Vamana Purana — Vishnu Slays Kalanemi, Shloka 25

Vishnu Enters the Deva–Asura War and Slays Kalanemi

Devanagari script

ततो ऽमराणां पृतना यशस्विनी स्कन्देन्द्रविष्णुवम्बुपसूर्यपालिता नानास्त्रशस्त्रोद्यतदोःसमूहा समाससादारिबलं महीध्रे

Transliteration

tato 'marāṇāṃ pṛtanā yaśasvinī skandendraviṣṇuvambupasūryapālitā nānāstraśastrodyatadoḥsamūhā samāsasādāribalaṃ mahīdhre

Translation

“Then the glorious army of the immortals—protected by Skanda, Indra, Viṣṇu, Varuṇa, and Sūrya—raising masses of arms bearing diverse weapons and missiles, closed in upon the enemy host on the mountain.”

Speakers

• Narrator to a sage-listener (not explicitly named in the input).

Primary Deities

• Skanda
• Indra
• Vishnu
• Varuṇa
• Sūrya

Key Themes

• Deva coalition
• Divine protection of armies
• Weapon typology (astra/śastra)
• Battle on mountainous terrain

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

Why does the verse list multiple deities as ‘protectors’ of the army?

Purāṇic battle narration often marks legitimacy and invincibility through divine guardianship; naming Skanda (war leadership), Indra (sovereignty), Viṣṇu (cosmic order), Varuṇa (ṛta), and Sūrya (illumination/power) signals a fully sanctioned deva offensive.

What is the significance of ‘astra’ vs ‘śastra’ here?

Astra are projectile/missile weapons (often invoked/released), while śastra are hand-held weapons (sword, mace, spear). The pairing emphasizes total martial readiness.

Does ‘mahīdhre’ indicate a specific sacred mountain?

Not in this śloka. ‘Mahīdhra’ is generic (‘mountain’). Identification with a named site requires additional surrounding verses.