Vamana Purana — Prahlada's Victory through Bhakti, Shloka 47

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

Devanagari script

तमुवाच महातेजा वाक्यं नारायणो ऽव्ययः किमर्थं प्रणतो ऽसीह मामजित्वा महासुर

Transliteration

tamuvāca mahātejā vākyaṃ nārāyaṇo 'vyayaḥ kimarthaṃ praṇato 'sīha māmajitvā mahāsura

Translation

大いなる光輝を備えた不滅のナーラーヤナは彼に告げた。「大アスラよ、我を征服していないのに、なぜここで我に礼拝するのか。」

Word by Word

• tam: him
• tam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (तद् सर्वनाम)
• Form: Pronoun, Masculine, Accusative (द्वितीया), Singular

• uvāca: said/spoke
• uvāca: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (वच् धातु)
• Form: Liṭ (लिट्, perfect), Parasmaipada, 3rd person, Singular

• mahātejāḥ: the great-splendored one
• mahātejāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā-tejas (महा + तेजस्) (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (प्रथमा), Singular; karmadhāraya: ‘great in splendor’

• vākyam: words/speech
• vākyam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vākya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular; internal object of speech

• nārāyaṇaḥ: Nārāyaṇa
• nārāyaṇaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nārāyaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• avyayaḥ: imperishable
• avyayaḥ: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: avyaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular; adjective to nārāyaṇaḥ

• kimartham: why/for what reason
• kimartham: Kriya-visheshaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kim-artham (किम् + अर्थम्) (अव्ययवत्)
• Form: Interrogative adverb (प्रश्नवाचक क्रियाविशेषण), lit. ‘for what purpose?’

• praṇataḥ: bowed
• praṇataḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pra-ṇam (प्र-नम् धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: Kta-participle, Masculine, Nominative, Singular; ‘bowed down’

• asi: are
• asi: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (अस् धातु)
• Form: Laṭ (लट्), Parasmaipada, 2nd person (मध्यमपुरुष), Singular

• iha: here
• iha: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iha (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, deictic adverb (देशवाचक)

• mām: me
• mām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (अस्मद् सर्वनाम)
• Form: Pronoun, Accusative (द्वितीया), Singular

• ajitvā: without defeating
• ajitvā: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ji (जि धातु) + ktvā with negation a- (अ + जित्वा)
• Form: Absolutive (क्त्वान्त) with privative a-; ‘without conquering/defeating’

• mahāsura: O great Asura
• mahāsura: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā-asura (महा + असुर) (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative (सम्बोधन), Singular; addressed person

Speakers

• Nārāyaṇa speaks (to Prahlāda
• as the next verse indicates Prahlāda’s reply)

Primary Deities

• Vishnu (Nārāyaṇa)

Key Themes

• Bhakti
• Daitya–Deva Conflict
• Theism (Supreme Lordship of Viṣṇu)
• Humility/Prostration

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

True reverence is not contingent on worldly victory; Nārāyaṇa’s question highlights that devotion (praṇāma) arises from recognition of the Supreme, not from power or conquest.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

This belongs to Vamśānucarita/Carita-style narrative material (accounts of divine–asura interactions and exemplary devotees), rather than sarga/pratisarga or manvantara catalogues.

What is the symbolic significance?

“Having not conquered me” underscores the unconquerability of the Absolute; even a ‘mahāsura’ is positioned as a potential bhakta when he recognizes the Lord’s transcendence.