Vamana Purana — Prahlada's Victory through Bhakti, Shloka 48

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

Devanagari script

प्रह्लाद उवाच/ कस्त्वां जेतुं प्रभो शक्तः कस्त्वत्तः पुरुषो ऽधिकः त्वं हि नारायणो ऽनन्तः पीतवासा जनार्दनः

Transliteration

prahlāda uvāca/ kastvāṃ jetuṃ prabho śaktaḥ kastvattaḥ puruṣo 'dhikaḥ tvaṃ hi nārāyaṇo 'nantaḥ pītavāsā janārdanaḥ

Translation

Прахлада сказал: «О Владыка, кто способен победить тебя? Кто выше тебя? Ибо ты — Нараяна, Беспредельный; ты — Джанардана, облачённый в жёлтые одежды»

Word by Word

• prahlādaḥ: Prahlāda
• prahlādaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prahlāda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (वच् धातु)
• Form: Liṭ (लिट्), Parasmaipada, 3rd person, Singular

• kaḥ: who
• kaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (किम् सर्वनाम)
• Form: Interrogative pronoun, Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• tvām: you
• tvām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (युष्मद् सर्वनाम)
• Form: Pronoun, Accusative, Singular

• jetum: to conquer
• jetum: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ji (जि धातु) + tumun (तुमुन्)
• Form: Infinitive (तुमुनन्त), purpose/action noun

• prabho: O Lord
• prabho: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prabhu (प्रभु प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• śaktaḥ: capable
• śaktaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śakta (शक्त प्रातिपदिक; from √śak)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular; predicate adjective with kaḥ

• kaḥ: who
• kaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (किम् सर्वनाम)
• Form: Interrogative pronoun, Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• tvattaḥ: than you
• tvattaḥ: Apādāna (अपादान/पञ्चमी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (त्वद् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Ablative (पञ्चमी), Singular; comparative standard ‘than you’

• puruṣaḥ: person
• puruṣaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puruṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• adhikaḥ: greater/superior
• adhikaḥ: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: adhika (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular; comparative predicate ‘superior’

• tvam: you
• tvam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (युष्मद् सर्वनाम)
• Form: Pronoun, Nominative, Singular

• hi: indeed/for
• hi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, particle (निपात) of emphasis/reason

• nārāyaṇaḥ: Nārāyaṇa
• nārāyaṇaḥ: Pradhana-nama (प्रधान-नाम/समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nārāyaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular; predicate nominative to tvam

• anantaḥ: endless/infinite
• anantaḥ: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ananta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular; adjective in apposition

• pītavāsāḥ: wearing yellow garments
• pītavāsāḥ: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pīta-vāsa (पीत + वासस्) (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular; karmadhāraya: ‘one whose garment is yellow’

• janārdanaḥ: Janārdana
• janārdanaḥ: Pradhana-nama (प्रधान-नाम/समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: janārdana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular; epithet of Viṣṇu

Speakers

• Prahlāda to Nārāyaṇa

Primary Deities

• Vishnu (Nārāyaṇa/Janārdana)

Key Themes

• Bhakti
• Stuti (Hymn of Praise)
• Supremacy of Viṣṇu
• Daitya devotee (Prahlāda)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Prahlāda models unwavering devotion: the Lord is not an entity to be defeated but the ultimate refuge and highest reality, recognized through humility and praise.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

Narrative theology within Vamśānucarita/Carita material: exemplary conduct and doctrinal affirmation embedded in story, not cosmogenesis or dynastic lists per se.

What is the symbolic significance?

The epithet ‘pītavāsā’ signals the recognizable icon of Viṣṇu, while ‘Ananta’ asserts infinitude—linking form (saguṇa) with the limitless (nirguṇa/transcendent) aspect.