Skanda Slays Taraka & Mahisha Shloka 42 - Vamana Purana | Lao | Vedapath

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Vamana Purana — Skanda Slays Taraka & Mahisha, Shloka 42

Skanda’s Svastyayana and the Slaying of Taraka and Mahisha

Devanagari script

अन्ये चोचुर्वयं नूनं निघ्नामो महिषासुरम् तारकं घातयामो ऽद्य वदन्त्यन्ये सुतैजसः

Transliteration

anye cocurvayaṃ nūnaṃ nighnāmo mahiṣāsuram tārakaṃ ghātayāmo 'dya vadantyanye sutaijasaḥ

Translation

ຄົນອື່ນໆກ່າວວ່າ «ແນ່ນອນ ບັດນີ້ພວກເຮົາຈະສັງຫານ ມະຫິສາສຸຣະ»; ອີກພວກໜຶ່ງ—ສ່ອງສະຫວ່າງດ້ວຍເຕຊະພະລັງອັນເຜົາໄໝ້ຂອງຕົນ—ກ່າວວ່າ «ມື້ນີ້ພວກເຮົາຈະຂ້າ ຕາຣະກະ».

Word by Word

अन्येothers

चand

ऊचुःsaid

वयम्we

नूनम्surely

निघ्नामःwe strike down / kill

महिष-असुरम्Mahiṣāsura

तारकम्Tāraka

घातयामःwe will kill / cause to be slain

अद्यtoday

वदन्तिsay

अन्येothers

सुत-ऐजसःthe sons/descendants of Aija

Speakers

Unnamed groups within the assembled forces; reported by the same narrator voice.

Key Themes

Martial vows/boastsAsura-slaying agendaTejas (spiritual-martial potency)Multiplicity of combatants

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

Are Mahiṣāsura and Tāraka the same figures known from other Purāṇas?

The names match well-known Asura figures across Purāṇic literature (e.g., Mahiṣa as the buffalo-demon; Tāraka as a powerful Asura). However, individual Purāṇas may reframe their roles, chronology, or opponents; confirmation requires the immediate narrative context of Vāmana Purāṇa Adhyāya 32.

What is the significance of ‘sutaijasaḥ’ (self-radiant/with innate tejas)?

Tejas is both spiritual and martial potency. Calling warriors ‘sutaijasaḥ’ portrays them as empowered by inherent brilliance—suggesting divine/ascetic force, heroic charisma, or supernatural vigor rather than mere physical strength.

Why present multiple groups claiming different targets?

It depicts a large coalition with distributed aims, heightening the scale of conflict. Literarily, it also foreshadows multiple sub-encounters within the broader battle narrative (separate duels or slayings).