Shloka 116

Pracetās, Māriṣā, Dakṣa’s Re-manifestation, and the Brahma-parastava; Cyclic Creation and Genealogies

Devanagari script

अपत्यं कृत्तिकानां तु कार्त्तिकेय इति स्मृतः

Transliteration

apatyaṃ kṛttikānāṃ tu kārttikeya iti smṛtaḥ

Translation

He who is revered as the offspring of the Kṛttikās is therefore remembered by the name Kārttikeya.

Word by Word

• अपत्यम्: offspring
• अपत्यम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अपत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा) एकवचन; नाम (offspring)

• कृत्तिकानाम्: of the Kṛttikās
• कृत्तिकानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृत्तिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी) बहुवचन; सम्बन्ध (of the Kṛttikās)

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle) — contrast/emphasis

• कार्त्तिकेयः: Kārttikeya
• कार्त्तिकेयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्त्तिकेय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा) एकवचन; संज्ञा (name)

• इति: thus/so
• इति: Sambandha (Quotative/इति-प्रयोग)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उद्धरण-समाप्ति/वाक्यपरिसमाप्ति (quotative)

• स्मृतः: is called/known
• स्मृतः: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle/क्त); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगे—‘is called/remembered’

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Genealogical and nominative identifications among devas/ṛṣis in the creation-era account.

Teaching: Historical

Quality: authoritative

Characters & Entities

• Kṛttikās
• Kārttikeya (Skanda)

FAQs

What is the significance of Kārttikeya being called the offspring of the Kṛttikās in the Vishnu Purana?

It preserves the Purāṇic memory of his association with the Kṛttikās, making his epithet (Kārttikeya) a genealogical marker of identity and tradition.

How does Sage Parāśara explain divine names and epithets in this context?

He presents them as authoritative remembrances (smṛti)—names that encode lineage, associations, and recognized roles within the cosmic order.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu in this context?

Even when describing other deities’ origins and names, the Vishnu Purana frames such accounts within an ordered cosmos ultimately governed by the Supreme Reality, Vishnu, who sustains and harmonizes all lineages and functions.