Vamana Purana — Birth of Skanda (Kartikeya), Shloka 29

The Birth and Consecration of Skanda (Kartikeya) at Kurukshetra

Devanagari script

श्रुत्वा पितामहवचः पावकस्त्वरितो ऽभ्यगात् वेगिनं मेषमारुह्य कुटिला तं ददर्श ह

Transliteration

śrutvā pitāmahavacaḥ pāvakastvarito 'bhyagāt veginaṃ meṣamāruhya kuṭilā taṃ dadarśa ha

Translation

31

Word by Word

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive), अव्ययभाव; ‘having heard’

• पितामह-वचः: the grandsire’s words
• पितामह-वचः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितामह (प्रातिपदिक) + वचस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी: ‘of the grandsire’), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• पावकः: Fire (Pāvaka)
• पावकः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पावक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• त्वरितः: hastened
• त्वरितः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्वरित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• अभ्यगात्: went/approached
• अभ्यगात्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि + गम् (धातु)
• Form: लुङ् (Aorist), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• वेगिनम्: swift
• वेगिनम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वेगिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• मेषम्: a ram
• मेषम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मेष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• आरुह्य: having mounted
• आरुह्य: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + रुह् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive), अव्ययभाव; ‘having mounted’

• कुटिला: Kuṭilā (a woman)
• कुटिला: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुटिल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; (नामरूपेण)

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• ददर्श: saw
• ददर्श: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• ह: indeed/then
• ह: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ह (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), कथन-समाप्त्यर्थ/अनुवादक

Speakers

• Narrator voice (third-person) describing events after Pitāmaha’s instruction; Kuṭilā is an onlooker who notices Agni.

Primary Deities

• Brahmā (Pitāmaha)
• Agni (Pāvaka)

Key Themes

• Obedience to Brahmā’s command
• Speed and urgency in divine errands
• Agni’s iconography (ram-mount)
• Encounter setup (Kuṭilā notices Agni)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

Who is ‘Pitāmaha’ here, and why does his speech matter?

Pitāmaha is the standard Purāṇic epithet for Brahmā. His instruction functions as a narrative trigger: Agni’s immediate departure shows the hierarchical order among devas and the urgency of the cosmic situation being addressed.

Why is Agni shown riding a ram (meṣa)?

Agni’s vāhana is frequently given as a ram in Purāṇic iconography. The detail signals identity (Pāvaka) and conveys speed/force appropriate to fire’s nature.

Who is Kuṭilā in this context?

Kuṭilā is a named female figure who becomes an interlocutor in the next verse. Her seeing Agni establishes the encounter that will elicit an explanation of his urgent mission.