Vamana Purana — Prahlada's Victory through Bhakti, Shloka 59

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

Devanagari script

वाचिकं च जगन्नाथ यत्त्वया सह युध्यतः नरेण यद्यप्यभवद् वरमेतत्प्रयच्छ मे

Transliteration

vācikaṃ ca jagannātha yattvayā saha yudhyataḥ nareṇa yadyapyabhavad varametatprayaccha me

Translation

হে জগন্নাথ! আপনার সঙ্গে যুদ্ধ করতে গিয়ে যদি আমার দ্বারা কোনো বাক্যগত অপরাধও হয়ে থাকে, তবে এই বর আমাকে প্রদান করুন।

Word by Word

• वाचिकम्: verbal (sin/offence)
• वाचिकम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वाचिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन (sg.); (पापम् इति पूर्वश्लोकानुसन्धानात्) विशेषण

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• जगन्नाथ: O Lord of the world
• जगन्नाथ: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् + नाथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), सम्बोधन (Voc.), एकवचन (sg.); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: जगतः नाथः

• यत्: that which
• यत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन (sg.); सम्बन्धक (relative)

• त्वया: with you / by you
• त्वया: Saha (सह/association)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन (sg.)

• सह: together with
• सह: Saha (सह)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह (अव्यय)
• Form: सह-अव्यय (preposition/adverb of association)

• युध्यतः: while (I) was fighting
• युध्यतः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/genitive absolute-like)
• Type: Verb
• Root: युध् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकृदन्त (present active participle), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/genitive), एकवचन (sg.); ‘युध्यमानस्य’ अर्थे

• नरेण: by a man
• नरेण: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन (sg.)

• यद्यपि: although
• यद्यपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/concession marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यद्यपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (concessive particle)

• अभवत्: happened/occurred
• अभवत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन (sg.); परस्मैपद

• वरम्: boon
• वरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन (sg.)

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन (sg.); विशेषण (वरम्)

• प्रयच्छ: grant/give
• प्रयच्छ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + यम् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd), एकवचन (sg.); परस्मैपद

• मे: to me
• मे: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, चतुर्थी (4th/dative), एकवचन (sg.)

Speakers

• Prahlāda (or a Daitya leader) addressing Nārāyaṇa (Vishnu)

Primary Deities

• Vishnu (Nārāyaṇa/Jagannātha)

Key Themes

• Bhakti
• Daitya–Deva Conflict
• Ethics of speech (vācika-doṣa)
• Grace and boon-bestowal

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Even in righteous struggle, one remains accountable for speech; the devotee seeks purification and restraint of vāṅmaya (speech), recognizing the Lord as the ultimate arbiter of inner and outer purity.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

Vamśānucarita/Carita (narrative of notable beings) within an avatāra-linked episode; it is not sarga/pratisarga but ethical-theological dialogue embedded in legendary history.

What is the symbolic significance?

The request frames combat as secondary to devotion: the real victory is mastery over ego expressed through words; asking a boon for cleansing indicates surrender (śaraṇāgati) rather than triumphalism.