Vamana Purana — Prahlada vs Nara-Narayana, Shloka 54
Prahlada’s Defeat by Nara-Narayana and Victory through Bhakti
ततो नरस्त्वाजगवं हि चापमानम्य बाणान् सुबहुञ्शिताग्रान् मुमोच तानप्रतिमैः पृषत्कैश्चिच्छेद दैत्यस्तपनीयपुङ्खैः
tato narastvājagavaṃ hi cāpamānamya bāṇān subahuñśitāgrān mumoca tānapratimaiḥ pṛṣatkaiściccheda daityastapanīyapuṅkhaiḥ
Kemudian Nara membengkokkan busur Ājagava lalu melepaskan banyak anak panah berhujung tajam; namun Daitya itu mematahkan semuanya dengan lembing panah yang tiada bandingan, bertangkai dengan bulu keemasan.
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FAQs
Even righteous effort meets resistance; perseverance and skill must accompany virtue. The verse shows the reality of opposition in dharmic struggle—progress is not linear, and obstacles can be formidable.
Vamśānucarita / carita: a heroic episode illustrating the deeds of exalted beings (Nara) and their adversaries, used to convey dharmic ideals through narrative conflict.
Nara’s many sharp arrows represent focused disciplines (tapas, viveka, dharma-prayoga), while the Daitya’s golden-fletched counter-missiles signify seductive, brilliant-looking counterforces (wealth/power/ego) that can ‘cut down’ resolve unless steadiness deepens.