Vamana Purana — Prahlada vs Nara-Narayana, Shloka 27

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

Devanagari script

तत्र दृष्ट्वा महादेवं नदीं स्नातुमवातरत् अवतीर्णं प्रजग्राह नागः केकरलोहितः

Transliteration

tatra dṛṣṭvā mahādevaṃ nadīṃ snātumavātarat avatīrṇaṃ prajagrāha nāgaḥ kekaralohitaḥ

Translation

在那里，他见到大自在天（Mahādeva）后，便下到河中沐浴；方才下水，名为计迦罗-卢希多（Kekara-lohita）之蛇便攫住了他。

Word by Word

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adverbial (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: there)

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Purvakala (पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund): having seen

• महादेवम्: Mahādeva (Śiva)
• महादेवम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महादेव (प्रातिपदिक; महा+देव)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masculine, Accusative, Singular)

• नदीम्: the river
• नदीम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नदी (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

• अवातरात्: descended
• अवातरात्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव√तॄ (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (अनद्यतनभूत), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद (Imperfect, 3rd person, Singular, Parasmaipada)

• अवतीर्णम्: the one who had descended
• अवतीर्णम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अवतीर्ण (कृदन्त; अव√तॄ)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (Past participle, Masculine, Accusative, Singular)

• प्रजग्राह: seized/caught
• प्रजग्राह: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र√ग्रह् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/परिपूर्ण), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद (Perfect, 3rd person, Singular, Parasmaipada)

• नागः: a serpent
• नागः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masculine, Nominative, Singular)

• केकरलोहितः: Kekara-lohita (reddish/‘red of Kekara’, proper epithet)
• केकरलोहितः: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्तृसमानााधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: केकर-लोहित (प्रातिपदिक; केकर+लोहित)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masculine, Nominative, Singular)

Speakers

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

Primary Deities

• Shiva

Key Themes

• Tirtha Mahatmya
• Divine vision (darśana)
• Trial/obstacle during pilgrimage
• Nāga motif

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Even in sacred acts (snāna after darśana), obstacles may arise; the narrative pattern typically teaches steadiness in dharma and reliance on divine order rather than complacency in piety.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

It belongs to narrative/episode material (ākhyāna) supporting tīrtha-māhātmya and dharma themes, not to sarga/pratisarga genealogical catalogues directly.

What is the symbolic significance?

The nāga’s seizure can symbolize latent dangers (inner passions/saṃskāras) that surface precisely at liminal moments (descending into waters), while Mahādeva’s presence signals that Śaiva grace/order frames the episode’s resolution.