Vamana Purana — Prahlada vs Nara-Narayana, Shloka 22

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

Devanagari script

एकदा निहते रौद्रो हिरण्यकशिपौ मुने अभिषिक्तस्तदा राज्ये प्रह्लादौ नाम दानवः

Transliteration

ekadā nihate raudro hiraṇyakaśipau mune abhiṣiktastadā rājye prahlādau nāma dānavaḥ

Translation

О мудрец, однажды, когда свирепый Хираньякашипу был убит, тогда данав по имени Прахлада был помазан (абхишека) на царство.

Word by Word

• एकदा: once
• एकदा: Kālādhi-kriyāviśeṣaṇa (काल-क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एकदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, कालवाचक-क्रियाविशेषण (temporal adverb)

• निहते: when (he) was slain
• निहते: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नि-हन् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle/क्त), पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), सप्तमी (Locative/अधिकरण), एकवचन; अधिकरणे सति-सप्तमी (locative absolute)

• रौद्रे: fierce, terrible
• रौद्रे: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रौद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative), एकवचन; विशेषण of हिरण्यकशिपौ (intended)

• हिरण्यकशिपौ: in/when Hiraṇyakaśipu (was slain)
• हिरण्यकशिपौ: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हिरण्यकशिपु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative), एकवचन (intended for locative absolute with निहते); textual form shows -औ (ambiguous/variant)

• मुने: O sage
• मुने: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, संबोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

• अभिषिक्तः: was anointed
• अभिषिक्तः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अभि-षिच् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन; predicate adjective

• तदा: then
• तदा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, कालवाचक-क्रियाविशेषण (temporal adverb)

• राज्ये: in the kingdom / to the kingship
• राज्ये: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राज्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative/अधिकरण), एकवचन

• प्रह्लादः: Prahlāda
• प्रह्लादः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रह्लाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative/कर्ता), एकवचन; Devanagari/IAST show प्रह्लादौ (variant)

• नाम: named
• नाम: Viśeṣaṇa-marker (नाम-निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाम (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, नाम-निर्देशक (quotative/particle indicating name)

• दानवः: a demon (Dānava)
• दानवः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दानव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन; apposition to प्रह्लादः

Speakers

• Narrative frame not explicit in input (commonly Pulastya ↔ Nārada in Vāmana Purāṇa); verse functions as narrator’s statement

Primary Deities

• Vishnu (implied via Narasiṃha episode background)

Key Themes

• Daitya-Deva Conflict
• Kingship (rājadharma)
• Succession/Consecration (abhiṣeka)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Legitimacy of rule is framed through abhiṣeka and subsequent protection of dharma; even a Daitya ruler can be portrayed as upholding social-religious order when aligned with reverence for brāhmaṇas and ritual law.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

Vamśānucarita: it continues dynastic narration among Daityas, marking a succession point after Hiraṇyakaśipu’s fall.

What is the symbolic significance?

The transition from tyrannical power (Hiraṇyakaśipu) to a dharma-favoring reign (Prahlāda) symbolizes the Purāṇic motif that devotion and moral order can arise even within antagonistic lineages.