Vamana Purana — Birth of Skanda (Kartikeya), Shloka 61

The Birth and Consecration of Skanda (Kartikeya) at Kurukshetra

Devanagari script

घण्टाकर्ण लोहिताक्षं नन्दिसेनं च दारुणम् चतुर्थं बलिनां मुख्यं ख्यातं कुमुदमालिनम्

Transliteration

ghaṇṭākarṇa lohitākṣaṃ nandisenaṃ ca dāruṇam caturthaṃ balināṃ mukhyaṃ khyātaṃ kumudamālinam

Translation

“ઘણ્ટાકર્ણ, લોહિતાક્ષ અને નન્દિસેન—તથા ભયંકર ગણ દારુણ; અને ચોથો, બલવાનોમાં મુખ્ય, ‘કુમુદમાલિન’ નામે ખ્યાત।”

Word by Word

• ghaṇṭākarṇam: Ghaṇṭākarṇa
• ghaṇṭākarṇam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ghaṇṭā + karṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; proper name; tatpuruṣa: ‘ghaṇṭāyāḥ karṇau’ (bell-eared)

• lohitākṣam: Lohitākṣa
• lohitākṣam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: lohita + akṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; proper name; karmadhāraya: ‘lohitaḥ akṣaḥ yasya’ (red-eyed)

• nandisenam: Nandisena
• nandisenam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nandi + sena (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; proper name; tatpuruṣa: ‘nandīnāṃ senā’/‘nandi-sena’

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

• dāruṇam: fierce/terrible
• dāruṇam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dāruṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; epithet (possibly of the next named attendant)

• caturtham: the fourth
• caturtham: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: caturtha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; ordinal adjective

• balinām: of the strong ones
• balinām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: balin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Plural

• mukhyam: chief
• mukhyam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mukhya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; qualifying the ‘fourth’ attendant

• khyātam: renowned/called
• khyātam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √khyā (धातु) + kta (कृत्प्रत्यय)
• Form: Kta-participle (क्त), Past Passive Participle; Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; ‘renowned/called’

• kumudamālinam: Kumudamālin
• kumudamālinam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kumuda + mālin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; proper name; tatpuruṣa: ‘kumudānāṃ mālī’ (garlanded with kumuda-lotuses)

Speakers

• Narrator (Purāṇic voice) continuing the account to the inquirer (contextually Nārada in this chapter’s dialogue frame).

Primary Deities

• Skanda
• Śiva (implied through gaṇa tradition)

Key Themes

• Gaṇa taxonomy and naming
• Martial retinues of the gods
• Mythic personnel lists (anukrama/gaṇa-nāmāvali)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

Are these epithets or proper names of beings?

In this passage they function as proper names of gaṇas (divine attendants/warriors). Several are transparent compounds (e.g., Lohitākṣa “red-eyed”), but the verse treats them as members of an enumerated roster.

Why does the text emphasize “chief among the strong” (balinām mukhyaḥ)?

Purāṇic catalogues often mark hierarchy within a troop. The phrase signals rank/eminence within Skanda’s martial retinue, preparing for later narrative use where specific gaṇas act as commanders or exemplars of prowess.

Does “Kumudamālin” imply a geographical or ritual association (lotus-lakes, etc.)?

Not necessarily here. While kumuda evokes aquatic imagery, the verse uses it as an identifying epithet-name; no lake or tīrtha is specified in this śloka.