Shloka 17

Karṇa’s Counsel on Śrī

Fortune) and the Proposed Display before the Exiled Pāṇḍavas (कर्णवचनम् / श्रीप्रदर्शन-प्रस्तावः

Devanagari script

ऋषिभि: पूजितं स्कन्नमनयत्‌ स्कन्दतां तत: । षट्शिरा द्विगुणश्रोत्रो द्वादशाक्षिभुजक्रम:

Transliteration

ṛṣibhiḥ pūjitaṃ skannam anayāt skandatāṃ tataḥ | ṣaṭ-śirā dvi-guṇa-śrotro dvādaśākṣi-bhuja-kramaḥ ||

Translation

Mārkaṇḍeya dit : Les sages honorèrent cette semence répandue, et de cet événement il vint à être connu sous le nom de Skanda. Il naquit avec six têtes, des oreilles en double nombre, et un prodigieux ensemble de douze yeux et de douze bras—signes d’une puissance et d’une destinée hors du commun.

Word by Word

• ऋषिभिः: by the sages
• ऋषिभिः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋषि
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• पूजितम्: honored, worshipped
• पूजितम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पूजित (पूज्)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• स्कन्नम्: spilled, fallen down
• स्कन्नम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्कन्न (स्कन्द्)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• अनयत्: led, brought
• अनयत्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: नी
• Form: Imperfect, Third, Singular

• स्कन्दताम्: the state/name of Skanda-hood (being called Skanda)
• स्कन्दताम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्कन्दता
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• ततः: thereupon, then; from that (reason)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः

• षट्शिराः: six-headed
• षट्शिराः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: षट्शिरस्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• द्विगुणश्रोत्रः: having double ears (i.e., twelve-eared)
• द्विगुणश्रोत्रः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्विगुणश्रोत्र
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• द्वादशाक्षिभुजक्रमः: whose arrangement/series of eyes and arms was twelve (i.e., twelve-eyed and twelve-armed)
• द्वादशाक्षिभुजक्रमः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वादशाक्षिभुजक्रम
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

मार्कण्डेय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Mārkaṇḍeya
• ṛṣi (sages)
• Skanda

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the power of ṛṣi-reverence and sacred recognition: what appears accidental or irregular (skanna, ‘spilled’) can be transformed into an auspicious, purposeful manifestation when received and honored by the wise.

What is happening in the narrative?

Mārkaṇḍeya describes the emergence and naming of Skanda: the sages honor the spilled essence, and because it was ‘skanna’ he becomes known as Skanda, marked by extraordinary features—six heads and a twelvefold array of eyes and arms.