Vamana Purana — Prahlada's Victory through Bhakti, Shloka 25

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

Devanagari script

ततो नारायणो देवो दैत्यनाथं जगद्गुरुः नाराचेन जघानाथ हृदये सुरतापसः

Transliteration

tato nārāyaṇo devo daityanāthaṃ jagadguruḥ nārācena jaghānātha hṛdaye suratāpasaḥ

Translation

于是，纳罗延那（Nārāyaṇa）天神——世间之师——以“那罗恰”（nārāca）之箭射中代提耶（Daitya）之王的心；彼即诸天之苦行力（tapas）。

Word by Word

• tataḥ: then/thereafter
• tataḥ: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (Avyaya), तस्मात्/ततः = 'then, thereafter' (adverb)

• nārāyaṇaḥ: Nārāyaṇa
• nārāyaṇaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nārāyaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masc), प्रथमा विभक्ति (nominative/1st), एकवचन (singular)

• devaḥ: the god
• devaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेष्य-सम्बन्धे apposition to nārāyaṇaḥ

• daitya-nātham: the lord of the Daityas
• daitya-nātham: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: daitya (प्रातिपदिक) + nātha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति (accusative/2nd), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (daityānāṃ nāthaḥ)

• jagat-guruḥ: teacher of the world
• jagat-guruḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jagat (प्रातिपदिक) + guru (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (jagataḥ guruḥ)

• nārācena: with an arrow
• nārācena: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nārāca (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति (instrumental/3rd), एकवचन

• jaghāna: struck/killed
• jaghāna: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: han (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; धातु: हन् (to strike/kill)

• atha: then
• atha: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle) = 'then/now'

• hṛdaye: in the heart
• hṛdaye: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hṛdaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neut), सप्तमी विभक्ति (locative/7th), एकवचन

• sura-tāpasaḥ: of the divine ascetic
• sura-tāpasaḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sura (प्रातिपदिक) + tāpasa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी विभक्ति (genitive/6th), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः = 'suraḥ (iva) tāpasaḥ' / 'divine ascetic' (intended: 'of the divine ascetic')

Speakers

• Pulastya to Nārada (narration of the battle episode)

Primary Deities

• Vishnu (Nārāyaṇa)

Key Themes

• Daitya-Deva Conflict
• Divine Sovereignty
• Tapas/Tejas as divine efficacy

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Dharma is ultimately safeguarded by the supreme intelligence (jagadguru) rather than by brute contest alone; the decisive strike indicates the inevitability of accountability for leadership that embodies adharma.

How does this fit the Pancalakṣaṇa?

This is Vaṃśānucarita/Carita material (deva-asura leadership and conflict). It does not present creation cycles (sarga/pratisarga) but exemplifies Purāṇic didactic history.

What is the symbolic significance?

The heart-strike signifies the correction at the root of intention (hṛdaya = will/ego-center). The nārāca, a heavy decisive arrow, symbolizes concentrated, unerring divine resolve ending proliferating violence.