Vamana Purana — Skanda Slays Taraka & Mahisha, Shloka 2

Skanda’s Svastyayana and the Slaying of Taraka and Mahisha

Devanagari script

षट् कृत्तिकाश्च शिरसा प्रणम्य कुटिलामपि ब्रह्माणं च नमस्कृत्य इदं वचनमब्रवीत्

Transliteration

ṣaṭ kṛttikāśca śirasā praṇamya kuṭilāmapi brahmāṇaṃ ca namaskṛtya idaṃ vacanamabravīt

Translation

E, inclinando a cabeça diante das seis Kṛttikās, saudando também Kuṭilā e prestando homenagem a Brahmā, então proferiu estas palavras.

Word by Word

• ṣaṭ: six
• ṣaṭ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ṣaṭ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्यावाचक (numeral), अव्ययवत्/अविकारी (indeclinable-like in many contexts); here qualifying kṛttikāḥ

• kṛttikāḥ: the Kṛttikās (Pleiades)
• kṛttikāḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṛttikā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा (Nominative, 1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• śirasā: with the head
• śirasā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiras (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), तृतीया (Instrumental, 3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

• praṇamya: having bowed
• praṇamya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: pra-√nam (धातु) + lyap (कृत्)
• Form: ल्यप्/क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund): 'having bowed'; उपसर्ग: प्र-

• kuṭilām: Kuṭilā (a goddess/name)
• kuṭilām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kuṭilā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), द्वितीया (Accusative, 2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• api: also/even
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपि-अव्यय (particle: also/even)

• brahmāṇam: Brahmā
• brahmāṇam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया (Accusative, 2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• namaskṛtya: having saluted
• namaskṛtya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: namas-√kṛ (धातु) + lyap (कृत्)
• Form: ल्यप्/क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund): 'having saluted'; उपसर्ग-सदृश: नमस्- (indeclinable preverb)

• idam: this
• idam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative, 2nd), एकवचन (Singular); सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• vacanam: speech/words
• vacanam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vacana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative, 2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• abravīt: said/spoke
• abravīt: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √brū (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद (Parasmaipada)

Speakers

• Pulastya narrating (to Nārada); the subject is Kumāra/Skanda preparing to speak

Primary Deities

• Skanda/Kumāra
• Kṛttikās
• Brahmā
• Kuṭilā

Key Themes

• Mythic genealogy and fosterage of Skanda
• Protocol of reverence before discourse
• Integration of multiple divine authorities (Kṛttikās, Brahmā)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

Who are the ‘six Kṛttikās’ and why are they important here?

They are the six divine Kṛttikā goddesses (often linked with the Pleiades) who function as Skanda’s foster-mothers in many traditions; saluting them acknowledges his nurturance and legitimizes his role through maternal divine support.

Why is Brahmā saluted in a Śaiva-centered episode?

Purāṇic etiquette often requires honoring senior cosmic authorities. Saluting Brahmā situates the event within the broader divine order, not solely within Śiva’s household.

Who is ‘Kuṭilā’ in this verse?

The verse treats Kuṭilā as a revered named figure worthy of obeisance; without additional surrounding verses, her precise identification (goddess/attendant/epithet) remains context-dependent within this recension, but the salutation indicates recognized ritual or mythic authority.