Vamana Purana — Prahlada vs Nara-Narayana, Shloka 28

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

Devanagari script

गृहीतस्तेन नागेन सस्मार मनसा हरिम् संस्मृते पुण्डरीकाक्षे निर्विषो ऽभून्महोरगः

Transliteration

gṛhītastena nāgena sasmāra manasā harim saṃsmṛte puṇḍarīkākṣe nirviṣo 'bhūnmahoragaḥ

Translation

அந்த நாகம் பிடித்தபோது அவர் மனத்தால் ஹரியை நினைத்தார்; புண்டரீகாக்ஷனை நினைத்தவுடன் அந்தப் பெருநாகம் விஷமற்றதாக ஆனது.

Word by Word

• गृहीतः: seized/captured
• गृहीतः: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्तृसमानााधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गृहीत (कृदन्त; √ग्रह्)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन (Past participle, Masculine, Nom, Singular)

• तेन: by him
• तेन: Karana/Agent-instrument (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masc/Neut, Instrumental, Singular)

• नागेन: by the serpent
• नागेन: Karana/Agent (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masculine, Instrumental, Singular)

• सस्मार: remembered
• सस्मार: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ (धातु; √स्मृ)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/परिपूर्ण), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद (Perfect, 3rd person, Singular, Parasmaipada)

• मनसा: with (his) mind
• मनसा: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (Neuter, Instrumental, Singular)

• हरिम्: Hari (Viṣṇu)
• हरिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masculine, Accusative, Singular)

• संस्मृते: when (he) was remembered
• संस्मृते: Sati-saptami (सति-सप्तमी)
• Type: Verb
• Root: संस्मृत (कृदन्त; सम्+√स्मृ)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), सप्तमी विभक्ति, एकवचन; सति-सप्तमी (Locative absolute: when remembered)

• पुण्डरीकाक्षे: in/when the lotus-eyed (Viṣṇu)
• पुण्डरीकाक्षे: Sati-saptami (सति-सप्तमी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुण्डरीक-अक्षि (प्रातिपदिक; पुण्डरीक+अक्षि)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी विभक्ति, एकवचन; सति-सप्तमी-आश्रय (Masculine, Locative, Singular; ‘in/when Puṇḍarīkākṣa (the lotus-eyed one)’)

• निर्विषः: without poison/venomless
• निर्विषः: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्तृसमानााधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्विष (प्रातिपदिक; निर्+विष)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masculine, Nominative, Singular)

• अभूत्: became
• अभूत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (अनद्यतनभूत), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद (Imperfect, 3rd person, Singular, Parasmaipada)

• महोरगः: the great serpent
• महोरगः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा-उरग (प्रातिपदिक; महा+उरग)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masculine, Nominative, Singular)

Speakers

• Narrative layer not specified in input (commonly Pulastya → Nārada in Vāmana Purāṇa framing)

Primary Deities

• Vishnu (Hari)

Key Themes

• Bhakti
• Smaraṇa (remembrance of God)
• Grace
• Protection of devotees
• Non-violence via divine intervention

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Mental recollection of the Divine (hari-smaraṇa) is presented as immediately efficacious: it transforms danger and hostility (the venomous serpent) into harmlessness, illustrating the purāṇic ethic that bhakti and remembrance can neutralize fear and enmity.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

This is best classified under Vamśānucarita / Carita-style narrative (accounts of sages and episodes), rather than cosmogenesis (sarga/pratisarga). It functions as an exemplum within a larger tīrtha-mahātmya or dharma narrative frame.

What is the symbolic significance?

Venom symbolizes harmful saṃskāras—anger, aggression, and the capacity to injure. The serpent becoming 'nirviṣa' upon remembrance of Hari signifies the pacification of destructive potency through contact with sattva and divine grace.