HomeVamana PuranaAdh. 7Shloka 63
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Vamana Purana — Prahlada vs Nara-Narayana, Shloka 63

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

ब्रह्मस्त्रे तु प्रशमिते प्रह्लादः क्रोधमूर्छितः गदां प्रगृह्य तरसा प्रचस्कन्द रथोत्तमात्

brahmastre tu praśamite prahlādaḥ krodhamūrchitaḥ gadāṃ pragṛhya tarasā pracaskanda rathottamāt

ពេលព្រហ្មាស្ត្រ ត្រូវបានបំបាត់អានុភាពហើយ ព្រះហ្លាទៈ ក៏សន្លប់ដោយកំហឹង ចាប់យកគដា ហើយដោយកម្លាំង បានលោតចុះពីរថដ៏ល្អឥតខ្ចោះ។

brahma-astrewhen/while the Brahmā-weapon
brahma-astre:
Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootbrahman (प्रातिपदिक) + astra (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Locative (सप्तमी) singular (एकवचन); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: brahmaṇaḥ astre ‘in Brahmā’s weapon’
tuindeed/then
tu:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Roottu (अव्यय)
FormAvyaya (अव्यय), particle (निपात)
praśamitehaving been pacified/quelled
praśamite:
Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
TypeAdjective
Rootpra-√śam (धातु)
FormPast passive participle (क्त, PPP) used in locative absolute; Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग) Locative (सप्तमी) singular (एकवचन) agreeing with brahmāstre
prahlādaḥPrahlāda
prahlādaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootprahlāda (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा) singular (एकवचन)
krodha-mūrchitaḥovercome by anger
krodha-mūrchitaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Rootkrodha (प्रातिपदिक) + mūrchita (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा) singular (एकवचन); तत्पुरुष: krodhena mūrchitaḥ ‘faint/overcome with anger’
gadāma mace
gadām:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootgadā (प्रातिपदिक)
FormFeminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया) singular (एकवचन)
pragṛhyahaving seized
pragṛhya:
Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootpra-√grah (धातु)
FormAbsolutive (क्त्वा/ल्यप्), gerund (अव्ययभाव)
tarasāwith force; swiftly
tarasā:
Karaṇa (करण)
TypeNoun
Roottaras (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Instrumental (तृतीया) singular (एकवचन) used adverbially
pracaskandaleapt down/sprang
pracaskanda:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootpra-√skand (धातु)
FormLiṭ (लिट्, perfect), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष) singular (एकवचन)
ratha-uttamātfrom the best chariot
ratha-uttamāt:
Apādāna (अपादान)
TypeNoun
Rootratha (प्रातिपदिक) + uttama (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Ablative (पञ्चमी) singular (एकवचन); तत्पुरुष: uttamaḥ rathaḥ ‘excellent chariot’ (karmadhāraya sense), ablative ‘from’
Narratorial layer (likely within Pulastya–Nārada framebut not explicit here)
Vishnu
Daitya-Deva ConflictKrodha (anger) as a spiritual obstacleHeroic combatMoral psychology in epic battle

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

FAQs

Even a revered devotee-figure like Prahlāda can be portrayed as momentarily seized by krodha; the Purāṇic lesson is that anger clouds discernment and escalates conflict from regulated missile-war to blunt-force confrontation.

Vamśānucarita/Carita (deeds of notable beings). The verse also functions as upadeśa by illustrating an inner vice (krodha) surfacing in outer action.

The pacification of Brahmāstra marks the exhaustion of ‘cosmic’ instruments; Prahlāda’s descent with a gadā symbolizes the descent from subtle, mantra-governed power to embodied, passion-driven struggle—an allegory for how unresolved ego/anger persists after external threats are neutralized.