Vamana Purana — Prahlada's Victory through Bhakti, Shloka 32

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

Devanagari script

ततो वर्षसहस्रान्ते ह्यजिते पुरुषोत्तमे पीतवाससमभ्येत्य दानवो वाक्यमब्रवीत्

Transliteration

tato varṣasahasrānte hyajite puruṣottame pītavāsasamabhyetya dānavo vākyamabravīt

Translation

मग हजार वर्षांच्या शेवटी, दानव पिवळे वस्त्र धारण करून अजित, पुरुषोत्तम यांच्याजवळ गेला आणि असे वचन बोलला.

Word by Word

• ततः: then/thereafter
• ततः: Kāla/krama (काल/क्रम)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; ततः-शब्दः (ablatival adverb)

• वर्षसहस्रान्ते: at the end of a thousand years
• वर्षसहस्रान्ते: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ष (प्रातिपदिक) + सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (वर्षसहस्रस्य अन्ते)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Nipāta (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (emphasis)

• अजिते: in/with Ajita (the Unconquered)
• अजिते: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अजित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी विभक्ति, एकवचन; विष्णोः नाम (proper epithet)

• पुरुषोत्तमे: in/with Puruṣottama
• पुरुषोत्तमे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुष (प्रातिपदिक) + उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (उत्तमः पुरुषः)

• पीतवाससम्: Pītavāsas (the yellow-robed one)
• पीतवाससम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पीत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक) + वासस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (पीतं वासो यस्य/पीतवासाः) — अत्र संबन्धेन विष्णुम्

• अभ्येत्य: having approached
• अभ्येत्य: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि + इ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Absolutive/Gerund); अव्ययभावः; ‘approaching’

• दानवः: the Dānava (demon)
• दानवः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दानव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन

• वाक्यम्: words/speech
• वाक्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाक्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अब्रवीत्: said
• अब्रवीत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

Speakers

• Narrator → introduces: a Dānava addresses Pītavāsa (Viṣṇu/Ajita/Puruṣottama)

Primary Deities

• Vishnu (Ajita, Puruṣottama, Nārāyaṇa)

Key Themes

• Daitya–Deva Conflict
• Divine Supremacy
• Inquiry/Dialogue Frame

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The verse frames time (a thousand-year span) as subordinate to divine presence: even after vast durations, agency culminates in approaching the Supreme for clarification—an implicit endorsement of seeking refuge (śaraṇāgati) and right understanding rather than relying only on force.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

Primarily Vamśānucarita/Carita (narrative of divine and daitya figures) within an episode of conflict and counsel; it is not cosmogony (sarga/pratisarga) but character-driven narration.

What is the symbolic significance?

“Pītavāsa” signals Viṣṇu’s recognizable iconography (sattva/auspiciousness), while “Ajita” emphasizes the paradox that the unconquerable Lord becomes the locus of questioning even for adversarial beings—hinting that true ‘victory’ is knowledge of dharma and divine order.