Vamana Purana — Prahlada vs Nara-Narayana, Shloka 20

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

Devanagari script

आचक्षुश्चरितं ताभ्यां धर्मजाभ्यां महामुने देवाराजाय कामाद्यास्ततो ऽभृद् विस्मयः परः

Transliteration

ācakṣuścaritaṃ tābhyāṃ dharmajābhyāṃ mahāmune devārājāya kāmādyāstato 'bhṛd vismayaḥ paraḥ

Translation

أيها الحكيم العظيم، إنّ هذين المولودين من «دهرما» قد قصّا على ملك الآلهة خبر ما جرى؛ ثمّ، ابتداءً من «كاما» (الشهوة/الرغبة) وما بعدها، نشأ عجبٌ أسمى.

Word by Word

• आचक्षुः: they narrated / they related
• आचक्षुः: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-चक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/परोक्शभूत), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (plural)

• चरितम्: deed, story, conduct
• चरितम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चरित (कृदन्त; चर् धातु)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन (singular)

• ताभ्याम्: by those two
• ताभ्याम्: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun), स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine) / सामान्य-प्रयोग, तृतीया (Instrumental/करण), द्विवचन (dual)

• धर्मजाभ्याम्: by the two sons of Dharma
• धर्मजाभ्याम्: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्मज (प्रातिपदिक; धर्म + ज)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), तृतीया (Instrumental/करण), द्विवचन (dual)

• महामुने: O great sage
• महामुने: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महामुनि (प्रातिपदिक; महा + मुनि)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), संबोधन (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन (singular)

• देवराजाय: to the king of the gods (Indra)
• देवराजाय: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवराज (प्रातिपदिक; देव + राज)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), चतुर्थी (Dative/सम्प्रदान), एकवचन (singular)

• कामाद्याः: Kāma and others
• कामाद्याः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कामादि (प्रातिपदिक; काम + आदि)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/कर्ता), बहुवचन (plural)

• ततः: then, thereafter
• ततः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (indeclinable), अव्यय-प्रकारः: अव्यय-क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• अभूत्: arose, became
• अभूत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/past), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular)

• विस्मयः: astonishment
• विस्मयः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विस्मय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/कर्ता), एकवचन (singular)

• परः: great, supreme
• परः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन (singular); विशेषण (adjective) of विस्मयः

Speakers

• Narrative layer not explicit in the given verses; direct address ‘mahāmune’ suggests a sage-listener (often Nārada) within the frame

Primary Deities

• Indra (Devārāja)
• Kāma (as personified desire, implied)

Key Themes

• Narrative transmission
• Astonishment (adbhuta/vismaya)
• Kāma (desire) as a force
• Deva-court reaction

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Even the ‘devārāja’ is subject to surprise when confronted with extraordinary dharma/karma patterns. The mention of Kāma foregrounds how desire and its retinue can shape perception and reaction, implying the need for discernment (viveka) when confronted with enchanting or unprecedented events.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

This remains within narrative/carita material (vṛttānta) rather than cosmogenesis. It functions as connective tissue in an episodic account, reporting events to a superior authority (Indra).

What is the symbolic significance?

‘Kāmādyāḥ’ with ‘vismayaḥ’ can be read as the stirring of the inner faculties—desire, fascination, and wonder—that precede action. In Purāṇic storytelling, this often signals an impending test or turning-point driven by enchantment or exceptional merit.