Shloka 21

कार्त्तिकेयाभिषेकः — Consecration of Kārttikeya and the Enumeration of His Retinue

Devanagari script

जातकर्मादिकास्तत्र क्रियाश्षक्रे बृहस्पति: । वेदश्वैनं चतुर्मूर्तिरुपतस्थे कृताउ्जलि:,बृहस्पतिजीने वहाँ उस बालकके जातकर्म आदि संस्कार किये और चार स्वरूपोंमें अभिव्यक्त होनेवाला वेद हाथ जोड़कर उसकी सेवामें उपस्थित हुआ

Transliteration

jātakarmādikās tatra kriyāś cakre bṛhaspatiḥ | vedaś cainaṃ caturmūrtir upatasthe kṛtāñjaliḥ ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana sprach: Dort vollzog Bṛhaspati für das Kind die vorgeschriebenen Riten, beginnend mit dem jātakarma (Geburtsritus). Und die Veda selbst—in vier Gestalten offenbar—stand vor ihm mit gefalteten Händen in ehrfürchtigem Dienst und bekräftigte, dass heiliges Wissen und rechte Lebensführung nur in Demut und Hingabe zu suchen sind.

Word by Word

जातकर्मादिकाःbirth-rite and other (rites)

तत्रthere

क्रियाःrites, ceremonies

चक्रेdid, performed

बृहस्पतिःBṛhaspati

वेदःthe Veda

चand

एनम्him

चतुर्मूर्तिःhaving four forms

उपतस्थेattended upon, stood by in service

कृताञ्जलिःwith hands joined (in reverence)

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Bṛhaspati

Veda (as fourfold: Ṛg, Yajus, Sāman, Atharvan)

the child/newborn (unnamed in this verse)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights dharma through saṃskāras and the ethic of humility: sacred knowledge (the Veda) is approached not as mere information but as a revered authority, honored through disciplined rites and respectful service.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bṛhaspati performs the newborn’s initial rites beginning with jātakarma, and the Veda—personified as fourfold—appears and stands with folded hands in attendance, underscoring the child’s auspicious connection with Vedic learning and order.