Vamana Purana — Prahlada vs Nara-Narayana, Shloka 40

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

Devanagari script

पुलस्त्य उवाच इत्युक्ता दानवेन्द्रेण सर्वे ते दैत्यदानवाः चक्रुरुद्योगमतुलं निर्जग्मुश्च रसातलात्

Transliteration

pulastya uvāca ityuktā dānavendreṇa sarve te daityadānavāḥ cakrurudyogamatulaṃ nirjagmuśca rasātalāt

Translation

ପୁଲସ୍ତ୍ୟ କହିଲେ—ଦାନବେନ୍ଦ୍ରଙ୍କ ଏହି କଥା ଶୁଣି ସେ ସମସ୍ତ ଦୈତ୍ୟ ଓ ଦାନବ ଅତୁଳ ପ୍ରସ୍ତୁତି କରି ରସାତଳରୁ ବାହାରିଲେ।

Word by Word

• पुलस्त्यः: Pulastya
• पुलस्त्यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुलस्त्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/quotative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/समाप्ति-सूचक अव्यय (quotative particle)

• उक्ताः: having been addressed / told
• उक्ताः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वच् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• दानवेन्द्रेण: by the lord of the Dānavas
• दानवेन्द्रेण: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दानव-इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी/सम्बन्ध: दानवानाम् इन्द्रः), पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), बहुवचन

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• दैत्यदानवाः: Daityas and Dānavas
• दैत्यदानवाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दैत्य-दानव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्व-समास (दैत्याश्च दानवाश्च), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), बहुवचन

• चक्रुः: made / undertook
• चक्रुः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन (Plural), परस्मैपद

• उद्योगम्: effort, preparation
• उद्योगम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उद्योग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• अतुलम्: incomparable, immense
• अतुलम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अतुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन; उद्योगम् इति विशेषण

• निर्जग्मुः: went out / departed
• निर्जग्मुः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: निर्गम् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन, परस्मैपद

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-बोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• रसातलात्: from Rasātala (netherworld)
• रसातलात्: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रसातल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/5th), एकवचन

Speakers

• Pulastya (narrator) within the Pulastya–Nārada dialogue framework (standard Vāmana Purāṇa layering)

Key Themes

• Daitya-Dānava Mobilization
• Conflict Prelude
• Purāṇic Cosmography (netherworlds)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Collective resolve and power, when driven by asuric ambition, becomes a force that moves from hidden realms into the human-sacred sphere—setting up the Purāṇic contrast between might (bala) and dharma.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

Primarily Vamśānucarita/Itihāsa-layer narration (accounts of lineages and deeds of beings like Daityas/Dānavas), with a secondary touch of Sarga-style cosmography via mention of Rasātala.

What is the symbolic significance?

Rasātala symbolizes the ‘subterranean’ or concealed impulses (tamas/rajas) rising into visibility; the ‘udyoga’ signals an approaching disruption that typically invites divine rebalancing later in Purāṇic arcs.