Shloka 17

Karṇa’s Counsel on Śrī

Fortune) and the Proposed Display before the Exiled Pāṇḍavas (कर्णवचनम् / श्रीप्रदर्शन-प्रस्तावः

Devanagari script

ऋषिभि: पूजितं स्कन्नमनयत्‌ स्कन्दतां तत: । षट्शिरा द्विगुणश्रोत्रो द्वादशाक्षिभुजक्रम:,अग्निदेवकी कामना रखनेवाली स्वाहाने प्रतिपदाको उस कुण्डमें उनका वीर्य डाला था। स्कन्दित (स्खलित) हुए उस वीर्यने वहाँ एक तेजस्वी पुत्रको जन्म दिया। ऋषियोंने उसका बड़ा सम्मान किया। वह स्कन्दित होनेके कारण स्कन्द कहलाया। उसके छ: सिर, बारह कान, बारह नेत्र और बारह भुजाएँ थीं

Transliteration

ṛṣibhiḥ pūjitaṃ skannam anayāt skandatāṃ tataḥ | ṣaṭ-śirā dvi-guṇa-śrotro dvādaśākṣi-bhuja-kramaḥ ||

Translation

Mārkaṇḍeya said: The sages honored that spilled seed, and from that event he came to be known as Skanda. He was born with six heads, ears in double measure, and a wondrous array of twelve eyes and twelve arms—signs of extraordinary power and destiny.

Word by Word

ऋषिभिःby the sages

पूजितम्honored, worshipped

स्कन्नम्spilled, fallen down

अनयत्led, brought

स्कन्दताम्the state/name of Skanda-hood (being called Skanda)

ततःthereupon, then; from that (reason)

षट्शिराःsix-headed

द्विगुणश्रोत्रःhaving double ears (i.e., twelve-eared)

द्वादशाक्षिभुजक्रमःwhose arrangement/series of eyes and arms was twelve (i.e., twelve-eyed and twelve-armed)

Speaker

मार्कण्डेय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Mārkaṇḍeya

Ṛ

ṛṣi (sages)

Skanda

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the power of ṛṣi-reverence and sacred recognition: what appears accidental or irregular (skanna, ‘spilled’) can be transformed into an auspicious, purposeful manifestation when received and honored by the wise.

What is happening in the narrative?

Mārkaṇḍeya describes the emergence and naming of Skanda: the sages honor the spilled essence, and because it was ‘skanna’ he becomes known as Skanda, marked by extraordinary features—six heads and a twelvefold array of eyes and arms.