Vamana Purana — Prahlada's Victory through Bhakti, Shloka 62

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

Devanagari script

नारायण उवाच एवं भविष्यत्यसुर वरमन्यं यमिच्छसि तं वृणीष्व महाबाहो प्रदास्याम्यविचारयन्

Transliteration

nārāyaṇa uvāca evaṃ bhaviṣyatyasura varamanyaṃ yamicchasi taṃ vṛṇīṣva mahābāho pradāsyāmyavicārayan

Translation

ନାରାୟଣ କହିଲେ—ଏମିତି ହେବ, ହେ ଅସୁର। ତୁମେ ଯେ ଅନ୍ୟ ବର ଇଚ୍ଛ କର, ସେହିଟି ବାଛ, ହେ ମହାବାହୁ; ମୁଁ ନିର୍ବିଚାରେ ତାହା ଦେବି।

Word by Word

• nārāyaṇaḥ: Nārāyaṇa
• nārāyaṇaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nārāyaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• evam: thus
• evam: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: evam (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण

• bhaviṣyati: will be
• bhaviṣyati: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• asura: O Asura
• asura: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asura (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• varam: boon
• varam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• anyam: another
• anyam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: anya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• yam: which
• yam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (relative)

• icchasi: you desire
• icchasi: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: iṣ (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), मध्यम-पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• tam: that
• tam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• vṛṇīṣva: choose
• vṛṇīṣva: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vṛ (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यम-पुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद

• mahābāho: O mighty-armed one
• mahābāho: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā-bāhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: कर्मधारय (mahān bāhuḥ); पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• pradāsyāmi: I will grant
• pradāsyāmi: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-dā (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), उत्तम-पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• avicārayan: without deliberating
• avicārayan: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial participle)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a-vi-cāraya (कृदन्त; √car धातु, णिच्)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; नकारात्मक उपसर्ग a-; क्रियाविशेषणभावे (as attendant circumstance)

Speakers

• Nārāyaṇa (Vishnu) speaking to Prahlāda (Daitya devotee)

Primary Deities

• Vishnu (Nārāyaṇa)

Key Themes

• Bhakti
• Grace (prasāda)
• Boon (vara)
• Daitya-Deva Conflict (aftermath)
• Vaishnavism

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Divine grace responds to steadfast devotion: the Lord not only fulfills a prior assurance (“so shall it be”) but also invites the devotee to ask further, granting without hesitation—highlighting the generosity of īśvara toward bhaktas irrespective of birth (even an Asura lineage).

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

Primarily Vamśānucarita/Carita (narrative of exalted figures) within the broader Daitya–Deva cycle; it is not cosmogenesis (sarga/pratisarga) but an episode illustrating dharma and divine favor through character-history.

What is the symbolic significance?

The epithet “mahābāhu” and the phrase “avicārayan” symbolize that spiritual worth is measured by devotion and surrender, not by factional identity; the Lord’s boon-bestowal functions as a seal of bhakti’s supremacy over mere power or conquest.