Vamana Purana — Prahlada vs Nara-Narayana, Shloka 48

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

Devanagari script

किं भवद्भ्यां समारःधं दम्भं धर्मविनाशनम् क्व तपः क्व जटाभारः क्व चेमौ प्रवरायुधौ

Transliteration

kiṃ bhavadbhyāṃ samāraḥdhaṃ dambhaṃ dharmavināśanam kva tapaḥ kva jaṭābhāraḥ kva cemau pravarāyudhau

Translation

你们为何行此伪饰之举，足以毁坏正法（dharma）？苦行何在，结发之重何在，而这两件上等兵器又与之何干？

Word by Word

• किम्: what?
• किम्: प्रश्न (Interrogative predicate)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom/Acc), एकवचन (Singular); प्रश्नवाचक (interrogative)

• भवद्भ्याम्: by you two
• भवद्भ्याम्: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument; agent-instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भवत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), द्विवचन (Dual); आदरार्थे ‘भवत्’

• समाराधम्: is accomplished/achieved
• समाराधम्: प्रत्ययित-विशेष्य (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-राध् (धातु)
• Form: कृत-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP/क्त) ‘समाराध’ (neuter used predicatively); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; अर्थः—‘well accomplished/propitiated’

• दम्भम्: hypocrisy; ostentation
• दम्भम्: कर्म (Karma/Object; implied)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दम्भ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• धर्मविनाशनम्: destroyer of dharma
• धर्मविनाशनम्: कर्म (Karma; adjectival)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धर्म + विनाशन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषणम् ‘दम्भम्’; समासः—धर्मस्य विनाशनम् (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• क्व: where?
• क्व: प्रश्न (Interrogative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्व (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्नवाचक-अव्यय (interrogative adverb: where?)

• तपः: austerity
• तपः: कर्ता (Karta; contrasted topic)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• क्व: where?
• क्व: प्रश्न (Interrogative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्व (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्नवाचक-अव्यय (interrogative adverb)

• जटाभारः: mass/burden of matted hair
• जटाभारः: कर्ता (Karta; contrasted topic)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जटा + भार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); समासः—जटानां भारः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• क्व: where?
• क्व: प्रश्न (Interrogative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्व (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्नवाचक-अव्यय (interrogative adverb)

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Coordination)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• इमौ: these two
• इमौ: कर्ता (Karta; contrasted topic)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), द्विवचन (Dual); सर्वनाम

• प्रवरायुधौ: two excellent weapons
• प्रवरायुधौ: कर्ता (Karta; contrasted topic)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रवर + आयुध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), द्विवचन (Dual); समासः—प्रवरं आयुधं (कर्मधारय)

Speakers

• A Dānava speaking to the two figures

Primary Deities

• Vishnu

Key Themes

• Dharma
• Hypocrisy (dambha)
• Ascetic symbolism (tapas, jaṭā)
• Recognition of divine power through weapons
• Daitya-Deva Conflict

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The verse condemns religious ostentation (dambha) as dharma-destroying; it also exposes how the critic can be morally right about hypocrisy yet wrong in application when confronting genuine divinity in disguise.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

Carita-oriented narrative: it frames a moral accusation that precipitates the ensuing revelation/conflict, functioning as a didactic moment within an episode.

What is the symbolic significance?

‘Tapas’ and ‘jaṭā’ symbolize renunciation, while ‘supreme weapons’ symbolize sovereign power and protection. Their juxtaposition points to the Purāṇic ideal that true divine authority can encompass both ascetic restraint and martial guardianship—without hypocrisy.