Vamana Purana — Skanda Slays Taraka & Mahisha, Shloka 45

Skanda’s Svastyayana and the Slaying of Taraka and Mahisha

Devanagari script

तवान्तिकमनुप्राप्तः प्रसादं कर्तुमर्हसि तच्छ्रत्वा चान्धको वाक्यं प्राह मेघस्वनं वचः

Transliteration

tavāntikamanuprāptaḥ prasādaṃ kartumarhasi tacchratvā cāndhako vākyaṃ prāha meghasvanaṃ vacaḥ

Translation

मी तुमच्या सान्निध्यात आलो आहे; तुम्ही मला प्रसाद द्यावा. हे ऐकून अंधकाने मेघगर्जनेसारख्या नादाचे शब्द उच्चारले.

Speakers

• A supplicant (unidentified in excerpt) petitions someone of higher status; Andhaka then responds.

Key Themes

• Supplication and seeking prasāda
• Andhaka’s characterization (terrible, thunder-voiced)
• Courtly/encounter scene in asura narrative

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What does “prasāda” mean here—religious grace or political favor?

Both senses are available. In narrative contexts involving kings/asura-lords, prasāda can mean protection, pardon, or patronage; in devotional registers it also means gracious favor. The petition formula fits either, depending on the larger scene.

Why describe Andhaka’s speech as “megha-svana” (thundercloud-like)?

It is a conventional epic-puranic marker of overwhelming power and dread. The simile conveys volume, force, and ominous authority, preparing the listener for a consequential response.

Does this verse contain geographic metadata typical of the Vāmana Purāṇa?

Not directly. Unlike tīrtha-māhātmya passages, this line is primarily dramatic dialogue; geographic anchoring would come from surrounding verses (place of assembly, battlefield, city, or tīrtha) not included in the excerpt.