Vamana Purana — Birth of Skanda (Kartikeya), Shloka 37

The Birth and Consecration of Skanda (Kartikeya) at Kurukshetra

Devanagari script

बाढमित्येव भगवान् समुत्तस्थौ वृषध्वजः सहोमया कुटिलया पावकेन च धीमता

Transliteration

bāḍhamityeva bhagavān samuttasthau vṛṣadhvajaḥ sahomayā kuṭilayā pāvakena ca dhīmatā

Translation

Saying, “So be it,” the Blessed Lord—he whose banner bears the bull—rose up, together with Umā, with Kuṭilā, and with the wise Fire, Pāvaka (Agni).

Speakers

• Narrator (Purāṇic voice) describing Śiva’s action; no direct speech beyond Śiva’s assent.

Primary Deities

• Śiva (Hara/Vṛṣadhvaja)
• Umā (Pārvatī)
• Agni (Pāvaka)
• Kuṭilā

Key Themes

• Skanda/Kārttikeya origin cycle
• Śaiva divine agency
• Agni’s role in the Skanda narrative
• Divine assent and mobilization

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

Why is Śiva called Vṛṣadhvaja here?

Vṛṣadhvaja (“bull-bannered”) is a standard Śaiva epithet highlighting Śiva’s sovereignty and his emblem (the bull, linked with Nandin). In Skanda-related episodes it also signals that the narrative is anchored in Śiva’s household and retinue.

Who is Kuṭilā in this context?

Kuṭilā is presented as a named feminine divine presence accompanying Umā and Śiva. Purāṇic recensions sometimes preserve such attendants/śaktis as local or sectarian insertions; here she functions as part of the divine entourage moving toward the Śaravaṇa setting of Skanda’s manifestation.

What is the significance of Agni being called ‘wise’ (dhīmat)?

Agni is not merely elemental fire; in Purāṇic myth he is a conscious deity who receives, carries, and transforms divine energy. Calling him dhīmat underscores his discriminating agency in handling the potent seed/energy associated with Skanda’s birth-cycle.