Vamana Purana — Prahlada vs Nara-Narayana, Shloka 16

Prahlada’s Defeat by Nara-Narayana and Victory through Bhakti

Devanagari script

इत्थं संचितयन्नेव अवष्टभाप्सरोगणम् तस्थौ मुनिरिव ध्यानमास्थितः स तु माधवः

Transliteration

itthaṃ saṃcitayanneva avaṣṭabhāpsarogaṇam tasthau muniriva dhyānamāsthitaḥ sa tu mādhavaḥ

Translation

Thus, while reflecting in this manner, having restrained the host of apsarās, Mādhava stood firm—like a sage established in meditation.

Word by Word

• इत्थम्: thus
• इत्थम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इत्थम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: thus/in this manner)

• संचितयन्: thinking, reflecting
• संचितयन्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-चिन्त् (धातु) + शतृ (कृदन्त)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकाले कृदन्त (present active participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘thinking/reflecting’

• एव: indeed, just
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारणार्थक निपात (particle of emphasis/only/indeed)

• अवष्टभ: having supported, holding
• अवष्टभ: Purvakala (पूर्वकाल/क्त्वा)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अव-स्तम्भ् (धातु) + क्त्वा (अव्ययकृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund); ‘अव-स्तम्भ्’—having supported/held fast

• अप्सरः-गणम्: the group of apsarases
• अप्सरः-गणम्: Karma (कर्म/द्वितीया)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अप्सरस् (प्रातिपदिक) + गण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी): ‘अप्सरसां गणः’; पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; Accusative—group of apsarases

• तस्थौ: stood
• तस्थौ: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/परोक्ष), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद; ‘stood’

• मुनिः: a sage
• मुनिः: Upamana (उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; used in simile

• इव: like
• इव: Upama-sambandha (उपमा-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमावाचक निपात (particle: like/as)

• ध्यानम्: meditation
• ध्यानम्: Karma (कर्म/द्वितीया)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ध्यान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; object of ‘आस्थितः’—meditation

• आस्थितः: having assumed, engaged in
• आस्थितः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-स्था (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle) used adjectivally; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘having assumed/entered upon’

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; he

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

• माधवः: Mādhava
• माधवः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माधव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; proper name/epithet of Viṣṇu/Kṛṣṇa

Speakers

• Narrator (frame not explicit in input; commonly Pulastya → Nārada in Vāmana Purāṇa narration)

Primary Deities

• Vishnu (Mādhava)

Key Themes

• Vaishnavism
• Self-control (dama)
• Yoga/Dhyāna
• Testing/Temptation motif

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The verse foregrounds mastery over the senses: even amid provocations (apsarās), the divine exemplar remains steady like a muni in dhyāna. The ethical lesson is that true power includes inner restraint, not merely outward dominion.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

This is best classified under Vamśānucarita/Carita-style narrative material (accounts of divine deeds) rather than cosmogenesis (sarga/pratisarga). It functions as an episode illustrating dharma and divine comportment.

What is the symbolic significance?

Apsarās often symbolize sensory allure and distraction; Mādhava standing 'like a sage' signals the integration of bhoga-śakti and yoga-śakti—sovereignty that is simultaneously contemplative and unshaken.