Vamana Purana — Skanda Slays Taraka & Mahisha, Shloka 107

Skanda’s Svastyayana and the Slaying of Taraka and Mahisha

Devanagari script

तन्माधववचः श्रुत्वा क्रौञ्चमभ्येत्य पावकिः पप्रच्छाद्रिमिदं केन कृतं पूर्वं प्रदक्षिणम्

Transliteration

tanmādhavavacaḥ śrutvā krauñcamabhyetya pāvakiḥ papracchādrimidaṃ kena kṛtaṃ pūrvaṃ pradakṣiṇam

Translation

Услышав слова Мадхавы (Вишну), Павакӣ (Агни) приблизился к Краунче и спросил гору: «Кем была первой совершена эта прадакшина?»

Word by Word

• tat: that
• tat: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: Napuṃsaka, Dvitīyā vibhakti, Ekavacana; demonstrative qualifying mādhava-vacaḥ

• mādhava-vacaḥ: Mādhava's words
• mādhava-vacaḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mādhava + vacas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsaka, Dvitīyā vibhakti, Ekavacana; samāsa: mādhavasya vacaḥ (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• śrutvā: having heard
• śrutvā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √śru (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त), avyaya-kriyā; 'having heard'

• krauñcam: Krauñca (mountain)
• krauñcam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: krauñca (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana

• abhyetya: having approached
• abhyetya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: abhi√i (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (ल्यप्), avyaya-kriyā; 'having approached'

• pāvakiḥ: Pāvaki (Agni)
• pāvakiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāvaki (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

• papraccha: asked
• papraccha: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra√prach (धातु)
• Form: Liṭ lakāra (Perfect), Prathama puruṣa, Ekavacana; parasmaipada

• adrim: the mountain
• adrim: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: adri (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana

• idam: this
• idam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: Napuṃsaka, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; demonstrative pronoun qualifying adrim

• kena: by whom
• kena: Karta (कर्ता/Agent in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: Puṃ/Napuṃ, Tṛtīyā vibhakti, Ekavacana; interrogative

• kṛtam: done
• kṛtam: Kriyā (क्रिया/Predicative)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (धातु)
• Form: Kta participle (क्त/PPP), Napuṃsaka, Prathamā/Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; predicate

• pūrvam: first/earlier
• pūrvam: Kāla (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: pūrva (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; adverb (पूर्वकालवाचक)

• pradakṣiṇam: circumambulation
• pradakṣiṇam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pradakṣiṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsaka, Prathamā/Dvitīyā, Ekavacana

Speakers

• Narrative continuation: Agni acts after hearing Mādhava (Viṣṇu); the question is directed to Krauñca mountain.

Primary Deities

• Vishnu (Mādhava/Hari)
• Agni (Pāvaki)

Key Themes

• Divine authorization of tīrtha-ritual
• Etiology (how a rite began at a place)
• Pilgrimage praxis: pradakṣiṇā

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

Why is Mādhava (Viṣṇu) mentioned here if Agni is the one asking?

The verse indicates a chain of transmission: Viṣṇu’s statement prompts Agni’s inquiry. This frames the forthcoming answer as not casual folklore but a tradition activated and validated by Viṣṇu’s prompting.

Is this repetition meaningful or merely stylistic?

Purāṇic narrative often uses reiteration to mark transitions and emphasize key ritual questions. Here it highlights the central issue—who instituted pradakṣiṇā at Krauñca—before the mountain’s reply.