Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 7.4.45
पुत्रान् विप्रतिकूलान् स्वान् पितर: पुत्रवत्सला: ।
उपालभन्ते शिक्षार्थं नैवाघमपरो यथा ॥ ४५ ॥
putrān vipratikūlān svān
[putraan vipratikoolaan svaan]
pitaraḥ putra-vatsalāḥ
[pitarah putra-vatsalaah]
upālabhante śikṣārthaṁ
[upaalabhante shikshaartham]
naivāgham aparo yathā
[naivaagham aparo yathaa]
Word-for-word
putrān
—
sons
vipratikūlān
—
who act against the will of the father
svān
—
their own
pitaraḥ
—
fathers
putra-vatsalāḥ
—
being very affectionate to the children
upālabhante
—
chastise
śikṣa-artham
—
to teach them lessons
na
—
not
eva
—
indeed
agham
—
punishment
aparaḥ
—
an enemy
yathā
—
like.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
putrān vipratikūlān svān
putrān
sons
vipratikūlān
who act against the will of the father
svān
their own
pitaraḥ putra-vatsalāḥ
pitaraḥ
fathers
putra-vatsalāḥ
being very affectionate to the children
upālabhante śikṣārthaṁ
upālabhante
chastise
śikṣa-artham
to teach them lessons
naivāgham aparo yathā
na
not
eva
indeed
agham
punishment
aparaḥ
an enemy
yathā
like.
A father and mother are always affectionate to their children. When the children are disobedient the parents chastise them, not due to enmity but only for the child’s instruction and welfare. How did Hiraṇyakaśipu, the father of Prahlāda Mahārāja, chastise such a noble son? This is what I am eager to know.
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura
Gauḍīya
Translation
A father and mother, affectionate to their children, chastise them when they are naughty in order to teach them, but do not make them suffer as an enemy would.
They do not give suffering as an enemy (aparaḥ) would.
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
Parents chastise children for the child's welfare, not out of enmity. Yudhisthira cannot square this norm with a father's intent to kill an obedient and noble son. The question itself models the obligation to press past easy explanations when they do not fit.
Reflection Questions
- Where are you accepting an 'easy explanation' for cruelty in your life that doesn't actually fit?
- What harder truth might you need to face about the pattern you are explaining away?
My note
Source: vedabase.io