Vamana Purana — Prahlada's Victory through Bhakti, Shloka 41

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

Devanagari script

पीतवासा उवाच सो ऽहं दानवशार्दूल लोकानां हितकाम्यया धर्मं प्रवर्त्तापयितुं तपश्चर्यां समास्थितः

Transliteration

pītavāsā uvāca so 'haṃ dānavaśārdūla lokānāṃ hitakāmyayā dharmaṃ pravarttāpayituṃ tapaścaryāṃ samāsthitaḥ

Translation

Pītavāsā nói: “Hỡi mãnh hổ trong hàng Dānava, ta—vì mong cầu lợi ích cho các thế giới—đã nương vào khổ hạnh (tapas) để khiến Dharma được vận hành, nhằm thiết lập Chánh pháp.”

Word by Word

• पीतवासा: the one wearing yellow garments
• पीतवासा: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पीत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; पा धातु) + वासस्/वासा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि-समासः (‘पीतं वासो यस्य सः’); पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया/main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject: he)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (प्रातिपदिक, सर्वनाम)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject: I)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (प्रातिपदिक, सर्वनाम)
• Form: सर्वनाम; उत्तमपुरुष-प्रयोगः; प्रथमा, एकवचन

• दानवशार्दूल: O tiger among Dānavas
• दानवशार्दूल: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दानव (प्रातिपदिक) + शार्दूल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (‘दानवानां शार्दूलः’); पुल्लिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन

• लोकानाम्: of the worlds/people
• लोकानाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• हितकाम्यया: with the desire for welfare
• हितकाम्यया: Hetu (हेतु/cause, motive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हित (प्रातिपदिक) + काम्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (हितं काम्यते यया); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; हेत्वर्थे (for the sake of)

• धर्मम्: dharma, righteousness
• धर्मम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• प्रवर्त्तापयितुम्: to set in motion/establish
• प्रवर्त्तापयितुम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/purpose)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + वृत् (धातु) (णिच् causative)
• Form: हेतुमति-णिच् (causative) + तुमुन् (infinitive); ‘to cause to set in motion/establish’

• तपश्चर्याम्: austerity, penance
• तपश्चर्याम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक) + चर्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (‘तपसः चर्या’); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• समास्थितः: having undertaken
• समास्थितः: Karta (कर्ता/subject complement of अहम्)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + आ + स्था (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participle); पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘having undertaken/entered upon’

Speakers

• Pītavāsā speaking to a Dānava leader (as reported within Pulastya’s narration)

Primary Deities

• Vishnu (implied by epithet Pītavāsā)

Key Themes

• Dharma
• Tapas
• Lokahita (welfare of the worlds)
• Daitya–Deva narrative frame

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The verse frames tapas not as private power-seeking but as lokahita—undertaken to restore or propel dharma for the welfare of all beings. Even when addressing a Dānava, the stated motive is universal good, emphasizing dharma as a cosmic, not sectarian, principle.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

Primarily within Vamśānucarita/Carita-style narration (accounts of beings and their deeds) and implicitly supports Dharma as a regulator within the purāṇic cosmos. It is not sarga/pratisarga; it functions as didactic-ethical narration inside an itihāsa-like episode.

What is the symbolic significance?

‘Yellow-robed’ (pītavāsā) symbolizes divine authority and preservation; undertaking tapas to ‘set dharma moving’ presents dharma as something that can decline and must be re-activated through divine discipline—an archetype for restoration of cosmic order.