Vamana Purana — Prahlada vs Nara-Narayana, Shloka 50
Prahlada’s Defeat by Nara-Narayana and Victory through Bhakti
अथोवाच दितीशस्तौ का शक्तिर्युवयोरिह मयि तिष्ठति दैत्येन्द्रे धर्मसेतुप्रवर्तके
athovāca ditīśastau kā śaktiryuvayoriha mayi tiṣṭhati daityendre dharmasetupravartake
అప్పుడు దితివంశాధిపతి ఆ ఇద్దరితో ఇలా అన్నాడు— “నేను ఇక్కడ నిలిచియున్నప్పుడు—నేను దైత్యేంద్రుడు, ధర్మసేతువు ప్రవర్తకుడు—మీ ఇద్దరికీ ఇక్కడ ఏ శక్తి ఉంది?”
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FAQs
The verse highlights a common purāṇic critique: power can co-opt the language of dharma. The Daitya claims to be a “dharmasetu-pravartaka,” illustrating how authority may self-legitimate even when opposed to divine order.
Vamśānucarita / narrative episode: a dialogic confrontation embedded in legendary accounts, serving to set up the avatāra’s demonstration of supremacy.
“Dharma-setu” symbolizes boundaries that restrain chaos; the Daitya’s appropriation of this title signals inverted order—an asuric tendency to claim guardianship of dharma while challenging its true source.