Vamana Purana — Skanda Slays Taraka & Mahisha, Shloka 52

Skanda’s Svastyayana and the Slaying of Taraka and Mahisha

Devanagari script

ज्वालामुखो भयकरः करेणादाय चासुरम् सरथं सगजं साश्वं विस्तृते वदने ऽक्षिपत

Transliteration

jvālāmukho bhayakaraḥ kareṇādāya cāsuram sarathaṃ sagajaṃ sāśvaṃ vistṛte vadane 'kṣipata

Translation

Le redoutable Jvālāmukha saisit un asura de la main et le projeta—avec son char, son éléphant et ses chevaux—dans sa bouche largement ouverte.

Word by Word

• ज्वाला-मुखः: Jvālāmukha (flame-faced one)
• ज्वाला-मुखः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्वाला (प्रातिपदिक) + मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारय (flame-faced)

• भय-करः: fear-causing
• भय-करः: विशेषण (Qualifier of subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भय (प्रातिपदिक) + √कृ (धातु) → कर (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (one who causes fear)

• करेण: with (his) hand
• करेण: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• आदाय: having taken
• आदाय: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + √दा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund), ‘having taken’

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• असुरम्: a demon
• असुरम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• स-रथम्: together with (his) chariot
• स-रथम्: विशेषण (Qualifier of ‘asuram’)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स (अव्यय/उपसर्गसदृश ‘with’) + रथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; अव्ययीभाव (‘with chariot’)

• स-गजम्: with (his) elephant
• स-गजम्: विशेषण (Qualifier of ‘asuram’)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स (अव्यय) + गज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; अव्ययीभाव (‘with elephant’)

• स-अश्वम्: with (his) horse
• स-अश्वम्: विशेषण (Qualifier of ‘asuram’)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स (अव्यय) + अश्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; अव्ययीभाव (‘with horse’)

• विस्तृते: in the widened/expanded
• विस्तृते: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Location)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि + √स्तृ (धातु) → विस्तृत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग? (agreeing with ‘vadane’), सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त

• वदने: in (his) mouth
• वदने: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वदन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• अक्षिपत्: he threw/cast
• अक्षिपत्: क्रिया (Main action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + √क्षिप् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

Speakers

• Narrator (Sūta/paurāṇika voice) describing the battle to the listening sages (frame not explicit in the given excerpt).

Primary Deities

• Shiva

Key Themes

• Andhaka-vadha
• Battle imagery
• Asura-destruction
• Śaiva martial retinue

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

Who is Jvālāmukha in this verse—an asura, a gaṇa, or a personification?

In the Andhaka-vadha battle cycle, names like Jvālāmukha typically denote fierce combatants aligned with Śiva’s side (often gaṇas or terrifying beings). The epithet “flame-mouthed” emphasizes a monstrous, destructive mode rather than a human warrior.

What is the narrative function of ‘throwing into the mouth’?

It is a hyperbolic purāṇic battle trope signaling total annihilation and overwhelming superiority: the enemy is not merely slain but consumed along with his entire war apparatus (chariot, elephant, horses).

Does this verse contain any tīrtha or geographic marker typical of the Vāmana Purāṇa?

No. Despite the Vāmana Purāṇa’s strong geographical orientation in many sections, this particular śloka is purely martial description and contains no named rivers, forests, lakes, or tīrthas.