Vamana Purana — Prahlada's Victory through Bhakti, Shloka 37

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

Devanagari script

पुल्स्त्य उवाच इत्येवमुक्त्वा वचनं देवाग्रे दानवेश्वरः शिरःस्नातस्तदा तस्थौ गृणन् ब्रह्म सनातनम्

Transliteration

pulstya uvāca ityevamuktvā vacanaṃ devāgre dānaveśvaraḥ śiraḥsnātastadā tasthau gṛṇan brahma sanātanam

Translation

Pulastya said: “Having spoken these words thus, the lord of the Dānavas, in the presence of the gods, then stood after bathing his head, praising (or reciting about) the eternal Brahman.”

Word by Word

• पुलस्त्यः: Pulastya
• पुलस्त्यः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुलस्त्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया/Verbal action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Quotation marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उक्त्यर्थक-अव्यय (quotative particle)

• एवम्: in this way
• एवम्: Prakara (प्रकार/Manner)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (manner adverb)

• उक्त्वा: having spoken
• उक्त्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्यय (absolutive/gerund), पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having said)

• वचनम्: speech/words
• वचनम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• देवाग्रे: in the presence of the gods
• देवाग्रे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक) + अग्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘देवानाम् अग्रे’

• दानवेश्वरः: lord of the Dānavas
• दानवेश्वरः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दानव (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘दानवानाम् ईश्वरः’

• शिरःस्नातः: with head bathed (ritually cleansed)
• शिरःस्नातः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शिरस् (प्रातिपदिक) + स्नात (प्रातिपदिक; √स्ना)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘शिरसि स्नातः’/‘शिरः स्नातः’ (having bathed the head)

• तदा: then
• तदा: Kala (काल/Time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• तस्थौ: stood
• तस्थौ: Kriya (क्रिया/Verbal action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• गृणन्: praising
• गृणन्: Karta (कर्ता/Agent; participial)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गृ (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्यय (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; परस्मैपद-भाव

• ब्रह्म: Brahman / the Absolute
• ब्रह्म: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• सनातनम्: eternal
• सनातनम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सनातन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying ब्रह्म)

Speakers

• Pulastya (narrator; within the larger Purāṇic dialogue traditionally Pulastya → Nārada)

Primary Deities

• Brahman (as the Absolute)
• Devas (as witnesses)

Key Themes

• Purificatory rite
• Brahman praise (brahma-stuti)
• Narrative framing
• Ritual decorum in divine assembly

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Even powerful antagonistic figures are shown observing ritual propriety and invoking the eternal Brahman, underscoring that dharma and sacred order operate as norms even amid conflict.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

Vamśānucarita/Carita narration within the Purāṇic storytelling frame; it functions as connective tissue in the ongoing episode rather than cosmogenesis (sarga/pratisarga).

What is the symbolic significance?

Head-bathing and standing ‘before the gods’ marks transition from speech to consecrated action; praising ‘sanātana brahman’ elevates the scene from sectarian contest to the Purāṇic vision of an overarching Absolute.