Vamana Purana — Battle at Mandara, Shloka 31

The Battle at Mandara: Vinayaka, Nandin, and Skanda Rout the Daitya Hosts

Devanagari script

परिघं विफलं दृष्ट्वा समायान्तं च पार्षदम् बबन्ध बाहुपाशेन राहू रक्षन् हि मातुलम्

Transliteration

parighaṃ viphalaṃ dṛṣṭvā samāyāntaṃ ca pārṣadam babandha bāhupāśena rāhū rakṣan hi mātulam

Translation

Seeing that the parigha had proved ineffective, and that the attendant (pārṣada) was advancing, Rāhu—indeed protecting his maternal uncle—bound him with the noose of his arms.

Speakers

• Narrator (Sūta/paurāṇika voice) describing events to the listening sages (frame not explicit in the given excerpt).

Key Themes

• Battle narrative
• Kinship loyalty (protection of mātula)
• Martial technique (grappling/binding)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

Who is the ‘pārṣada’ here, and why is that term significant?

Pārṣada denotes a retainer/attendant—classically used for the gaṇas of Śiva, but also for attendants of other divine or royal figures. In this battle-context it signals that the opponent is not a minor fighter but a recognized member of a chief’s entourage.

What does ‘bāhupāśa’ imply as a combat motif?

Bāhupāśa is a close-quarters binding hold—an ‘arm-noose’—often used in Purāṇic battle scenes to show strength and tactical shift when weapons fail.

Why does the verse emphasize ‘rakṣan hi mātulam’ (protecting the maternal uncle)?

Purāṇic narratives frequently foreground kinship obligations as a dharmic or strategic motive. Here it frames Rāhu’s action as protective loyalty rather than mere aggression.