Vamana Purana — Battle at Mandara, Shloka 50

The Battle at Mandara: Vinayaka, Nandin, and Skanda Rout the Daitya Hosts

Devanagari script

गणान् सन्दीन् वृषभध्वजांस्तान् धाराभिरेवाम्बुरास्तु शैलान् ते छाद्यमानासुरबामजालैर्विनायकाद्या बलिनो ऽपि समन्तान्

Transliteration

gaṇān sandīn vṛṣabhadhvajāṃstān dhārābhirevāmburāstu śailān te chādyamānāsurabāmajālairvināyakādyā balino 'pi samantān

Translation

Those gaṇas—attendants of the Bull-bannered Lord (Śiva)—stood firm like mountains drenched by torrents of water. Yet, though powerful, beginning with Vināyaka, they were on every side covered over by the net-like stratagems (or meshes) of the Asuras.

Speakers

• Narrator (Purāṇic narrator) describing the battle scene (exact interlocutors not specified in input)

Primary Deities

• Shiva (Vṛṣabhadhvaja)
• Ganesha (Vinayaka)
• Skanda/Kumara

Key Themes

• Deva–Asura conflict
• Valor of Śiva’s gaṇas
• Martial imagery and simile
• Overwhelming tactics (jāla)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

Why are Śiva’s gaṇas compared to mountains struck by torrents?

The simile emphasizes steadiness and endurance: mountains remain unmoved even when battered by heavy rains. Likewise, the gaṇas hold their ground despite intense assault.

What does ‘asura-jāla’ (“Asura net/mesh”) imply in a battle context?

Jāla can denote literal nets or figurative snares—formations, encirclements, or magical devices. The verse suggests the Asuras used enveloping tactics that temporarily obscured or constrained even strong gaṇas.

Does this verse contain pilgrimage geography typical of the Vāmana Purāṇa?

No. Here the language is epic-battle narration; ‘mountains’ and ‘torrents’ function as poetic comparison rather than named sacred sites.