Vamana Purana — Slaying of Raktabija, Shloka 7

The Slaying of Raktabīja and Niśumbha–Śumbha; the Manifestation of the Mātṛkās and the Devas’ Hymn

Devanagari script

महोग्रमुशला रौद्रा दंष्ट्रोल्लिखितभूतला वाराही पृष्ठतो जाता शेषनागोपरि श्थिता

Transliteration

mahogramuśalā raudrā daṃṣṭrollikhitabhūtalā vārāhī pṛṣṭhato jātā śeṣanāgopari śthitā

Translation

Feroz e terrível, empunhando uma maça poderosa e sulcando a superfície da terra com suas presas—Vārāhī nasceu das costas (de Śiva) e permaneceu de pé sobre a serpente Śeṣa.

Word by Word

• महा-उग्र-मुशला: having a very fierce club
• महा-उग्र-मुशला: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + उग्र (प्रातिपदिक) + मुशल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः—'महच्च तदुग्रं च मुशलं यस्याः/या' (महोग्रमुशल- इति विशेषणसमूहः)

• रौद्रा: terrible
• रौद्रा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रौद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; 'terrible, wrathful'

• दंष्ट्रा-उल्लिखित-भूतला: whose ground was gouged by (her) tusks
• दंष्ट्रा-उल्लिखित-भूतला: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दंष्ट्रा (प्रातिपदिक) + उल्लिखित (कृदन्त; उद्√लिख् धातु) + भूतल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—'दंष्ट्राभ्याम् उल्लिखितं भूतलं यस्याः/या' (दंष्ट्रा-करणकः क्त-प्रत्ययान्तः)

• वाराही: Vārāhī
• वाराही: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाराही (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; 'Vārāhī'

• पृष्ठतः: from behind/from the back
• पृष्ठतः: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पृष्ठतस् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अव्यय-प्रकारः—अव्ययीभावार्थे अव्ययम्/क्रियाविशेषणम्; 'from the back/behind'

• जाता: was born/manifested
• जाता: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जात (कृदन्त; √जन् धातु)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्तः, क्रियार्थे 'was born/manifested'

• शेष-नाग-उपरि: upon Śeṣa-nāga
• शेष-नाग-उपरि: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: शेष (प्रातिपदिक) + नाग (प्रातिपदिक) + उपरि (अव्यय)
• Form: उपरि = अव्यय (preposition/adverb); पूर्वपदद्वयम् षष्ठी-सम्बन्धेन 'शेषनागस्य उपरि' (समासरूपेण लेखनम्)

• स्थिताः: stood/was positioned
• स्थिताः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्थित (कृदन्त; √स्था धातु)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्तः 'standing/placed' (पाठे 'श्थिता' = 'स्थिता')

Speakers

• Narrator voice within the Andhaka-vadha cycle (contextual epic narration; explicit interlocutors not stated in the given excerpt).

Primary Deities

• Śiva
• Śakti (Devī/Vārāhī)
• Śeṣa

Key Themes

• Manifestation of Mātr̥kās/Śaktis
• Battle imagery in Andhaka narrative
• Śaiva-Vaiṣṇava power convergence (Śakti forms mirroring Viṣṇu’s avatāras)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

Why is Vārāhī described as standing on Śeṣa?

Śeṣa functions as a cosmic support-symbol (ādhāra) associated with Viṣṇu and the stability of the worlds. Placing Vārāhī upon Śeṣa visually signals world-bearing power and the transference of Varāha-like cosmic strength into the Devī’s martial manifestation.

What does “gouging the earth with her tusks” convey in Purāṇic battle poetics?

It amplifies her boar-nature (daṃṣṭrā as Varāha’s signature) and communicates uncontrolled, earth-shaking ferocity—an iconographic shorthand for a δύναμις capable of overturning demonic forces and even disturbing the ground of the battlefield.

Is this a Vaiṣṇava or Śaiva passage?

It is Śaiva in narrative setting (Andhaka-vadha), yet it deliberately employs Vaiṣṇava-correspondent Śakti forms (e.g., Vārāhī, later Nārasiṃhī) to express a shared reservoir of divine power across sectarian frames.