Vamana Purana — Birth of Skanda (Kartikeya), Shloka 84

The Birth and Consecration of Skanda (Kartikeya) at Kurukshetra

Devanagari script

कुटिला तनयस्यादाद दश शक्रबलान् गणान् करालं सितकेशं च कृष्णकेशं जटाधरम्

Transliteration

kuṭilā tanayasyādāda daśa śakrabalān gaṇān karālaṃ sitakeśaṃ ca kṛṣṇakeśaṃ jaṭādharam

Translation

Kuṭilā, for her son’s sake, took ten gaṇas possessed of Śakra’s (Indra’s) might—among them Karāla, Sitakeśa, and Kṛṣṇakeśa, the matted-haired bearer (Jaṭādhara).

Word by Word

• कुटिला: Kuṭilā (a name)
• कुटिला: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुटिल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (कर्ता), एकवचन

• तनयस्य: of (her) son
• तनयस्य: Sambandha/Genitive (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तनय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• आदाद: gave
• आदाद: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; रूपम्—आ + दा → आदाद

• दश: ten
• दश: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दशन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् संख्याशब्दः; अत्र विशेषणरूपेण (numeral adjective), द्वितीया-बहुवचनार्थे (gaṇān इत्यस्य)

• शक्रबलान्: Indra-like/Indra’s-strength (mighty)
• शक्रबलान्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शक्र-बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (शक्रस्य बलम्/बलाः)

• गणान्: troops
• गणान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), बहुवचन

• करालम्: terrible, fierce
• करालम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कराल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; (गणम्/गणानां मध्ये एकं)

• सितकेशम्: white-haired
• सितकेशम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सित-केश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय (सिताः केशाः यस्य)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• कृष्णकेशम्: black-haired
• कृष्णकेशम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृष्ण-केश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय (कृष्णाः केशाः यस्य)

• जटाधरम्: wearing matted locks
• जटाधरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जटा-धर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (जटां धरति इति)

Speakers

• Narratorial voice within the Purāṇic dialogue frame (exact interlocutors not provided in prompt)

Primary Deities

• Shiva
• Indra (Shakra)

Key Themes

• Cataloguing of gaṇa-companies
• Indra as benchmark of martial power
• Śaiva iconography (jaṭā—matted hair)
• Mythic retinue-building for impending battle

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What does ‘śakrabalān’ convey?

It is a comparative epithet: the gaṇas are described as possessing strength like Śakra (Indra). This does not make them Indra’s troops; it signals their formidable, deva-level power.

Are Karāla, Sitakeśa, and Kṛṣṇakeśa symbolic names?

Yes. Purāṇic gaṇa-names often encode appearance or temperament—‘Terrible’, ‘White-haired’, ‘Black-haired’—creating a vivid taxonomy of Śiva’s attendants and emphasizing their otherworldly diversity.

Why mention ‘jaṭādhara’ among gaṇas?

Matted locks are a hallmark of Śaiva ascetic power. Applying ‘jaṭādhara’ to a gaṇa aligns the troop with Śiva’s ascetic-martial identity, blending tapas (austerity) with battlefield potency.