Vamana Purana — Prahlada's Victory through Bhakti, Shloka 70

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

Devanagari script

दृष्टः सभाजितश्चापि दानवैरन्धकेन च निमन्त्रितश्च राज्याय न प्रत्यैच्छत्स नारद

Transliteration

dṛṣṭaḥ sabhājitaścāpi dānavairandhakena ca nimantritaśca rājyāya na pratyaicchatsa nārada

Translation

When he was seen, he was honored by the Dānavas—and also by Andhaka. Invited to assume kingship, he did not accept it, O Nārada.

Word by Word

• दृष्टः: (having been) seen
• दृष्टः: विशेषण (विशेष्यः—सः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दृश् (धातु) → दृष्ट (कृदन्त/भूतकर्मणि)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; passive sense ‘having been seen’

• सभाजितः: honored
• सभाजितः: विशेषण (विशेष्यः—सः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सभाज् (धातु) → सभाजित (कृदन्त/भूतकर्मणि)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘having been honored’

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

• अपि: also
• अपि: सम्बन्ध (particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अपि-कार (particle: also/even)

• दानवैः: by the demons
• दानवैः: कर्ता (कर्तृ—passive agent)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दानव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन

• अन्धकेन: by Andhaka
• अन्धकेन: कर्ता (कर्तृ—passive agent)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्धक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन

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

• निमन्त्रितः: invited
• निमन्त्रितः: विशेषण (विशेष्यः—सः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मन्त्र् (धातु) उपसर्ग-नि + √मन्त्र् → निमन्त्रित (कृदन्त/भूतकर्मणि)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘having been invited’

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

• राज्याय: for the kingdom (to rule)
• राज्याय: सम्प्रदान (recipient/purpose)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राज्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/सम्प्रदान), एकवचन

• न: not
• न: सम्बन्ध (negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय (negation particle)

• प्रत्यैच्छत्: he desired/accepted
• प्रत्यैच्छत्: क्रिया (verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: इष् (धातु) उपसर्ग-प्रति + √इष् → प्रत्यैच्छत्
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/past), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; धातु-रूप: प्रत्य-ऐच्छत्

• सः: he
• सः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• नारद: O Nārada
• नारद: सम्बोधन (address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन

Speakers

• Narrator to Nārada (addressed as ‘nārada’ in the verse)

Key Themes

• Renunciation of power
• Political restraint
• Daitya court dynamics
• Dharma of counsel vs. rulership

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

A dharmic advisor should not be seduced by political office; refusing kingship preserves impartiality and keeps counsel oriented to welfare (hita) rather than personal power.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

Vamśānucarita/Carita: it depicts the conduct and courtly interactions within asura lineages (here featuring Andhaka), contributing to the broader historical narrative of rival dynastic powers.

What is the symbolic significance?

The offered ‘rājya’ represents the temptation of authority; the refusal encodes the ideal separation between spiritual-intellectual authority (guidance) and coercive political authority (rule).