Vamana Purana — Battle at Mandara, Shloka 29

The Battle at Mandara: Vinayaka, Nandin, and Skanda Rout the Daitya Hosts

Devanagari script

आपतन्तं गणपतिं दृष्ट्वा दैत्यो दुरात्मवान् परिघं पातयामास गुम्भपृष्ठे महाबलः

Transliteration

āpatantaṃ gaṇapatiṃ dṛṣṭvā daityo durātmavān parighaṃ pātayāmāsa gumbhapṛṣṭhe mahābalaḥ

Translation

Vendo Gaṇapati avançar contra si, o Daitya de alma perversa, de grande força, fez cair um parigha (clava/barra de ferro) sobre a parte posterior de sua cabeça, semelhante à de um elefante.

Speakers

• Narrator describing the duel sequence (frame not explicit in the excerpt).

Primary Deities

• Gaṇeśa (Gaṇapati)

Key Themes

• Iconography in narrative (elephant-headed Gaṇeśa)
• Asuric aggression vs divine guardianship
• Weapon imagery (parigha)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What does ‘gumbhapṛṣṭhe’ imply in relation to Gaṇeśa?

In this context it most naturally points to the rounded ‘kumbha’ region of an elephant head—Gaṇeśa’s cranial/forehead area—so the line depicts a direct blow to the back/top of his elephantine head.

What is a ‘parigha’ weapon?

A parigha is a heavy iron bar or club used for smashing—common in Purāṇic battle scenes as a brute-force weapon favored by asuras and powerful warriors.

Why is the Daitya described as ‘durātmavān’?

The epithet is moral as well as narrative: it marks the asura’s adharmic disposition, contrasting with the divine host’s role as protectors of cosmic order in the Andhaka-vadha cycle.