Mahabharata — Shalya Parva, Shloka 42

Kārttikeya-Abhiṣecana: Mātṛgaṇa-Nāma Saṃkīrtana and Skanda’s Commission

Devanagari script

सुव्रतं च महात्मानं शुभकर्माणमेव च

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca |

suvrataṃ ca mahātmānaṃ śubhakarmāṇam eva ca |

rudrair vasubhir ādityair aśvibhyāṃ ca vṛtaḥ prabhuḥ ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: The Lord—of excellent vows, great-souled, and devoted to auspicious deeds—stood surrounded by the Rudras, the Vasus, the Ādityas, and the two Aśvins. In the narrative frame, this gathering of divine powers around the commander-god (Kumāra/Kārttikeya) signals collective sanction and protection: righteous might is shown as supported by disciplined conduct (vrata) and beneficent action (śubha-karman), not by mere force.

Word by Word

• सुव्रतम्: of good vows / well-disciplined
• सुव्रतम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुव्रत
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• महात्मानम्: the great-souled one
• महात्मानम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: महात्मन्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• शुभकर्माणम्: of auspicious deeds
• शुभकर्माणम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभकर्मन्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• एव: indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• रुद्रैः: by/with the Rudras
• रुद्रैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुद्र
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• वसुभिः: by/with the Vasus
• वसुभिः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: वसु
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• आदित्यैः: by/with the Adityas
• आदित्यैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: आदित्य
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• अश्विभ्याम्: by/with the two Ashvins
• अश्विभ्याम्: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अश्विन्
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Dual

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• वृतः: surrounded / encompassed
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृ (वरणे)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular, क्त (past passive participle)

• प्रभुः: the lord
• प्रभुः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभु
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Rudras
• Vasus
• Ādityas
• Aśvins
• Prabhu (the Lord; contextually Kumāra/Kārttikeya)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse links true authority with ethical discipline and auspicious action: the ‘prabhu’ is characterized first by vows and good deeds, and only then shown as encircled by divine powers—implying that righteous strength is upheld by moral order (dharma), not separated from it.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana describes a divine scene in which the Lord (understood in this context as Kumāra/Kārttikeya) is attended and surrounded by major groups of gods—the Rudras, Vasus, Ādityas, and the twin Aśvins—signaling a solemn, empowered gathering and collective divine support.