Vamana Purana — Prahlada vs Nara-Narayana, Shloka 46

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

Devanagari script

तयोश्च पार्श्वयोर्दिव्ये धनुषी लक्षणान्विते शार्ङ्गमागवं चैव अक्ष्य्यौ च महेषुधी

Transliteration

tayośca pārśvayordivye dhanuṣī lakṣaṇānvite śārṅgamāgavaṃ caiva akṣyyau ca maheṣudhī

Translation

ข้างกายของทั้งสองมีคันศรทิพย์สองคันอันประกอบด้วยลักษณะมงคล คือ ศารังคะและอาควะ และยังมีแล่งลูกศรใหญ่สองใบที่ไม่รู้สิ้นอีกด้วย।

Word by Word

• तयोः: of those two
• तयोः: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), द्विवचन (Dual); सर्वनाम

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Coordination)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• पार्श्वयोः: at (their) two sides
• पार्श्वयोः: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्श्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), द्विवचन (Dual)

• दिव्ये: divine
• दिव्ये: कर्ता (Karta; adjectival to subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दिव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), द्विवचन (Dual); विशेषणम् ‘धनुषी’

• धनुषी: two bows
• धनुषी: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धनुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), द्विवचन (Dual)

• लक्षणान्विते: endowed with marks/signs
• लक्षणान्विते: कर्ता (Karta; adjectival to subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लक्षण + अन्वित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), द्विवचन (Dual); विशेषणम् ‘धनुषी’; समासः—लक्षणैः अन्विते (तृतीया-तत्पुरुष)

• शार्ङ्गम्: Śārṅga (the bow)
• शार्ङ्गम्: कर्ता (Karta; apposition to ‘धनुषी’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शार्ङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); धनुषः नाम (proper name of a bow)

• आगवम्: Āgava (the bow)
• आगवम्: कर्ता (Karta; apposition to ‘धनुषी’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आगव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); धनुषः नाम (proper name of a bow)

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Coordination)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• एव: indeed; just
• एव: अव्यय-प्रयोग (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चय/अवधारण-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• अक्ष्य्यौ: two eyes (or eye-pieces)
• अक्ष्य्यौ: कर्ता (Karta/Subject; coordinated)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अक्षि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), द्विवचन (Dual); पाठभेदः/लिप्यन्तर-दोषः सम्भाव्यः (अक्ष्यौ = अक्षिणी/अक्षी)

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Coordination)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• महेषुधी: two great quivers
• महेषुधी: कर्ता (Karta/Subject; coordinated)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महत् + इषुधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), द्विवचन (Dual); समासः—महान् इषुधिः (कर्मधारय)

Speakers

• Narrative voice (within the Purāṇic frame; commonly Pulastya → Nārada
• but not explicit in the given verses)

Primary Deities

• Vishnu

Key Themes

• Daitya-Deva Conflict
• Divine iconography
• Disguise and recognition through attributes
• Sectarian complementarity (suggested by paired weapons)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

External appearance (e.g., ascetic guise) can conceal true potency; discernment comes from recognizing dharmic signs and divine attributes rather than judging by dress alone.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

Primarily Vamśānucarita/Carita-type narration (episode-based account of divine/daitya interactions), rather than cosmogenesis; it supports the ongoing narrative of divine intervention in moral order.

What is the symbolic significance?

Śārṅga functions as a signature of Viṣṇu’s preserving power; the presence of a second renowned bow alongside it can be read as a literary gesture toward complementary divine forces, a common Purāṇic strategy to imply harmony among sectarian symbols.