Shloka 41

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

Devanagari script

सुव्रतं सत्यसंधं च ददौ मित्रो महात्मने । कुमाराय महात्मानौ तपोविद्याधरी प्रभु:

Transliteration

suvrataṃ satyasaṃdhaṃ ca dadau mitro mahātmane | kumārāya mahātmānau tapovidyādharī prabhuḥ, rudrair vasubhir ādityair aśvibhyāṃ ca vṛtaḥ prabhuḥ |

Translation

Vaiśaṃpāyana said: The mighty Lord, endowed with ascetic power and sacred knowledge, bestowed upon the great-souled Kumāra (Kārttikeya) a companion—Mitra—who was of excellent vows and steadfast in truth. Then that resplendent lord stood surrounded by the Rudras, the Vasus, the Ādityas, and the two Aśvins—an assembly of divine powers encircling him, affirming that truthfulness and disciplined vows are the proper ornaments of leadership and divine authority.

Word by Word

• सुव्रतम्: of good vows/discipline
• सुव्रतम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुव्रत
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• सत्यसन्धम्: true to his pledge
• सत्यसन्धम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सत्यसन्ध
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

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

• ददौ: gave
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (दाने)
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), 3, Singular, Parasmaipada

• मित्रः: Mitra (the deity)
• मित्रः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मित्र
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• महात्मने: to the great-souled one
• महात्मने: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: महात्मन्
• Form: Masculine, Dative, Singular

• कुमाराय: to Kumāra (Kārttikeya)
• कुमाराय: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुमार
• Form: Masculine, Dative, Singular

• महात्मानौ: the two great-souled ones
• महात्मानौ: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: महात्मन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• तपोविद्याधरी: possessing ascetic power and knowledge
• तपोविद्याधरी: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तपोविद्याधरिन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

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

• 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 Ādityas
• आदित्यैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: आदित्य
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

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

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

• वृतः: surrounded
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृत (√वृ, वरणे/आवरणे)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular, Past passive participle (क्त)

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

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśaṃpāyana
• Kumāra (Kārttikeya/Skanda)
• Mitra
• Rudras
• Vasus
• Ādityas
• Aśvinau (Aśvinīkumāras)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse elevates satya (truth) and vrata (disciplined vows) as defining virtues of worthy companionship and authority: divine power is portrayed as harmonized with ethical steadfastness, suggesting that greatness is validated by truthfulness and self-restraint.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśaṃpāyana describes Kumāra (Kārttikeya) being honored: Mitra—characterized as suvrata and satyasaṃdha—is bestowed/assigned to him, and Kumāra is shown standing encircled by major classes of deities (Rudras, Vasus, Ādityas, and the Aśvins), emphasizing his eminence and divine recognition.