Book 5 · Upaśama उपशम · chapters 30–43 · 14 chapters
Vasishtha narrates to Rama the story of Prahlada, son of the demon king Hiranyakashipu, and of Vishnu (Narasimha, Hari, Madhava).
Vasishtha tells Rama how Prahlada, chief son of the demon king Hiranyakashipu, attained self-knowledge. Hiranyakashipu had conquered the gods and ruled the three worlds with overwhelming pride, scorching the worlds with his power while the gods, oppressed, prayed for relief. Vishnu took the form of Narasimha (man-lion) and killed Hiranyakashipu, burning the demon city and scattering the surviving demons. Prahlada, protected during the destruction, performed funeral rites for the slain and then sat alone in grief, reflecting on the repeated destruction of the demon race. Turning his thoughts over the futility of enmity with Hari, he resolved that Narayana alone was the true refuge, and, meditating, realized himself as identical with Vishnu, describing Vishnu's form, weapons, and consorts as manifestations of his own inner vision. Vishnu then appeared before him in person; Prahlada, calm and unshaken, worshipped him, and Vishnu crowned him king of the netherworld, instructing him to rule with equanimity, free of attachment and fear, and departed. Vasishtha explains that Prahlada's liberation, though it coincided with Vishnu's grace, was actually achieved through Prahlada's own sustained effort and self-inquiry, not by grace alone. Rama then questions this, and Vasishtha elaborates the doctrine that self-effort (purushartha), not divine intervention, is the primary cause of realization; devotion to a deity is only useful for those not yet able to master the mind directly.
श्रीवसिष्ठ उवाच | अथेमं परमं राम विज्ञानाभिगमे क्रमम् | श्रृणु दैत्येश्वरः सिद्धः प्रह्रादः स्वात्मना यथा || १ ||
Vasishtha said: Now, O Rama, listen to this supreme method of attaining knowledge, how Prahlada, the lord of the demons, attained perfection through his own self.
वसिष्ठ ने कहा: अब, हे राम, सुनो इस परम विज्ञान की प्राप्ति के क्रम को, जिस प्रकार दैत्यों के स्वामी प्रह्लाद ने अपने स्वयं के द्वारा सिद्धि प्राप्त की।
नारसिंहं वपुः कृत्वा माधवोऽहन्महासुरम् | लसत्कटकटारावं तुरङ्गममिव द्विपः || १९ ||
Madhava, taking the form of Narasimha, killed the great demon Hiranyakashipu, who was roaring like a lion attacking an elephant.
माधव ने नरसिंह का रूप धारण किया और हिरण्यकशिपु को मार डाला, जो हाथी पर हमला करने वाले सिंह की तरह गरज रहा था।
अविष्णुः पूजयन्विष्णुं न पूजाफलभाग्भवेत् | विष्णुर्भूत्वा यजेद्विष्णुमयं विष्णुरहं स्थितः || ४० ||
One who is not Vishnu cannot attain the fruits of worshipping Vishnu. One should worship Vishnu by becoming Vishnu. I am Vishnu, established in this form.
जो विष्णु नहीं है, वह विष्णु की पूजा करके पूजा के फल को नहीं प्राप्त कर सकता। एक विष्णु बनकर विष्णु की पूजा करनी चाहिए। मैं विष्णु हूँ, इस रूप में स्थित हूँ।
एषा ते कथिता राम निःशेषमलनाशिनीप्राह्रादी बोधसंप्राप्तिरैन्दवद्रवशीतला || ५ ||
This has been told to you, O Rāma, the destroyer of all impurities, the attainment of enlightenment by Prahrāda, cool like the moonlight.
यह आपको बताया गया है, हे राम, सभी दोषों का नाश करने वाला, प्रह्राद द्वारा बोध की प्राप्ति, चंद्रमा की शीतलता की तरह।
श्रीवसिष्ठ उवाच | यद्यद्राघव संप्राप्तं प्रह्लादेन महात्मना | तत्तदासादितं तेन पौरुषादेव नान्यतः || ४ ||
Vasishtha said: O Raghava, whatever has been achieved by the great soul Prahlada, has been achieved through his own effort alone, and not from anything else.
वसिष्ठ ने कहा: हे रघुवंशी, जो कुछ भी महात्मा प्रह्लाद ने प्राप्त किया है, वह उनके अपने प्रयास से ही प्राप्त किया गया है, और किसी और चीज से नहीं।
The story occupies chapters 30–43 of Book 5. Each link opens that chapter complete — Sanskrit in Devanagari and IAST, with a plain English and Hindi translation of every verse. The number under each link is its verse count.