Vamana Purana — Prahlada vs Nara-Narayana, Shloka 41

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

Devanagari script

ते समभ्येत्य दैतेया दानवाश्च महाबलाः नेमिषारण्यमागत्य स्नानं चक्रुर्मुदान्विताः

Transliteration

te samabhyetya daiteyā dānavāśca mahābalāḥ nemiṣāraṇyamāgatya snānaṃ cakrurmudānvitāḥ

Translation

ସେହି ମହାବଳୀ ଦୈତ୍ୟ ଓ ଦାନବମାନେ ଏକତ୍ର ହୋଇ ନୈମିଷାରଣ୍ୟକୁ ପହଞ୍ଚି ଆନନ୍ଦସହିତ ସ୍ନାନ କର୍ମ କଲେ।

Word by Word

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

• समभ्येत्य: having approached
• समभ्येत्य: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम्-अभि-इ (धातु) + ल्यप् (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त/ल्यपन्त अव्यय (gerund), पूर्वकाले (having first...)

• दैतेयाः: the Daityas
• दैतेयाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दैतेय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• दानवाः: the Dānavas
• दानवाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दानव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

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

• महाबलाः: mighty, of great strength
• महाबलाः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महाबल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (महत् बलम् येषाम्/महद्बलाः), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; दैतेया/दानवाः इति विशेषण

• नेमिषारण्यम्: Naimiṣāraṇya
• नेमिषारण्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नेमिषारण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन; देश-नाम

• आगत्य: having come
• आगत्य: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आ-गम् (धातु) + ल्यप् (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त/ल्यपन्त अव्यय (gerund)

• स्नानम्: bath
• स्नानम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्नान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• चक्रुः: did / performed
• चक्रुः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपद

• मुदान्विताः: filled with joy
• मुदान्विताः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मुदा-अन्वित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (तृतीया: मुदया अन्विताः), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; कर्तृविशेषण

Speakers

• Pulastya narrating (dialogue frame implied)

Key Themes

• Tīrtha Practice
• Ritual Purification (Snāna)
• Sacred Landscape as Narrative Stage

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Purāṇas often show that even antagonistic beings seek the potency of sacred places and rites; ritual acts (like snāna) can be performed for dharmic purification or for strategic empowerment—intention (bhāva) becomes decisive.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

Vamśānucarita/Itihāsa narration with a clear Tīrtha-māhātmya adjacency: the story uses a famous sacred site (Naimiṣāraṇya) as a node where events and ritual meaning intersect.

What is the symbolic significance?

Naimiṣāraṇya represents concentrated spiritual ‘time-space’ (a charged ritual ecology). The Asuras’ joyful snāna can symbolize appropriation of sacred power—highlighting the Purāṇic warning that holiness of place does not automatically confer holiness of purpose.