Vamana Purana — Skanda Slays Taraka & Mahisha, Shloka 71

Skanda’s Svastyayana and the Slaying of Taraka and Mahisha

Devanagari script

महिषो गदया तूर्णं प्रहारैः प्रमथानथ पराजित्य पराधावत् कुमारं प्रति सायुधः

Transliteration

mahiṣo gadayā tūrṇaṃ prahāraiḥ pramathānatha parājitya parādhāvat kumāraṃ prati sāyudhaḥ

Translation

അപ്പോൾ മഹിഷൻ ഗദയുടെ വേഗമേറിയ പ്രഹാരങ്ങളാൽ പ്രമഥന്മാരെ പരാജയപ്പെടുത്തി, ആയുധധാരിയായി കുമാരൻ (സ്കന്ദൻ) നേരെ പാഞ്ഞു।

Speakers

• Narrator describing the sequence of combat (exact interlocutors not specified in input).

Primary Deities

• Shiva
• Skanda (Kumara)

Key Themes

• Asura offensive
• Skanda as battlefield focal point
• Śaiva martial theology
• Escalation from gaṇas to the divine general

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

Is this Mahiṣa the same as the famous Mahiṣāsura of Devī-māhātmya traditions?

The name ‘Mahiṣa’ can denote a buffalo-form Asura across traditions. Some Purāṇic corpora reuse or echo such figures. Here, the verse itself only establishes an Asura named Mahiṣa acting as a powerful combatant; identification with later/other narrative cycles depends on broader chapter context.

Why does the narrative move from Pramathas to Kumāra (Skanda)?

Purāṇic battle structure often stages escalation: lesser troops (gaṇas) are tested, then the Asura challenges the divine commander. Skanda, as Kumāra, represents organized divine military power and is a natural next target for a charging Asura.

What is the significance of the mace (gadā) in such scenes?

The gadā is a classic emblem of brute force and battlefield dominance. Its mention underscores Mahiṣa’s physical might and the immediacy of close-quarters combat.