Vamana Purana — Battle at Mandara, Shloka 59

The Battle at Mandara: Vinayaka, Nandin, and Skanda Rout the Daitya Hosts

Devanagari script

नन्दिषेणं तथा बद्धं समीक्ष्य बलिनां वरः विशाखः कपितो ऽभ्येत्य शक्तिपाणिरवस्थितः

Transliteration

nandiṣeṇaṃ tathā baddhaṃ samīkṣya balināṃ varaḥ viśākhaḥ kapito 'bhyetya śaktipāṇiravasthitaḥ

Translation

见到难提舍那（Nandiṣeṇa）如此被缚，毗舍迦（Viśākha）——诸强者之最——趋前而来；那肤色黄褐者（kapitaḥ）手执长矛，立定其位，备战待敌。

Speakers

• Narrator (Purāṇic voice
• traditionally Pulastya) addressing Nārada

Primary Deities

• Shiva (Rudra)
• Gaṇa-host (Śiva’s attendants)

Key Themes

• Andhaka-vadha cycle
• Response to capture of a commander
• Weapon symbolism (śakti/spear)
• Heroic readiness and stance (avasthāna)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

Who is Viśākha in this passage?

In this localized battle narrative, Viśākha is presented as a prominent combatant (‘balināṃ varaḥ’). The name can occur across Purāṇic corpora for different figures; here it should be read as a battlefield hero within the Andhaka-cycle episode rather than automatically equated with other well-known Viśākhas.

What does ‘kapitaḥ’ add to the narrative?

It is an epithet describing appearance (tawny/reddish hue), a common Purāṇic technique to individualize warriors quickly in fast-moving combat scenes.

Does the verse contribute to Vāmana Purāṇa’s sacred geography?

Not directly. This unit is martial narration without tīrtha markers; its value is mythic-historical (gaṇa–asura conflict) rather than geographic cataloging.