Shloka 20

Devanagari script

यानि क्रीडनकान्यस्य देवैर्दत्तानि वै तदा । तैरेव रमते देवो महासेनो महाबल:

Transliteration

yāni krīḍanakāny asya devair dattāni vai tadā | tair eva ramate devo mahāseno mahābalaḥ ||

Translation

Mārkaṇḍeya said: “Those very playthings that the gods had once bestowed upon him—using those alone the mighty god Mahāsena, of great strength, takes his delight.”

Word by Word

• यानि: which (things)
• यानि: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Plural

• क्रीडनकानि: playthings, toys
• क्रीडनकानि: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रीडनक
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Plural

• अस्य: of him
• अस्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• देवैः: by the gods
• देवैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• दत्तानि: given
• दत्तानि: Karma
• Type: Participle
• Root: दा (ददाति) → दत्त
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Plural

• वै: indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै

• तदा: then
• तदा: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा

• तैः: with those
• तैः: Karana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• एव: only, just
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• रमते: sports, delights
• Type: Verb
• Root: रम्
• Form: Present, Third, Singular, Atmanepada

• देवः: the god
• देवः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• महासेनः: Mahāsena (Skanda/Kārttikeya)
• महासेनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: महासेन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• महाबलः: mighty-strong
• महाबलः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महाबल
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

मार्कण्डेय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Mārkaṇḍeya
• the gods (devas)
• Mahāsena (Skanda/Kārttikeya)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the sanctity and enduring value of divine gifts: what is bestowed by the gods remains a fitting source of joy and auspiciousness. It also subtly portrays the deity’s simplicity—delight arising not from excess, but from what is rightly given.

What is happening in the narrative?

Mārkaṇḍeya describes Mahāsena (Skanda/Kārttikeya) enjoying himself with the very playthings previously granted to him by the gods, emphasizing his divine yet childlike aspect within the mythic account.