Vamana Purana — Prahlada's Victory through Bhakti, Shloka 14

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

Devanagari script

ततो ऽस्यतो दैत्यपतेः कार्मुकं मुष्टिबन्धनात् चिच्छेदैकेन बाणेन चन्द्रार्धाकारवर्चसा

Transliteration

tato 'syato daityapateḥ kārmukaṃ muṣṭibandhanāt cicchedaikena bāṇena candrārdhākāravarcasā

Translation

ततो ऽस्यतो दैत्यपतेः कार्मुकं मुष्टिबन्धनात् एकेन बाणेन चिच्छेद चन्द्रार्धाकारवर्चसा।

Word by Word

• ततः: then
• ततः: Adverbial (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (कालवाचक)

• अस्यतः: of him who was shooting
• अस्यतः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध) / Genitive absolute nuance
• Type: Noun
• Root: asyat (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √as (धातु) = to throw)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (शतृ) ‘अस्यत्’ (throwing/shooting); पुंलिङ्गे/नपुंसकलिङ्गे षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन — ‘of (him) who was shooting’

• दैत्यपतेः: of the Daitya-lord
• दैत्यपतेः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: daitya-pati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (दैत्यानां पतिः); पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन

• कार्मुकम्: the bow
• कार्मुकम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kārmuka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• मुष्टिबन्धनात्: from the hand-grip/fastening
• मुष्टिबन्धनात्: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: muṣṭi-bandhana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (मुष्टेः बन्धनम् = grip/fastening); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचन; अपादानार्थे

• चिच्छेद: he cut off
• चिच्छेद: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √chid (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; धातु: √छिद् (छिदँ)

• एकेन: with a single
• एकेन: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: eka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; ‘बाणेन’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• बाणेन: arrow
• बाणेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bāṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन

• चन्द्रार्धाकारवर्चसा: with moon-half-shaped brilliance
• चन्द्रार्धाकारवर्चसा: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: candra-ardha-ākāra-varcas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (चन्द्रस्य अर्धस्य आकारः यस्य तत्; तेन वर्चसा); नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; विशेषणं ‘बाणेन’

Speakers

• Unspecified in input (commonly framed as Pulastya narrating to Nārada in Vamana Purana)

Primary Deities

• Vishnu (Puruṣottama)

Key Themes

• Daitya-Deva Conflict
• Kṣātra-vīrya (martial prowess)
• Dharma protecting order through divine intervention

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Arrogant power (daitya-bala) is shown as vulnerable when opposed by dharma-aligned mastery. The single, precise arrow symbolizes measured force—restraint and accuracy rather than indiscriminate violence.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

This belongs to Vaṃśānucarita/Carita-style narration (accounts of notable beings and conflicts), rather than sarga/pratisarga. It is episodic heroic narrative embedded within the Purāṇic frame.

What is the symbolic significance?

Severing the bow at the grip signifies cutting the very ‘agency’ of adharmic aggression. The crescent-like brilliance evokes cool, controlled divine power—force governed by cosmic order.