Vamana Purana — Prahlada vs Nara-Narayana, Shloka 62
Prahlada’s Defeat by Nara-Narayana and Victory through Bhakti
ततस्तु दैत्येन वरास्त्रपाणिना चापे नियुक्तं तु पितामहास्त्रम् महेश्वरास्त्रं पुरुषोत्तमेव समं समाहत्य निपेततुस्तौ
tatastu daityena varāstrapāṇinā cāpe niyuktaṃ tu pitāmahāstram maheśvarāstraṃ puruṣottameva samaṃ samāhatya nipetatustau
Então o Daitya, portando uma arma superior, ajustou ao seu arco a Arma de Pitāmaha (o Brahmāstra). Porém Puruṣottama a atingiu de modo equivalente com a Arma de Maheśvara, e ambos os projéteis caíram juntos, neutralizados.
{ "primaryRasa": "adbhuta", "secondaryRasa": "vira", "rasaIntensity": 0, "emotionalArcPosition": "", "moodDescriptors": [] }
FAQs
Power is not monopolized by one divine camp: the narrative normalizes that Viṣṇu can wield (or effectively deploy) Śiva’s potency (Maheśvarāstra), teaching that divine functions cooperate toward restoring dharma rather than competing sectarian supremacy.
Vamśānucarita/Carita (heroic narrative), with an implicit theological teaching typical of Purāṇas: harmonizing deities through shared authority over cosmic weapons.
The Brahmāstra (creation-authority) being met by Maheśvarāstra (transformative/dissolving authority) in Viṣṇu’s hands suggests a triadic balance—creation, preservation, dissolution—operating in concert; the ‘falling together’ signifies neutralization through higher equilibrium rather than mere destruction.