Vamana Purana — Prahlada's Victory through Bhakti, Shloka 21

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

Devanagari script

तमापतन्तं बलवान् मार्गणैर्दशभिर्मुने चिच्छेद दशधा साध्यः स छिन्नो न्यपतद् भुवि

Transliteration

tamāpatantaṃ balavān mārgaṇairdaśabhirmune ciccheda daśadhā sādhyaḥ sa chinno nyapatad bhuvi

Translation

Hỡi hiền giả, khi nó bay ập đến, bậc dũng mãnh đã dùng mười mũi tên chém nó thành mười phần; bị chém như vậy, nó rơi xuống mặt đất.

Word by Word

• तम्: him/that (weapon/person)
• तम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया-एकवचन (Accusative singular), पुंलिङ्ग (masculine)

• आपतन्तम्: falling upon (him), rushing down
• आपतन्तम्: कर्म-विशेषण (object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आ + √पत् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्यय (present active participle), द्वितीया-एकवचन, पुंलिङ्ग — ‘falling/coming down’ qualifying तम्

• बलवान्: mighty
• बलवान्: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बलवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-एकवचन, पुंलिङ्ग

• मार्गणैः: with arrows
• मार्गणैः: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मार्गण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया-बहुवचन (Instrumental plural), पुंलिङ्ग (masculine)

• दशभिः: with ten
• दशभिः: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दशन् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया-बहुवचन (Instrumental plural), सर्वलिङ्ग (numeral used adjectivally) — modifies मार्गणैः

• मुने: O sage
• मुने: सम्बोधन (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सम्बोधन-एकवचन (Vocative singular), पुंलिङ्ग

• चिच्छेद: he cut
• चिच्छेद: क्रिया (main action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √छिद् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष-एकवचन (3rd sg)

• दशधा: into ten pieces
• दशधा: क्रियाविशेषण (adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दशधा (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय (adverb) — ‘into ten parts’

• साध्यः: Sādhya (name/epithet)
• साध्यः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: साध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-एकवचन, पुंलिङ्ग

• सः: he/that one
• सः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-एकवचन, पुंलिङ्ग

• छिन्नः: cut
• छिन्नः: कर्ता-विशेषण (subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: छिन्न (कृदन्त; √छिद् धातु)
• Form: प्रथमा-एकवचन, पुंलिङ्ग — past passive participle

• न्यपतत्: fell down
• न्यपतत्: क्रिया (main action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि + √पत् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष-एकवचन (3rd sg)

• भुवि: on the ground/earth
• भुवि: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भू (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सप्तमी-एकवचन (Locative singular), स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine)

Speakers

• Narrative layer not explicit in the excerpt (often Pulastya → Nārada framework)

Key Themes

• Daitya-Deva Conflict
• Martial skill
• Restraint through precision (archery)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Power guided by discipline and precision (ten arrows, ten cuts) overcomes brute momentum; the verse praises controlled capacity rather than uncontrolled aggression.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

Again, Vamśānucarita/Carita: a heroic exploit embedded in narrative history/legend, not a doctrinal vrata section or tīrtha-māhātmya.

What is the symbolic significance?

The incoming weapon represents forceful adharma; its being divided and rendered harmless signifies dharma’s analytical power—breaking a single overwhelming threat into manageable, nullified parts.