Vamana Purana — Skanda Slays Taraka & Mahisha, Shloka 50

Skanda’s Svastyayana and the Slaying of Taraka and Mahisha

Devanagari script

तेषां पुरस्सरः स्थाणुः प्रगृह्य परिघं बली निषूदयत् परबलं क्रुद्धो रुद्रः पशूनिव

Transliteration

teṣāṃ purassaraḥ sthāṇuḥ pragṛhya parighaṃ balī niṣūdayat parabalaṃ kruddho rudraḥ paśūniva

Translation

Di barisan terdepan berdiri Sthāṇu; Rudra yang perkasa menggenggam parigha (gada besi) dan, murka, membinasakan bala musuh laksana menumpas hewan belaka.

Word by Word

• तेषाम्: of them
• तेषाम्: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन (Plural), सर्वनाम (Pronoun)

• पुरः-सरः: leader, one who goes in front
• पुरः-सरः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरस् (अव्यय/उपपद) + √सृ (धातु) → सर (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); उपपद-तत्पुरुष (one who goes in front)

• स्थाणुः: Sthāṇu (Śiva)
• स्थाणुः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्थाणु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• प्रगृह्य: having seized
• प्रगृह्य: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial to main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + √ग्रह् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund/Absolutive), ‘having seized’

• परिघम्: iron club/bar
• परिघम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परिघ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• बली: mighty
• बली: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बलिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (adjective)

• निषूदयत्: he slew, destroyed
• निषूदयत्: क्रिया (Main action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि + √सूद् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• पर-बलम्: the enemy force
• पर-बलम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक) + बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारय (enemy’s army/host)

• क्रुद्धः: angered
• क्रुद्धः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √क्रुध् (धातु) → क्रुद्ध (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participle)

• रुद्रः: Rudra
• रुद्रः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• पशून्: beasts
• पशून्: उपमान (Upamāna/Standard of comparison)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पशु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• इव: like
• इव: उपमान-सम्बन्ध (Comparative marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमा-अव्यय (particle of comparison)

Speakers

• Narrator describing Śiva’s advance within the battle account.

Primary Deities

• Śiva (Rudra/Sthāṇu)

Key Themes

• Rudra’s wrath (raudra-bhāva)
• Divine kingship/leadership in battle
• Asura-damana (suppression of demonic forces)
• Śaiva theology: Rudra as irresistible force

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the significance of the epithet ‘Sthāṇu’ here?

‘Sthāṇu’ (‘immovable, steadfast’) marks Śiva as the unshakable cosmic principle who nonetheless manifests dynamic ferocity in battle. The juxtaposition—immovable essence, overwhelming action—fits Purāṇic Śaiva theology.

Why compare the enemy to ‘beasts’ (paśūn iva)?

In narrative terms it conveys ease and dominance: Rudra dispatches the hostile host effortlessly. In Śaiva conceptual language, ‘paśu’ can also imply bound beings; Rudra’s force subdues those driven by ignorance and aggression.

Does this verse contain any geographical markers typical of the Vāmana Purāṇa?

No. Despite the Purāṇa’s strong geographical orientation elsewhere, 32.50 is a battle-description without named rivers, tīrthas, or regions.