Vamana Purana — Skanda Slays Taraka & Mahisha, Shloka 79
Skanda’s Svastyayana and the Slaying of Taraka and Mahisha
गदया मूर्ध्नि बाणं हि निजघान महाबलः वेदनार्त्तो मुमोचाथ सुचक्राक्षं महासुरः स चापि तेन संयुक्तो व्रीडायुक्तो महामनाः
gadayā mūrdhni bāṇaṃ hi nijaghāna mahābalaḥ vedanārtto mumocātha sucakrākṣaṃ mahāsuraḥ sa cāpi tena saṃyukto vrīḍāyukto mahāmanāḥ
Entonces el poderoso lo golpeó a Bāṇa en la cabeza con una maza. Atormentado por el dolor, aquel gran asura —de ojos como ruedas bien forjadas— lanzó un grito. Y él mismo, así acometido, aunque magnánimo, quedó colmado de vergüenza.
{ "primaryRasa": "raudra", "secondaryRasa": "vira", "rasaIntensity": 0, "emotionalArcPosition": "", "moodDescriptors": [] }
FAQs
The name ‘Bāṇa’ can denote different Asura figures across Purāṇic corpora. In this local battle narration, it functions as a combatant among the Daityas/Asuras; identification with the well-known Bāṇāsura (son of Bali in some traditions) is possible but not guaranteed without surrounding verses specifying lineage and setting.
Literally ‘having beautiful/well-formed wheel-like eyes,’ it is a poetic marker of fierce brilliance and intimidating gaze. Such epithets often signal a warrior’s terrifying presence rather than a literal anatomical description.
Purāṇic battle descriptions frequently pair physical injury with moral-psychological states. ‘Vrīḍā’ here underscores loss of face and the warrior’s diminished standing, foreshadowing withdrawal or tactical retreat.