Vamana Purana — Prahlada's Victory through Bhakti, Shloka 3

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

Devanagari script

मूर्ध्नि नारायणस्यापि सा गदा दानवार्पिता जगाम शतधा ब्रह्मञ्शैलशृङ्गे यथाशनिः

Transliteration

mūrdhni nārāyaṇasyāpi sā gadā dānavārpitā jagāma śatadhā brahmañśailaśṛṅge yathāśaniḥ

Translation

హే బ్రాహ్మణా, దానవుడు విసిరిన ఆ గద నారాయణుని శిరస్సుపై పడినప్పటికీ శతఖండాలై విరిగిపోయెను—పర్వతశిఖరంపై పిడుగు పడినట్లుగా।

Word by Word

• mūrdhni: on the head
• mūrdhni: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mūrdhan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• nārāyaṇasya: of Nārāyaṇa
• nārāyaṇasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nārāyaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• api: also, even
• api: Sambandha-bodhaka (सम्बन्ध-बोधक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, अपि (also/even)

• sā: that (she/it)
• sā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• gadā: mace
• gadā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gadā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• dānava-arpitā: hurled/placed by the Dānava
• dānava-arpitā: Karta-anvaya (कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dānava + √arp + kta (प्रातिपदिक/धातु-कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: दानवेन अर्पिता (by the Dānava)

• jagāma: went
• jagāma: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √gam (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• śatadhā: into a hundred pieces
• śatadhā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: śatadhā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, प्रकारवाचक (manner adverb): ‘into a hundred parts’

• brahman: O Brahman (sage)
• brahman: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन एकवचन (voc. sg.)

• śaila-śṛṅge: on the mountain peak
• śaila-śṛṅge: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śaila + śṛṅga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: शैलस्य शृङ्गे

• yathā: like, as
• yathā: Upamāna-bodhaka (उपमान-बोधक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, उपमानवाचक (comparative): ‘as/like’

• aśaniḥ: a thunderbolt
• aśaniḥ: Upamāna (उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aśani (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Speakers

• Narrator addressing a Brāhmaṇa listener (and/or Nārada in frame); exact speaker not explicit in verse

Primary Deities

• Vishnu (Nārāyaṇa)

Key Themes

• Vaishnavism
• Divine invulnerability
• Daitya-Deva Conflict
• Astra-śastra imagery

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Adharma’s force cannot ultimately damage the Supreme; violence rebounds into futility, reinforcing reliance on dharma rather than brute power.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

Vamśānucarita / heroic episode within lineage-history: a battle scene illustrating the recurring deva–asura antagonism.

What is the symbolic significance?

The mace breaking on Viṣṇu’s head dramatizes transcendence: the Absolute remains unshaken while the aggressor’s instrument fragments, like lightning dissipating against a mountain.