Vamana Purana — Skanda Slays Taraka & Mahisha, Shloka 46

Skanda’s Svastyayana and the Slaying of Taraka and Mahisha

Devanagari script

न भेतव्यं त्वया तस्मात् सत्यं गोप्तास्मि दानव महिषस्तारकश्चोभौ बाणश्च बलिनां वरः

Transliteration

na bhetavyaṃ tvayā tasmāt satyaṃ goptāsmi dānava mahiṣastārakaścobhau bāṇaśca balināṃ varaḥ

Translation

لذلك لا ينبغي لك أن تخاف. حقًّا، يا دانَفا، سأكون لك حامياً. فمهيشا وتارَكا—كلاهما—وبانة، أسبق الأقوياء، سيكونون عوناً لك.

Speakers

• Unspecified in the provided excerpt (a Daitya leader/ally reassuring another Daitya; addressed as ‘dānava’).

Key Themes

• Alliance-building among Daityas
• Assurance/protection vow
• Mobilization for conflict

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

Who are Mahiṣa, Tāraka, and Bāṇa in this context?

They are prominent Asura/Daitya figures invoked as powerful allies. The verse functions as a rhetorical guarantee: the addressee should not fear because renowned champions stand ready.

Does ‘goptāsmi’ imply a formal vow or merely encouragement?

In epic-purāṇic diction, ‘goptā asmi’ (“I am your protector”) often carries the force of a pledge, especially in martial contexts, signaling commitment to defend and to provide strategic backing.

Is any deity or avatāra implied here?

Not directly. The verse is situated in a Daitya-centered prelude; divine intervention may occur elsewhere in the chapter, but this line itself is intra-Asura reassurance.