SB 7.9.51 · Srimad Bhagavatam

Devanagari

श्रीनारद उवाच एतावद्वर्णितगुणो भक्त्या भक्तेन निर्गुण: । प्रह्रादं प्रणतं प्रीतो यतमन्युरभाषत ॥ ५१ ॥

Verse text

śrī-nārada uvāca etāvad varṇita-guṇo bhaktyā bhaktena nirguṇaḥ prahrādaṁ praṇataṁ prīto yata-manyur abhāṣata

Synonyms

śrī — nāradaḥ uvāca — Śrī Nārada Muni said ; etāvat — up to this ; varṇita — described ; guṇaḥ — transcendental qualities ; bhaktyā — with devotion ; bhaktena — by the devotee (Prahlāda Mahārāja) ; nirguṇaḥ — the transcendental Lord ; prahrādam — unto Prahlāda Mahārāja ; praṇatam — who was surrendered at the lotus feet of the Lord ; prītaḥ — being pleased ; yata — manyuḥ — controlling the anger ; abhāṣata — began to speak (as follows) .

Translation

The great saint Nārada said: Thus Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva was pacified by the devotee Prahlāda Mahārāja with prayers offered from the transcendental platform. The Lord gave up His anger, and being very kind to Prahlāda, who was offering prostrated obeisances, He spoke as follows.

Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)

Nārada said: Thus, Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva, having no material qualities, whose qualities were described by his devotee with devotion, being pleased with his surrendered devotee, gave up his anger and spoke. Nirguṇaḥ means “without material qualities.” Prahlāda praised Nṛsiṁha’s spiritual qualities like mercy. Nṛsiṁha had uncontrollable anger that Prahlāda’s father was attacking him. He gave up that anger on seeing the bliss of Prahlāda.

Purport

The word nirguṇa is important. The Māyāvādī philosophers accept the Absolute Truth as nirguṇa or nirākāra. The word nirguṇa refers to one who possesses no material qualities. The Lord, being full of spiritual qualities, gave up all His anger and spoke to Prahlāda.