Vamana Purana — Prahlada vs Nara-Narayana, Shloka 2

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

Devanagari script

तदक्षुब्धत्वमीक्ष्यास्य कामो विस्मयमागतः वसन्तो ऽपि महाचिन्तां जगामाशु महामुने

Transliteration

tadakṣubdhatvamīkṣyāsya kāmo vismayamāgataḥ vasanto 'pi mahācintāṃ jagāmāśu mahāmune

Translation

Als er seine unerschütterliche Fassung sah, geriet Kāma in Staunen; und selbst Vasanta (der Frühling) verfiel sogleich in große Sorge, o großer Weiser.

Word by Word

• तत्: that
• तत्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; निर्देश्य (demonstrative)

• अक्षुब्धत्वम्: unagitated state/steadfastness
• अक्षुब्धत्वम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अ + क्षुब्ध + त्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; भाववाचक (abstract noun)

• ईक्ष्य: having observed
• ईक्ष्य: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ईक्ष्/इक्ष् (धातु) → ईक्ष्य (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund); पूर्वकालिक क्रिया

• अस्य: of him
• अस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक; षष्ठी विभक्ति, एकवचन

• कामः: Kāma
• कामः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन

• विस्मयम्: astonishment
• विस्मयम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विस्मय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया, एकवचन

• आगतः: came/attained
• आगतः: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + गम् (धातु) → आगत (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्तरि कृदन्त (past active participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विधेय

• वसन्तः: Vasanta (Spring)
• वसन्तः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वसन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन

• अपि: also/even
• अपि: Particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/अपि-कार (also/even)

• महाचिन्ताम्: great anxiety
• महाचिन्ताम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + चिन्ता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः कर्मधारयः

• जगाम: went/entered
• जगाम: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect); प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• आशु: quickly
• आशु: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आशु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; शीघ्रार्थक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: quickly)

• महामुने: O great sage
• महामुने: Sambodhana (संबोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; संबोधन, एकवचन; समासः कर्मधारयः

Speakers

• Pulastya narrating; verse addresses the listener as ‘mahāmune’ (likely Nārada in the frame)

Primary Deities

• Nārāyaṇa (as a sage)
• Kāma
• Vasanta (personified season)

Key Themes

• Control of desire
• Ascetic steadiness (akṣubdhatva)
• Personification of natural forces

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

True spiritual authority is marked by akṣubdhatva—non-reactivity to provocations; when the mind is steady, desire loses its power to disturb.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

This is didactic narrative (upākhyāna) illustrating dharma/saṃyama through divine characters; it is not sarga/pratisarga, but supports ethical instruction embedded in purāṇic storytelling.

What is the symbolic significance?

Kāma’s amazement and Vasanta’s worry signify that both inner impulse (desire) and outer stimulus (seasonal beauty) fail to sway a realized consciousness.