Vamana Purana — Skanda Slays Taraka & Mahisha, Shloka 1

Skanda’s Svastyayana and the Slaying of Taraka and Mahisha

Devanagari script

इति श्रीवामनपुराणे एकत्रिंशो ऽध्यायः पुलस्त्य उवाच सेनापत्ये ऽभिषिक्तस्तु कुमारो दैवतैरथ प्रणिपत्य भवं भक्त्या गिरिजां पावकं शुचिम्

Transliteration

iti śrīvāmanapurāṇe ekatriṃśo 'dhyāyaḥ pulastya uvāca senāpatye 'bhiṣiktastu kumāro daivatairatha praṇipatya bhavaṃ bhaktyā girijāṃ pāvakaṃ śucim

Translation

至此，《圣·婆摩那往世书》第三十一章告终。普罗罗私底耶（Pulastya）曰：其后，库玛罗（Kumāra）既由诸天灌顶，受任为军队统帅，便以虔敬顶礼婆伐（Śiva）、吉利迦（Pārvatī），以及清净的帕婆迦（火神）。

Word by Word

• iti: thus
• iti: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: उक्त्यर्थक-अव्यय (quotative particle)

• śrī-vāmana-purāṇe: in the Śrī Vāmana Purāṇa
• śrī-vāmana-purāṇe: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śrī (प्रातिपदिक) + vāmana (प्रातिपदिक) + purāṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), सप्तमी (Locative, 7th), एकवचन (Singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष ('in the Purāṇa of Vāmana', honorific śrī-)

• ekatriṃśaḥ: thirty-first
• ekatriṃśaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ekatriṃśat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); संख्यावाचक (ordinal/cardinal used adjectivally)

• adhyāyaḥ: chapter
• adhyāyaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: adhyāya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• pulastyaḥ: Pulastya
• pulastyaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pulastya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद (Parasmaipada)

• senā-patye: in the commandership
• senā-patye: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: senā (प्रातिपदिक) + patya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), सप्तमी (Locative, 7th), एकवचन (Singular); तत्पुरुष ('in the generalship/command of the army')

• abhiṣiktaḥ: anointed/installed
• abhiṣiktaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: abhi-√sic (धातु) + ta (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle, क्त), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); उपसर्ग: अभि-

• tu: indeed/but
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/अवधारण-अव्यय (particle: but/indeed)

• kumāraḥ: Kumāra (Skanda)
• kumāraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kumāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• daivataiḥ: by the gods/divinities
• daivataiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: daivata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), तृतीया (Instrumental, 3rd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• atha: then
• atha: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: अनन्तर-अव्यय (sequencing particle: then/now)

• praṇipatya: having bowed
• praṇipatya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: pra-√nam (धातु) + lyap (कृत्)
• Form: क्त्वान्त/ल्यप्-अव्ययीभाव (absolutive/gerund), 'having bowed down'; उपसर्ग: प्र-

• bhavam: Bhava (Śiva)
• bhavam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया (Accusative, 2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• bhaktyā: with devotion
• bhaktyā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhakti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), तृतीया (Instrumental, 3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

• girijām: Girijā (Pārvatī)
• girijām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: girijā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), द्वितीया (Accusative, 2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• pāvakam: Pāvaka (Agni)
• pāvakam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāvaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया (Accusative, 2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• śucim: pure
• śucim: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śuci (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया (Accusative, 2nd), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण (qualifying pāvakam)

Speakers

• Pulastya to Nārada (explicit ‘Pulastya uvāca’; Nārada is the standard interlocutor in this frame)

Primary Deities

• Skanda/Kumāra
• Śiva (Bhava)
• Pārvatī (Girijā)
• Agni (Pāvaka)
• Devas (collective)

Key Themes

• Ritual consecration (abhiṣeka)
• Devotional homage (praṇāma)
• Śaiva family triad (Śiva–Pārvatī–Skanda) with Agni
• Narrative framing (Pulastya’s discourse)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

{ "primaryRasa": "shanta", "secondaryRasa": "bhakti", "rasaIntensity": 0, "emotionalArcPosition": "", "moodDescriptors": [] }

FAQs

Why does the verse include a chapter-ending colophon and then continue the narrative?

Purāṇic manuscripts often preserve colophons that mark the end of an adhyāya, followed immediately by the opening of the next; here the colophon for Adhyāya 31 precedes the start of Adhyāya 32’s narration.

Why is Agni (Pāvaka) honored alongside Śiva and Pārvatī?

Agni is central to consecration rites and is also closely linked to Skanda’s mythology (as a purifier and ritual witness). The homage underscores ritual legitimacy and the sacred fire’s role in divine installations.

What does ‘abhiṣikta’ imply about Kumāra’s status?

It indicates a formal enthronement/installation—more than a mere appointment—signaling that Kumāra’s commandership is ritually and cosmically sanctioned by the gods.