Vamana Purana — Prahlada vs Nara-Narayana, Shloka 61

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

Devanagari script

ततः पतत्त्रिभिर्वीरौ सुभृशं नरदानवौ युद्धे वरास्त्रैर्युध्येतां घोररूपैः परस्परम्

Transliteration

tataḥ patattribhirvīrau subhṛśaṃ naradānavau yuddhe varāstrairyudhyetāṃ ghorarūpaiḥ parasparam

Translation

继而两位英雄——那罗与檀那婆——在箭雨纷飞之中，于战场上猛烈交锋，以形相可怖的上等神矢互相击射。

Word by Word

• tataḥ: then
• tataḥ: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), adverb (क्रियाविशेषण)

• patattribhiḥ: with missiles/feathered (arrows)
• patattribhiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: patattrin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (तृतीया) plural (बहुवचन)

• vīrau: the two heroes
• vīrau: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vīra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा) dual (द्विवचन)

• subhṛśam: exceedingly
• subhṛśam: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: subhṛśa (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), adverb (क्रियाविशेषण) ‘exceedingly’

• nara-dānavau: Nara and the Dānava
• nara-dānavau: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nara (प्रातिपदिक) + dānava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा) dual (द्विवचन); द्वन्द्व: ‘Nara and Dānava (Prahlāda)’

• yuddhe: in battle
• yuddhe: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yuddha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Locative (सप्तमी) singular (एकवचन)

• vara-astraiḥ: with excellent weapons
• vara-astraiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vara (प्रातिपदिक) + astra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Instrumental (तृतीया) plural (बहुवचन); कर्मधारय: varaṃ ca tad astraṃ ‘excellent weapons’

• yudhyetām: they fought
• yudhyetām: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √yudh (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ (लट्, present), Ātmanepada (आत्मनेपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष) dual (द्विवचन)

• ghora-rūpaiḥ: of terrible forms
• ghora-rūpaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ghora (प्रातिपदिक) + rūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Instrumental (तृतीया) plural (बहुवचन); adjective qualifying varāstraiḥ

• parasparam: with each other
• parasparam: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: paraspara (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), reciprocal adverb (परस्पर-क्रियाविशेषण)

Speakers

• Narratorial layer (likely within Pulastya–Nārada frame
• but speakers not explicit in the verse)

Primary Deities

• Vishnu

Key Themes

• Daitya-Deva Conflict
• Dharma vs. Adharma
• Martial valor
• Astra lore

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Even when conflict becomes intense (subhṛśam), the Purāṇic ethic frames battle as governed by order—heroes employ recognized astras rather than chaotic violence, implying that power should remain within dharma-bound restraint.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

Primarily Vamśānucarita/Carita (narrative of renowned figures and their deeds), with a subsidiary didactic function through exemplifying dharmic conduct in warfare.

What is the symbolic significance?

The mutual exchange of ‘ghorarūpa’ astras externalizes the inner clash between divine order and daityic resistance; the ‘winged missiles’ imagery suggests the rapidity of karmic consequence when adharma confronts the divine.