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

Mārkaṇḍeya dit : «Dans le désir d’obtenir un fils, nous pratiquâmes de rudes austérités durant de longues années, priant pour qu’il nous fût accordé un fils d’une droiture suprême, dont la renommée égalerait celle 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.