Shloka 54

Devanagari script

देवसेनापतिस्त्वेवं देवसेनाभिरावृत: । अनुगच्छति देवेशं ब्रह्मुण्य: कृत्तिकासुत:,इसी प्रकार ब्राह्मणहितैषी, देवसेनापति, कृत्तिका-नन्दन स्कन्द भी देवताओंकी सेनासे घिरे हुए देवेश्वर भगवान्‌ शिवके पीछे-पीछे जा रहे थे

Transliteration

devasenāpatis tv evaṁ devasainābhirāvṛtaḥ | anugacchati deveśaṁ brahmaṇyaḥ kṛttikāsutaḥ ||

Translation

Thus Skanda—son of the Kṛttikās, the righteous commander of the gods’ host and a benefactor of the Brahminical order—followed behind Lord Śiva, the Lord of the gods, while surrounded by the celestial armies.

Word by Word

देवसेनापतिःcommander of the divine army

तुbut/indeed

एवम्thus/in this manner

देवसेनाभिःby/with the divine armies

आवृतःsurrounded/covered

अनुगच्छतिfollows/goes after

देवेशम्the lord of the gods

ब्रह्मण्यःdevoted to Brahmins / favorable to Brahmins

कृत्तिकासुतःson of the Kṛttikās (Skanda)

Speaker

मार्कण्डेय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Mārkaṇḍeya

Skanda (Kārttikeya)

Śiva (Deveśa)

Devas (gods)

Devasenā (army of the gods)

Kṛttikās

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?

Authority and martial power are portrayed as dharmic when exercised in reverent service to the divine and in protection of the Brahminical/sacred order (brahmaṇya). Skanda’s epithet highlights the ethical ideal of safeguarding those who preserve spiritual knowledge.

What is happening in the narrative?

Mārkaṇḍeya describes a procession-like movement: Skanda, surrounded by the gods’ forces as their commander, proceeds behind Lord Śiva, indicating disciplined following of Śiva’s lead amid a divine military context.