Vamana Purana — Birth of Skanda (Kartikeya), Shloka 85

The Birth and Consecration of Skanda (Kartikeya) at Kurukshetra

Devanagari script

मेघनादं चतुर्द्दष्ट्रं विद्युजिह्वं दशाननम् सोमाप्ययनमेवोग्रं देवयाजिनमेव च

Transliteration

meghanādaṃ caturddaṣṭraṃ vidyujihvaṃ daśānanam somāpyayanamevograṃ devayājinameva ca

Translation

（其中有）梅伽那达（Meghanāda）、四牙者（Caturdaṣṭra）、电舌者（Vidyujihva）、十面者（Daśānana）；并且还有苏摩阿毗耶那（Somāpyayana）、凶猛者乌格罗（Ugra）以及天祭者德瓦雅金（Devayājin）。

Word by Word

• मेघनादम्: Meghanāda (a name)
• मेघनादम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मेघ-नाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (मेघवत् नादः/मेघस्य नादः)

• चतुर्दंष्ट्रम्: four-tusked
• चतुर्दंष्ट्रम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर्-दंष्ट्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—द्विगु (चतस्रः दंष्ट्राः यस्य)

• विद्युजिह्वम्: lightning-tongued
• विद्युजिह्वम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विद्युत्-जिह्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय (विद्युदिव जिह्वा यस्य)

• दशाननम्: ten-faced
• दशाननम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दश-आनन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—द्विगु (दश आननानि यस्य)

• सोमाप्ययनम्: Soma-drinking / Soma-imbibing
• सोमाप्ययनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सोम-अप्ययन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (सोमस्य अप्ययनम् = सोमपान/सोमसेवनम्)

• एव: indeed, just
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चय/अवधारणार्थक-अव्यय (particle of emphasis)

• उग्रम्: fierce, formidable
• उग्रम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उग्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; (सोमाप्ययनम् इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)

• देवयाजिनम्: one who sacrifices to the gods
• देवयाजिनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव-याजिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (देवान् यजति इति)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-अव्यय (particle)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

Speakers

• Narratorial voice within the Purāṇic dialogue frame (exact interlocutors not provided in prompt)

Primary Deities

• Shiva
• (implicit) Soma (as a divine referent in the name Somāpyayana)

Key Themes

• Mythic onomastics (names encoding power/appearance)
• Ritual identity within martial retinues (Devayājin)
• Cosmic/elemental imagery (cloud, lightning) in gaṇa characterization

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

Does ‘Daśānana’ here mean Rāvaṇa?

Not necessarily. ‘Daśānana’ is an epithet meaning ‘ten-faced’ and can be used for different beings in Purāṇic catalogues. In a gaṇa-enumeration, it most naturally functions as a gaṇa-name rather than a direct identification with the Rāmāyaṇa’s Rāvaṇa.

Why do gaṇa-names use storm and lightning imagery (Meghanāda, Vidyujihva)?

Such imagery communicates speed, terror, and elemental force—qualities expected of Śiva’s attendants in battle narratives like the Andhaka cycle. It also aligns gaṇas with liminal, atmospheric powers often associated with Rudra-Śiva.

What is the significance of ‘Devayājin’ among fierce gaṇas?

It signals that Śiva’s retinue is not only martial but also ritually grounded. Purāṇic theology often integrates yajña (sacrifice) with divine power, presenting attendants who embody both ferocity (ugra) and sacrificial legitimacy (devayājin).