Vamana Purana — Andhaka's Coronation, Shloka 27

Andhaka’s Coronation, Boons from Shiva, and the Daiva–Asura War (Vahana Catalogues)

Devanagari script

प्रह्लादस्य रथो दिव्यश्चन्द्रवर्णैर्हयोत्तमैः उह्यमानस्तथाष्टाभिः श्वेतरुक्ममयः सुभः

Transliteration

prahlādasya ratho divyaścandravarṇairhayottamaiḥ uhyamānastathāṣṭābhiḥ śvetarukmamayaḥ subhaḥ

Translation

Prahlāda’s chariot was divine, drawn by excellent horses of moon-like color; it was borne along by eight (horses), auspicious, and made of white gold.

Word by Word

• प्रह्लादस्य: of Prahlāda
• प्रह्लादस्य: सम्बन्ध (Genitive/possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रह्लाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• रथः: chariot
• रथः: कर्ता/विषय (Subject/topic)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• दिव्यः: divine
• दिव्यः: विशेषण (Qualifier of ‘रथः’)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दिव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• चन्द्र-वर्णैः: moon-colored
• चन्द्र-वर्णैः: विशेषण (Qualifier of ‘हयोत्तमैः’)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक) + वर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; कर्मधारय; ‘moon-colored/white’ (qualifying the horses)

• हय-उत्तमैः: with the best horses
• हय-उत्तमैः: करण (Instrument/means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हय (प्रातिपदिक) + उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष: ‘best horses’

• उह्यमानः: being drawn
• उह्यमानः: विशेषण (Qualifier of ‘रथः’)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वह् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (Present Passive Participle/शानच् in passive sense), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; धातु: वह् ‘to carry’; ‘being carried/drawn’

• तथा: also
• तथा: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण ‘likewise/also’

• अष्टाभिः: with eight (of them)
• अष्टाभिः: करण (Instrument/means)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अष्टन् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: (सामान्यतः) पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; संख्याविशेषण—‘by/with eight (horses)’

• श्वेत-रुक्म-मयः: made of white gold
• श्वेत-रुक्म-मयः: विशेषण (Qualifier of ‘रथः’)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्वेत (प्रातिपदिक) + रुक्म (प्रातिपदिक) + मय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: ‘made of white gold’ (material sense)

• सुभः: splendid/beautiful
• सुभः: विशेषण (Qualifier of ‘रथः’)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (rare/poetic)

Speakers

• Not specified in input (often Pulastya → Nārada framework)

Key Themes

• Daitya-Deva Conflict
• Prahlāda traditions
• Auspicious symbolism

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Prahlāda is traditionally a paradigmatic bhakta; even when situated among Daityas, his depiction with ‘auspicious’ brilliance can suggest that devotion and inner virtue confer a distinct radiance beyond factional identity.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

Vamśānucarita / Carita: descriptive narration of a prominent figure within dynastic/heroic accounts, not cosmogenesis.

What is the symbolic significance?

Moon-like horses and ‘white-gold’ construction signal sattva/śubha qualities (coolness, clarity, auspiciousness), contrasting with more tamasic imagery often associated with Asuras—hinting at Prahlāda’s exceptional nature.