Shloka 32

Battle at Mandara — The Battle at Mandara: Vinayaka, Nandin, and Skanda Rout the Daitya Hosts

Devanagari script

स बद्धो बाहुपासेन बलादाकृष्य दानवम् समाजघान शिरशि कुठारेण महोदरः

Transliteration

sa baddho bāhupāsena balādākṛṣya dānavam samājaghāna śiraśi kuṭhāreṇa mahodaraḥ

Translation

Though bound by the arm-noose, Mahodara, forcefully drawing the dānava toward him, struck him on the head with an axe.

Speakers

• Narrator (paurāṇika voice) continuing the combat description.

Key Themes

• Reversal in combat
• Strength despite restraint
• Weapon escalation (axe blow)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

How can Mahodara strike if he is ‘baddha’ (bound)?

The verse highlights heroic resilience: even while restrained, Mahodara uses sheer force (balāt) to pull the opponent into range, converting a disadvantage into a decisive counterattack.

Is ‘kuṭhāra’ merely a weapon detail or a symbolic marker?

Primarily it is a concrete battlefield detail, but axes in Purāṇic diction often signal a ‘cleaving’ or decisive blow—contrasted with blunter weapons like the parigha mentioned earlier.

Does ‘samājaghāna’ imply multiple blows?

The verb can convey a strong, emphatic strike and may also suggest repeated striking; contextually it underscores the severity of the head-blow.