Vamana Purana — Prahlada vs Nara-Narayana, Shloka 30

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

Devanagari script

संत्यक्तमात्रो नागेन च्यवनो भार्गवोत्तमः चचार नागकन्याभिः पूज्यचमानः समन्ततः

Transliteration

saṃtyaktamātro nāgena cyavano bhārgavottamaḥ cacāra nāgakanyābhiḥ pūjyacamānaḥ samantataḥ

Translation

Sobald ihn die Schlange freigelassen hatte, wandelte Cyavana — der Vornehmste der Bhārgavas — umher, von den Nāga-Jungfrauen ringsum ehrfürchtig verehrt.

Word by Word

• संत्यक्तमात्रः: having only (his) measure/size abandoned (i.e., reduced)
• संत्यक्तमात्रः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: संत्यक्त + मात्र (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कृदन्त: सम्+त्यज् (धातु) क्त-प्रत्यय (past passive participle) + मात्र (प्रातिपदिक)

• नागेन: by the serpent
• नागेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन

• च्यवनः: Cyavana
• च्यवनः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: च्यवन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; व्यक्तिनाम

• भार्गवोत्तमः: the best of the Bhārgavas
• भार्गवोत्तमः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भार्गव + उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (among Bhārgavas, the best)

• चचार: wandered / moved about
• चचार: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चर् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• नागकन्याभिः: with the nāga-maidens
• नागकन्याभिः: Sahakari (सहकारी/सह)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाग + कन्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/सह), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (serpent-maidens)

• पूज्यमानः: being honored/worshipped
• पूज्यमानः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पूज् (धातु) (कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; वर्तमानकालिक कर्मणि कृदन्त (शानच्/मान) — being worshipped

• समन्ततः: on all sides / everywhere
• समन्ततः: Desha-adhikarana (देश-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: समन्ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

Speakers

• Narrative layer not specified in input (commonly Pulastya → Nārada in Vāmana Purāṇa framing)

Primary Deities

• Vishnu (Hari)

Key Themes

• Reverence to sages (ṛṣi-pūjā)
• Bhakti’s social reversal (fear → honor)
• Protection of the righteous

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The episode culminates not only in safety but in honor: dharma is shown as intrinsically venerable, and even non-human beings (nāgas) are depicted as capable of recognizing and venerating a realized sage.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

Vamśānucarita / exemplary narrative centered on a ṛṣi (Cyavana of the Bhṛgu line). It supports dharma instruction within the purāṇic storytelling framework.

What is the symbolic significance?

Nāga maidens honoring Cyavana suggests the harmonizing of instinctive/liminal forces (nāgas often symbolize subterranean power) with spiritual authority; devotion to Hari pacifies the dangerous and reorients it toward service and reverence.