Vamana Purana — Battle at Mandara, Shloka 15

The Battle at Mandara: Vinayaka, Nandin, and Skanda Rout the Daitya Hosts

Devanagari script

दक्षिणाङ्गं नखान्तं वै समकम्पत शूलिनः शकुनिश् चापि हारीतो मौनी याति पराङ्गमुखः

Transliteration

dakṣiṇāṅgaṃ nakhāntaṃ vai samakampata śūlinaḥ śakuniś cāpi hārīto maunī yāti parāṅgamukhaḥ

Translation

Le membre droit du porteur du trident trembla jusqu’au bout des ongles; et un oiseau aussi—le verdâtre (hārīta)—passa en silence, le visage détourné.

Speakers

• Narratorial voice reporting bodily and avian omens connected with Śiva’s march to battle.

Primary Deities

• Śiva

Key Themes

• Bodily omens (aṅga-kampa)
• Bird-omens (śakuni-nimitta)
• Rāudra narrative atmosphere
• Foreshadowing and portent-reading

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

How should we understand the trembling of the ‘right limb’ of Śiva?

Aṅga-kampa (trembling of limbs) is a standard omen motif. The text records it as a meaningful sign accompanying a decisive event; its precise valence (favorable/unfavorable) is typically resolved by the narrative outcome and by the cluster of other omens described around it.

What is the ‘hārīta śakuni’ and why does its silence matter?

Hārīta denotes a greenish bird (and in some traditions a specific omen-bird category). Its ‘mauna’ (silence) and ‘parāṅgamukha’ (averted face) are behavioral markers used in omen-reading, suggesting an uncanny, charged environment as battle approaches.

Does this verse contribute to the Vāmana Purāṇa’s sacred geography?

Not directly. It is metadata-relevant primarily for nimitta taxonomy (bodily and avian signs) within the Andhaka-vadha narrative, without naming any rivers, forests, or tīrthas.