Prahlada’s Defeat in Battle and Victory through Bhakti (Nara-Narayana Episode)
ततो नारायणं दैत्यो दैत्यं नारायणः शरैः आविध्येतां तदान्योन्यं मर्मभिद्भिरजिह्यगैः
tato nārāyaṇaṃ daityo daityaṃ nārāyaṇaḥ śaraiḥ āvidhyetāṃ tadānyonyaṃ marmabhidbhirajihyagaiḥ
అప్పుడు దైత్యుడు నారాయణుని శరాలతో గాయపరచెను; నారాయణుడును దైత్యుని శరాలతో గాయపరచెను. ఆ వేళ వారు ఇద్దరూ తప్పనిసరిగా లక్ష్యాన్ని తాకే, మర్మభేదక బాణాలతో పరస్పరం వేదించిరి।
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Even when the Divine enters the arena of conflict, the narrative underscores the gravity of violence: the language of ‘vital points’ (marma) highlights the real stakes, urging the listener toward dharma that prevents such escalation.
This is Vamśānucarita/Carita (deeds of beings) within the Purāṇic narrative stream; it is not a genealogical list itself but an event sequence tied to the exploits of key figures (here, Nārāyaṇa and a Daitya).
‘Unerring’ (ajihyaga) arrows suggest inevitability of karmic consequence: when antagonism reaches the level of marma-bheda (striking vital centers), the conflict becomes existential—mirroring how adharma targets the ‘core’ of order.