Shloka 2

भद्रवटगमनम् — स्कन्देन महिषदानवनिग्रहः

Bhadravaṭa Procession and Skanda’s Neutralization of Mahiṣa

Devanagari script

अचरन्त तपस्तीव्रं पुत्रार्थ बहुवार्षिकम्‌ । पुत्रं लभेम धर्मिष्ठं यशसा ब्रह्मणा समम्‌

Transliteration

acarant tapas tīvraṁ putrārthaṁ bahuvārṣikam | putraṁ labhema dharmiṣṭhaṁ yaśasā brahmaṇā samam ||

Translation

Dijo Mārkaṇḍeya: «Para obtener un hijo, practicamos austeridades severas durante muchos años, rogando que se nos concediera un hijo de la más alta rectitud, cuya fama fuese igual a la de Brahmā.»

Word by Word

• अचरन्: they practiced/performed
• अचरन्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: चर्
• Form: Imperfect (Lan), 3rd, Plural, Parasmaipada

• तपः: austerity, penance
• तपः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• तीव्रम्: intense
• तीव्रम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तीव्र
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• पुत्रार्थम्: for the sake of a son
• पुत्रार्थम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्रार्थ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• बहुवार्षिकम्: lasting many years
• बहुवार्षिकम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहुवार्षिक
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• पुत्रम्: a son
• पुत्रम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• लभेम: may we obtain
• लभेम: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: लभ्
• Form: Optative (Vidhi-lin), 1st, Plural, Atmanepada

• धर्मिष्ठम्: most righteous
• धर्मिष्ठम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धर्मिष्ठ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• यशसा: with fame, by glory
• यशसा: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: यशस्
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• ब्रह्मणा: with sacred knowledge / with Brahman (spiritual power)
• ब्रह्मणा: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन्
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• समम्: equal (to)
• समम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

मार्कण्डेय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Mārkaṇḍeya
• Brahmā

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethical ideal that even when seeking worldly blessings (like progeny), one should desire a child grounded in dharma and virtue, and pursue the goal through disciplined tapas rather than mere craving.

What is happening in the narrative?

Mārkaṇḍeya recounts a past episode: he (speaking in a collective sense) undertook long, intense austerities with the specific wish to obtain a son distinguished by righteousness and renowned like Brahmā.