Vamana Purana — Skanda Slays Taraka & Mahisha, Shloka 11

Skanda’s Svastyayana and the Slaying of Taraka and Mahisha

Devanagari script

पार्वत्या गदिते स्कन्दः प्रणिपत्य जनार्दनम् तस्थौ कृताञ्जलिपुटस्त्वाज्ञां प्रार्थयते ऽच्युतात्

Transliteration

pārvatyā gadite skandaḥ praṇipatya janārdanam tasthau kṛtāñjalipuṭastvājñāṃ prārthayate 'cyutāt

Translation

पार्वत्या एवं गदिते स्कन्दः जनार्दनं प्रणिपत्य, कृताञ्जलिपुटः स्थित्वा अच्युतात् आज्ञां प्रार्थयामास।

Word by Word

• pārvatyā: by Pārvatī
• pārvatyā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pārvatī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (instrumental), एकवचन

• gadite: when (it was) spoken
• gadite: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √gad (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय, past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सति-सप्तमी (locative absolute: when it was spoken)

• skandaḥ: Skanda
• skandaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: skanda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• praṇipatya: having bowed down
• praṇipatya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√nam (धातु)
• Form: अव्यय-भावे कृदन्त (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय, gerund), पूर्वकर्म (having bowed)

• janārdanam: Janārdana (Viṣṇu)
• janārdanam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: janārdana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; देवता-नाम

• tasthau: stood
• tasthau: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √sthā (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• kṛtāñjalipuṭaḥ: with folded hands
• kṛtāñjalipuṭaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṛta + añjali + puṭa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (kṛtaḥ añjali-puṭaḥ yena = with hands folded)

• tu: then/indeed
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle: then/indeed)

• ājñām: permission/command
• ājñām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ājñā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• prārthayate: requests/begs
• prārthayate: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√arth (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• acyutāt: from Acyuta (Viṣṇu)
• acyutāt: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: acyuta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (ablative; source), एकवचन; देवता-नाम

Speakers

• Narrator voice describing Skanda’s response after Pārvatī’s instruction; Skanda petitions Viṣṇu (Janārdana/Acyuta)

Primary Deities

• Pārvatī
• Skanda (Kārttikeya)
• Viṣṇu (Janārdana/Acyuta)

Key Themes

• Devotional etiquette (praṇāma, añjali)
• Seeking divine instruction (ājñā)
• Shaiva–Vaishnava unity (Skanda venerating Viṣṇu)
• Authority of Viṣṇu as guide

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

Why does Skanda, a major deity and Śiva’s son, bow to Janārdana?

The verse dramatizes Purāṇic concord theology: even exalted devas model humility before the Supreme. Skanda’s obeisance operationalizes the prior claim that none is higher than the para-deva, identified in context with Viṣṇu (Janārdana/Acyuta).

What is the significance of ‘ājñā’—is Skanda asking for a boon or a duty?

Ājñā primarily means an authoritative instruction or command. Rather than requesting a personal boon, Skanda seeks direction—what should be done next—indicating a dharmic posture of service and obedience to divine order.

Do ‘Janārdana’ and ‘Acyuta’ indicate different forms of Viṣṇu?

They are epithets highlighting different attributes: Janārdana as the protector/dispeller of afflictions of beings, and Acyuta as the infallible, unwavering Lord. In this verse they function as reverential names for the same Viṣṇu, not as separate avatāras.