Shloka 13

Duryodhana Seized by Citraseṇa; Kaurava Petition to Yudhiṣṭhira (दुर्योधनापहारः / चित्रसेनगन्धर्वग्रहणम्)

Devanagari script

स्कन्द उवाच एवमस्तु नमस्ते<स्तु पुत्रस्नेहात्‌ प्रशाधि माम्‌ । स्नुषया पूज्यमाना वै देवि वत्स्यसि नित्यदा,स्कन्दने कहा--एवमस्तु (ऐसा ही हो), मा! तुम्हें नमस्कार है। तुम मेरे ऊपर पुत्रोचित स्नेह रखकर कर्तव्यका आदेश देती रहो। देवि! तुम यहाँ सदा अपनी पुत्रवधू देवसेनाद्वारा सम्मानित होकर रहोगी

Transliteration

skanda uvāca evam astu namas te 'stu putrasnehāt praśādhi mām | snuṣayā pūjyamānā vai devi vatsyasi nityadā ||

Translation

Skanda said: “So be it. Reverence to you, Mother. Out of a mother’s affection, continue to guide and instruct me in what is to be done. O Goddess, you shall dwell here always, honored and served by your daughter-in-law, Devasenā.”

Word by Word

• {'skanda uvāca': 'Skanda said', 'evam astu': 'so be it

• let it be so (assent/blessing)', "namas te 'stu": 'may there be salutations to you

• I bow to you', 'putra-snehāt': 'out of affection for a son

• with motherly love', 'praśādhi': 'instruct, command, guide (imperative, 2nd person singular)', 'mām': 'me', 'snuṣayā': 'by the daughter-in-law', 'pūjyamānā': 'being honored, revered, worshipped', 'vai': 'indeed, surely (emphatic particle)', 'devi': 'O Goddess

• O Lady', 'vatsyasi': 'you will dwell/live (future, 2nd person singular)', 'nityadā': 'always

Speaker

स्कन्द उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Skanda (Kārttikeya)
• Devi (the Goddess/Mother figure addressed)
• Devasenā (daughter-in-law of the Goddess; Skanda’s consort)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse models dharmic humility within family and divine relationships: even a powerful figure like Skanda bows to the Mother/Goddess, accepts her authority born of maternal affection, and affirms a household ethic of honoring elders—here, the Goddess is to be continually respected through the service and reverence of the daughter-in-law, Devasenā.

What is happening in the narrative?

Skanda responds to the Goddess/Mother with assent and salutation. He invites her to keep directing him as a mother guides a son, and he grants/assures her a permanent abode where she will be regularly honored, specifically through the devotion and respectful service of her daughter-in-law, Devasenā.