Vamana Purana — Skanda Slays Taraka & Mahisha, Shloka 26

Skanda’s Svastyayana and the Slaying of Taraka and Mahisha

Devanagari script

पुलस्त्य उवाच एवं कृतस्वस्त्ययनो गुहः शक्तिधरो ऽग्रणीः प्रणिपत्य सुरान् सर्वान् समुत्पतत भूतलात्

Transliteration

pulastya uvāca evaṃ kṛtasvastyayano guhaḥ śaktidharo 'graṇīḥ praṇipatya surān sarvān samutpatata bhūtalāt

Translation

Pulastya said: “Thus, having performed the svastyayana (rite of auspicious protection), Guha—bearer of the spear, the foremost leader—bowed to all the gods and then rose up from the surface of the earth (took flight).”

Speakers

• Pulastya to Nārada (frame narration)

Primary Deities

• Pulastya
• Narada
• Skanda (Guha/Karttikeya)
• Devas (Suras)

Key Themes

• Svastyayana (auspicious rite)
• Deva-sabhā etiquette (praṇipāta)
• Transition from hymn/rite to movement narrative
• Skanda’s leadership and martial insignia (śakti)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is ‘svastyayana’ in Purāṇic usage?

Svastyayana denotes a formal act of securing well-being—typically mantra-recitation and benediction that wards off obstacles. In narrative sequences it often marks completion of a protective liturgy before travel, battle, or a divine mission.

Why is Skanda called ‘Guha’ and ‘Śaktidhara’ together?

‘Guha’ is a devotional epithet emphasizing the deity’s mysterious/hidden nature and inner presence, while ‘Śaktidhara’ highlights his iconic weapon (the spear/śakti). The pairing signals both theological identity and recognizable iconography.

What does ‘samutpatata bhūtalāt’ convey—literal flight or poetic movement?

Purāṇic diction allows both. Given the following verse’s mention of bird-like, shape-shifting attendants, the line strongly suggests literal aerial departure, while also functioning as a narrative hinge from ritual space to journey-space.