Vamana Purana — Prahlada's Counsel to Andhaka, Shloka 41

Shukra’s Curse on King Danda and Prahlada’s Counsel to Andhaka on Dharma

Devanagari script

पुलस्त्य उवाच इत्येवमुक्ते वचने प्रह्लादं प्राह चान्धकः भवान् धर्मपरस्त्वेको नाहं धर्म समाचरे

Transliteration

pulastya uvāca ityevamukte vacane prahlādaṃ prāha cāndhakaḥ bhavān dharmaparastveko nāhaṃ dharma samācare

Translation

Pulastya nói: Khi những lời ấy đã được nói như vậy, Andhaka nói với Prahlāda: “Chỉ riêng ngươi là người chuyên tâm với dharma; còn ta thì không thực hành dharma.”

Speakers

• Pulastya narrates; Andhaka speaks to Prahlada

Key Themes

• Contrast of dharmic and adharmic dispositions
• Prahlada as moral exemplar
• Confession of adharma as narrative foreshadowing

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the narrative function of Andhaka’s statement ‘I do not practice dharma’?

It marks a deliberate rejection of moral restraint, setting up the ethical polarity needed for the ensuing conflict: Prahlāda embodies dharma, while Andhaka self-identifies with adharma, foreshadowing downfall and divine/heroic intervention in the larger Andhaka-cycle.

Why is Prahlāda singled out as ‘eko’ (alone)?

The phrasing heightens Prahlāda’s exceptionalism among Asuras: he is portrayed as a solitary standard-bearer of dharma within a community otherwise inclined toward transgression.

Does this verse contribute to the Vāmana Purāṇa’s sacred geography emphasis?

Not directly. It is a dialogue hinge in a mythic-ethical narrative; no rivers, tīrthas, forests, or regions are named here.