Shloka 52

कार्त्तिकेयाभिषेकः — Consecration of Kārttikeya and the Enumeration of His Retinue

Devanagari script

पुण्यां हैमव्तीं देवीं सरिच्छेष्ठां सरस्वतीम्‌ । समन्तपज्चके या वै त्रिषु लोकेषु विश्रुता

Transliteration

puṇyāṃ haimavatīṃ devīṃ saricchreṣṭhāṃ sarasvatīm | samantapañcake yā vai triṣu lokeṣu viśrutā ||

Translation

વૈશંપાયન બોલ્યા—ત્યાં હિમાલયથી ઉદ્ભવેલી પુણ્યમયી દેવી સરસ્વતી, નદીઓમાં શ્રેષ્ઠ; સમંતપંચકમાં પ્રવાહિત થઈ ત્રિલોકમાં વિખ્યાત છે.

Word by Word

पुण्याम्holy, meritorious

हैमवतीम्of/connected with Himavat (Himalaya)

देवीम्goddess

सरित्of rivers

श्रेष्ठाम्the best, foremost

सरस्वतीम्Sarasvatī (river/goddess)

समन्तपञ्चकेin Samantapañcaka (the 'five' region called Samanta-)

याwho, which

वैindeed, surely

त्रिषुin the three

लोकेषुworlds

विश्रुताwell-known, renowned

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśaṃpāyana

Sarasvatī

Himavat (Himalayas)

Samantapañcaka

Three worlds (trailokya)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse elevates Sarasvatī as a supremely sacred presence—both river and goddess—whose fame spans the three worlds, underscoring the Mahābhārata’s ethic that dharma is supported by tīrthas (holy places) and reverence for purifying, life-sustaining forces.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśaṃpāyana identifies and praises the Sarasvatī at Samantapañcaka, situating the account within a well-known sacred landscape (Kurukṣetra region) and preparing the listener to understand the significance of events or descriptions connected with that revered locale.