Vamana Purana — Slaying of Raktabija, Shloka 47

The Slaying of Raktabīja and Niśumbha–Śumbha; the Manifestation of the Mātṛkās and the Devas’ Hymn

Devanagari script

गगनस्थास्ततो देवाः शतक्रतुपुरोगमाः जयस्व विजयेत्यूचुर्हृष्टाः शत्रौ निपातिते

Transliteration

gaganasthāstato devāḥ śatakratupurogamāḥ jayasva vijayetyūcurhṛṣṭāḥ śatrau nipātite

Translation

Then the gods, stationed in the sky and led by Śatakratu (Indra), delighted at the enemy’s fall, cried out: “Be victorious! Win!”

Word by Word

• गगन-स्थाः: standing in the sky
• गगन-स्थाः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्था (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्ताधारित) + गगन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (गगने स्थाः)

• ततः: then/thereupon
• ततः: Avyaya (अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb) ‘thereupon/from there’

• देवाः: the gods
• देवाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/कर्ता), बहुवचन

• शतक्रतु-पुरोगमाः: with Śatakratu (Indra) in front/leading
• शतक्रतु-पुरोगमाः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुरोगम (प्रातिपदिक: पुरस् + गम्) + शतक्रतु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (शतक्रतुः पुरोगमः येषाम् = having Indra as leader)

• जयस्व: be victorious!
• जयस्व: Sambodhana/Prayojana (सम्बोधन/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जि (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• विजयेति: ‘victory!’ (thus)
• विजयेति: Avyaya (अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विजय (प्रातिपदिक) + इति (अव्यय)
• Form: इति-निपात (quotative particle)

• ऊचुः: said
• ऊचुः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• हृष्टाः: delighted
• हृष्टाः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हृष् (धातु) → हृष्ट (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP/क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; ‘देवाः’ इत्यस्य विशेषण

• शत्रौ: when the enemy
• शत्रौ: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शत्रु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/अधिकरण), एकवचन

• निपातिते: having been struck down
• निपातिते: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नि + पत् (धातु) → निपातित (कृदन्त)
• Form: णिच्-प्रत्ययान्त causative-base + क्त (PPP), पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘शत्रौ’ इत्यस्य विशेषण (when the enemy had been felled)

Speakers

• Devas (led by Indra) acclaiming the victorious divine force (implicitly Śiva/Devī’s side) after the foe’s fall.

Primary Deities

• Indra (Śatakratu)
• Devas (collective)
• Śiva (implied victor)
• Devī (implied ally)

Key Themes

• Divine acclamation
• Restoration of cosmic order
• Indra and the devas as witnesses
• Battle-to-stuti transition

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

Why is Indra called “Śatakratu” here?

Śatakratu (“hundred-sacrifice performer”) is a standard Vedic-Purāṇic epithet of Indra, highlighting his sovereignty validated through sacrificial power and his leadership among the devas.

Who is being addressed by “jayasva vijaya”?

The verse does not name the addressee explicitly; in the Andhaka-vadha narrative it is typically the victorious divine agent—most naturally Śiva (or the empowered Devī/Śakti force) who has brought down the sura-śatru.

Does “gaganasthāḥ” imply a specific loka or heaven?

It indicates the devas observing from the sky/heavenly realm in a general sense; it is not a named loka (like Svarga) in this śloka, and it carries no tīrtha-geography data.