Vamana Purana — Skanda Slays Taraka & Mahisha, Shloka 39

Skanda’s Svastyayana and the Slaying of Taraka and Mahisha

Devanagari script

शरसंभिन्नजत्रुश्च भयात् तस्य महाजवः प्रणष्ट आश्रमात् तस्मात् स च मां पृष्ठतो ऽन्वगात्

Transliteration

śarasaṃbhinnajatruśca bhayāt tasya mahājavaḥ praṇaṣṭa āśramāt tasmāt sa ca māṃ pṛṣṭhato 'nvagāt

Translation

“箭矢击碎了我颈项与锁骨之处；我因惧怕那人，纵然迅疾，仍从那隐修院逃遁，而他自后追随而来。”

Word by Word

• शर-संभिन्न-जत्रुः: one whose collarbone was split by an arrow
• शर-संभिन्न-जत्रुः: कर्ता (Kartā/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर + संभिन्न + जत्रु (प्रातिपदिक; संभिन्न = सम् + भिद् (धातु) क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः ‘शरेण संभिन्नं जत्रु यस्य’ (whose collarbone/neck-joint was split by an arrow)

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Conjunctive)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• भयात्: from fear
• भयात्: हेतु (Hetu/Cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी, एकवचन — हेतौ ‘out of fear’

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• महाजवः: very swift
• महाजवः: कर्ता-विशेषण (Qualifier of subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा + जव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः ‘महान् जवः यस्य’ — कर्तृविशेषणम्

• प्रणष्टः: fled
• प्रणष्टः: क्रिया (Verbal predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + नश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — ‘fled/vanished’

• आश्रमात्: from the hermitage
• आश्रमात्: अपादान (Apādāna/Source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आश्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी, एकवचन — अपादान (from)

• तस्मात्: from there; therefore
• तस्मात्: सम्बन्ध/अपादान (Discourse/Source)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तस्मात् इति अव्ययीभूत-प्रयोगः/अव्ययवत् (ablative used adverbially) — ‘therefore/from there’

• सः: he
• सः: कर्ता (Kartā/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Conjunctive)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय

• माम्: me
• माम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया, एकवचन

• पृष्ठतः: from behind
• पृष्ठतः: देश-क्रियाविशेषण (Locative adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पृष्ठतः (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक अव्यय (adverb of place) — ‘from behind/behind’

• अन्वगात्: followed
• अन्वगात्: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अनु + गम् (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-भूतकाल (Imperfect), परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन — ‘followed’

Speakers

• Pātālaketu to the Daitya king

Key Themes

• Consequences of āśrama-violation
• Superiority of dharmic protection over demonic force
• Pursuit motif (guardian chasing the transgressor)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What does “jatru” denote, and why is it significant?

Jatru commonly refers to the collarbone/upper thoracic or neck-junction region, treated as a vulnerable vital point. The detail intensifies the realism of the punishment and signals that the defender’s strike is precise and empowered.

Why does the text stress that he was “mahājavaḥ” yet still fled?

It contrasts physical prowess with moral/spiritual authority: even a ‘very swift’ Daitya cannot withstand the protective force surrounding an āśrama when he acts with destructive intent.

What does the pursuit (“pṛṣṭhato ’nvagāt”) imply about the protector?

It implies active guardianship beyond the hermitage boundary—suggesting the defender is not merely warding off intrusion but enforcing dharmic retribution, a common Purāṇic pattern when sacred geography is threatened.