Vamana Purana — Skanda Slays Taraka & Mahisha, Shloka 89
Skanda’s Svastyayana and the Slaying of Taraka and Mahisha
दैत्यं प्रविष्टं स पिनाकिसूनुर्जुगोप यत्नाद् भगवान् सुहो ऽपि स्वबन्धुहन्ता भविता कथं त्वहं संचिन्तयन्नेव ततः स्थितो ऽभूत् // वम्प्_32.88 ततो ऽभ्यगात् पुष्करसंभवस्तु हरो मुरारिस्त्रिदसेश्वरश्च अभ्येत्य चोचुर्महिषं सशैलं भिन्दस्व शक्त्या कुरु देवकार्यम्
daityaṃ praviṣṭaṃ sa pinākisūnurjugopa yatnād bhagavān suho 'pi svabandhuhantā bhavitā kathaṃ tvahaṃ saṃcintayanneva tataḥ sthito 'bhūt // VamP_32.88 tato 'bhyagāt puṣkarasaṃbhavastu haro murāristridaseśvaraśca abhyetya cocurmahiṣaṃ saśailaṃ bhindasva śaktyā kuru devakāryam
ଦୈତ୍ୟ ପ୍ରବେଶ କରିବା ପରେ ପିନାକଧାରୀଙ୍କ ପୁତ୍ର ସ୍କନ୍ଦ, ନିଜେ ବୀର ଓ ପବିତ୍ର ହେଲେ ମଧ୍ୟ, “ମୁଁ କିପରି ନିଜ ସ୍ୱଜନଙ୍କ ହନ୍ତା ହେବି?” ବୋଲି ଚିନ୍ତା କରି ଯତ୍ନରେ ନିଜ ଶକ୍ତି ସଂଯମ କରି ନିଶ୍ଚଳ ରହିଲେ। ତାପରେ ପଦ୍ମଜ ବ୍ରହ୍ମା, ହର (ଶିବ), ମୁରାରି (ବିଷ୍ଣୁ) ଓ ଦେବେଶ୍ୱର ଇନ୍ଦ୍ର ଆସି କହିଲେ—“ତୋର ଶକ୍ତିବଳରେ ପର୍ବତସହ ଏହି ମହିଷାସୁରକୁ ଭେଦ କର; ଦେବକାର୍ଯ୍ୟ ସାଧନ କର।”
{ "primaryRasa": "karuna", "secondaryRasa": "vira", "rasaIntensity": 0, "emotionalArcPosition": "", "moodDescriptors": [] }
FAQs
The verse frames a dharma-conflict: the enemy is also ‘svabandhu’ (kin). In Purāṇic ethics, even righteous violence can be morally weighty when it entails killing relatives; Skanda pauses to consider the implications before accepting a divine mandate.
Their joint approach functions as a narrative seal of legitimacy: the act is not personal vengeance but ‘deva-kārya’—a cosmic duty endorsed by the highest divine authorities, emphasizing inter-deity concord in restoring order.
The text uses ‘mahiṣa’ as a demon-identifier (buffalo-form asura). Without additional surrounding verses, it is safest to read it as a buffalo-demon within this chapter’s Andhaka/daitya cycle rather than automatically equating it with the Devī-myth’s Mahīṣāsura; Purāṇas often reuse such demon-forms across different episodes.