Vamana Purana — Skanda Slays Taraka & Mahisha, Shloka 23

Skanda’s Svastyayana and the Slaying of Taraka and Mahisha

Devanagari script

वह्निर्दक्षिमपूर्वा च कुबेरो दक्षिणापराम् प्रतीचीमुत्तरां वायुः शिवः पूर्वोत्तरामपि

Transliteration

vahnirdakṣimapūrvā ca kubero dakṣiṇāparām pratīcīmuttarāṃ vāyuḥ śivaḥ pūrvottarāmapi

Translation

May Agni protect the south-eastern quarter; may Kubera protect the south-western quarter; may Vāyu protect the north-western quarter; and may Śiva protect the north-eastern quarter as well.

Word by Word

• vahniḥ: Fire (Agni)
• vahniḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vahni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• dakṣima-pūrvām: the southeast (direction)
• dakṣima-pūrvām: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dakṣiṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + pūrvā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; कर्मधारयः (dakṣiṇā ca sā pūrvā ca) = southeast direction

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चयार्थक अव्यय)

• kuberaḥ: Kubera
• kuberaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kubera (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• dakṣiṇa-aparām: the southwest (direction)
• dakṣiṇa-aparām: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dakṣiṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + aparā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; कर्मधारयः = southwest direction

• pratīcīm: the west
• pratīcīm: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pratīcī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• uttarām: the north
• uttarām: Karma (कर्म/Object; with pratīcīm)
• Type: Noun
• Root: uttarā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• vāyuḥ: Vāyu (Wind)
• vāyuḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vāyu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रthama), Singular (एकवचन)

• śivaḥ: Śiva
• śivaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• pūrva-uttarām: the northeast (direction)
• pūrva-uttarām: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pūrvā (प्रातिपदिक) + uttarā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; कर्मधारयः = northeast direction

• api: also
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (समुच्चयार्थक निपात)

Speakers

• Not specified in the provided excerpt (continuation of a protective/directional assignment).

Primary Deities

• Agni
• Kubera
• Vayu
• Shiva

Key Themes

• Directional guardianship (intercardinal quarters)
• Integration of Śaiva elements in protective liturgy
• Ritual cosmography (mapping deities onto space)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

Why is Śiva placed in the north-east direction here?

The north-east is traditionally the Īśāna quarter, presided over by Īśāna/Śiva in many Hindu cosmographic systems. The verse reflects that standard association by explicitly assigning Śiva to pūrvottarā (NE).

Is Kubera normally the guardian of the south-west?

In many lists Kubera is associated with the north, while the south-west is linked with Nirṛti. Purāṇic and ritual texts sometimes vary assignments depending on the specific protective schema being used; here Kubera is explicitly appointed to the south-west.

What does this add to a tīrtha-māhātmya narrative?

It frames the tīrtha practice with a complete protective grid: cardinal and intercardinal quarters are secured by deities, presenting pilgrimage/worship as participation in an ordered cosmic space.