Vamana Purana — Prahlada's Victory through Bhakti, Shloka 21

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

Devanagari script

तमापतन्तं बलवान् मार्गणैर्दशभिर्मुने चिच्छेद दशधा साध्यः स छिन्नो न्यपतद् भुवि

Transliteration

tamāpatantaṃ balavān mārgaṇairdaśabhirmune ciccheda daśadhā sādhyaḥ sa chinno nyapatad bhuvi

Translation

О мудрец, когда оно налетело на него, могучий рассёк его десятью стрелами на десять частей; рассечённое, оно упало на землю.

Word by Word

• तम्: him/that (weapon/person)
• तम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया-एकवचन (Accusative singular), पुंलिङ्ग (masculine)

• आपतन्तम्: falling upon (him), rushing down
• आपतन्तम्: कर्म-विशेषण (object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आ + √पत् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्यय (present active participle), द्वितीया-एकवचन, पुंलिङ्ग — ‘falling/coming down’ qualifying तम्

• बलवान्: mighty
• बलवान्: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बलवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-एकवचन, पुंलिङ्ग

• मार्गणैः: with arrows
• मार्गणैः: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मार्गण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया-बहुवचन (Instrumental plural), पुंलिङ्ग (masculine)

• दशभिः: with ten
• दशभिः: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दशन् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया-बहुवचन (Instrumental plural), सर्वलिङ्ग (numeral used adjectivally) — modifies मार्गणैः

• मुने: O sage
• मुने: सम्बोधन (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सम्बोधन-एकवचन (Vocative singular), पुंलिङ्ग

• चिच्छेद: he cut
• चिच्छेद: क्रिया (main action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √छिद् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष-एकवचन (3rd sg)

• दशधा: into ten pieces
• दशधा: क्रियाविशेषण (adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दशधा (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय (adverb) — ‘into ten parts’

• साध्यः: Sādhya (name/epithet)
• साध्यः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: साध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-एकवचन, पुंलिङ्ग

• सः: he/that one
• सः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-एकवचन, पुंलिङ्ग

• छिन्नः: cut
• छिन्नः: कर्ता-विशेषण (subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: छिन्न (कृदन्त; √छिद् धातु)
• Form: प्रथमा-एकवचन, पुंलिङ्ग — past passive participle

• न्यपतत्: fell down
• न्यपतत्: क्रिया (main action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि + √पत् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष-एकवचन (3rd sg)

• भुवि: on the ground/earth
• भुवि: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भू (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सप्तमी-एकवचन (Locative singular), स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine)

Speakers

• Narrative layer not explicit in the excerpt (often Pulastya → Nārada framework)

Key Themes

• Daitya-Deva Conflict
• Martial skill
• Restraint through precision (archery)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Power guided by discipline and precision (ten arrows, ten cuts) overcomes brute momentum; the verse praises controlled capacity rather than uncontrolled aggression.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

Again, Vamśānucarita/Carita: a heroic exploit embedded in narrative history/legend, not a doctrinal vrata section or tīrtha-māhātmya.

What is the symbolic significance?

The incoming weapon represents forceful adharma; its being divided and rendered harmless signifies dharma’s analytical power—breaking a single overwhelming threat into manageable, nullified parts.