Vamana Purana — Skanda Slays Taraka & Mahisha, Shloka 41
Skanda’s Svastyayana and the Slaying of Taraka and Mahisha
यावत्पस्यामि तत्रस्थान् नानावेषाकृतीन् नरान् केचिद् गर्जन्ति घनवत् प्रतिगर्जन्ति चापरे
yāvatpasyāmi tatrasthān nānāveṣākṛtīn narān kecid garjanti ghanavat pratigarjanti cāpare
Aussi loin que porte mon regard, des hommes se tiennent là, revêtus de maints habits et de formes diverses. Les uns rugissent comme des nuées tonnantes, et les autres rugissent en retour.
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FAQs
Literally it says ‘men/people of varied attire and forms.’ In Purāṇic battle contexts this can include disguised warriors, mixed contingents, or even non-human beings described in anthropomorphic terms. The precise identification depends on the chapter’s cast (devas, asuras, gaṇas, etc.).
Ghana evokes thunderclouds; the simile conveys both volume and menace. It also frames the battlefield as a cosmic disturbance, a common Purāṇic aesthetic where nature-imagery amplifies martial intensity.
Indirectly: the reciprocal roaring (pratigarjana) is a formalized challenge motif, akin to announcing prowess before combat. It signals the transition from pursuit/flight to open confrontation.