Shloka 58

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

Devanagari script

अक्ष: संतर्जनो राजन्‌ कुनदीकस्तमो<न्तकृत्‌ । एकाक्षो द्वादशाक्षश्न तथैवैकजट: प्रभु:

Transliteration

akṣaḥ santarjano rājan kunadīkastamo'ntakṛt | ekākṣo dvādaśākṣaś ca tathaivaikajaṭaḥ prabhuḥ ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana sprach: „O König, da war Akṣa, ein grimmiger Einschüchterer; Kunadīka, ein Töter der Finsternis; und Antakṛt, ein Bringer des Todes. Da waren auch Ekākṣa („Der Einäugige“), Dvādaśākṣa („Der Zwölfäugige“) und ebenso der mächtige Ekajaṭa („Mit einer einzigen verfilzten Haarsträhne“).“

Word by Word

अक्षःAksha (a proper name)

संतर्जनःSantargana (a proper name)

राजन्O king

कुनदीकःKunadīka (a proper name)

तमःTamas (darkness; also a proper name here)

अन्तकृत्ender, destroyer (lit. 'maker of the end')

एकाक्षःone-eyed (a proper epithet/name)

द्वादशाक्षःtwelve-eyed (a proper epithet/name)

चand

तथाthus, likewise

एवindeed, just

एकजटःsingle-matted(-haired) (a proper epithet/name)

प्रभुःlord, master

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Janamejaya

Akṣa

Santarjana

Kunadīka

Tamo'ntakṛt (Antakṛt)

Ekākṣa

Dvādaśākṣa

Ekajaṭa

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores the epic theme that war draws in many powerful figures—often identified by striking epithets—and that martial prowess, however fearsome, is ultimately set within a larger moral and fated unfolding where even the mighty are counted, named, and swept into the conflict.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana is reciting to King Janamejaya a catalogue of notable warriors (or combatants) present in the Shalya Parva context, listing them by name and epithet to convey the scale and intensity of the forces engaged.