Vamana Purana — Prahlada's Victory through Bhakti, Shloka 36

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

Devanagari script

हीनप्रतिज्ञो देवेश कथं जीवेत मादृशः तस्मात्तवाग्रतो विष्णो करिष्ये कायशोधनम्

Transliteration

hīnapratijño deveśa kathaṃ jīveta mādṛśaḥ tasmāttavāgrato viṣṇo kariṣye kāyaśodhanam

Translation

“O Lord of gods, how could one like me live if deprived of (or failing) his vow? Therefore, O Viṣṇu, before you I shall perform purification of my body.”

Word by Word

• हीनप्रतिज्ञः: one who has failed his promise
• हीनप्रतिज्ञः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हीन (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रतिज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष/कर्मधारय-सदृश: ‘हीना प्रतिज्ञा यस्य/हीन-प्रतिज्ञः’ (one whose vow is deficient)

• देवेश: O Lord of gods
• देवेश: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवेश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

• कथम्: how
• कथम्: Prashna (प्रश्न/Interrogative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्नार्थक-अव्यय (interrogative adverb)

• जीवेत: could live / should live
• जीवेत: Kriya (क्रिया/Verbal action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जीव् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• मादृशः: one like me
• मादृशः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मादृश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; ‘मद्-दृश’ (one like me)

• तस्मात्: therefore
• तस्मात्: Hetu (हेतु/Reason)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तस्मात् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक तद्)
• Form: अव्ययीभूत-प्रयोग; अपादानार्थक (therefore/from that reason)

• तव: your
• तव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• अग्रतः: in front (of)
• अग्रतः: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अग्रतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; स्थानवाचक (locative adverb: in front of)

• विष्णो: O Viṣṇu
• विष्णो: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

• करिष्ये: I will do
• करिष्ये: Kriya (क्रिया/Verbal action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• कायशोधनम्: purification of the body
• कायशोधनम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काय (प्रातिपदिक) + शोधन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘कायस्य शोधनम्’

Speakers

• Prahlāda (addressing Viṣṇu; within the narrated episode)

Primary Deities

• Vishnu

Key Themes

• Satya
• Vow-keeping
• Ritual purity
• Bhakti (address to Viṣṇu)
• Self-discipline / tapas-like resolve

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Personal honor is tied to satya: life without fidelity to one’s pledge is depicted as morally untenable. The turn to kāya-śodhana frames ethical repair as embodied discipline performed in the deity’s presence.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

Vamśānucarita/Carita-style moral exemplum within narrative history; secondarily dharma-instruction (ācāra) through the language of purification and vow.

What is the symbolic significance?

Kāya-śodhana symbolizes inner realignment made visible through bodily act—purity is not abstract but enacted. Addressing Viṣṇu ‘before you’ stresses divine witness as the guarantor of truth.