Vamana Purana — Birth of Skanda (Kartikeya), Shloka 65

The Birth and Consecration of Skanda (Kartikeya) at Kurukshetra

Devanagari script

ज्योतिर्हुताशनः प्रादाज्जवलज्जिह्वं तथापरम् कुन्दं मुकुन्दं कुसुमं त्रीन् धातानुचरान् ददौ

Transliteration

jyotirhutāśanaḥ prādājjavalajjihvaṃ tathāparam kundaṃ mukundaṃ kusumaṃ trīn dhātānucarān dadau

Translation

Agni, le Hutāśana (qui consume les oblations), accorda l’épithète « Jyotis » et aussi « Jvalajjihva » ; et (une autre divinité) accorda « Kunda », « Mukunda » et « Kusuma », trois serviteurs de Dhātṛ (le Créateur).

Word by Word

• ज्योतिः: Jyotis (name)
• ज्योतिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्योतिस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• हुताशनः: Hutāśana (Fire)
• हुताशनः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हुत + अशन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (हुतं अश्नाति इति)

• प्रादात्: gave
• प्रादात्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-दा (धातु)
• Form: लुङ् (Aorist), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• ज्वलज्जिह्वम्: Jvalajjihva (name; ‘having flaming tongues’)
• ज्वलज्जिह्वम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्वलत् + जिह्वा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—बहुव्रीहि (ज्वलन्ती जिह्वा यस्य सः)

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, प्रकारवाचक (adverb: likewise)

• अपरम्: another
• अपरम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अपर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘another’

• कुन्दम्: Kunda (name)
• कुन्दम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुन्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• मुकुन्दम्: Mukunda (name)
• मुकुन्दम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुकुन्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• कुसुमम्: Kusuma (name)
• कुसुमम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुसुम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• त्रीन्: three
• त्रीन्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; संख्यावाचक

• धातानुचरान्: attendants of Dhātā (Brahmā)
• धातानुचरान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धाता + अनुचर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (धातुः/धाता-स्य अनुचराः)

• ददौ: gave
• ददौ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

Speakers

• Narratorial/ṛṣi discourse within Adhyāya 31 (speaker not specified in the excerpt) continuing the list of divine bestowals.

Primary Deities

• Agni (Hutāśana)
• Dhātṛ (creator figure)

Key Themes

• Tīrtha Mahimā
• Agni and sacrificial theology
• Naming as consecration
• Creator-deity (Dhātṛ) and retinue motifs

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

{ "primaryRasa": "adbhuta", "secondaryRasa": "shanta", "rasaIntensity": 0, "emotionalArcPosition": "", "moodDescriptors": [] }

FAQs

Why does Agni bestow names like Jyotis and Jvalajjihva?

Agni is the ritual mediator; epithets of light and flame-tongue sacralize the site/object as empowered by yajña-energy. In tīrtha-māhātmya, this implies that offerings, homa, and vows performed there yield intensified merit.

How should we understand Mukunda here—does it mean Viṣṇu?

Mukunda is classically a Viṣṇu-name, but in catalogic passages it can function as a bestowed epithet or as a proper name within a retinue-list. The surrounding chapter context determines whether it is a Viṣṇu-reference or a named attendant; the verse itself frames it among ‘three attendants of Dhātṛ,’ suggesting a list-name usage.

What is the significance of mentioning Dhātṛ’s attendants in a pilgrimage text?

It extends the site’s authority beyond one sectarian frame: not only Śiva/Viṣṇu but also Vedic creator powers and their retinues are said to have ‘invested’ the place with names—making it cosmically endorsed and ritually comprehensive.