FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 7.5.56-57

ते तु तद्गौरवात्सर्वे त्यक्तक्रीडापरिच्छदा: । बाला अदूषितधियो द्वन्द्वारामेरितेहितै: ॥ ५६ ॥ पर्युपासत राजेन्द्र तन्न्यस्तहृदयेक्षणा: । तानाह करुणो मैत्रो महाभागवतोऽसुर: ॥ ५७ ॥
te tu tad-gauravāt sarve
[te tu tad-gauravaat sarve]
tyakta-krīḍā-paricchadāḥ
[tyakta-kreedaa-parichchadaah]
bālā adūṣita-dhiyo
[baalaa adooshita-dhiyo]
dvandvārāmeritehitaiḥ
[dvandvaaraameritehitaih]
paryupāsata rājendra
[paryupaasata raajendra]
tan-nyasta-hṛdayekṣaṇāḥ
[tan-nyasta-hridayekshanaah]
tān āha karuṇo maitro
[taan aaha karuno maitro]
mahā-bhāgavato ’suraḥ
[mahaa-bhaagavato ’surah]
te — they tu — indeed tat-gauravāt — from great respect for the words of Prahlāda Mahārāja (due to his being a devotee) sarve — all of them tyakta — having given up krīḍā-paricchadāḥ — toys for playing bālāḥ — the boys adūṣita-dhiyaḥ — whose intelligence was not as polluted (as that of their fathers) dvandva — in duality ārāma — of those taking pleasure (the instructors, namely Ṣaṇḍa and Amarka) īrita — by the instructions īhitaiḥ — and actions paryupāsata — sat down around rāja-indra — O King Yudhiṣṭhira tat — unto him nyasta — having given up hṛdaya-īkṣaṇāḥ — their hearts and eyes tān — unto them āha — spoke karuṇaḥ — very merciful maitraḥ — a real friend mahā-bhāgavataḥ — a most exalted devotee asuraḥ — Prahlāda Mahārāja, although born of an asura father.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
te tu tad-gauravāt sarve
te
they
tu
indeed
tat-gauravāt
from great respect for the words of Prahlāda Mahārāja (due to his being a devotee)
sarve
all of them
tyakta-krīḍā-paricchadāḥ
tyakta
having given up
krīḍā-paricchadāḥ
toys for playing
bālā adūṣita-dhiyo
bālāḥ
the boys
adūṣita-dhiyaḥ
whose intelligence was not as polluted (as that of their fathers)
dvandvārāmeritehitaiḥ
dvandva
in duality
ārāma
of those taking pleasure (the instructors, namely Ṣaṇḍa and Amarka)
īrita
by the instructions
īhitaiḥ
and actions
paryupāsata rājendra
paryupāsata
sat down around
rāja-indra
O King Yudhiṣṭhira
tan-nyasta-hṛdayekṣaṇāḥ
tat
unto him
nyasta
having given up
hṛdaya-īkṣaṇāḥ
their hearts and eyes
tān āha karuṇo maitro
tān
unto them
āha
spoke
karuṇaḥ
very merciful
maitraḥ
a real friend
mahā-bhāgavato ’suraḥ
mahā-bhāgavataḥ
a most exalted devotee
asuraḥ
Prahlāda Mahārāja, although born of an asura father.
My dear King Yudhiṣṭhira, all the children were very much affectionate and respectful to Prahlāda Mahārāja, and because of their tender age they were not so polluted by the instructions and actions of their teachers, who were attached to condemned duality and bodily comfort. Thus the boys surrounded Prahlāda Mahārāja, giving up their playthings, and sat down to hear him. Their hearts and eyes being fixed upon him, they looked at him with great earnestness. Prahlāda Mahārāja, although born in a demon family, was an exalted devotee, and he desired their welfare. Thus he began instructing them about the futility of materialistic life.

The words bālā adūṣita-dhiyaḥ indicate that the children, being of a tender age, were not as polluted by materialistic life as their fathers. Prahlāda Mahārāja, therefore, taking advantage of the innocence of his class friends, began teaching them about the importance of spiritual life and the insignificance of materialistic life. Although the teachers Ṣaṇḍa and Amarka were instructing all the boys in the materialistic life of religion, economic development and sense gratification, the boys were not much polluted. Therefore, with great attention they wanted to hear from Prahlāda Mahārāja about Kṛṣṇa consciousness. In our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, the gurukula plays an extremely important part in our activities because right from childhood the boys at the gurukula are instructed about Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Thus they become steady within the cores of their hearts, and there is very little possibility that they will be conquered by the modes of material nature when they are older.

Thus end the Bhaktivedanta purports of the Seventh Canto, Fifth Chapter, of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, entitled “Prahlāda Mahārāja, the Saintly Son of Hiraṇyakaśipu.”

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
Respectful to him, all the boys, whose minds were uncorrupted by the actions and words of the brāhmaṇas teaching about material pleasure, gave up their toys and sat around him. O King! Being compassionate and friendly, the great devotee born in a demonic family spoke to the boys, who had placed their minds and eyes upon him alone. Their intelligence was not contaminated by the words (īritaiḥ) or actions (īhitaiḥ) of the brāhmaṇas involved in material pleasure. Thus ends the commentary on the Fifth Chapter of the Seventh Canto of the Bhāgavatam for the pleasure of the devotees, in accordance with the previous ācāryas. Chapter Six Prahlāda Instructs His Friends
His tender-aged friends — not yet polluted by the materialistic instructions of their teachers — give up their toys and sit attentively. Prahlāda, born in a demon family but exalted in devotion, teaches them the futility of materialistic life. The young, when addressed kindly, will listen to truth.
Reflection Questions
  • Which younger person around you is ready to hear what their teachers do not say?
  • How can you offer wisdom kindly enough that they will set down their toys?
📝 My note

← Read full Chapter 5