Vamana Purana — Prahlada vs Nara-Narayana, Shloka 23

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

Devanagari script

तस्मिञ्शासति दैत्येन्द्रे देवब्राह्मणपूजके मखानि भुवि राजानो यजन्ते विधिवत्तदा

Transliteration

tasmiñśāsati daityendre devabrāhmaṇapūjake makhāni bhuvi rājāno yajante vidhivattadā

Translation

When that Daitya lord ruled—one who honored the gods and the brāhmaṇas—then kings on earth performed the makhas (sacrificial rites) according to proper ordinance.

Word by Word

• तस्मिन्: when/while he (was)
• तस्मिन्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative/अधिकरण), एकवचन

• शासति: (he) rules, governs
• शासति: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: शास् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; सति-सप्तमी construction with तस्मिन्

• दैत्येन्द्रे: in the lord of demons
• दैत्येन्द्रे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दैत्येन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक; दैत्य + इन्द्र)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative), एकवचन; apposition to तस्मिन्

• देवब्राह्मणपूजके: who worships gods and Brahmins
• देवब्राह्मणपूजके: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: देवब्राह्मणपूजक (प्रातिपदिक; देव + ब्राह्मण + पूजक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative), एकवचन; विशेषण of दैत्येन्द्रे

• मखानि: sacrifices
• मखानि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), द्वितीया (Accusative/कर्म), बहुवचन (plural)

• भुवि: on earth
• भुवि: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भू (प्रातिपदिक; भुव्/भूमि)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative/अधिकरण), एकवचन

• राजानः: kings
• राजानः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative/कर्ता), बहुवचन

• यजन्ते: perform sacrifice
• यजन्ते: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: यज् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• विधिवत्: according to rule, duly
• विधिवत्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विधिवत् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• तदा: then
• तदा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, कालवाचक-क्रियाविशेषण (temporal adverb)

Speakers

• Narrative frame not explicit in input; narrator describes effects of Prahlāda’s governance

Primary Deities

• Devas (collective)

Key Themes

• Rājadharma
• Vedic ritual (yajña/makha)
• Brāhmaṇa honor
• Dharma restoration

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Good governance is measured by protection of sacred institutions: honoring brāhmaṇas and devas enables public religiosity—yajña becomes socially viable when the ruler supports dharma.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

Vamśānucarita with dharma-valuation: dynastic narration is used to illustrate the qualities of a reign and its cosmic-social effects.

What is the symbolic significance?

Prahlāda as ‘devabrāhmaṇapūjaka’ inverts the stereotype of Daityas as anti-yajña, emphasizing that devotion and ritual order are not confined to birth but to conduct (ācāra).