Vamana Purana — Battle at Mandara, Shloka 56

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

Devanagari script

तस्मिन् निवृत्ते गणपे पट्टिशाग्रकरे तदा कार्त्तस्वरो निववृते गदामादाय नारद

Transliteration

tasmin nivṛtte gaṇape paṭṭiśāgrakare tadā kārttasvaro nivavṛte gadāmādāya nārada

Translation

Ó Nārada, quando aquele Gaṇapa, chefe das gaṇas, segurando o paṭṭiśa de lâmina afiada, voltou-se, Kārttasvara também voltou, tomando a sua maça.

Speakers

• Narrator (Purāṇic voice
• traditionally Pulastya) addressing Nārada

Primary Deities

• Shiva (Rudra)
• Gaṇeśa/gaṇa-leaders (collective)

Key Themes

• Andhaka-vadha cycle
• Martial imagery and weaponry
• Gaṇa–Asura conflict
• Heroic reversal/withdrawal in battle

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

Who is ‘gaṇapa’ here—Gaṇeśa or a generic gaṇa-commander?

In battle passages of the Andhaka cycle, ‘gaṇapa’ often functions as a title meaning ‘commander/leader of the gaṇas.’ It may or may not denote the deity Gaṇeśa specifically; the verse context emphasizes role (leader wielding a paṭṭiśa) rather than iconography.

What is the paṭṭiśa, and why is it highlighted?

Paṭṭiśa is a heavy bladed weapon (battle-axe/halberd). Purāṇic battle narration frequently marks combatants by signature weapons to track turns in the fight; here it signals the gaṇa-leader’s readiness even while withdrawing.

Does this verse contain any tīrtha or geographic marker typical of the Vāmana Purāṇa?

No. This is a pure yuddha-varṇana unit; unlike the Saromāhātmya and other geographic sections, it contains no named rivers, forests, lakes, or pilgrimage sites.