Vamana Purana — Skanda Slays Taraka & Mahisha, Shloka 91
Skanda’s Svastyayana and the Slaying of Taraka and Mahisha
एषा श्रुतिश्चापि पुरातनी किल गायन्ति यां वेदविदो महर्षयः कृत्वा च यस्या मतमुत्तमायाः स्वर्गं व्रजन्ति त्वतिपापिनो ऽपि
eṣā śrutiścāpi purātanī kila gāyanti yāṃ vedavido maharṣayaḥ kṛtvā ca yasyā matamuttamāyāḥ svargaṃ vrajanti tvatipāpino 'pi
மேலும் இது ஒரு பழமையான ‘ஸ்ருதி’ என்று கூறப்படுகிறது; வேதத்தை அறிந்த மகரிஷிகள் இதை பாடுகின்றனர். அந்த உயர்ந்த விதியைப் பின்பற்றி நடப்போரால், மிகப் பெரிய பாவச்சுமை உடையவர்களும் சொர்க்கத்தை அடைகிறார்கள்.
{ "primaryRasa": "shanta", "secondaryRasa": "adbhuta", "rasaIntensity": 0, "emotionalArcPosition": "", "moodDescriptors": [] }
FAQs
It elevates the decision from personal ethics to transpersonal dharma: the speaker appeals to the highest recognized authority (śruti) to justify an action that otherwise appears morally troubling (kin-slaying in a righteous war).
The claim is not blanket absolution; it underscores the salvific power attributed to conforming with a ‘supreme ordinance’ (uttama-mata) validated by śruti—i.e., alignment with cosmic law can override prior demerit in specific, dharmically sanctioned contexts.
The verse is generic in isolation: it points to an ‘ancient śruti’ and a ‘supreme ordinance’ without naming the rite or rule. The surrounding chapter typically supplies the concrete application—here, likely the dharmic legitimacy of combating a destructive daitya despite kinship ties.