you were being burned by fire — and yet 'you shall speak this no more' you have still not understood; you are indeed unwise.'

Verse 28 (vishnu.1.18.28)

यद्य् अस्मद्वचनान् मोहग्राहं न त्यक्ष्यते भवान् । ततः कृत्यां विनाशाय तव सृक्ष्याम दुर्मते

yady asmadvacanān mohagrāhaṁ na tyakṣyate bhavān tataḥ kṛtyāṁ vināśāya tava sṛkṣyāma durmate

'If, at our word, you do not abandon this seizure of delusion, then, O ill-minded one, we shall unleash a sorcery for your destruction.'

Verse 29 (vishnu.1.18.29)

श्रीप्रह्लाद उवाच । कः केन रक्ष्यते जन्तुर् जन्तुः कः केन हन्यते । हन्ति रक्षति चैवात्मा जगत् सर्वं चराचरम्

śrīprahlāda uvāca kaḥ kena rakṣyate jantur jantuḥ kaḥ kena hanyate hanti rakṣati caivātmā jagat sarvaṁ carācaram

Shri Prahlada said: 'By whom is any creature protected, and by whom is any creature slain? It is the self alone who slays and protects this whole world, moving and unmoving.'

Verse 30 (vishnu.1.18.30)

श्रीपराशर उवाच । इत्य् उक्तास् तेन ते क्रुद्धा दैत्यराजपुरोहिताः । कृत्याम् उत्पादयाम् आसुर् ज्वालामालोज्ज्वलाननाम्

śrīparāśara uvāca ity uktās tena te kruddhā daityarājapurohitāḥ kṛtyām utpādayām āsur jvālāmālojjvalānanām

Parashara said: Thus addressed by him, those enraged priests of the king of the Daityas conjured up a sorceress, her face blazing with garlands of flame.

Verse 31 (vishnu.1.18.31)

अतिभीमा समागम्य पादन्यासक्षतक्षितिः । शूलेन सा सुसंक्रुद्धा तं जघानाथ वक्षसि

atibhīmā samāgamya pādanyāsakṣatakṣitiḥ śūlena sā susaṁkruddhā taṁ jaghānātha vakṣasi

Most terrible, her every footstep scorching the earth as she approached, that greatly enraged one struck him upon the breast with her trident.

Verse 32 (vishnu.1.18.32)

तत् तस्य हृदयं प्राप्य शूलं बालस्य दीप्तिमत् । जगाम खण्डितं भूमौ तत्रापि शतधाभवत्

tat tasya hṛdayaṁ prāpya śūlaṁ bālasya dīptimat jagāma khaṇḍitaṁ bhūmau tatrāpi śatadhābhavat

That blazing trident, upon reaching the boy's heart, shattered and, falling to the ground, broke there into a hundred pieces.

Verse 33 (vishnu.1.18.33)

यत्रानपायी भगवान् हृद्य् आस्ते हरिर् ईश्वरः । भङ्गो भवति वज्रस्य तत्र शूलस्य का कथा

yatrānapāyī bhagavān hṛdy āste harir īśvaraḥ bhaṅgo bhavati vajrasya tatra śūlasya kā kathā

Where the imperishable, blessed Hari, the lord, abides within the heart — there even the thunderbolt would be shattered; what then to speak of a mere trident?

Verse 34 (vishnu.1.18.34)

अपापे तत्र पापैश् च पातिता दैत्ययाजकैः । तान् एव सा जघानाशु कृत्या नाशं जगाम च

apāpe tatra pāpaiś ca pātitā daityayājakaiḥ tān eva sā jaghānāśu kṛtyā nāśaṁ jagāma ca

Cast by the sinful priests of the Daityas against that sinless one, that sorceress at once turned and slew those very priests, and then herself came to her end.

Verse 35 (vishnu.1.18.35)

कृत्यया दह्यमानांस् तान् विलोक्य स महामतिः । त्राहि कृष्णेत्य् अनन्तेति वदन्न् अभ्यवपद्यत

kṛtyayā dahyamānāṁs tān vilokya sa mahāmatiḥ trāhi kṛṣṇety ananteti vadann abhyavapadyata

Beholding them being burned by the sorceress, that wise one, crying 'Krishna, save them!' and 'Ananta!', at once ran to intercede for them.

Verse 36 (vishnu.1.18.36)

श्रीप्रह्लाद उवाच । सर्वव्यापिञ् जगद्रूप जगत्स्रष्टर् जनार्दन । त्राहि विप्रान् इमान् अस्माद् दुःसहान् मन्त्रपावकात्

śrīprahlāda uvāca sarvavyāpiñ jagadrūpa jagatsraṣṭar janārdana trāhi viprān imān asmād duḥsahān mantrapāvakāt

Shri Prahlada said: 'O all-pervading one, whose form is the universe, creator of the world, Janardana — save these Brahmins from this unbearable, mantra-conjured fire.'

Verse 37 (vishnu.1.18.37)

यथा सर्वेषु भूतेषु सर्वव्यापी जगद्गुरुः । विष्णुर् एव तथा सर्वे जीवन्त्व् एते पुरोहिताः

yathā sarveṣu bhūteṣu sarvavyāpī jagadguruḥ viṣṇur eva tathā sarve jīvantv ete purohitāḥ

'Just as Vishnu, all-pervading, the guru of the world, is present alike in all beings — so let all these priests live.'

Verse 38 (vishnu.1.18.38)

यथा सर्वगतं विष्णुं मन्यमानोऽनपायिनम् । चिन्तयाम्य् अरिपक्षेऽपि जीवन्त्व् एते तथा द्विजाः

yathā sarvagataṁ viṣṇuṁ manyamāno 'napāyinam cintayāmy aripakṣe 'pi jīvantv ete tathā dvijāḥ

'As I, considering Vishnu as present everywhere and imperishable, hold this same thought even toward my enemies — so let these twice-born, too, live.'

Verse 39 (vishnu.1.18.39)

ये हन्तुम् आगता दत्तं यैर् विषं यैर् हुताशनः । यैर् दिग्गजैर् अहं क्षुण्णो दष्टः सर्पैश् च यैर् अहम्

ye hantum āgatā dattaṁ yair viṣaṁ yair hutāśanaḥ yair diggajair ahaṁ kṣuṇṇo daṣṭaḥ sarpaiś ca yair aham

'Those who came to kill me, who gave me poison, who set fire against me, by whose elephants I was trampled, and by whose serpents I was bitten—'

Verse 40 (vishnu.1.18.40)

तेष्व् अहं मित्रपक्षे च समः पापोऽस्मि न क्वचित् । यथा तेनाद्य सत्येन जीवन्त्व् असुरयाजकाः

teṣv ahaṁ mitrapakṣe ca samaḥ pāpo 'smi na kvacit yathā tenādya satyena jīvantv asurayājakāḥ

'toward them too, as toward friends, I am nowhere at all touched by sin; by that very truth, let these priests of the Asuras live today.'

Verse 41 (vishnu.1.18.41)

श्रीपराशर उवाच । इत्य् उक्तास् तेन ते सर्वे संस्पृष्टाश् च निरामयाः । समुत्तस्थुर् द्विजा भूयस् तं चोचुः प्रश्रयान्वितम्

śrīparāśara uvāca ity uktās tena te sarve saṁspṛṣṭāś ca nirāmayāḥ samuttasthur dvijā bhūyas taṁ cocuḥ praśrayānvitam

Parashara said: Thus addressed by him, and touched by him, all those twice-born, freed of their affliction, rose up once more and, filled with humility, said this to him.

Verse 42 (vishnu.1.18.42)

पुरोहिता ऊचुः । दीर्घायुर् अप्रतिहतो बलवीर्यसमन्वितः । पुत्रपौत्रधनैश्वर्यैर् युक्तो वत्स भवोत्तमः

purohitā ūcuḥ dīrghāyur apratihato balavīryasamanvitaḥ putrapautradhanaiśvaryair yukto vatsa bhavottamaḥ

The priests said: 'Long-lived, unopposed, endowed with strength and valor, blessed with sons, grandsons, wealth, and sovereignty — may you become the very best, my child.'

Verse 43 (vishnu.1.18.43)

श्रीपराशर उवाच । इत्य् उक्त्वा तं ततो गत्वा यथावृत्तं पुरोहिताः । दैत्यराजाय सकलम् आचचक्षुर् महामुने

śrīparāśara uvāca ity uktvā taṁ tato gatvā yathāvṛttaṁ purohitāḥ daityarājāya sakalam ācacakṣur mahāmune

Parashara said: Having said this to him, the priests then went and related everything, just as it had happened, to the king of the Daityas, O great sage.