Vamana Purana — Prahlada's Victory through Bhakti, Shloka 30
Prahlada’s Defeat in Battle and Victory through Bhakti (Nara-Narayana Episode)
एवं युध्यति देवे च प्रह्लादो ह्यसुरो मुने रात्रौ चिन्तयते युद्धे कथं जेष्यामि दाम्भिकम्
evaṃ yudhyati deve ca prahlādo hyasuro mune rātrau cintayate yuddhe kathaṃ jeṣyāmi dāmbhikam
Thus, while he fought against the Deva, O sage, the Asura Prahlāda reflected at night upon the battle: “How shall I defeat the arrogant one?”
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FAQs
The verse highlights ‘dambha’ (arrogant self-display) as a decisive moral fault that becomes the target of conquest; it also shows deliberation (cintā) as integral to action—impulse is subordinated to reflection.
Vamśānucarita/Carita: it continues the account of Asura–Deva hostilities through the deeds and intentions of a named figure (Prahlāda).
Night-time contemplation symbolizes the inward turn before decisive outward action; ‘defeating the dāmbhika’ can be read both as defeating a proud opponent and as the inner struggle against pride itself.