Vamana Purana — Prahlada vs Nara-Narayana, Shloka 27

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

Devanagari script

तत्र दृष्ट्वा महादेवं नदीं स्नातुमवातरत् अवतीर्णं प्रजग्राह नागः केकरलोहितः

Transliteration

tatra dṛṣṭvā mahādevaṃ nadīṃ snātumavātarat avatīrṇaṃ prajagrāha nāgaḥ kekaralohitaḥ

Translation

There, having seen Mahādeva, he descended to the river to bathe. When he had descended, a serpent named Kekara-lohita seized him.

Word by Word

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adverbial (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: there)

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Purvakala (पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund): having seen

• महादेवम्: Mahādeva (Śiva)
• महादेवम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महादेव (प्रातिपदिक; महा+देव)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masculine, Accusative, Singular)

• नदीम्: the river
• नदीम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नदी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (Feminine, Accusative, Singular)

• स्नातुम्: to bathe
• स्नातुम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √स्ना (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (infinitive): to bathe

• अवातरात्: descended
• अवातरात्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव√तॄ (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (अनद्यतनभूत), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद (Imperfect, 3rd person, Singular, Parasmaipada)

• अवतीर्णम्: the one who had descended
• अवतीर्णम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अवतीर्ण (कृदन्त; अव√तॄ)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (Past participle, Masculine, Accusative, Singular)

• प्रजग्राह: seized/caught
• प्रजग्राह: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र√ग्रह् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/परिपूर्ण), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद (Perfect, 3rd person, Singular, Parasmaipada)

• नागः: a serpent
• नागः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masculine, Nominative, Singular)

• केकरलोहितः: Kekara-lohita (reddish/‘red of Kekara’, proper epithet)
• केकरलोहितः: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्तृसमानााधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: केकर-लोहित (प्रातिपदिक; केकर+लोहित)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masculine, Nominative, Singular)

Speakers

• Narrative frame likely Pulastya to Nārada (typical for Vāmana Purāṇa; not explicit in input)

Primary Deities

• Shiva

Key Themes

• Tirtha Mahatmya
• Divine vision (darśana)
• Trial/obstacle during pilgrimage
• Nāga motif

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Even in sacred acts (snāna after darśana), obstacles may arise; the narrative pattern typically teaches steadiness in dharma and reliance on divine order rather than complacency in piety.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

It belongs to narrative/episode material (ākhyāna) supporting tīrtha-māhātmya and dharma themes, not to sarga/pratisarga genealogical catalogues directly.

What is the symbolic significance?

The nāga’s seizure can symbolize latent dangers (inner passions/saṃskāras) that surface precisely at liminal moments (descending into waters), while Mahādeva’s presence signals that Śaiva grace/order frames the episode’s resolution.