Vamana Purana — Prahlada's Victory through Bhakti, Shloka 23

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

Devanagari script

प्रासे छिन्ने ततो दैत्यः शक्तिमादाय चिक्षिपे तां च चिच्छेद बलवान् क्षुरप्रेण महातपाः

Transliteration

prāse chinne tato daityaḥ śaktimādāya cikṣipe tāṃ ca ciccheda balavān kṣurapreṇa mahātapāḥ

Translation

Khi ngọn lao (prāsa) bị chém hạ, Daitya liền cầm lấy cây śakti và phóng đi. Vị đại khổ hạnh đầy uy lực cũng chém đứt nó bằng mũi tên sắc như dao cạo (kṣurapra).

Word by Word

• प्रासे: when the spear
• प्रासे: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सप्तमी-एकवचन, पुंलिङ्ग

• छिन्ने: was cut
• छिन्ने: सप्तमी-सम्बन्ध (locative absolute circumstance)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: छिन्न (कृदन्त; √छिद् धातु)
• Form: सप्तमी-एकवचन, पुंलिङ्ग — past passive participle; with प्रासे forms locative absolute

• ततः: then
• ततः: क्रियाविशेषण (adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb) — ‘then/from there’

• दैत्यः: the Daitya (demon)
• दैत्यः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दैत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-एकवचन, पुंलिङ्ग

• शक्तिम्: a javelin/spear-weapon (śakti)
• शक्तिम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया-एकवचन, स्त्रीलिङ्ग

• आदाय: having taken
• आदाय: क्रियाविशेषण (adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आ + √दा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त/ल्यप्-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund) — ‘having taken’

• चिक्षिपे: threw
• चिक्षिपे: क्रिया (main action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √क्षिप् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष-एकवचन (3rd sg)

• ताम्: that (śakti)
• ताम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया-एकवचन, स्त्रीलिङ्ग

• च: and
• च: सम्बन्ध/वाक्य-सम्बन्ध
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय (conjunction)

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

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

• क्षुरप्रेण: with a razor(-edged) arrow/weapon
• क्षुरप्रेण: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षुर + प्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया-एकवचन (Instrumental singular), पुंलिङ्ग; कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष-प्रायः: क्षुरवत् प्रः/प्र (razor-edged arrow/weapon)

• महातपाः: the great ascetic
• महातपाः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-एकवचन, पुंलिङ्ग; कर्मधारय: महत् तपः यस्य सः

Speakers

• Pulastya to Nārada (typical framing; Nārada is directly addressed in the surrounding verses)

Primary Deities

• Vishnu (Nārāyaṇa)

Key Themes

• Daitya-Deva Conflict
• Divine Protection
• Martial imagery in Purāṇic narrative

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Escalation of force is shown as futile against dharmic, divinely-guided power; the narrative emphasizes that mere weaponry (external strength) cannot prevail over a protector aligned with cosmic order (dharma).

How does this fit the Pancalakṣaṇa?

This is part of Vaṃśānucarita/Carita-style narrative material (accounts of gods, demons, and their conflicts) rather than sarga/pratisarga; it functions as exemplary history within the Purāṇic storytelling framework.

What is the symbolic significance?

The cutting down of successive weapons symbolizes the limitation of aggressive will (daitya-pravṛtti) when confronted by disciplined, higher power (tapas/tejas). The 'razor-arrow' motif often signifies discriminative force that severs adharma.