Vamana Purana — Birth of Skanda (Kartikeya), Shloka 29

The Birth and Consecration of Skanda (Kartikeya) at Kurukshetra

Devanagari script

श्रुत्वा पितामहवचः पावकस्त्वरितो ऽभ्यगात् वेगिनं मेषमारुह्य कुटिला तं ददर्श ह

Transliteration

śrutvā pitāmahavacaḥ pāvakastvarito 'bhyagāt veginaṃ meṣamāruhya kuṭilā taṃ dadarśa ha

Translation

ਪਿਤਾਮਹ ਦੇ ਬਚਨ ਸੁਣ ਕੇ ਪਾਵਕ (ਅਗਨੀ) ਤੁਰੰਤ ਰਵਾਨਾ ਹੋ ਗਿਆ। ਤੇਜ਼ ਰਫ਼ਤਾਰ ਮੇਢੇ ਉੱਤੇ ਚੜ੍ਹ ਕੇ ਜਾਂਦਿਆਂ, ਕੁਟਿਲਾ ਨੇ ਉਸ ਨੂੰ ਵੇਖ ਲਿਆ।

Word by Word

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive), अव्ययभाव; ‘having heard’

• पितामह-वचः: the grandsire’s words
• पितामह-वचः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितामह (प्रातिपदिक) + वचस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी: ‘of the grandsire’), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• पावकः: Fire (Pāvaka)
• पावकः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पावक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• त्वरितः: hastened
• त्वरितः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्वरित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• अभ्यगात्: went/approached
• अभ्यगात्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि + गम् (धातु)
• Form: लुङ् (Aorist), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• वेगिनम्: swift
• वेगिनम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वेगिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• मेषम्: a ram
• मेषम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मेष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• आरुह्य: having mounted
• आरुह्य: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + रुह् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive), अव्ययभाव; ‘having mounted’

• कुटिला: Kuṭilā (a woman)
• कुटिला: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुटिल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; (नामरूपेण)

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• ददर्श: saw
• ददर्श: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• ह: indeed/then
• ह: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ह (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), कथन-समाप्त्यर्थ/अनुवादक

Speakers

• Narrator voice (third-person) describing events after Pitāmaha’s instruction; Kuṭilā is an onlooker who notices Agni.

Primary Deities

• Brahmā (Pitāmaha)
• Agni (Pāvaka)

Key Themes

• Obedience to Brahmā’s command
• Speed and urgency in divine errands
• Agni’s iconography (ram-mount)
• Encounter setup (Kuṭilā notices Agni)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

Who is ‘Pitāmaha’ here, and why does his speech matter?

Pitāmaha is the standard Purāṇic epithet for Brahmā. His instruction functions as a narrative trigger: Agni’s immediate departure shows the hierarchical order among devas and the urgency of the cosmic situation being addressed.

Why is Agni shown riding a ram (meṣa)?

Agni’s vāhana is frequently given as a ram in Purāṇic iconography. The detail signals identity (Pāvaka) and conveys speed/force appropriate to fire’s nature.

Who is Kuṭilā in this context?

Kuṭilā is a named female figure who becomes an interlocutor in the next verse. Her seeing Agni establishes the encounter that will elicit an explanation of his urgent mission.