Vamana Purana — Prahlada vs Nara-Narayana, Shloka 32

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

Devanagari script

भृगुपुत्रे महातेजाः पूजां चक्रे यथार्हतः संपूजितोपविष्टश्च पृष्टश्चागमनं प्रति

Transliteration

bhṛguputre mahātejāḥ pūjāṃ cakre yathārhataḥ saṃpūjitopaviṣṭaśca pṛṣṭaścāgamanaṃ prati

Translation

Dem Sohn des Bhṛgu erwies der große, strahlende Herr die gebührende Verehrung. Nachdem er geehrt und zum Sitzen gebeten worden war, fragte man ihn nach dem Anlass seines Kommens.

Word by Word

• भृगुपुत्रे: in/with regard to Bhṛgu’s son (Cyavana)
• भृगुपुत्रे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भृगु + पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (son of Bhṛgu)

• महातेजाः: of great splendor
• महातेजाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महā + तेजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण (to Prahlāda)

• पूजाम्: worship/honor
• पूजाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूजा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• चक्रे: performed / did
• चक्रे: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• यथा: as
• यथा: Prakara (प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमान/प्रकारवाचक (as/according to)

• अर्हतः: as was fitting / duly
• अर्हतः: Hetu/Pramana (हेतु/प्रमाण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अर्हत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th) एकवचन (अव्ययीभाववत् प्रयोग: ‘as is proper’); विशेषणार्थ

• संपूजितोपविष्टः: having been honored and seated
• संपूजितोपविष्टः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्+पूज् (धातु) क्त (कृदन्त) + उप+विश् (धातु) क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; द्विकृदन्त-समास (honored and seated)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• पृष्टः: having been asked
• पृष्टः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रच्छ् (धातु) (कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्यय (past passive participle) — having been asked

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• आगमनम्: coming/arrival
• आगमनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आगमन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• प्रति: regarding
• प्रति: Vishaya (विषय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रति (अव्यय/उपसर्ग)
• Form: अव्यय; उपपद (postposition) governing accusative — ‘regarding/towards’

Speakers

• Narratorial verse within the Pulastya–Nārada dialogue framework (frame not explicit in this excerpt)

Key Themes

• Brahmin honor and social-religious protocol
• Atithi-dharma
• Ritual propriety (yathārhataḥ)
• Courtly inquiry (praśna) as narrative hinge

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The verse codifies an ethic: spiritual authority (a Bhṛgu-lineage ṛṣi) is to be honored irrespective of political alignment. Proper reception—worship, seating, then inquiry—models disciplined speech and action.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

Vamśānucarita / Carita: it advances the episode through a formal court encounter, a common purāṇic device to introduce tirtha-instructions or avatāra-linked developments.

What is the symbolic significance?

‘Bhṛguputra’ evokes the Bhṛgu tradition associated with ritual expertise and dharma; the Daitya court’s conformity to pūjā-vidhi suggests that cosmic order (ṛta/dharma) is acknowledged even in adversarial realms.