Shloka 11

Duryodhana Seized by Citraseṇa; Kaurava Petition to Yudhiṣṭhira (दुर्योधनापहारः / चित्रसेनगन्धर्वग्रहणम्)

Devanagari script

एवमुक्ते तु शक्रेण त्रिदिवं कृत्तिका गता: । नक्षत्र सप्तशीर्षाभं भाति तद्‌ वहल्निदेैवतम्‌,इन्द्रके उपर्युक्त प्रस्ताव करनेपर उनका आशय समझकर छहों कृत्तिकाएँ अभिजितके स्थानकी पूर्ति करनेके लिये आकाशमें चली गयीं। वह अग्निदेवता-सम्बन्धी कृत्तिका नक्षत्र सात सिरोंकी आकृतिमें प्रकाशित हो रहा है

Transliteration

evam ukte tu śakreṇa tridivaṃ kṛttikā gatāḥ | nakṣatraṃ saptaśīrṣābhaṃ bhāti tad vahnidaivatam ||

Translation

Mārkaṇḍeya said: When Śakra (Indra) had spoken thus, the Kṛttikās went up to the heavenly realm. There, that star-formation—presided over by Agni—shone forth in the likeness of seven heads. In the narrative frame, the movement of the Kṛttikās reflects a cosmic re-ordering: celestial beings respond to Indra’s intent, and the heavens display a new configuration that signals divine purpose and the maintenance of order (dharma) in the world.

Word by Word

• {'evam': 'thus, in this manner', 'ukte': 'when (it was) said

• locative absolute of √vac', 'tu': 'but/then (connective particle)', 'śakreṇa': 'by Śakra (Indra)

• instrumental singular', 'tridivam': 'to heaven

• the threefold heaven (svarga)', 'kṛttikāḥ': 'the Kṛttikās (Pleiades)

• a group of star-deities', 'gatāḥ': 'went

• departed (past participle of √gam)', 'nakṣatram': 'constellation, lunar mansion', 'sapta-śīrṣa-ābham': 'having the appearance of seven heads', 'bhāti': 'shines, appears radiant', 'tat': 'that', 'vahni-daivatam': 'whose presiding deity is Vahni (Agni)

Speaker

मार्कण्डेय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Mārkaṇḍeya
• Śakra (Indra)
• Kṛttikāḥ (Pleiades)
• Tridiva (Svarga/Heaven)
• Nakṣatra (constellation)
• Vahni/Agni

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores that cosmic order is not random: celestial beings and signs align with divine intention, suggesting that dharma operates on both human and cosmic levels—actions and purposes of the gods manifest as observable order in the heavens.

What is happening in the narrative?

After Indra speaks, the Kṛttikā star-deities ascend to heaven, and an Agni-presided constellation becomes visible with a ‘seven-headed’ appearance, indicating a reconfiguration or emphasized manifestation of that nakṣatra in the sky.