Vamana Purana — Slaying of Raktabija, Shloka 7

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

Devanagari script

महोग्रमुशला रौद्रा दंष्ट्रोल्लिखितभूतला वाराही पृष्ठतो जाता शेषनागोपरि श्थिता

Transliteration

mahogramuśalā raudrā daṃṣṭrollikhitabhūtalā vārāhī pṛṣṭhato jātā śeṣanāgopari śthitā

Translation

Fierce and terrible, bearing a mighty mace and gouging the surface of the earth with her tusks—Vārāhī was born from (Śiva’s) back, and she stood upon the serpent Śeṣa.

Word by Word

• महा-उग्र-मुशला: having a very fierce club
• महा-उग्र-मुशला: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + उग्र (प्रातिपदिक) + मुशल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः—'महच्च तदुग्रं च मुशलं यस्याः/या' (महोग्रमुशल- इति विशेषणसमूहः)

• रौद्रा: terrible
• रौद्रा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रौद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; 'terrible, wrathful'

• दंष्ट्रा-उल्लिखित-भूतला: whose ground was gouged by (her) tusks
• दंष्ट्रा-उल्लिखित-भूतला: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दंष्ट्रा (प्रातिपदिक) + उल्लिखित (कृदन्त; उद्√लिख् धातु) + भूतल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—'दंष्ट्राभ्याम् उल्लिखितं भूतलं यस्याः/या' (दंष्ट्रा-करणकः क्त-प्रत्ययान्तः)

• वाराही: Vārāhī
• वाराही: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाराही (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; 'Vārāhī'

• पृष्ठतः: from behind/from the back
• पृष्ठतः: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पृष्ठतस् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अव्यय-प्रकारः—अव्ययीभावार्थे अव्ययम्/क्रियाविशेषणम्; 'from the back/behind'

• जाता: was born/manifested
• जाता: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जात (कृदन्त; √जन् धातु)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्तः, क्रियार्थे 'was born/manifested'

• शेष-नाग-उपरि: upon Śeṣa-nāga
• शेष-नाग-उपरि: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: शेष (प्रातिपदिक) + नाग (प्रातिपदिक) + उपरि (अव्यय)
• Form: उपरि = अव्यय (preposition/adverb); पूर्वपदद्वयम् षष्ठी-सम्बन्धेन 'शेषनागस्य उपरि' (समासरूपेण लेखनम्)

• स्थिताः: stood/was positioned
• स्थिताः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्थित (कृदन्त; √स्था धातु)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्तः 'standing/placed' (पाठे 'श्थिता' = 'स्थिता')

Speakers

• Narrator voice within the Andhaka-vadha cycle (contextual epic narration; explicit interlocutors not stated in the given excerpt).

Primary Deities

• Śiva
• Śakti (Devī/Vārāhī)
• Śeṣa

Key Themes

• Manifestation of Mātr̥kās/Śaktis
• Battle imagery in Andhaka narrative
• Śaiva-Vaiṣṇava power convergence (Śakti forms mirroring Viṣṇu’s avatāras)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

Why is Vārāhī described as standing on Śeṣa?

Śeṣa functions as a cosmic support-symbol (ādhāra) associated with Viṣṇu and the stability of the worlds. Placing Vārāhī upon Śeṣa visually signals world-bearing power and the transference of Varāha-like cosmic strength into the Devī’s martial manifestation.

What does “gouging the earth with her tusks” convey in Purāṇic battle poetics?

It amplifies her boar-nature (daṃṣṭrā as Varāha’s signature) and communicates uncontrolled, earth-shaking ferocity—an iconographic shorthand for a δύναμις capable of overturning demonic forces and even disturbing the ground of the battlefield.

Is this a Vaiṣṇava or Śaiva passage?

It is Śaiva in narrative setting (Andhaka-vadha), yet it deliberately employs Vaiṣṇava-correspondent Śakti forms (e.g., Vārāhī, later Nārasiṃhī) to express a shared reservoir of divine power across sectarian frames.