Vamana Purana — Prahlada's Victory through Bhakti, Shloka 66

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

Devanagari script

प्रशासयदमून् दैत्यान् राज्यं पालय शाश्वतम् स्वजातिसदृशं दैत्य कुरु धर्ममनुत्तमम्

Transliteration

praśāsayadamūn daityān rājyaṃ pālaya śāśvatam svajātisadṛśaṃ daitya kuru dharmamanuttamam

Translation

“Govern these Daityas; protect and uphold the kingdom enduringly. O Daitya, practice the unsurpassed dharma appropriate to your own kind (station).”

Word by Word

• प्रशासय: rule, govern
• प्रशासय: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + शास् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन (singular), परस्मैपद; causative sense in usage: ‘cause to be governed/discipline’

• अमून्: those
• अमून्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अदस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), द्वितीया (2nd/accusative), बहुवचन (plural); सर्वनाम (demonstrative pronoun)

• दैत्यान्: Daityas
• दैत्यान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दैत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), द्वितीया (2nd/accusative), बहुवचन (plural)

• राज्यम्: kingdom
• राज्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राज्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), द्वितीया (2nd/accusative), एकवचन (singular)

• पालय: protect, govern
• पालय: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पाल् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन (singular), परस्मैपद

• शाश्वतम्: everlasting, enduring
• शाश्वतम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शाश्वत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), द्वितीया (2nd/accusative), एकवचन (singular); विशेषणम् (qualifies राज्यं)

• स्वजातिसदृशम्: befitting your own lineage
• स्वजातिसदृशम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + जाति (प्रातिपदिक) + सदृश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), द्वितीया (2nd/accusative), एकवचन (singular); विशेषणम् (qualifies धर्मम्) — ‘befitting one’s own kind’

• दैत्य: O Daitya
• दैत्य: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दैत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), सम्बोधन (8th/vocative), एकवचन (singular)

• कुरु: do, perform
• कुरु: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन (singular), परस्मैपद

• धर्मम्: dharma, righteous duty
• धर्मम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), द्वितीया (2nd/accusative), एकवचन (singular)

• अनुत्तमम्: unsurpassed, excellent
• अनुत्तमम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनुत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), द्वितीया (2nd/accusative), एकवचन (singular); विशेषणम् (qualifies धर्मम्)

Speakers

• Likely the Lord (Vishnu in the Vamana narrative frame) instructing a Daitya ruler/leader about kingship

Primary Deities

• Vishnu

Key Themes

• Rajadharma
• Social duty (svadharma/svajāti-sadṛśa dharma)
• Political order and discipline
• Non-sectarian ethical universality

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Rulership is framed as protection and discipline in service of dharma. The instruction ‘svajāti-sadṛśa’ emphasizes that dharma is applied through one’s role and responsibilities—yet must be ‘anuttama’ (excellent), i.e., not an excuse for cruelty but a call to the highest standard within one’s station.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

Vamśānucarita/Carita (instruction embedded in royal/daitya narrative). It is not a cosmological marker; rather, it is normative dharma teaching inside an episode concerning sovereignty and moral restoration after divine intervention.

What is the symbolic significance?

The divine legitimization of orderly Daitya rule symbolizes containment and transformation of asuric power: it is not annihilated but subordinated to dharma. The Purana thereby models a cosmic polity where even antagonistic clans have a regulated place when aligned to righteousness.