Vamana Purana — Prahlada's Victory through Bhakti, Shloka 71

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

Devanagari script

राज्यं परित्यज्य महासुरेन्द्रो नियोजयन् सत्पथि दानवेन्द्रान् ध्यायन् स्मरन् केशवमप्रमेयं तस्थौ तदा योगविशुद्धदेहः

Transliteration

rājyaṃ parityajya mahāsurendro niyojayan satpathi dānavendrān dhyāyan smaran keśavamaprameyaṃ tasthau tadā yogaviśuddhadehaḥ

Translation

Abandoning his kingdom, the great lord of the Asuras, while directing the chiefs of the Dānavas onto the path of righteousness, stood then—meditating upon and remembering immeasurable Keśava—his body purified by yoga.

Word by Word

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

• परित्यज्य: having abandoned
• परित्यज्य: पूर्वकालक्रिया (absolutive)
• Type: Verb
• Root: त्यज् (धातु) उपसर्ग-परि + √त्यज् → परित्यज्य (क्त्वान्त)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund), ‘having abandoned’

• महासुरेन्द्रः: the great lord of the Asuras
• महासुरेन्द्रः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महासुरेन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक: महा + असुर + इन्द्र)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष ‘असुराणाम् इन्द्रः’ with उपपद ‘महा’

• नियोजयन्: appointing/assigning
• नियोजयन्: कर्ता-विशेषण (agent participle)
• Type: Verb
• Root: युज् (धातु) उपसर्ग-नि + √युज् (णिच्) → नियोजयत् (शतृ)
• Form: वर्तमानकालिक कृदन्त (शतृ/Present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘while appointing/engaging’

• सत्पथि: on the right path
• सत्पथि: अधिकरण (locus)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्पथ (प्रातिपदिक: सत् + पथ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन; ‘good path’

• दानवेन्द्रान्: the demon-kings
• दानवेन्द्रान्: कर्म (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दानवेन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक: दानव + इन्द्र)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; ‘leaders of the Dānavas’

• ध्यायन्: meditating
• ध्यायन्: कर्ता-विशेषण
• Type: Verb
• Root: ध्यै (धातु) → ध्यायत् (शतृ)
• Form: वर्तमानकालिक कृदन्त (शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘meditating’

• स्मरन्: remembering
• स्मरन्: कर्ता-विशेषण
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ (धातु) → स्मरत् (शतृ)
• Form: वर्तमानकालिक कृदन्त (शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘remembering’

• केशवम्: Keśava (Viṣṇu)
• केशवम्: कर्म (Object of remembering/meditating)
• Type: Noun
• Root: केशव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• अप्रमेयम्: immeasurable/incomprehensible
• अप्रमेयम्: विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अप्रमेय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; केशवम् इति विशेषणम्

• तस्थौ: stood/remained
• तस्थौ: क्रिया (main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु) → तस्थौ
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• तदा: then
• तदा: कालाधिकरण (time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• योगविशुद्धदेहः: (he) whose body was purified by yoga
• योगविशुद्धदेहः: कर्ता (Subject apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योगविशुद्धदेह (प्रातिपदिक: योग + विशुद्ध + देह)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘one whose body is purified by yoga’ (बहुव्रीह्यर्थे प्रयोगः सम्भवति, परन्तु रूपतः तत्पुरुष-समास)

Speakers

• Narrative voice within the frame dialogue (traditionally Pulastya narrating to Nārada)

Primary Deities

• Vishnu (Keśava/Nārāyaṇa)

Key Themes

• Vaishnavism
• Bhakti (smaraṇa/dhyāna)
• Daitya–Deva Conflict (resolution phase)
• Dharma (satpatha)
• Renunciation (tyāga/sannyāsa-like withdrawal)
• Yoga

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Even a defeated ruler can transform defeat into dharma: Bali relinquishes power, guides his followers toward righteousness, and turns inward to remembrance of the Lord—modeling humility, moral leadership, and bhakti as a stabilizing response to loss.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

Primarily Vamśānucarita/Carita (narrative of a royal figure in the Daitya line) with an ethical-dharma emphasis; it is not sarga/pratisarga but character-history illustrating dharma through exemplary conduct.

What is the symbolic significance?

Bali’s ‘renunciation of rājya’ symbolizes surrender of egoic sovereignty; ‘yoga-purified body’ signifies inner sovereignty replacing outer rule. Remembering Keśava (aprameya) frames liberation as turning from measurable territory (land/kingdom) to the immeasurable Absolute.