Shloka 19

Duryodhana’s Śaraṇāgati and the Pāṇḍavas’ Resolve

Gandharva Encounter

Devanagari script

एका तत्र विशाखस्य घण्टा स्कन्दस्य चापरा | पताका कार्तिकेयस्य विशाखस्य च लोहिता,उनमेंसे एक घण्टा विशाखने ले लिया और दूसरा स्कन्दके पास रह गया। कार्तिकेय और विशाख दोनोंकी पताकाएँ लाल रंगकी हैं

Transliteration

ekā tatra viśākhasya ghaṇṭā skandasya cāparā | patākā kārtikeyasya viśākhasya ca lohitā ||

Translation

Mārkaṇḍeya sprach: „Dort fiel eine Glocke Viśākha zu, während die andere bei Skanda verblieb. Die Banner sowohl Kārtikeyas als auch Viśākhas sind von roter Farbe.“

Word by Word

• एका: one (female)
• एका: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र

• विशाखस्य: of Viśākha
• विशाखस्य: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: विशाख
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• घण्टा: bell
• घण्टा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: घण्टा
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• स्कन्दस्य: of Skanda
• स्कन्दस्य: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्कन्द
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

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

• अपरा: another (female)
• अपरा: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अपर
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• पताका: banner/flag
• पताका: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पताका
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• कार्तिकेयस्य: of Kārttikeya
• कार्तिकेयस्य: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्तिकेय
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• विशाखस्य: of Viśākha
• विशाखस्य: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: विशाख
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

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

• लोहिता: red
• लोहिता: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लोहित
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

मार्कण्डेय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Mārkaṇḍeya
• Viśākha
• Skanda
• Kārtikeya
• ghaṇṭā (bell)
• patākā (banner/standard)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Symbols of power—bells and banners—are not merely decorative; they mark identity, presence, and disciplined order. The shared red banners suggest unity of purpose among allied divine figures rather than competition.

What is happening in the narrative?

Mārkaṇḍeya describes how two bells are apportioned—one to Viśākha and one remaining with Skanda—and notes that both Kārtikeya and Viśākha bear red banners, emphasizing their recognized emblems.