Vamana Purana — Prahlada's Victory through Bhakti, Shloka 13

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

Devanagari script

तथा दैत्येश्वरः क्रुद्धश्चापमानम्य वेगवान् बिभेद हृदये बाह्वोर्वदने च नरोत्तमम्

Transliteration

tathā daityeśvaraḥ kruddhaścāpamānamya vegavān bibheda hṛdaye bāhvorvadane ca narottamam

Translation

وكذلك فإنّ سيد الدايتيَة، وقد استبدّ به الغضب وكان سريعًا، ثنى قوسه فطعن خيرَ الرجال في القلب والذراعين والوجه.

Word by Word

• तथा: thus, likewise
• तथा: Adverbial (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (रीति/प्रकारवाचक)

• दैत्येश्वरः: lord of the Daityas
• दैत्येश्वरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: daitya-īśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (दैत्यानाम् ईश्वरः); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• क्रुद्धः: angry
• क्रुद्धः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kruddha (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √krudh (धातु))
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त) ‘क्रुद्ध’; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषणं ‘दैत्येश्वरः’

• चापम्: bow
• चापम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: cāpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• आनम्य: having bent/drawn
• आनम्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-√nam (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive) — ‘आ+नम्’ = having bent/drawn (the bow)

• वेगवान्: swift, forceful
• वेगवान्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vegavat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषणं ‘दैत्येश्वरः’

• बिभेद: he pierced/struck
• बिभेद: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √bhid (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• हृदये: in the heart
• हृदये: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hṛdaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• बाह्वोः: in (both) arms
• बाह्वोः: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bāhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), द्विवचन

• वदने: in the face/mouth
• वदने: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vadana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध) / Conjunction
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चय)

• नरोत्तमम्: the best of men (Nārāyaṇa)
• नरोत्तमम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nara-uttama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (नराणाम् उत्तमः); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

Speakers

• Narrator voice within the Purāṇic dialogue frame (speaker not explicit in these verses)

Primary Deities

• Vishnu (Nārāyaṇa)

Key Themes

• Daitya-Deva Conflict
• Heroic reciprocity in battle narrative
• Purāṇic martial poetics

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The duel is presented as reciprocal and orderly (each answers the other). Purāṇically, this reinforces that strength and fury (krodha, vega) are powerful but ultimately operate within the bounds of divine orchestration.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

Vamśānucarita / Carita: a narrative micro-episode highlighting the deeds and conflicts of notable beings (daitya leadership vs the divine).

What is the symbolic significance?

Piercing heart/arms/face targets will (heart), agency (arms), and expression/identity (face). The text uses anatomical symbolism to depict a comprehensive challenge to the ‘narottama,’ while still implying the unsurpassable resilience of the divine hero.