Shloka 2

Duryodhana’s Departure toward Dvaītavana; Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Caution and Śakuni’s Assurance

Devanagari script

एते चान्ये च बहवो घोरास्त्रिदिववासिन: । परिवार्य महासेनं स्थिता मातृगणै: सह,मार्कण्डेयजी कहते हैं--राजन! ग्रह, उपग्रह, ऋषि, मातृकागण और मुखसे आग उगलनेवाले दर्पयुक्त पार्षदगण--ये तथा दूसरे बहुत-से भयंकर स्वर्गवासी प्राणी मातृकागणोंके साथ रहकर महासेनको सब ओरसे घेरे हुए उनकी रक्षाके लिये खड़े थे

Transliteration

ete cānye ca bahavo ghorās tridivavāsinaḥ | parivārya mahāsenaṃ sthitā mātṛgaṇaiḥ saha ||

Translation

Mārkaṇḍeya said: “O King, these and many other fearsome dwellers of heaven, together with the hosts of the Mothers (Mātṛgaṇas), stood surrounding Mahāsena on every side, stationed there for his protection.”

Word by Word

एतेthese

चand

अन्येothers

चand

बहवःmany

घोराःterrible

त्रिदिववासिनःdwellers in heaven

परिवार्यhaving surrounded

महासेनम्Mahāsena (Skanda/Kārttikeya)

स्थिताःstood / stationed

मातृगणैःwith the groups of Mothers (Mātṛs)

सहtogether with

Speaker

मार्कण्डेय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Mārkaṇḍeya

Mahāsena (Skanda/Kārttikeya)

Mātṛgaṇa (Mātṛkās)

Tridiva (heaven)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights divine guardianship and the maintenance of cosmic order: powerful beings align themselves around a righteous commander (Mahāsena) to protect and uphold the gods’ cause, suggesting that protection and strength are ideally exercised in service of dharma rather than mere aggression.

What is happening in the narrative?

Mārkaṇḍeya describes a scene where many formidable celestial beings, along with the Mātṛkā-hosts, take up positions around Mahāsena, encircling him as a protective guard.