Vamana Purana — Prahlada's Victory through Bhakti, Shloka 47

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

Devanagari script

तमुवाच महातेजा वाक्यं नारायणो ऽव्ययः किमर्थं प्रणतो ऽसीह मामजित्वा महासुर

Transliteration

tamuvāca mahātejā vākyaṃ nārāyaṇo 'vyayaḥ kimarthaṃ praṇato 'sīha māmajitvā mahāsura

Translation

Der unvergängliche Nārāyaṇa von großer Strahlkraft sprach zu ihm: „O großer Asura, warum verneigst du dich hier vor mir, ohne mich besiegt zu haben?“

Word by Word

• tam: him
• tam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (तद् सर्वनाम)
• Form: Pronoun, Masculine, Accusative (द्वितीया), Singular

• uvāca: said/spoke
• uvāca: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (वच् धातु)
• Form: Liṭ (लिट्, perfect), Parasmaipada, 3rd person, Singular

• mahātejāḥ: the great-splendored one
• mahātejāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā-tejas (महा + तेजस्) (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (प्रथमा), Singular; karmadhāraya: ‘great in splendor’

• vākyam: words/speech
• vākyam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vākya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular; internal object of speech

• nārāyaṇaḥ: Nārāyaṇa
• nārāyaṇaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nārāyaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• avyayaḥ: imperishable
• avyayaḥ: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: avyaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular; adjective to nārāyaṇaḥ

• kimartham: why/for what reason
• kimartham: Kriya-visheshaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kim-artham (किम् + अर्थम्) (अव्ययवत्)
• Form: Interrogative adverb (प्रश्नवाचक क्रियाविशेषण), lit. ‘for what purpose?’

• praṇataḥ: bowed
• praṇataḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pra-ṇam (प्र-नम् धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: Kta-participle, Masculine, Nominative, Singular; ‘bowed down’

• asi: are
• asi: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (अस् धातु)
• Form: Laṭ (लट्), Parasmaipada, 2nd person (मध्यमपुरुष), Singular

• iha: here
• iha: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iha (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, deictic adverb (देशवाचक)

• mām: me
• mām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (अस्मद् सर्वनाम)
• Form: Pronoun, Accusative (द्वितीया), Singular

• ajitvā: without defeating
• ajitvā: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ji (जि धातु) + ktvā with negation a- (अ + जित्वा)
• Form: Absolutive (क्त्वान्त) with privative a-; ‘without conquering/defeating’

• mahāsura: O great Asura
• mahāsura: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā-asura (महा + असुर) (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative (सम्बोधन), Singular; addressed person

Speakers

• Nārāyaṇa speaks (to Prahlāda
• as the next verse indicates Prahlāda’s reply)

Primary Deities

• Vishnu (Nārāyaṇa)

Key Themes

• Bhakti
• Daitya–Deva Conflict
• Theism (Supreme Lordship of Viṣṇu)
• Humility/Prostration

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

True reverence is not contingent on worldly victory; Nārāyaṇa’s question highlights that devotion (praṇāma) arises from recognition of the Supreme, not from power or conquest.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

This belongs to Vamśānucarita/Carita-style narrative material (accounts of divine–asura interactions and exemplary devotees), rather than sarga/pratisarga or manvantara catalogues.

What is the symbolic significance?

“Having not conquered me” underscores the unconquerability of the Absolute; even a ‘mahāsura’ is positioned as a potential bhakta when he recognizes the Lord’s transcendence.