Vamana Purana — Skanda Slays Taraka & Mahisha, Shloka 24

Skanda’s Svastyayana and the Slaying of Taraka and Mahisha

Devanagari script

उवरिष्टाद् ध्रुवः शिवः पुर्वोत्तरामपि मुसती लाङ्गली चक्री धनुष्मानन्तरेषु च

Transliteration

uvariṣṭād dhruvaḥ śivaḥ purvottarāmapi musatī lāṅgalī cakrī dhanuṣmānantareṣu ca

Translation

Desde lo alto, que Dhruva y Śiva otorguen protección; y también en los espacios intermedios, que protejan el portador de la maza, el portador del arado, el portador del disco y el portador del arco.

Word by Word

• uvariṣṭāt: from above / above
• uvariṣṭāt: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/locative sense)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: uvariṣṭāt (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb/indeclinable of place (देशवाचक अव्यय) = 'from above/above' (reading uncertain; likely 'upariṣṭāt')

• dhruvaḥ: Dhruva (Pole star/deity)
• dhruvaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhruva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• śivaḥ: Śiva
• śivaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject; apposition)
• 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)

• musatī: Musatī (name/epithet; uncertain)
• musatī: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: musatī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); reading uncertain (possibly a deity/weapon-name)

• lāṅgalī: the plough-bearer
• lāṅgalī: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: lāṅgalin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); 'plough-bearer' epithet

• cakrī: the discus-bearer
• cakrī: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: cakrin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); 'discus-bearer'

• dhanuṣmān: the bow-bearer
• dhanuṣmān: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhanuṣmat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); 'bow-possessing'

• antareṣu: in the intermediate directions
• antareṣu: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: antara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Plural (बहुवचन)

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

Speakers

• Not specified in the provided excerpt (continuation of a protective litany).

Primary Deities

• Dhruva (Pole Star, personified)
• Shiva
• Vishnu (Cakrī, implied)
• Balarama (Lāṅgalī, implied)
• Archer-aspect deity (Dhanuṣmān, implied)

Key Themes

• Cosmic orientation (zenith; Dhruva as axis)
• Protective theology via divine weapons (āyudha-rakṣā)
• Śaiva–Vaiṣṇava co-presence in ritual protection

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

Why is Dhruva invoked ‘from above’ in a protection formula?

Dhruva (Pole Star) functions as the cosmic pivot/axis-marker in Indic cosmography. Invoking Dhruva for the zenith symbolizes stability, fixity, and protection from disturbances ‘from above’ (celestial/astral influences).

Who are the ‘mace-bearer, plough-bearer, discus-bearer, and bow-bearer’?

These are emblematic protectors identified by their weapons: cakrī strongly points to Viṣṇu; lāṅgalī commonly evokes Balarāma (Halāyudha). musatī and dhanuṣmān can be read as generic weapon-bearing divine protectors or as allusions to well-known figures (e.g., a gadā-bearer and an archer such as Rāma), depending on the chapter’s broader ritual frame.

What are ‘antareṣu’ (“in the intermediate spaces”) in this context?

Antareṣu refers to liminal zones not covered by the main directional assignments—gaps between quarters, thresholds, and transitional spaces. The verse extends protection beyond the eight directions to ensure a fully ‘sealed’ ritual field.