Vamana Purana — Skanda Slays Taraka & Mahisha, Shloka 48

Skanda’s Svastyayana and the Slaying of Taraka and Mahisha

Devanagari script

यत्र ते दारुमाकारा गणाश्चक्रुर्महास्वनम् तत्र दैत्याः समाजग्मुः सायुधाः सबला मुने

Transliteration

yatra te dārumākārā gaṇāścakrurmahāsvanam tatra daityāḥ samājagmuḥ sāyudhāḥ sabalā mune

Translation

വൃക്ഷസദൃശരായ ആ ഗണങ്ങൾ മഹാനാദം മുഴക്കിയിടത്ത്, ഹേ മുനേ, ദൈത്യർ ആയുധങ്ങളോടും സൈന്യബലത്തോടും കൂടി ഒന്നിച്ചു ചേർന്നു.

Speakers

• Narrator addressing a sage (‘mune’)—exact interlocutors not specified in the excerpt.

Key Themes

• Ominous portents and battle-noise
• Mustering of Daitya armies
• Martial imagery (tree-like hosts)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What does ‘dārumākārā gaṇāḥ’ (“tree-formed troops”) mean?

It is a vivid simile: the massed ranks appear like a forest—tall, dense, and immovable—often implying both sheer numbers and a terrifying, shadowy presence.

Why emphasize ‘mahāsvanam’ (great roar)?

Purāṇic battle narration uses sound as a marker of scale and impending violence; the roar signals the convergence of armies and functions like a narrative ‘drumbeat’ before combat.

Does ‘gaṇa’ here refer to Śiva’s Gaṇas?

Not necessarily. ‘Gaṇa’ can mean any ‘host/troop.’ Since no Śaiva markers (Śiva, Nandī, Pramatha, etc.) appear in the verse, it is safest to read it as generic military hosts rather than Śiva’s attendant-gaṇas.