Vamana Purana — Prahlada's Victory through Bhakti, Shloka 34

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

Devanagari script

पीतवासा उवाच दुर्जयो ऽसौ महाबाहुस्त्वया प्रह्लाद धर्मजः साध्यो विप्रवरो धीमान् मृधे देवासुरैरपि

Transliteration

pītavāsā uvāca durjayo 'sau mahābāhustvayā prahlāda dharmajaḥ sādhyo vipravaro dhīmān mṛdhe devāsurairapi

Translation

पीतवासा उवाच— दुर्जयोऽसौ महाबाहुस्त्वया प्रह्लाद धर्मजः; साध्यो विप्रवरो धीमान्, मृधे देवासुरैरपि नाभिभूयते।

Word by Word

• पीतवासा: Pītavāsas (yellow-robed one)
• पीतवासा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पीत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक) + वासस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (पीतं वासो यस्य)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• दुर्जयः: hard to conquer
• दुर्जयः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुर् (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + जय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘असौ’ इति विशेषणम्

• असौ: that one (he)
• असौ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अदस् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन

• महाबाहुः: mighty-armed
• महाबाहुः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + बाहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (महान्तौ बाहू यस्य)

• त्वया: by you
• त्वया: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; तृतीया विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन

• प्रह्लाद: O Prahlāda
• प्रह्लाद: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रह्लाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• धर्मजः: righteous-born/son of Dharma
• धर्मजः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + ज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (धर्मात् जातः/धर्मस्य पुत्रः)

• साध्यः: to be subdued/attainable (Sādhya)
• साध्यः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: साध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘असौ’ इति विशेषणम्

• विप्रवरः: the best of Brahmins
• विप्रवरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक) + वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (विप्राणां वरः)

• धीमान्: wise
• धीमान्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धीमत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; मतुप्-प्रत्ययान्त (possessive adjective)

• मृधे: in battle
• मृधे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; सप्तमी विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन

• देवासुरैः: by gods and asuras
• देवासुरैः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक) + असुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया विभक्ति (Instrumental), बहुवचन; द्वन्द्वः (देवाश्च असुराश्च)

• अपि: even/also
• अपि: Nipāta (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (inclusion/emphasis: ‘even/also’)

Speakers

• Pītavāsa (Viṣṇu) → addresses (vocative) Prahlāda; describes Sādhya as unconquerable

Primary Deities

• Vishnu (Pītavāsa)

Key Themes

• Dharma as Power
• Daitya–Deva Conflict
• Brahminical Ideal (vipravara)
• Divine Protection / Invincibility of the Righteous

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Righteousness (dharma) is presented as a real potency: the ‘dharma-born’ cannot be subdued merely by martial prowess. The verse elevates ethical-spiritual capital over brute force, aligning victory with virtue and wisdom.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

Vamśānucarita/Carita: it functions as character-theology within the narrative of daityas (Prahlāda line) and their encounters with divinely protected figures; it is an instructive dialogue rather than cosmological enumeration.

What is the symbolic significance?

The ‘vipravara’ motif symbolizes the inviolability of tapas/knowledge and dharma (brahminical authority) even amid cosmic conflict (devas vs asuras). Naming the opponent ‘Sādhya’ also hints that the true ‘attainable’ goal is dharma itself—unconquerable by adharma.