Vamana Purana — Prahlada's Victory through Bhakti, Shloka 10

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

Devanagari script

ततः पश्यत्सु देवेषु गगनस्थेषु तावुभौ अयुध्येतां महेष्वासौ प्रेक्षकप्रीतिवर्द्धनम्

Transliteration

tataḥ paśyatsu deveṣu gaganastheṣu tāvubhau ayudhyetāṃ maheṣvāsau prekṣakaprītivarddhanam

Translation

Dann, während die Götter vom Himmel aus zusahen, kämpften jene beiden mächtigen Bogenschützen und mehrten die Freude der Zuschauer.

Word by Word

• ततः: then, thereafter
• ततः: Adhikarana (अधिकरण) / Temporal adverbial
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण) — ‘ततः’ = ‘then/thereafter’

• पश्यत्सु: while (they) were watching
• पश्यत्सु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण) / Locative absolute (सप्तमी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: paśyat (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √paś (धातु))
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (शतृ) ‘पश्यत्’; पुंलिङ्गे/नपुंसकलिङ्गे सप्तमी बहुवचन — ‘while (they) were seeing’

• देवेषु: among the gods
• देवेषु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण) / Locative absolute support
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), बहुवचन

• गगनस्थेषु: situated in the sky
• गगनस्थेषु: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: gagana-stha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (गगने स्थः); पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), बहुवचन; विशेषणं ‘देवेषु’

• तौ: those two
• तौ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), द्विवचन

• उभौ: both
• उभौ: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ubha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), द्विवचन; विशेषणं ‘तौ’

• अयुध्येताम्: they two fought
• अयुध्येताम्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √yudh (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/अनद्यतनभूत), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, द्विवचन; धातु: √युध् (युधँ)

• महेष्वासौ: (they) both, great archers
• महेष्वासौ: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā-iṣu-āsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि-समास (महान् इष्वासः यस्य = great archer); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), द्विवचन; ‘तौ उभौ’ इत्यस्य विशेषण-रूपेण

• प्रेक्षकप्रीतिवर्द्धनम्: increasing the spectators’ delight
• प्रेक्षकप्रीतिवर्द्धनम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: prekṣaka-prīti-vardhana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (प्रेक्षकानां प्रीतिः तस्य वर्धनम्); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; वाक्ये विशेषण-भावेन (युद्धं/द्वन्द्वं सूचितम्)

Speakers

• Narrative frame not explicit in the given verses (typically Pulastya → Nārada)

Primary Deities

• Devas (collective)

Key Themes

• Daitya-Deva Conflict
• Heroic duel
• Spectacle witnessed by gods

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Purāṇic narration often frames warfare as a test of kṣātra-dharma (martial duty) and fate; the gods’ witnessing underscores that actions are accountable at a cosmic level, not merely human.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

Vamśānucarita: a narrative segment illustrating the deeds (carita) of prominent opposing parties (deva/daitya-aligned heroes) within genealogical-historical storytelling.

What is the symbolic significance?

‘Great archers’ signals mastery of disciplined power; the spectators’ delight is a literary marker for extraordinary prowess, while also hinting that the universe ‘observes’ the unfolding of dharma vs. adharma.