Vamana Purana — Ritadhvaja Aids Galava, Shloka 42

Ritadhvaja’s Aid to Galava and Andhaka’s Infatuation with Gauri

Devanagari script

आदाय वज्रं बलवान् मघवानिव गणेश्वरः

Transliteration

ādāya vajraṃ balavān maghavāniva gaṇeśvaraḥ

Translation

执起金刚杵（vajra），威力无比的伽内湿伐罗显现如同摩伽梵（因陀罗）。

Word by Word

• ādāya: having taken
• ādāya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषणम्)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-√dā (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Gerund/Absolutive), उपसर्गः आ-, ‘having taken’ (पूर्वकाले कृत्य)

• vajram: the thunderbolt
• vajram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vajra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन

• balavān: powerful
• balavān: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: balavat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• maghavān: Maghavan (Indra)
• maghavān: Upamāna (उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: maghavat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; इन्द्रस्य नाम

• iva: like/as
• iva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/उपमा-सूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iva (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमावाचक-अव्यय (particle of comparison)

• gaṇeśvaraḥ: Gaṇeśvara (Lord of the gaṇas)
• gaṇeśvaraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gaṇa + īśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (gaṇānām īśvaraḥ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speakers

• Narrator describing the arming of the gaṇa-lord in the battle sequence.

Primary Deities

• Indra (by comparison)
• Śiva (implied via gaṇas)
• Gaṇeśvara

Key Themes

• Martial imagery
• Divine weaponry
• Indraic comparison (upamā)
• Protection of the Devī/Śiva’s host

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

Why is the vajra mentioned—whose weapon is it traditionally?

The vajra is paradigmatically Indra’s weapon. By stating that Gaṇeśvara takes up a vajra and resembles Maghavān, the text heightens his martial stature and frames him with Indra-like sovereignty in battle.

Does this imply Indra is present or that the weapon is literally Indra’s?

Not necessarily. Purāṇas frequently use ‘vajra’ generically for a thunderbolt-like weapon and employ Indra as a benchmark for heroic comparison. Literal ownership depends on surrounding verses not included here.

What does the simile ‘maghavān iva’ accomplish?

It is a poetic upamā that signals: (1) overwhelming power, (2) a celestial standard of kingship/command, and (3) the legitimacy of the defender’s force against the attackers.