श्रीमद्भागवतमहापुराणम् सप्तम: स्कन्ध: षष्ठ: अध्याय: प्रह्लाद उवाच - Prahlaada said - कौमार आचरेत्प्राज्ञो धर्मान् भागवतानिह ।
दुर्लभं मानुषं जन्म तदप्यध्रुवमर्थदम् ॥१॥
कौमार आचरेत्-प्राज्ञ: a young person should practice, the wise,
धर्मान् भागवतान्-इह virtues towards God-Realization दुर्लभम् मानुषम् जन्म difficult to obtain human birth तत्-अपि-अध्रुवम्-अर्थदम् that too is uncertain, (but) very meaningful A young wise person should practice virtues conducive to God-Realization. For human birth is very difficult to obtain, and that too is uncertain, but it is very meaningful.


यथा हि पुरुषस्येह विष्णो: पादोपसर्पणम् ।
यदेष सर्वभूतानां प्रिय आत्मेश्वर: सुहृत् ॥२॥
यथा हि पुरुषस्य-इह so, certainly of the man, here
विष्णो: पाद-उपसर्पणम् Vishnu's feet to betake to यत्-एष सर्व-भूतानाम् because He of all the beings प्रिय आत्मा-ईश्वर: सुहृत् beloved the Soul, the Ruler, and friend So, that is why, here, in this world for a man it certainly is the best to betake himself to the feet of Vishnu, because He is the beloved friend, The Ruler and the very soul of all living beings.


सुखमैन्द्रियकं दैत्या देहयोगेन देहिनाम् ।
सर्वत्र लभ्यते दैवाद्यथा दु:खमयत्नत: ॥३॥
सुखम्-ऐन्द्रियकम् दैत्या: pleasures of the senses, O Daityas!
देह-योगेन देहिनाम् by the body's connection for the embodied beings सर्वत्र लभ्यते दैवात्- in every birth, is obtained by destiny यथा दु:खम्-अयत्नत: like suffering, without effort 'O Daityas! Just as, for the embodied beings, sufferings are obtained without any effort, just by destiny, so also the sense pleasures are obtained in every birth, by the connection of the body.'


तत्प्रयासो न कर्तव्यो यत् आयुर्व्यय: परम् ।
न तथा विन्दते क्षेमं मुकुन्दचरणाम्बुजम् ॥४॥
तत्-प्रयास: न कर्तव्य: that effort should not be made
यत् आयु:-व्यय: परम् by which the life is wasted merely न तथा विन्दते क्षेमम् not like that attains the benefit मुकुन्द-चरण-अम्बुजम् of Vishnu's feet lotus That effort should not be made, by which the life is wasted, like that, that the benefit of the lotus feet of Vishnu is not attained.


ततो यतेत कुशल: क्षेमाय भयमाश्रित: ।
शरीरं पौरुषं यावन्न विपद्येत पुष्कलम् ॥५॥
तत: यतेत कुशल: क्षेमाय therefore should strive the clever for blessedness
भयम्-आश्रित: by the fear (of transmigration) supported शरीरम् पौरुषम् यावत्- the body and is sound while, न विपद्येत पुष्कलम् does not perish altogether Therefore, the clever person should strive for the blessedness, supported by the fear of transmigration, while the human body is yet sound and does not perish altogether.


पुंसो वर्षशतं ह्यायुस्तदर्धं चाजितात्मन: ।
निष्फलं यदसौ रात्र्यां शेतेऽन्धं प्रपितस्तम: ॥६॥
पुंस: वर्ष-शतम् हि-आयु:- of men, years hundred indeed is age
तत्-अर्धम् च-अजित-आत्मन: of that half and of the unsubdued mind निष्फलम् यत्-असौ रात्र्याम् fruitlessly because he, in the night शेते-अन्धम् प्रपित:-तम: sleeps in blinding fallen dark The age of man is a hundred years, and that of the person of unsubdued mind is half, because he fruitlessly sleeps through the night, fallen in blinding darkness.


मुग्धस्य बाल्ये कौमारे क्रीडतो याति विंशति: ।
जरया ग्रस्तदेहस्य यात्यकल्पस्य विंशति: ॥७॥
मुग्धस्य बाल्ये कौमारे in ignorance, in childhood, in youth,
क्रीडत: याति विंशति: in playing, are spent twenty जरया ग्रस्त-देहस्य in old age, in the grip of senility, in body याति-अकल्पस्य विंशति: are spent in incapability twenty In the ignorance of childhood, and in play the young age, twenty years are spent. In the grip of senility, and with the incapability of the body twenty more years are spent.


दुरापूरेण कामेन मोहेन च बलीयसा ।
शेषं गृहेषु सक्तस्य प्रमत्तस्यापयाति हि ॥८॥
दुरापूरेण कामेन by insatiable desires,
मोहेन च बलीयसा and infatuation overwhelming शेषम् गृहेषु सक्तस्य the rest in home attached, प्रमत्तस्य-अपयाति हि in negligence passes indeed Indeed the rest of his life passes in negligence, being attached to the home, seeking insatiable desires, and overwhelming infatuation.


को गृहेषु पुमान्सक्तमात्मानमजितेन्द्रिय: ।
स्नेहपाशैर्दृढैर्बद्धमुत्सहेत विमोचितुम् ॥९॥
क: गृहेषु पुमान्-सक्तम्- which, in the house, man attached,
आत्मानम्-अजितेन्द्रिय: his own self of unsubdued senses स्नेह-पाशै:-दृढै:-बद्धम्- by affections' cords powerful bound, उत्सहेत विमोचितुम् can hope to liberate Which man, of unsubdued senses, attached to his house, bound by powerful cords of affection, can hope to liberate his own self?


को न्वर्थतृष्णां विसृजेत् प्राणेभ्योऽपि य ईप्सित: ।
यं क्रीणात्यसुभि: प्रेष्ठैस्तस्कर: सेवको वणिक् ॥१०॥
क:- नु-अर्थ-तृष्णाम् विसृजेत् who indeed the wealth thirst can give up
प्राणेभ्य:-अपि य: ईप्सित: life more than which is coveted यम् क्रीणाति-असुभि: प्रेष्ठै: which purchases by life beloved तस्कर: सेवक: वणिक् thief, servant, merchant Indeed, who can give up the thirst for wealth, which is coveted more than life, and which, a thief, a servant or a merchant will easily purchase for the price of his beloved life.


कथं प्रियाया अनुकम्पिताया: सङ्गं रहस्यं रुचिरांश्च मन्त्रान् ।
सुहृत्सु च स्नेहसित: शिशूनां कलाक्षराणामनुरक्तचित्त: ॥११॥
कथम् प्रियाया: अनुकम्पिताया: how the dear wife's sympathetic
सङ्गम् रहस्यम् company, private रुचिरान्-च मन्त्रान् sweet counsel सुहृत्सु च स्नेहसित: in the friend's and love bound शिशूनाम् कल-अक्षराणाम्- of the children's' lisping words अनुरक्त-चित्त: affectionate mind How can a man give up the private company of his dear wife, or her sweet counsel, or the love of the friends by which he is bound, or the affectionate mind attached to the lisping words of the children?


पुत्रान्स्मरंता दुहितृर्हृदय्या भ्रातृन् स्वसृर्वा पितरौ च दीनौ ।
गृहान् मनोज्ञोरुपरिच्छदांश्च वृत्तीश्च कुल्या: पशुभृत्यवर्गान् ॥१२॥
पुत्रान्-स्मरन्- sons remembering,
ता: दुहितृ:-हृदय्या: those daughters beloved भ्रातृन् स्वसृ:-वा brothers, sisters or पितरौ च दीनौ parents pitiable गृहान् मनोज्ञ- the houses attractive उरु-परिच्छदान्-च with many accessories and वृत्ती:-च कुल्या: livelihood and hereditary पशु-भृत्य-वर्गान् the animals and servants' lot How can he renounce, remembering the sons and the beloved daughters, the brothers or sisters, the pitiable parents, the house with many attractive appliances etc., the hereditary livelihood, the animals and the lot of servants.


त्यजेत् कोशस्कृदिवेहमान: कर्माणि लोभादवितृप्तकाम: ।
औपस्थ्यजैह्व्यं बहु मन्यमान: कथं विरज्येत दुरन्तमोह: ॥१३॥
त्यजेत् कोशस्कृत्-इव- will give up silk worm like
ईहमान: कर्माणि pursuing actions लोभात्-अवितृप्त-काम: out of greed, or unsated desires औपस्थ्य-जैह्व्यम् (pertaining) to sex and taste बहु मन्यमान: कथम् highly regarding (them), how विरज्येत दुरन्त-मोह: will be disgusted, because of endless infatuation Like a silk worm keeps pursuing its action, (though, thoroughly getting bound by it), he keeps pursuing action out of greed or unsated desires, pertaining to sex and taste, regarding them highly. How then, will he feel disgusted with them, because of his endless infatuation?


कुटुम्बपोषाय वियन् निजायुर्न बुध्यतेऽर्थं विहतं प्रमत्त: ।
सर्वत्र तापत्रयदु:खितात्मा निर्विद्यते न स्वकुटुम्बराम: ॥१४॥
कुटुम्ब-पोषाय वियन् for the family's maintaining, wearing away
निज-आयु:-न बुध्यते- own life does not realize, अर्थम् विहतम् प्रमत्त: the purpose (of Self-realization), frustrated, intoxicated सर्वत्र ताप-त्रय- everywhere, the agonies of three kinds दु:खित-आत्मा निर्विद्यते न afflicted souled, is not sick of स्व-कुटुम्ब-राम: own family's love Engaged in the maintaining of his family, he does not realize his own life wearing away or the main purpose of Self-realization, being thwarted. Intoxicated like, he bears the three agonies everywhere, and yet is not sick of them, out of the love of his family.


वित्तेषु नित्याभिनिविष्टचेता विद्वांश्च दोषं परवित्तहर्तु: ।
प्रेत्येह चाथाप्यजितेन्द्रियस्तदशान्तकामो हरते कुटुम्बी ॥१५॥
वित्तेषु नित्य-अभिनिविष्ट-चेता in wealth ever intent minded
विद्वान्-च दोषम् पर-वित्त-हर्तु: knowing and the faults of others wealth misappropriating प्रेत्य-इह च-अथ-अपि-अजितेन्द्रिय: in heaven and here, even then, of unsubdued senses तत्-अशान्त-काम: हरते कुटुम्बी he of unsatisfied desires takes away the house holder The householder, whose mind is ever intent on wealth accumulating, even though knowing the faults of misappropriating the wealth of others, here, or hereafter, he, of unsubdued senses and unsatisfied desires, takes away others' wealth.


विद्वानपीत्थं दनुजा: कुटुम्बं पुष्णन्स्वलोकाय न कल्पते वै ।
य: स्वीयपारक्यविभिन्नभावस्तम: प्रपद्येत यथा विमूढ: ॥१६॥
विद्वान्-अपि-इत्थम् a learned also, like this,
दनुजा: कुटुम्बम् पुष्णन्- O Danujas! the family maintaining स्व-लोकाय न कल्पते वै for self realization does not endeavour surely य: स्वीय-पारक्य विभिन्न-भाव:- who, with mine and others' differentiating outlook तम: प्रपद्येत यथा विमूढ: in darkness falls like a deluded O Danujas! Even though a learned person, if he maintains his family like this, with a differentiating outlook of mine and others', and does not endeavour for his own good, that is, self-realization, surely falls in the darkness of hell like a deluded person.


यतो न कश्चित् क्व च कुत्रचिद् वा दीन: स्वमात्मानमलं समर्थ: ।
विमोचितुं कामदृशां विहारक्रीडामृगो यन्निगडो विसर्ग: ॥१७॥
यत: न कश्चित् क्व च since, none ever and
कुत्रचिद् वा दीन: स्वम्- anywhere, or the passionate, own आत्मानम्-अलम् समर्थ: self totally capable विमोचितुम् काम-दृशाम् of liberating from lustful women विहार-क्रीडा-मृग: for play toy deer यत्-निगड: विसर्ग: which is a chain of offspring Since none, who is extremely passionate, is ever and anywhere totally capable of liberating his own self from the lustful women, being their play toy deers, which is a chain of offspring's,…


ततो विदूरात् परिहृत्य दैत्या दैत्येषु सङ्गं विषयात्मकेषु ।
उपेत नारायणमादिदेवं स मुक्तसङ्गैरिषितोऽपवर्ग: ॥१८॥
तत: विदूरात् परिहृत्य therefore from far, avoiding,
दैत्या: दैत्येषु सङ्गम् O Daityas! with the Daityas' company विषय-आत्मकेषु in sense objects attached minds उपेत नारायणम्-आदि-देवम् approach Naaraayana, The Primary Deity स: मुक्त-सङ्गै:- He, by the liberated of attachments इषित:-अपवर्ग: sought for, The final beatitude Therefore, O Daityas! Shun the company of the Daityas, whose minds are attached to the sense objects, and approach Naaraayana, The Primary Deity, The final beatitude, sought for, even by the liberated of attachments.


न ह्यच्युतं प्रीणयतो बह्वायासोऽसुरात्मजा: ।
आत्मत्वात् सर्वभूतानां सिद्धत्वादिह सर्वत: ॥१९॥
न हि-अच्युतम् प्रीणयत: not indeed, Krishna to please
बहु-आयास:-असुर-आत्मजा: much effort, O Asura children! आत्मत्वात् सर्व-भूतानाम् by being the self of all embodied souls सिद्धत्वात्-इह सर्वत: and present, here everywhere O Asura children! Indeed it does not take much effort to please Lord Krishna, because He is the very soul of all embodied beings, and is present everywhere here.


परावरेषु भूतेषु ब्रह्मान्तस्थावरादिषु ।
भौतिकेषु विकारेषु भूतेष्वथ महत्सु च ॥२०॥
पर-अवरेषु भूतेषु in high and low creations
ब्रह्मा-अन्त-स्थावर-आदिषु from Brahmaa ending, to immobile etc., भौतिकेषु विकारेषु in all material (things), the elements भूतेषु-अथ महत्सु च in the Gunas, and in the Mahat-tatva's In all high and low creations, starting from Brahma, ending till the immobile, in all material things, in the elements, in the Gunas, and in the Mahat-tatvas,…


गुणेषु गुणसाम्ये च गुणव्यतिकरे तथा ।
एक एव परो ह्यात्मा भगवानीश्वरोऽव्यय: ॥२१॥
गुणेषु गुण-साम्ये च in the Gunas, in the Gunas' equilibrium, and
गुण-व्यतिकरे तथा in the Gunas' uneven proportions also एक: एव पर: हि-आत्मा One only, The transcendent Spirit भगवान्-ईश्वर:-अव्यय: The Almighty, God, imperishable In the Gunas, in the Gunas' equilibrium, and in the Gunas' uneven proportions also, it is He, the One only, The transcendent Spirit, The Almighty, imperishable God.


प्रत्यगात्मस्वरूपेण दृश्यरूपेण च स्वयम् ।
व्याप्यव्यापकनिर्देश्यो ह्यनिर्देश्योऽविकल्पित: ॥२२॥
प्रत्यक्-आत्म-स्वरूपेण in reality, in subjective form
दृश्य-रूपेण च स्वयम् in objective form and Himself व्याप्य-व्यापक-निर्देश्य:- as pervaded, all pervading, to be hinted at, हि-अनिर्देश्य: विकल्पित: indescribable, undifferentiated In reality, though indescribable, and undifferentiated, He himself, He may be hinted at as the all pervading in the subjective form and as the pervaded, in the objective form of the universe.


केवलानुभवानन्दस्वरूप: परमेश्वर: ।
माययान्तर्हितैश्वर्य ईयते गुणसर्गया ॥२३॥
केवल-अनुभव-आनन्द- absolute consciousness bliss
स्वरूप: परम-ईश्वर: in form, The Supreme Lord मायया-अन्तर्हित-ऐश्वर्य by Maayaa the concealed divinity, ईयते गुण-सर्गया reveals by the Gunas' creating The Supreme Lord is absolute consciousness and bliss. He reveals His divinity by His deluding potency Maayaa, consisting of the Gunas, giving rise to creation.


तस्मात् सर्वेषु भूतेषु दयां कुरुत सौहृदम् ।
आसुरं भावमुन्मुच्य यया तुष्यत्यधोक्षज: ॥२४॥
तस्मात् सर्वेषु भूतेषु therefore, in all created beings
दयाम् कुरुत सौहृदम् compassionate be and friendly आसुरम् भावम्-उन्मुच्य demonic disposition giving up यया तुष्यति-अधोक्षज: by which is pleased Lord Vishnu Therefore, give up all demonic disposition and be compassionate and friendly towards all created beings, by which Lord Vishnu, the One beyond sense perception, is pleased.


तुष्टे च तत्र किमलभ्यमनन्त आद्ये किं तैर्गुणव्यतिकरादिह ये स्वसिद्धा: ।
धर्मादय: किमगुणेन च काङ्क्षितेन सारंजुषां चरणयोरुपगायतां न: ॥२५॥
तुष्टे च तत्र किम्-अलभ्यम्- being pleased, there, what is unattainable
अनन्त आद्ये किम् तै:-गुण- the Infinite Being, The Cause, what of those Gunas' व्यतिकरात्-इह ये स्व-सिद्धा: modification, here, which are by themselves attained धर्म-आदय: किम्-अगुणेन च of religion etc., what (use) the final beatitude काङ्क्षितेन सारम्-जुषाम् by hankering for, nectar drinking चरणयो:-उपगायताम् न: the feet's (praises) singing to us When, there, The Infinite Being, The Primary Cause, The Lord is pleased, what is unattainable here? What of the modifications of the Gunas, which are attained by themselves. What of religion? What is the use for the hankering of the final beatitude, for us who drink the nectar and sing the praises of His feet?


धर्मार्थकाम इति योऽभिहितस्त्रिवर्ग ईक्षा त्रयी नयदमौ विविधा च वार्ता ।
मन्ये तदेतदखिलं निगमस्य सत्यं स्वात्मार्पणं स्वसुहृद: परमस्य पुंस: ॥२६॥
धर्म-अर्थ-काम इति religious merit, worldly riches, sensuous enjoyment, these
य:-अभिहित:-त्रि-वर्ग: which is stated, as the triad, ईक्षा त्रयी नय-दमौ self-realization, rituals, logic, politics, विविधा च वार्ता various and means of earning मन्ये तत्-एतत्-अखिलम् I consider those and these all निगमस्य सत्यम् of the Vedas, are true (if) स्व-आत्म-अर्पणम् ones own self's surrender (enables) स्व-सुहृद: परमस्य पुंस: own friend, the Supreme Person Religious merit, worldly riches, sense enjoyments, which are stated to be triad, and self realization, rituals, logic, political science, and the various means of earning, these and all those mentioned, are the subject matter of the Vedas. I consider them to be true only if they enable one to surrender one-self to ones own friend, The Supreme Person.


ज्ञानं तदेतदमलं दुरवापमाह नारायणो नरसख: किल नारदाय ।
एकान्तिनां भगवतस्तदकिञ्चनानां पादारविन्दरजसाऽऽप्लुतदेहिनां स्यात् ॥२७॥
ज्ञानम् तत्-एतत्-अमलम् knowledge that this pure
दुरवापम्-आह नारायण: difficult to attain, said Naaraayana नर-सख: किल नारदाय Nara's friend, indeed, to Naarada एकान्तिनाम् भगवत:-तत्- to (those who) are singularly to The Lord (devoted) that, अकिञ्चनानाम् पाद-अरविन्द claiming nothing as their owns feet lotus रजसा-आप्लुत देहिनाम् स्यात् dust bathed, beings may be This is that pure knowledge, difficult to attain, which Nara's friend Naaraayana spoke to Naarada. This may be attained by the beings who are bathed in the dust of the lotus feet of those who are singularly devoted to The Lord, and who have nothing to claim as their own.


श्रुतमेतन्मया पूर्वं ज्ञानं विज्ञानसंयुतम् ।
धर्मं भागवतं शुद्धं नारदाद् देवदर्शनात् ॥२८॥
श्रुतम्-एतत्-मया पूर्वम् was heard by me, in the past,
ज्ञानम् विज्ञान-संयुतम् the knowledge with truth attached धर्मम् भागवतम् शुद्धम् the cult (of devotion) to The Lord, pure नारदात् देव-दर्शनात् from Naarada (who) The Lord has seen This knowledge, with its apprehension to the truth, and with the attachment to the cult of devotion to The Lord, was received by me in the past, from Naarada, who has seen The Lord.


दैत्य-पुत्रा: ऊचु: - The sons of the Daityas said - प्रह्लाद त्वं वयं चापि नर्तेऽन्यं विद्महे गुरुम् ।
एताभ्यां गुरुपुत्राभ्यां बालानामपि हीश्वरौ ॥२९॥
प्रह्लाद त्वम् वयम् च-अपि ’O Prahlaada! You, we and also
न-ऋते-अन्यम् विद्महे गुरुम् not besides another know a teacher एताभ्याम् गुरु-पुत्राभ्याम् other than these two preceptor's sons बालानाम्-अपि हि-ईश्वरौ since infants even, indeed the masterस् 'O Prahlaada! You and also we do not know any one as our teachers besides these two sons of the preceptor. Since we were infants, they have been our masters indeed.


बालस्यान्त:पुरस्थस्य महत्सङ्गो दुरन्वय: ।
छिन्धि न: संशयं सौम्य स्याच्चेद्विश्रम्भकारणम् ॥३०॥
बालस्य-अन्त:पुरस्थस्य of a child in the gynaecium staying
महत्-सङ्ग: दुरन्वय: of the exalted soul's company, is a difficult proposition छिन्धि न: संशयम् सौम्य resolve our doubt, O Gentle One! स्यात्-चेत्-विश्रम्भ कारणम् if there is to be believed reason The association with an exalted soul, of a child, when he is staying in the gynaecium, is a difficult proposition. O Gentle One! Do resolve our doubt, if there is reason to be believed.


इति श्रीमद्भागवते महापुराणे पारमहंस्यां सम्हितायां सप्तमस्कन्धे प्रह्लाद अनुचरिते षष्ठ: अध्याय: ॥६॥ Thus ends the sixth discourse, forming part of the Narrative of Prahlaada, in Book Seven of the great and glorious Bhaagavata-Puraana.