Mahabharata — Shalya Parva, Shloka 60
Kārttikeya-Abhiṣecana: Mātṛgaṇa-Nāma Saṃkīrtana and Skanda’s Commission
परिश्रुत: कोकनद: प्रियमाल्यानुलेपन: । अजोदरो गजशिरा: स्कन्धाक्ष: शतलोचन:
pariśrutaḥ kokanadaḥ priyamālyānulepanaḥ | ajodaro gajaśirāḥ skandhākṣaḥ śatalocanaḥ ||
Vaiśampāyana said: “He was famed far and wide; radiant like the kokanada lotus; fond of dear garlands and fragrant unguents. His belly was firm and compact; his head was like an elephant’s; his shoulders and eyes were powerful; and he was ‘hundred‑eyed’—marked by an extraordinary, awe-inspiring gaze.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse is primarily descriptive rather than didactic: it shows how epic poetry uses epithets—fame, beauty, strength, and awe—to frame a warrior’s presence. Ethically, it reminds readers that in war, reputation and outward splendor amplify both glory and responsibility, intensifying the moral stakes of violent action.
Vaiśampāyana is listing a sequence of laudatory epithets describing a formidable figure in the Shalya Parva war context. The focus is on physical majesty (lotus-like radiance, elephant-like head, powerful shoulders/eyes) and courtly refinement (garlands and perfumes), building an image of a celebrated, intimidating warrior.