Vamana Purana — Prahlada's Victory through Bhakti, Shloka 46

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

Devanagari script

दृष्ट्वा नारायणं देवं नरं च दितिजेश्वरः कृताञ्जलिपुटो भूत्वा ववन्दे चरणौ तयोः

Transliteration

dṛṣṭvā nārāyaṇaṃ devaṃ naraṃ ca ditijeśvaraḥ kṛtāñjalipuṭo bhūtvā vavande caraṇau tayoḥ

Translation

Als er den Gott Nārāyaṇa und Nara erblickte, faltete Prahlāda, der Herr der Diti-Geborenen, die Hände und verneigte sich vor den Füßen beider.

Word by Word

• dṛṣṭvā: having seen
• dṛṣṭvā: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dṛś (दृश् धातु) + ktvā (क्त्वा)
• Form: Absolutive (क्त्वान्त), ‘having seen’ (पूर्वकालिक क्रिया)

• nārāyaṇam: Nārāyaṇa
• nārāyaṇam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nārāyaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (द्वितीया), Singular

• devam: the god
• devam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular; apposition to nārāyaṇam

• naram: Nara (the sage) / man
• naram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक)

• ditijeśvaraḥ: lord of the Daityas
• ditijeśvaraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ditija-īśvara (दितिज + ईश्वर) (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (प्रथमा), Singular; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘lord of the Diti-born (Daityas)’

• kṛtāñjalipuṭaḥ: with folded hands
• kṛtāñjalipuṭaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṛta-añjali-puṭa (कृत + अञ्जलि + पुट) (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular; kṛta (kta of √kṛ) + añjalipuṭa; ‘with hands joined (in reverence)’

• bhūtvā: having become
• bhūtvā: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (भू धातु) + ktvā (क्त्वा)
• Form: Absolutive (क्त्वान्त), ‘having become’

• vavande: bowed/worshipped
• vavande: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vand (वन्द् धातु)
• Form: Liṭ (लिट्, perfect), Ātmanepada (आत्मनेपद), 3rd person, Singular

• caraṇau: (two) feet
• caraṇau: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: caraṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (द्वितीया), Dual (द्विवचन)

• tayoḥ: of the two (of them)
• tayoḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (तद् सर्वनाम)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम), Genitive (षष्ठी), Dual; ‘of those two’

Speakers

• Narratorial voice (within the Purana’s dialogue frame
• typically Pulastya ↔ Nārada)

Primary Deities

• Nārāyaṇa
• Nara

Key Themes

• Bhakti (devotional reverence)
• Darśana of Nara–Nārāyaṇa
• Transformation of Asura identity through devotion
• Sectarian harmony (implicit: divinity revered beyond birth-group)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Devotion (añjali and pāda-vandana) is presented as universally accessible: even a ‘lord of the Daityas’ embodies humility before the divine, implying bhakti transcends lineage and prior conduct.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

Vamśānucarita with dharma-bhakti upākhyāna: the dynastic figure (Prahlada) is characterized through a devotional act, a typical Purāṇic method of teaching dharma via exemplary persons.

What is the symbolic significance?

The paired presence of Nara and Nārāyaṇa symbolizes the confluence of human striving (tapas, discipline) and divine grace; Prahlada’s bowing to both feet emphasizes honoring both the ascetic ideal and the supreme deity together.