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

Bên cạnh hai vị ấy có hai cây cung thần mang các tướng lành—Śārṅga và Āgava—và còn có hai ống tên lớn không bao giờ cạn.

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.