Shloka 149

Pracetās, Māriṣā, Dakṣa’s Re-manifestation, and the Brahma-parastava; Cyclic Creation and Genealogies

Devanagari script

पतन्तम् उच्चाद् अवनिर् यम् उपेत्य महामतिम् दधार दैत्यपतिना क्षिप्तं स्वर्गनिवासिना

Transliteration

patantam uccād avanir yam upetya mahāmatim dadhāra daityapatinā kṣiptaṃ svarganivāsinā

Translation

When that great-souled one was hurled down from the heights toward the earth, though thrown by the lord of the Daityas, he was caught and borne up by a dweller of heaven.

Word by Word

• पतन्तम्: falling
• पतन्तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √पत् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमान कृदन्त (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; “falling”

• उच्चात्: from on high
• उच्चात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उच्च (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पञ्चमी-अर्थे अव्ययीभाव/अव्यय (ablatival adverb: from a height)

• अवनिः: the Earth
• अवनिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अवनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• यम्: whom
• यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; सम्बन्धित-प्रत्यय (relative pronoun)

• उपेत्य: having approached
• उपेत्य: Kriya-vishesana (Conjunctive action/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप-√इ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund/absolutive), “having approached”

• महामतिम्: the great-minded one
• महामतिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + मति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः—“महती मतिः यस्य” (great-minded one)

• दधार: held/supported
• दधार: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √धृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/लिट्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• दैत्यपतिना: by the lord of demons
• दैत्यपतिना: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दैत्य (प्रातिपदिक) + पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; करण/कर्तृ-हेतुः—“दैत्यानां पतिना”

• क्षिप्तम्: thrown
• क्षिप्तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √क्षिप् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; “thrown”

• स्वर्गनिवासिना: by the one dwelling in heaven
• स्वर्गनिवासिना: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वर्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + निवासिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—“स्वर्गे निवासिना” (by the heaven-dweller)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: How celestial forces intervened to preserve Prahlāda from fatal falls.

Teaching: Devotional

Quality: compassionate

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: When a devotee is cast into danger by adharma, divine protection can manifest through unexpected instruments, even celestial agents.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Cultivate trust (viśvāsa) and steady practice; accept help without pride, seeing it as grace rather than mere chance.

Vishishtadvaita: The Lord’s providence operates through real intermediaries (devas) while remaining the inner governor of their actions.

Prahlada Narrative

Phase: Divine-protection

Bhakti Quality: Grace-mediated protection—aid arrives unbidden when devotion is firm.

Persecution: Cliff

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Narayana

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Characters & Entities

• Daityapati (lord of the Daityas)
• Svarganivāsin (a celestial being)
• Earth (Avanī)

FAQs

What is the significance of a falling hero being upheld in the Vishnu Purana?

It dramatizes providence: even when force (the Daitya-lord’s throw) acts, a higher balancing agency (a heavenly being) preserves order and the destined course of events.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the working of cosmic order in such episodes?

Through paired opposites—harm and protection—Parāśara shows that outcomes are not governed by violence alone; dharma is stabilized by higher powers operating within the cosmic hierarchy.

The theological importance of Lord Vishnu in this context?

Though not named in the verse, the Purāṇic frame treats such preservation as ultimately rooted in Vishnu’s sovereignty—divine order manifests through devas and cosmic agencies that uphold righteousness.