Vamana Purana — Skanda Slays Taraka & Mahisha, Shloka 59

Skanda’s Svastyayana and the Slaying of Taraka and Mahisha

Devanagari script

रौद्रः शकटचक्राक्षो गणः पञ्चशिखो बली भ्रामयन् मुद्गरं वेगान्निजघान बलाद् रिपून्

Transliteration

raudraḥ śakaṭacakrākṣo gaṇaḥ pañcaśikho balī bhrāmayan mudgaraṃ vegānnijaghāna balād ripūn

Translation

রৌদ্র নামক শক্তিমান গণ—যিনি শকটচক্রাক্ষ ও পঞ্চশিখ নামেও পরিচিত—দ্রুত বেগে গদা ঘুরিয়ে বলপ্রয়োগে শত্রুদের নিধন করলেন।

Word by Word

• रौद्रः: Raudra (name) / the fierce one
• रौद्रः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रौद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन; नाम/विशेषणवत्

• शकटचक्राक्षः: Śakaṭacakrākṣa (one with cart-wheel axle-like feature)
• शकटचक्राक्षः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शकट + चक्र + अक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः—शकटस्य चक्रस्य अक्ष इव (or having axle/wheel like a cart)

• गणः: a gaṇa (troop-member)
• गणः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन

• पञ्चशिखः: five-crested
• पञ्चशिखः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पञ्च + शिख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः—पञ्च शिखाः यस्य (five-crested)

• बली: the strong one
• बली: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बलिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन; इकारान्त (बलिन्) रूपम्

• भ्रामयन्: whirling
• भ्रामयन्: कर्ता (Karta/Agent, participial)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भ्रम् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्यय (Present active participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• मुद्गरम्: hammer, mace
• मुद्गरम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुद्गर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन

• वेगात्: from speed, with momentum
• वेगात्: हेतु/अपादान (Cause/Ablative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (Ablative), एकवचन; हेत्वर्थे (from/through speed, because of momentum)

• निजघान: slew, struck down
• निजघान: क्रिया (Verb/Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-हन् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• बलात्: by force
• बलात्: हेतु/अपादान (Cause/Ablative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (Ablative), एकवचन; हेत्वर्थे (by force/forcibly)

• रिपून्: enemies
• रिपून्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रिपु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), बहुवचन

Speakers

• Narrator describing successive champions within Śiva’s gaṇas during the Andhaka battle.

Primary Deities

• Shiva (implied as gaṇeśvara)

Key Themes

• Andhaka Vadha cycle
• Cataloguing of gaṇa champions
• Martial iconography (mudgara)
• Overpowering of adharma forces

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

Are ‘Raudra’, ‘Śakaṭacakrākṣa’, and ‘Pañcaśikha’ three beings or one?

The syntax allows them to function as multiple epithets for a single gaṇa: “the gaṇa Raudra—Śakaṭacakrākṣa—Pañcaśikha.” Purāṇic battle catalogues frequently stack names/epithets to intensify characterization.

What does ‘mudgara’ signify in Purāṇic warfare?

Mudgara (mace/club) is a classic symbol of brute, crushing power—often associated with gaṇas and other non-royal combatants. Its whirling (bhrāmayan) emphasizes unstoppable momentum rather than refined archery.

Is there any hidden geographic reference in ‘śakaṭa’ or ‘cakra’?

Here they function as descriptive elements within a name/epithet, not as place-names. No identifiable sacred geography is encoded in this verse.