Vamana Purana — Narada Questions Pulastya, Shloka 4

Narada Questions Pulastya: The Vamana Purana Begins and Satī’s Monsoon Lament

Devanagari script

कथं च वैष्णवनो भूत्वा प्रह्लादो दैत्यसत्तमः त्रिदशैर्युयुधे सार्थमत्र मै संशयो महान्

Transliteration

kathaṃ ca vaiṣṇavano bhūtvā prahlādo daityasattamaḥ tridaśairyuyudhe sārthamatra mai saṃśayo mahān

Translation

又为何普罗诃罗陀——诸代底耶中最胜者——虽为毗湿奴的奉信者，却与诸天同阵而战？对此我有极大的疑惑。

Word by Word

• कथम्: how
• कथम्: Prashna (प्रश्न/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम् (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रश्नार्थक क्रियाविशेषण

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• वैष्णवः: a devotee of Viṣṇu / Vaiṣṇava
• वैष्णवः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैष्णव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन

• भूत्वा: having become
• भूत्वा: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund/Absolutive), पूर्वकालिक क्रिया

• प्रह्लादः: Prahlāda
• प्रह्लादः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रह्लाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन

• दैत्य-सत्तमः: the best among the Daityas
• दैत्य-सत्तमः: Apposition (समानााधिकरण/विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दैत्य (प्रातिपदिक) + सत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (दैत्येषु सत्तमः)

• त्रिदशैः: with the gods (thirty)
• त्रिदशैः: Saha (सह/सहकारक)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रिदश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), बहुवचन

• युयुधे: fought
• युयुधे: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: युध् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपदम्

• स-अर्थम्: together (with them)
• स-अर्थम्: Saha (सह/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स (अव्यय/उपसर्गसदृश) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; अव्ययप्रयोग (adverbial): ‘सार्थम्’ = together/along with

• अत्र: here / in this matter
• अत्र: Desha (देश)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (locative adverb)

• मे: my / to me
• मे: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• संशयः: doubt
• संशयः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संशय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन

• महान्: great
• महान्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying ‘संशयः’)

Speakers

• Not explicit in the provided excerpt; likely within the Purana’s opening dialogue framework (commonly a question posed by the listener to the narrator).

Primary Deities

• Vishnu

Key Themes

• Vaishnavism
• Bhakti
• Daitya-Deva Conflict
• Narrative Inquiry

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The verse foregrounds a classic Purāṇic tension: devotion (bhakti) does not automatically erase social/cosmic roles (dharma) and historical alignments. It invites a nuanced explanation of how a Viṣṇu-bhakta can still participate in conflict, depending on circumstance, duty, or divine arrangement.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

This functions as a prompt for Vamśānucarita / Carita-style narration (accounts of renowned figures like Prahlāda) and often connects to Manvantara/Deva-Asura cycles when the broader context of divine wars is supplied.

What is the symbolic significance?

Prahlāda symbolizes steadfast devotion within adverse lineage (a Daitya family). The ‘doubt’ signals that bhakti transcends simplistic factionalism, preparing the text to reconcile apparent contradictions through deeper dharma and divine intent.