Vamana Purana — Birth of Skanda (Kartikeya), Shloka 102

The Birth and Consecration of Skanda (Kartikeya) at Kurukshetra

Devanagari script

एतानि भूतानि गणांश्च मातरो दृष्ट्वा महात्मा विनतातनूजः ददौ मयूरं स्वसुतं महाजवं तथारुणस्ताम्रचूडं च पुत्रम्

Transliteration

etāni bhūtāni gaṇāṃśca mātaro dṛṣṭvā mahātmā vinatātanūjaḥ dadau mayūraṃ svasutaṃ mahājavaṃ tathāruṇastāmracūḍaṃ ca putram

Translation

Seeing these beings—gaṇas and Mothers—the great one, the son of Vinatā, bestowed (as attendants): the peacock, his own very swift son; and likewise Aruṇa gave (his) son, Tāmra-cūḍa.

Word by Word

• एतानि: these
• एतानि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति (Nom./Acc. 1st/2nd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• भूतानि: beings
• भूतानि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति (Nom./Acc. 1st/2nd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• गणान्: groups, hosts
• गणान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• मातरः: the mothers
• मातरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Kriya (क्रिया-पूर्वक)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव (indeclinable verbal), 'having seen'

• महात्मा: the great-souled one
• महात्मा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महत् + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• विनतातनूजः: son of Vinatā (Garuda)
• विनतातनूजः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विनता + तनूज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• ददौ: gave
• ददौ: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद (Parasmaipada)

• मयूरम्: a peacock
• मयूरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मयूर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• स्वसुतम्: his own son
• स्वसुतम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व + सुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); apposition to मयूरम्

• महाजवम्: very swift
• महाजवम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा + जव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण (adjective) qualifying मयूरम्

• तथा: likewise, also
• तथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, प्रकार/समुच्चयार्थ (adverb: likewise/also)

• अरुणः: Aruṇa
• अरुणः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अरुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• ताम्रचूडम्: Tāmracūḍa (copper-crested; a son named so)
• ताम्रचूडम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ताम्र + चूड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• पुत्रम्: son
• पुत्रम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); apposition to ताम्रचूडम्

Speakers

• Narratorial voice continuing the tīrtha-endowment catalogue

Primary Deities

• Garuḍa (Vinātā-tanūja)
• Aruṇa

Key Themes

• Integration of pan-Indic mythic figures into local tīrtha ecology
• Attendant assignment (gaṇa/vehicle symbolism)
• Sacred place as a hub of divine retinues

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

Is “Vinatā-tanūja” definitely Garuḍa in this context?

Yes. In Purāṇic usage, “Vinatā’s son” is a standard epithet of Garuḍa. The pairing with Aruṇa (also a son of Vinatā) further confirms the identification.

Why would Garuḍa ‘give’ a peacock—what does that signify?

The verb “dadau” here functions like ‘assigned/appointed’ within a catalogue of attendants linked to a sacred complex. The peacock (mayūra) is a potent emblem in Indian religious iconography (notably as Skanda’s vāhana), and its inclusion suggests a layered retinue where bird-beings and divine vehicles are stationed as guardians/markers of sanctity.

Who is Tāmra-cūḍa, and why is he called Aruṇa’s son?

Tāmra-cūḍa (‘copper-crested’) is presented as a named avian/attendant figure. By making him Aruṇa’s son, the text anchors him in a recognized mythic genealogy, thereby legitimizing his presence in the tīrtha’s sacral roster.