Vamana Purana — Prahlada vs Nara-Narayana, Shloka 44

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

Devanagari script

ततस्तानद्भुताकारान् बाणान् नागोपवीतकान् दृष्ट्वातुलं तदा चक्रे क्रोधं दैत्येश्वरः किल

Transliteration

tatastānadbhutākārān bāṇān nāgopavītakān dṛṣṭvātulaṃ tadā cakre krodhaṃ daityeśvaraḥ kila

Translation

Then, seeing those arrows of wondrous form, as though bearing serpents as their sacred girdles, the lord of the Daityas, it is said, became exceedingly angry.

Word by Word

• ततः: then
• ततः: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: काल/अनन्तर-बोधक अव्यय (adverb)

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

• अद्भुताकारान्: of wondrous form
• अद्भुताकारान्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अद्भुत-आकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (अद्भुतः आकारः येषाम्), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; बाणान् इति विशेषण

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

• नागोपवीतकान्: like serpent-sacred-threads (snake-like coils)
• नागोपवीतकान्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नाग-उपवीतक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (नागस्य उपवीतकं इव/नाग-उपवीतकाः), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; बाणान् इति विशेषण

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दृश् (धातु) + क्त्वा (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund), पूर्वकाले

• अतुलम्: immeasurable
• अतुलम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अतुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; क्रोधम् इति विशेषण

• तदा: at that time
• तदा: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• चक्रे: made / felt / produced
• चक्रे: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद

• क्रोधम्: anger
• क्रोधम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रोध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• दैत्येश्वरः: the lord of the Daityas
• दैत्येश्वरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दैत्य-ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी: दैत्यानाम् ईश्वरः), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• किल: indeed / it is said
• किल: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किल (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle: report/indeed)

Speakers

• Narrative layer not explicit in the given excerpt (commonly Pulastya ↔ Nārada in Vāmana Purāṇa).

Key Themes

• Daitya–Deva Conflict
• Adbhuta (marvel/portent)
• Krodha (anger) as a downfall factor

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Awe (adbhuta) can either lead to inquiry and restraint or to ego-injury and anger; here, the daitya’s krodha shows how power without self-mastery turns marvels into triggers for further adharma.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

Episode narration within Vamśānucarita/Carita: it advances the conflict plot by marking the antagonist’s emotional turn (krodha) that precipitates subsequent action.

What is the symbolic significance?

“Nāgopavītaka” evokes serpentine energy—fear, potency, and binding—suggesting weaponry charged with uncanny force; the daitya’s rage indicates inability to assimilate the numinous, a common Purāṇic marker of asuric temperament.