Shloka 6

स्कन्दसेनापत्याभिषेकः

Skanda’s Consecration as Devasenāpati

Devanagari script

मार्कण्डेय उदाच अत्राप्युदाहरन्तीममितिहासं पुरातनम्‌ । यथा क्रुद्धों हुतवहस्तपस्तप्तुं वनं गत:,मार्कण्डेयजीने कहा--राजन्‌! इस विषयमें जानकार लोग उस प्राचीन इतिहासको दुहराया करते हैं, जिसमें यह स्पष्ट किया गया है कि किस प्रकार अग्निदेव कुपित हो तपस्याके लिये जलनमें प्रविष्ट हुए थे?

Transliteration

Mārkaṇḍeya uvāca: atrāpy udāharantīmam itihāsaṁ purātanam | yathā kruddho hutavahas tapaḥ taptuṁ vanaṁ gataḥ ||

Translation

Mārkaṇḍeya said: “Here too, the learned recount an ancient tradition—how Agni, the Fire-god, once became enraged and went into the forest to undertake austerities.”

Word by Word

• {'Mārkaṇḍeya uvāca': 'Mārkaṇḍeya said', 'atra api': 'here also

• in this matter too', 'udāharanti': 'they cite

• they recount as an example', 'imam': 'this', 'itihāsam': 'ancient narrative

• traditional account', 'purātanam': 'ancient

• of old', 'yathā': 'how

• in what manner', 'kruddhaḥ': 'angry

• enraged', 'hutavahaḥ': '‘carrier of oblations’

• Fire, Agni', 'tapaḥ': 'austerity

• penance', 'taptum': 'to perform (austerities)

• to practice', 'vanam': 'forest', 'gataḥ': 'went

Speaker

युधिछिर उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Mārkaṇḍeya
• Agni (Hutavaha)
• forest (vana)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames an ethical exemplum: even a powerful deity, when seized by anger, turns toward tapas (austerity and self-discipline). It suggests that inner heat should be redirected into restraint and spiritual effort rather than outward harm.

What is happening in the narrative?

Mārkaṇḍeya introduces an old traditional story that people cite in this context, announcing that it will explain how Agni (Hutavaha), angered, went to the forest to practice austerities.