Vamana Purana — Prahlada's Victory through Bhakti, Shloka 11

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

Devanagari script

बबन्धतुस्तदाकाशं तावुभौ शरवृष्टिभिः दिशश्च विदिशश्चैव छादयेतां शरोत्करैः

Transliteration

babandhatustadākāśaṃ tāvubhau śaravṛṣṭibhiḥ diśaśca vidiśaścaiva chādayetāṃ śarotkaraiḥ

Translation

Rồi hai vị ấy tuôn mưa tên như thể trói buộc cả bầu trời; và bằng những đống tên, họ che phủ các phương hướng cùng các phương trung gian.

Word by Word

• बबन्धतुः: they two bound/covered
• बबन्धतुः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √bandh (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/परोक्षभूत), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, द्विवचन; धातु: √बन्ध् (बन्धँ)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; ‘आकाशम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• आकाशम्: the sky
• आकाशम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ākāśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• तौ: those two
• तौ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), द्विवचन

• उभौ: both
• उभौ: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ubha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), द्विवचन; विशेषणं ‘तौ’

• शरवृष्टिभिः: with showers of arrows
• शरवृष्टिभिः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śara-vṛṣṭi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (शराणां वृष्टिः); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन

• दिशः: the directions
• दिशः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: diś (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध) / Conjunction
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चय-बोधक conjunction)

• विदिशः: the intermediate directions
• विदिशः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vidiś (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध) / Conjunction
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चय)

• एव: indeed, just
• एव: Emphasis (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (निश्चय/अवधारण)

• छादयेताम्: they two covered
• छादयेताम्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √chad (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, द्विवचन; धातु: √छद् (छदँ)

• शरोत्करैः: with masses of arrows
• शरोत्करैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śara-utkara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (शराणाम् उत्करः = heap/mass of arrows); पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन

Speakers

• Narrator voice within the Purāṇic dialogue frame (commonly Pulastya → Nārada
• but not explicit in these verses)

Primary Deities

• Vishnu (Nārāyaṇa)

Key Themes

• Daitya-Deva Conflict
• Kshatriya/Dhanurveda ethos
• Bhakti (implied via Prahlāda’s presence)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Even in a divinely framed conflict, the text emphasizes intensity and inevitability (the sky and directions ‘covered’), underscoring that dharma-contests can be cosmic in scope; valor and steadfastness are portrayed without trivializing the moral order behind the struggle.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

Primarily Vamśānucarita / Carita (narrative of exemplary figures and their deeds), specifically an episode within the daitya–deva antagonism rather than cosmogenesis (sarga) or dissolution (pralaya).

What is the symbolic significance?

‘Binding the sky’ and covering the directions suggests that adharma–dharma confrontations affect the whole cosmic order (dik-cakra). The imagery elevates a duel into a universal event, typical of Purāṇic epic style.