Vamana Purana — Prahlada vs Nara-Narayana, Shloka 26

Prahlada’s Defeat by Nara-Narayana and Victory through Bhakti

Devanagari script

ततस्तु च्यवनो नाम भार्गवेन्द्रो महातपाः जगाम नर्मदां स्नातुं तीर्थं चैवाकुलीश्वरम्

Transliteration

tatastu cyavano nāma bhārgavendro mahātapāḥ jagāma narmadāṃ snātuṃ tīrthaṃ caivākulīśvaram

Translation

其后，名为遮耶婆那（Cyavana）的大苦行者，乃婆尔伽瓦族中之最胜者，前往那尔摩陀河沐浴，并亦巡礼名为阿库利湿伐罗（Ākulīśvara）之圣地（tīrtha）。

Word by Word

• ततः: then
• ततः: Adverbial (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रमवाचक (then/thereafter)

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधान/विरोधार्थक निपात (particle: but/indeed)

• च्यवनः: Cyavana
• च्यवनः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: च्यवन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masculine, Nominative, Singular)

• नाम: by name
• नाम: Apposition marker (विशेषणसूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाम (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; नामनिर्देशक (indeclinable: by name)

• भार्गवेन्द्रः: chief among the Bhārgavas
• भार्गवेन्द्रः: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्तृसमानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भार्गव-इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक; भार्गव+इन्द्र)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masculine, Nominative, Singular)

• महातपाः: of great austerity
• महातपाः: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्तृसमानााधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महातपस् (प्रातिपदिक; महा+तपस्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masculine, Nominative, Singular)

• जगाम: went
• जगाम: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √गम् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/परिपूर्ण), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद (Perfect, 3rd person, Singular, Parasmaipada)

• नर्मदाम्: (to) the Narmadā (river)
• नर्मदाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर्मदा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (Feminine, Accusative, Singular)

• स्नातुम्: to bathe
• स्नातुम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √स्ना (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (infinitive): ‘to bathe’

• तीर्थम्: a sacred ford/pilgrimage place
• तीर्थम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (Neuter, Accusative, Singular)

• च: and
• च: Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक (conjunction: and)

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: Emphasis (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (particle: indeed/just)

• आकुलीश्वरम्: Ākulīśvara (name of the tīrtha/deity)
• आकुलीश्वरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आकुलीश्वर (प्रातिपदिक; आकुली+ईश्वर)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masculine, Accusative, Singular)

Speakers

• Narrative frame likely Pulastya to Nārada (typical for Vāmana Purāṇa; not explicit in input)

Primary Deities

• Shiva

Key Themes

• Tirtha Mahatmya
• Pilgrimage
• Ritual bathing (snāna)
• Shaivism
• Asceticism (tapas)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Pilgrimage and sacred bathing are framed as disciplined acts of purification undertaken by even great sages, reinforcing that tapas and tīrtha-sevā are complementary supports to dharma.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

This aligns with ācāra/dharma and tīrtha-māhātmya material embedded in narrative (a kind of vamśānucarita-associated episode through a rishi figure), rather than creation cycles.

What is the symbolic significance?

Cyavana’s movement toward a Śaiva tīrtha on the Narmadā highlights the Purāṇa’s tendency to sacralize geography and to validate Śiva-worship within a broader, non-exclusive devotional landscape.