Vamana Purana — Sukeshi's Inquiry into Dharma, Shloka 18
Sukeshi’s Inquiry into Dharma: The Seven Dvipas and the Twenty-One Hells
जाज्वल्यमानामायान्तं दण्डं दृष्ट्वा दितेः सुताः प्राक्रोशन्ति हतः कष्टं प्रह्लादो ऽयं यमेन हि
jājvalyamānāmāyāntaṃ daṇḍaṃ dṛṣṭvā diteḥ sutāḥ prākrośanti hataḥ kaṣṭaṃ prahlādo 'yaṃ yamena hi
Melihat tongkat (daṇḍa) yang menyala-nyala mendekat, putra-putra Diti meratap: “Aduhai celaka! Prahlāda ini sungguh telah dibunuh—tentu oleh Yama.”
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FAQs
The verse highlights how fear and incomplete knowledge produce false conclusions: the Daityas interpret a portent (the blazing daṇḍa) as Prahlāda’s death. Puranic narrative often uses such moments to contrast panic with discernment (viveka).
This is best classified under Vamśānucarita/Carita—episodic narration about beings within cosmic lineages (Daityas, Prahlāda), rather than sarga/pratisarga (creation cycles).
The blazing daṇḍa functions as the emblem of daṇḍanīti (cosmic chastisement). Attributing it to Yama underscores the Daityas’ association of moral consequence with death, even when the agent may be different.