Shloka 73

Devanagari script

ततः प्रीतो महासेनो जघान भगवान्‌ प्रभु: । दैत्येन्द्रे तारकं नाम महाबलपराक्रमम्‌

Transliteration

tataḥ prīto mahāseno jaghāna bhagavān prabhuḥ | daityendre tārakaṃ nāma mahābalaparākramam ||

Translation

তখন প্রসন্ন হয়ে ভগবান মহাসেন, সর্বক্ষম প্রভু, অপরিসীম বল ও পরাক্রমে খ্যাত দানবাধিপতি—তারক নামক দৈত্যেন্দ্রকে—নিহত করলেন।

Word by Word

ततःthen/thereafter

प्रीतःpleased

महासेनःthe great commander (Mahāsena)

जघानslew/struck down

भगवान्the blessed one, the Lord

प्रभुःthe master/lord

दैत्येन्द्रम्the lord of the Daityas (demon-king)

तारकम्Tāraka (name)

नामnamed/called

महाबलपराक्रमम्of great strength and valor

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

व

वैशम्पायन (Vaiśampāyana)

म

महासेन (Mahāsena—Skanda/Kārttikeya)

द

दैत्येन्द्र (Daityendra—lord of the Daityas)

त

तारक (Tāraka)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse presents the restoration of moral and cosmic order: when destructive power (symbolized by the demon-chief) threatens stability, rightful authority—here embodied by Mahāsena—acts decisively. Strength is ethically framed as legitimate when used to remove adharma and protect the larger good.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana narrates that Mahāsena (Skanda/Kārttikeya), pleased and empowered, strikes down the Daitya-lord named Tāraka, who is described as extraordinarily strong and valorous.