Vamana Purana — Prahlada's Victory through Bhakti, Shloka 6

Prahlada’s Defeat in Battle and Victory through Bhakti (Nara-Narayana Episode)

Devanagari script

तानापतत एवाशु बाणांश्चन्द्रार्द्धसन्निभान् चिच्छेद बाणैरपरैर्निर्बिभेद च दानवम्

Transliteration

tānāpatata evāśu bāṇāṃścandrārddhasannibhān ciccheda bāṇairaparairnirbibheda ca dānavam

Translation

As those arrows swiftly came flying, he cut them down with other arrows—those resembling the half-moon—and he also pierced the Dānava.

Word by Word

• तान्: those (arrows)
• तान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• आपततः: as they were coming/falling (towards him)
• आपततः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-पत् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ (वर्तमान कृदन्त/Present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध)?, एकवचन; प्रयोगार्थः: ‘तान् आपततः’ = falling/coming towards (him)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चय/अवधारणार्थक अव्यय (emphatic particle)

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

• बाणान्: arrows
• बाणान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), बहुवचन

• चन्द्र-अर्द्ध-सन्निभान्: resembling a half-moon
• चन्द्र-अर्द्ध-सन्निभान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्द्ध (प्रातिपदिक) + सन्निभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास (उपमान-निर्देश); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; विशेषण

• चिच्छेद: cut (them)
• चिच्छेद: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: छिद् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• बाणैः: with arrows
• बाणैः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन

• अपरैः: with other (arrows)
• अपरैः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अपर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन; विशेषण

• निर्बिभेद: pierced
• निर्बिभेद: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-भिद् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद; उपसर्ग: नि

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• दानवम्: the demon
• दानवम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दानव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन

Speakers

• Not specified in the provided excerpt (frame likely Pulastya–Nārada
• but not provable from these lines alone).

Key Themes

• Daitya-Deva Conflict
• Martial skill (archery techniques)
• Protection by interception (cutting incoming missiles)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The passage contrasts destructive force with controlled skill: the defender neutralizes harm first (cutting incoming arrows) before striking back, suggesting a dharmic preference for protection and restraint even amid conflict.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

It is narrative action (carita) embedded in Vamśānucarita-style storytelling—an episodic depiction of conflict rather than a doctrinal section on sarga/pratisarga.

What is the symbolic significance?

Half-moon arrows (candrārdha) can symbolize precision and measured response—cool, ‘lunar’ control—set against the raw aggression of an onrushing attack.