Padma Purana — Srishti Khanda, Shloka 15
The Slaying of Tāreya
तयोस्सवीर्ययोरस्त्रे धरण्यां प्रणिपेततुः । ततो दैत्यपतिः स्कंदं शरैरग्निशिखोपमैः
tayossavīryayorastre dharaṇyāṃ praṇipetatuḥ | tato daityapatiḥ skaṃdaṃ śarairagniśikhopamaiḥ
Rồi hai vũ khí đầy uy lực ấy rơi xuống mặt đất. Khi ấy chúa tể loài Daitya liền công kích Skanda bằng những mũi tên như lưỡi lửa.
Narrator (contextual epic narration; specific dialogue-speaker not explicit in this single verse)
Concept: Unchecked power, when it descends to the earthly plane, becomes a burden to the world—hence the need for divine guardianship.
Application: Be mindful that conflicts at ‘higher levels’ (leaders, elites, family heads) eventually land on ordinary ground; practice de-escalation and responsibility.
Primary Rasa: vira
Secondary Rasa: raudra
Type: celestial_realm
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Two mighty astras, still crackling with thunderbolt brilliance, tumble from the torn sky and strike the earth with a burst of dust and light. Immediately the Daitya lord turns, drawing and releasing a storm of arrows whose tips burn like tongues of fire, streaking toward Skanda in incandescent lines.","primary_figures":["Daitya-pati (lord of the Daityas)","Skanda (Kumāra/Guha)","Falling astras (personified weapons)"],"setting":"Battlefield under a ruptured sky; scorched ground where the astras land; Skanda’s war-standards in the background.","lighting_mood":"storm-lit with fiery streaks","color_palette":["charcoal gray","lava red","saffron flame","steel blue","dusty ochre"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: Skanda depicted with regal ornaments and a luminous halo, the Daitya lord opposite with fierce posture; gold leaf used to highlight the falling astras and the flaming arrow trails; rich maroons and greens in garments, embossed radiance around weapon impacts, traditional iconographic symmetry despite the action.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: dynamic diagonal composition—falling weapons above, flaming arrows as fine red-orange lines; Skanda poised with calm valor; delicate landscape with sparse trees and distant hills; refined detailing on quivers, bowstrings, and banners.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines and flat planes; flaming arrows rendered as rhythmic red-yellow strokes; Skanda’s face serene yet intense; the earth impact shown as stylized lotus-like explosion; temple-wall aesthetic with ornamental borders.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: battlefield stylized with floral borders; arrow trails patterned like garlands of flame; central figures framed by lotus medallions; deep blue ground and gold highlights; decorative symmetry balancing the chaos of war."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"fast-dramatic","voice_tone":"emotional","sound_elements":["arrow whistling","drum beats","conch shell","dusty wind","distant thunder"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: तयोस्सवीर्ययोः = तयोः + सवीर्ययोः; (पादे) ...योरस्त्रे = ...योः + अस्त्रे; अग्निशिखोपमैः = अग्निशिखा + उपमैः.
FAQs
Skanda is Kārttikeya, the divine warrior commonly portrayed as a commander of the gods, here shown in combat against the Daityas.
It uses a vivid simile—“like flame-tongues”—to convey both the speed and destructive intensity of the attack, emphasizing the ferocity of the battle.
The verse suggests the transience and limitation of martial power: even potent weapons can be neutralized, while the conflict continues through resolve, strategy, and divine destiny.