Vamana Purana — Shukra's Samjivani, Shloka 50

Shukra’s Saṃjīvanī, Shiva’s Containment of the Asuras, and Indra’s Recovery of Power

Devanagari script

विनायको माहावीर्य परश्वधधरो रणे संक्रुद्धो राक्षसश्रेष्ठं तुहुण्डं समयोधयत् दुर्योधनश्च बलिनं घण्टाकर्णमयोधयत्

Transliteration

vināyako māhāvīrya paraśvadhadharo raṇe saṃkruddho rākṣasaśreṣṭhaṃ tuhuṇḍaṃ samayodhayat duryodhanaśca balinaṃ ghaṇṭākarṇamayodhayat

Translation

Vināyaka, of great prowess, bearing an axe, enraged in battle, engaged in combat with the foremost of Rākṣasas, Tuhuṇḍa. And Duryodhana fought the mighty (Rākṣasa) Ghaṇṭākarṇa.

Speakers

• Narrator voice within the Purāṇic dialogue (exact interlocutors not provided in input) describing the battle line-up.

Primary Deities

• Vināyaka (Gaṇeśa)
• Śiva (implied as lord of the gaṇas)

Key Themes

• Andhaka-vadha cycle
• Deva–Asura conflict
• Gaṇa participation in cosmic battles
• Heroic single-combat (dvandva-yuddha)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

Is this Vināyaka the same as Gaṇeśa, and why is he in a battlefield episode?

Yes—Vināyaka is a standard epithet for Gaṇeśa as the ‘leader’ of Śiva’s gaṇas. In Andhaka-vadha and related Śaiva battle cycles, Śiva’s attendants (gaṇas/pramathas) are portrayed as an organized host that fights Dānavas and Rākṣasas; Gaṇeśa appears as a martial commander figure.

Who are Tuhuṇḍa and Ghaṇṭākarṇa?

They are proper names of Rākṣasa/Asura combatants in the battle catalogue. Such catalogues function like epic ‘roll-calls’ (yuddha-nāmāvalī), highlighting notable duels rather than giving full biographies for each figure.

Does ‘Duryodhana’ here refer to the Mahābhārata’s Kaurava prince?

Not necessarily. ‘Duryodhana’ is also a descriptive heroic name (‘difficult to fight/defeat’) and can occur as a separate character-name in Purāṇic battle lists. Identification would require corroborating context from surrounding verses.