Vamana Purana — Prahlada's Victory through Bhakti, Shloka 33

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

Devanagari script

किमर्थं देवदेवेश साध्यं नारायणं हरिम् विजेतुं नाद्य शक्नोमि एतन्मे कारणं वद

Transliteration

kimarthaṃ devadeveśa sādhyaṃ nārāyaṇaṃ harim vijetuṃ nādya śaknomi etanme kāraṇaṃ vada

Translation

ఓ దేవదేవేశా! సాధ్య నారాయణుడైన హరిని నేను ఈ రోజు ఎందుకు జయించలేకపోతున్నాను? దానికి కారణం నాకు చెప్పండి.

Word by Word

• किमर्थम्: why
• किमर्थम्: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव/प्रश्नार्थक अव्यय (interrogative adverbial compound): ‘for what purpose/why’

• देवदेवेश: O Lord of the gods
• देवदेवेश: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक) + देव (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (देवानां देवः, तस्य ईशः)

• साध्यम्: the attainable/one to be accomplished (Sādhya)
• साध्यम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: साध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; नारायणम्/हरिम् इति विशेषणम्

• नारायणम्: Nārāyaṇa
• नारायणम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारायण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन

• हरिम्: Hari
• हरिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; नारायणस्य पर्यायः (apposition)

• विजेतुम्: to conquer
• विजेतुम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + जि (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (Infinitive/तुमर्थ), ‘to conquer’

• न: not
• न: Nishedha (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध

• अद्य: today/now
• अद्य: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अद्य (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (time adverb)

• शक्नोमि: I am able
• शक्नोमि: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: शक् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद; उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; अत्र ‘एतत् मे कारणम्’ इति वाक्ये विशेषणरूपेण

• मे: my/of me
• मे: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; षष्ठी विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन

• कारणम्: reason
• कारणम्: Karta/Pradhāna (प्रधानीय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कारण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन

• वद: tell
• वद: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वद् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), परस्मैपद; मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन

Speakers

• Dānava → addresses the supreme Lord (devadeveśa) and asks about Nārāyaṇa/Hari

Primary Deities

• Vishnu (Nārāyaṇa, Hari)

Key Themes

• Daitya–Deva Conflict
• Limits of Power
• Divine Protection
• Bhakti (implicit: turning to the Lord for explanation)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The daitya’s admission of incapacity underscores a Purāṇic ethic: strength without alignment to dharma and divine favor is unstable. Even opponents must confront the reality of a higher moral-cosmic order guarded by Nārāyaṇa.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

Vamśānucarita/Carita: a dialogue-driven episode illustrating the fortunes of daitya lineages in relation to the deity and dharma (not a creation-cycle section).

What is the symbolic significance?

Calling Nārāyaṇa “Sādhya” can be read doubly: (1) as a class/title (Sādhya deity) and (2) as ‘the one who is to be realized/attained,’ suggesting that the true ‘conquest’ is inner realization—unavailable to one approaching through hostility alone.