Vamana Purana — Prahlada's Victory through Bhakti, Shloka 17

Prahlada’s Defeat in Battle and Victory through Bhakti (Nara-Narayana Episode)

Devanagari script

छिन्नं छिन्नं धनुर्दैत्यस्त्वन्यदन्यत्समाददे समादत्तं तदा साध्यो मुने चिच्छेद लाघवात्

Transliteration

chinnaṃ chinnaṃ dhanurdaityastvanyadanyatsamādade samādattaṃ tadā sādhyo mune ciccheda lāghavāt

Translation

Each time his bow was cut, the Daitya seized yet another. But as soon as it was taken up, O sage, Sādhya immediately severed it again, by sheer swiftness.

Word by Word

• छिन्नम्: cut
• छिन्नम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: छिद् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा, एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषणवत् (repetitive)

• छिन्नम्: cut (again)
• छिन्नम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: छिद् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा, एकवचन; पुनरुक्ति (again and again)

• धनुः: bow
• धनुः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धनुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• दैत्यः: the Daitya (demon)
• दैत्यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दैत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• तु: but
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विरोध/विशेष (but/indeed)

• अन्यत्: another
• अन्यत्: Karma-viśeṣaṇa (कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• अन्यत्: another (again)
• अन्यत्: Karma-viśeṣaṇa (कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; पुनरुक्ति (one after another)

• समाददे: took up
• समाददे: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-दा (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• समादत्तम्: taken up
• समादत्तम्: Karma-viśeṣaṇa (कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-आ-दा (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा, एकवचन; (धनुः इति) विशेषणम्

• तदा: then
• तदा: Kāla (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• साध्यः: Sādhya
• साध्यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: साध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• मुने: O sage
• मुने: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

• चिच्छेद: cut
• चिच्छेद: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: छिद् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• लाघवात्: due to swiftness
• लाघवात्: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लाघव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (Ablative), एकवचन; हेतौ

Speakers

• Dialogue framework not explicit in the given verses (commonly Pulastya → Nārada in Vāmana Purāṇa narration)

Key Themes

• Daitya-Deva Conflict
• Heroic prowess
• Martial agility

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

{ "primaryRasa": "vira", "secondaryRasa": "hasya", "rasaIntensity": 0, "emotionalArcPosition": "", "moodDescriptors": [] }

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Mere accumulation of means (taking up weapon after weapon) fails without mastery; disciplined skill and presence of mind (lāghava) overcome brute persistence.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

Vamśānucarita / narrative of deeds within dynastic-heroic and deva-asura conflict material (not sarga/pratisarga; no cosmogenesis here).

What is the symbolic significance?

The repeatedly cut bow can symbolize recurring egoic strategies; the swift severing represents incisive discernment that neutralizes new forms of the same aggression.