Vamana Purana — Prahlada's Victory through Bhakti, Shloka 28

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

Devanagari script

तमागतं संनिरीक्ष्य प्रत्युवाच नराग्रजः गच्छ दैत्येन्द्र योत्स्यामः प्रातस्त्वाह्निकमाचर

Transliteration

tamāgataṃ saṃnirīkṣya pratyuvāca narāgrajaḥ gaccha daityendra yotsyāmaḥ prātastvāhnikamācara

Translation

Увидев его приближение, лучший из людей сказал в ответ: «Ступай, о владыка дайтьев; сразимся позже. Сначала соверши утренние ежедневные обряды (ахника)».

Word by Word

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

• āgatam: arrived/come
• āgatam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: gam (धातु) + ā- (उपसर्ग)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participle) used adjectivally; पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन = 'arrived'

• saṃnirīkṣya: having observed
• saṃnirīkṣya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: īkṣ (धातु) + saṃ-ni- (उपसर्ग)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive) = 'having looked at/observed'; √ईक्ष्

• pratyuvāca: replied/said
• pratyuvāca: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु) + prati- (उपसर्ग)
• Form: लिट् (perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; √वच् 'to speak'

• nara-agrajaḥ: the elder (foremost) among men
• nara-agrajaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nara (प्रातिपदिक) + agraja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः = 'narāṇām agrajaḥ' (elder brother of men; epithet of Nārāyaṇa)

• gaccha: go
• gaccha: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: gam (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (imperative), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन

• daitya-indra: O king of the Daityas
• daitya-indra: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: daitya (प्रातिपदिक) + indra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः = 'daityānām indraḥ'

• yotsyāmaḥ: we shall fight
• yotsyāmaḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: yudh (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (simple future), आत्मनेपद, उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), बहुवचन; √युध् 'to fight'

• prātaḥ: in the morning
• prātaḥ: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: prātar (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (temporal adverb) = 'in the morning'

• tu: but/indeed
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधान/विरोधार्थक-निपात (particle: 'but/indeed')

• āhnikam: the daily (morning) rite
• āhnikam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: āhnika (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; 'daily rite (esp. morning)'

• ācara: perform/practise
• ācara: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: car (धातु) + ā- (उपसर्ग)
• Form: लोट् (imperative), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; √चर् 'to do/practise'

Speakers

• narāgrajaḥ (a human hero/leader) addressing daityendra (daitya king); broader narrator frame not specified in input

Key Themes

• Daitya-Deva Conflict
• Vrata/Rituals (Āhnika; daily rites)
• Dharma and discipline
• Ethics of combat (procedural restraint)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Dharma is not suspended even in hostility: the injunction to complete āhnika underscores that right order (nitya-karma, self-discipline, purity) precedes action, and that power without ritual-ethical grounding is considered improper.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

This is Carita-type narrative with a dharma-inflection: within Vamśānucarita-style storytelling, it briefly foregrounds nitya-karma (daily rites), linking epic action to ritual obligation.

What is the symbolic significance?

The pause for morning rites symbolizes the primacy of inner alignment before outward contest—suggesting that the ‘real battle’ is anchored in self-governance; it also portrays an ideal of regulated conflict rather than chaotic violence.