Vamana Purana — Skanda Slays Taraka & Mahisha, Shloka 120

Skanda’s Svastyayana and the Slaying of Taraka and Mahisha

Devanagari script

एवं तवोक्तं महिषासुरस्य वधं त्रिनेत्रात्मजशक्तिभेदात् क्रौञ्चस्य मृत्युः शरणागतार्थं पापापहं पुण्यविवर्धनं च

Transliteration

evaṃ tavoktaṃ mahiṣāsurasya vadhaṃ trinetrātmajaśaktibhedāt krauñcasya mṛtyuḥ śaraṇāgatārthaṃ pāpāpahaṃ puṇyavivardhanaṃ ca

Translation

已如是向你宣说：凭三目者之子（斯坎达）武器的贯穿威力而诛灭摩希沙阿修罗；又为护佑来归依者而令克劳恩恰（山/魔）殒命——此二者皆能灭罪并增长福德。

Word by Word

• evam: thus
• evam: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/वाक्योपपत्ति)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: evam (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (क्रियाविशेषण)

• tava: of you / your
• tava: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठीसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: Pronoun, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular

• uktam: (what is) said
• uktam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: √vac (धातु) + ukta (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: Past passive participle used substantively; Neuter, Nominative/Accusative (1st/2nd), Singular

• mahiṣa-asurasya: of the buffalo-demon (Mahiṣāsura)
• mahiṣa-asurasya: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठीसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahiṣa-asura (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular; karmadhāraya: mahiṣaḥ asuraḥ

• vadham: slaying
• vadham: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vadha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• tri-netra-ātmaja-śakti-bhedāt: from the spear-piercing by the son of the three-eyed (Skanda)
• tri-netra-ātmaja-śakti-bhedāt: Hetu/Apadana (हेतु/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tri-netra + ātmaja + śakti + bheda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular; tatpuruṣa chain: trinetra-ātmaja (son of three-eyed) + śakti-bheda (piercing by spear)

• krauñcasya: of Krauñca
• krauñcasya: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठीसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: krauñca (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular

• mṛtyuḥ: death
• mṛtyuḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mṛtyu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• śaraṇa-āgata-artham: for the sake of one who has sought refuge
• śaraṇa-āgata-artham: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śaraṇa + āgata + artha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; tatpuruṣa: śaraṇam āgataḥ (one who has come for refuge) + artha (purpose)

• pāpa-apaham: removing sin
• pāpa-apaham: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pāpa + apaha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; tatpuruṣa: pāpam apahanti iti

• puṇya-vivardhanam: increasing merit
• puṇya-vivardhanam: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: puṇya + vivardhana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; tatpuruṣa: puṇyasya vivardhanam

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक)

Speakers

• Narratorial voice continuing the account; the addressee is implied by “tava” (to you)
• likely within the frame dialogue (commonly Pulastya → Nārada)
• but not explicit in the provided line.

Primary Deities

• Skanda (Kartikeya)
• Shiva (Trinetra)

Key Themes

• Protection of the refuge-seeker (śaraṇāgati)
• Heroic myth as moral/merit discourse
• Sin-removal and merit-increase (pāpa-kṣaya, puṇya-vṛddhi)
• Śaiva martial theology (Skanda’s śakti as divine instrument)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

Why are these slayings described as ‘sin-destroying’ and ‘merit-increasing’?

Purāṇas often attach phala (spiritual result) to hearing/reciting or contemplating divine deeds. Here, Skanda’s victories—especially those framed as protection of a śaraṇāgata—are treated as dharmic acts whose narration functions as a purifier for the listener/reciter.

What is meant by “trinetrātmaja-śakti-bheda”?

It compresses the idea that Skanda, son of the Three-eyed Śiva, pierces/splits the enemy by his śakti (spear). The compound highlights both lineage (Śiva’s son) and instrument (the śakti) as the decisive divine agency.

Who is ‘Krauñca’ in this context?

Across related Skanda traditions, Krauñca is an obstructive force—often a mountain personified or an asuric entity—whose ‘death’ signifies removal of a cosmic/territorial blockage. The verse frames it ethically: done for the sake of a refuge-seeker.