Shloka 56
Duryodhana’s Śaraṇāgati and the Pāṇḍavas’ Resolve
Gandharva Encounter
स्कन्द उवाच सप्तमं मारुतस्कन्ध॑ पालयिष्याम्यहं प्रभो । यदन्यदपि मे कार्य देव तद् वद माचिरम्
Skanda uvāca: saptamaṁ māruta-skandhaṁ pālayiṣyāmy ahaṁ prabho | yad anyad api me kārya deva tad vada mā ciram ||
স্কন্দে ক’লে—“প্ৰভো! ‘মাৰুতস্কন্ধ’ নামে সপ্তম ব্যূহটো মই যথাযথভাৱে ৰক্ষা কৰিম। হে দেৱ! ইয়াৰ বাহিৰেও মোৰ আন কোনো কাৰ্য থাকিলে বিলম্ব নকৰাকৈ ক’ব।”
स्कन्द उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights dharma as prompt, disciplined service: one accepts an assigned responsibility (to guard a designated group) and remains ready for further duties, asking the superior to state them without delay.
Skanda addresses a higher divine authority as ‘Lord’ and commits himself to protecting the ‘seventh’ unit associated with the Maruts, then requests immediate instructions for any additional work that needs to be done.