Vamana Purana — Skanda Slays Taraka & Mahisha, Shloka 65

Skanda’s Svastyayana and the Slaying of Taraka and Mahisha

Devanagari script

ते हन्यमानाः प्रमथा दानवाभयां वरायुधैः परिवार्य समन्तात् ते युयुधुः कुपितास्तदा

Transliteration

te hanyamānāḥ pramathā dānavābhayāṃ varāyudhaiḥ parivārya samantāt te yuyudhuḥ kupitāstadā

Translation

ಆ ಪ್ರಮಥರು ಹತ್ಯೆಯಾಗುತ್ತಿದ್ದರೂ ಶ್ರೇಷ್ಠ ಆಯುಧಗಳಿಂದ ದಾನವಸೇನೆಯನ್ನು ಎಲ್ಲೆಡೆಯಿಂದ ಸುತ್ತುವರಿದು, ಆಗ ಕೋಪದಿಂದ ಯುದ್ಧಮಾಡಿದರು।

Word by Word

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा (1st/Nominative) बहुवचनम्; सर्वनाम

• हन्यमानाः: being struck/killed
• हन्यमानाः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject; participial qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हन् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले कर्मणि कृदन्तः (Present passive participle/शानच्-प्रत्ययः); पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम्

• प्रमथाः: the Pramathas (attendants)
• प्रमथाः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject; apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रमथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम्

• दानवाभयाम्: fearlessness against the Dānavas / (their) fearlessness
• दानवाभयाम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दानव + अभया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (दानवानाम् अभया); स्त्रीलिङ्गे द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative) एकवचनम्

• वरायुधैः: with excellent weapons
• वरायुधैः: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर + आयुध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारयः (वराणि आयुधानि); नपुंसकलिङ्गे तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental) बहुवचनम्

• परिवार्य: having surrounded
• परिवार्य: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial to main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि + वृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्तः (Gerund/Absolutive); ‘having surrounded’

• समन्तात्: on all sides
• समन्तात्: Desha-adhikarana (देशाधिकरण/Locative sense)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: समन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययम्; अव्यय-प्रकारः: क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम्; पुनरुक्त-प्रयोगः

• युयुधुः: fought
• युयुधुः: Kriya (क्रिया/Finite verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: युध् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/Parokṣa-bhūta) परस्मैपदम्; प्रथमपुरुषः बहुवचनम्

• कुपिताः: enraged
• कुपिताः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject; qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कुपित (प्रातिपदिक; कुप्-धातोः क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त-विशेषणम्; पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम्

• तदा: then
• तदा: Kala-adhikarana (कालाधिकरण/Time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्ययम् (temporal adverb)

Speakers

• Narrator describing troop movements and tactics within the Andhaka-vadha battle cycle.

Primary Deities

• Shiva (through his Pramatha-gaṇas)

Key Themes

• Pramatha-gaṇa iconography
• Encirclement tactic (parivāraṇa)
• Fury in righteous battle
• Cosmic conflict: deva/gaṇa vs dānava

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

Who are the Pramathas, and why are they prominent in Śaiva battle scenes?

Pramathas are a well-known class of Śiva’s gaṇas—fierce, liminal beings associated with cremation grounds and divine warfare. In Purāṇic narration they often serve as the shock troops who break demon formations.

What does “parivārya samantāt” imply about the battle?

It indicates a tactical encirclement—surrounding the enemy array from every direction—suggesting the gaṇas’ mobility and coordinated command under gaṇeśvaras.

How should “dānavābhayām” be understood?

In context it points to the Dānava side/array being engaged and pressured. The compound can be read as referring to the Dānava host (or the Dānava ‘battle-line’), consistent with the surrounding and assault described.