Vamana Purana — Skanda Slays Taraka & Mahisha, Shloka 81
Skanda’s Svastyayana and the Slaying of Taraka and Mahisha
प्रभज्यत बलं सर्वं दैत्यानां सुरतापस ततः स्वबलमीक्ष्यैव प्रभग्नं तारको बली खड्गोद्यतकरो दैत्यः प्रदुद्राव गणेश्वरान्
prabhajyata balaṃ sarvaṃ daityānāṃ suratāpasa tataḥ svabalamīkṣyaiva prabhagnaṃ tārako balī khaḍgodyatakaro daityaḥ pradudrāva gaṇeśvarān
O mapag-asetang kabilang sa mga diyos, nabasag at nagkawatak-watak ang buong hukbo ng mga Daitya. Pagkaraan, si Tāraka na makapangyarihan, nang makita ang sariling hukbo na wasak, ang Daitya na may nakataas na tabak sa kamay, ay sumugod sa mga Gaṇeśvara.
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FAQs
‘Sura-tāpasa’ (‘ascetic among the gods’) is a respectful vocative often used for deva-rṣis (e.g., Nārada) or a divine sage-listener within Purāṇic frame dialogues. It marks the narration as being told to a spiritually eminent hearer, even when the content is martial.
It signals a turning point: collective collapse of the Daitya forces isolates the leader (Tāraka), setting up a focused duel/assault against the Gaṇa leaders and heightening dramatic tension.
No. ‘Gaṇeśvara’ here is plural and denotes ‘lords/leaders of the Gaṇas,’ i.e., prominent commanders among Śiva’s attendants. It is a category term in Śaiva battle narratives, not a direct reference to the single deity Gaṇeśa.