Shloka 22

Puruṣottama-māhātmya

The Greatness of Puruṣottama Kṣetra

Devanagari script

प्रह्लादः सर्वदैत्यानां रामः शस्त्रभृतां यथा । झषाणां मकरो यद्वन्मृगाणां मृगराड् यथा ॥ २२ ॥

Transliteration

prahlādaḥ sarvadaityānāṃ rāmaḥ śastrabhṛtāṃ yathā | jhaṣāṇāṃ makaro yadvanmṛgāṇāṃ mṛgarāḍ yathā || 22 ||

Translation

ಎಲ್ಲ ದೈತ್ಯರೊಳಗೆ ಪ್ರಹ್ಲಾದನು ಶ್ರೇಷ್ಠನಾಗಿರುವಂತೆ, ಶಸ್ತ್ರಧಾರಿಗಳೊಳಗೆ ಶ್ರೀರಾಮನು ಪ್ರಧಾನನಾಗಿರುವಂತೆ; ಮೀನುಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ಮಕರನು ಶ್ರೇಷ್ಠ, ಮೃಗಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ಸಿಂಹನು ಮೃಗರಾಜನು.

Word by Word

• प्रह्लादः: Prahlāda
• प्रह्लादः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रह्लाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• सर्व-दैत्यानाम्: of all the Daityas (demons)
• सर्व-दैत्यानाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + दैत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन (Plural)

• रामः: Rāma
• रामः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• शस्त्र-भृताम्: of weapon-bearers
• शस्त्र-भृताम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शस्त्र (प्रातिपदिक) + भृत् (कृदन्त; धातु √भृ ‘to bear’)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन (Plural); भृत्-शब्दः (agent noun)

• यथा: as
• यथा: Upamana-marker (उपमान-सूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमानवाचक-अव्यय (indeclinable of comparison: “as/like”)

• झषाणाम्: of fishes
• झषाणाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: झष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन (Plural)

• मकरः: the makara (crocodile/sea-monster)
• मकरः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मकर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• यद्वत्: just as
• यद्वत्: Upamana-marker (उपमान-सूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यद्वत् (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमानवाचक-अव्यय (indeclinable: “just as”)

• मृगाणाम्: of animals (beasts)
• मृगाणाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन (Plural)

• मृग-राट्: the king of beasts (lion)
• मृग-राट्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृग (प्रातिपदिक) + राट्/राज् (प्रातिपदिक ‘king’)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); राट्-शब्दः (king)

• यथा: as
• यथा: Upamana-marker (उपमान-सूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमानवाचक-अव्यय (indeclinable of comparison: “as/like”)

Speaker

Narada

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta (wonder)

Secondary Rasa: bhakti (devotion)

Characters & Entities

• Prahlada
• Rama
• Makara
• Mrigaraj (Lion)

FAQs

What is the spiritual significance of this verse in Narada Purana?

The verse teaches how the Purāṇas communicate spiritual excellence through archetypes—Prahlāda represents unwavering devotion, and the other examples illustrate natural ‘foremostness’ to highlight recognized supremacy in a given domain.

How does this verse explain the path of devotion (Bhakti)?

By naming Prahlāda as foremost among Daityas, it implies that birth or category is not a barrier—bhakti and steadfastness to the Lord make one exemplary even among those considered opposed to dharma.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

This verse mainly uses alaṅkāra-style comparison (upamā) for instruction rather than a Vedāṅga practice; its practical takeaway is interpretive—recognizing didactic analogies common in Purāṇic teaching.