Mahabharata 9.45.51 — Shalya Parva, Adhyaya 45, Shloka 51

Kārttikeya-Abhiṣecana: Mātṛgaṇa-Nāma Saṃkīrtana and Skanda’s Commission

Devanagari script

उन्मादं शड्कुकर्ण च पुष्पदन्तं तथैव च

Transliteration

unmādaṃ śaṅkukarṇaṃ ca puṣpadantaṃ tathaiva ca, rudrair vasubhir ādityair aśvibhyāṃ ca vṛtaḥ prabhuḥ |

Translation

Vaiśaṃpāyana berkata: Tuhan yang perkasa (Kārttikeya) berdiri dikelilingi—oleh Unmāda, Śaṅkukarṇa dan Puṣpadanta; dan juga oleh para Rudra, para Vasu, para Āditya serta pasangan Aśvin. Pemandangan ini menampilkan dewa perang bukan sebagai wira yang terasing, tetapi sebagai ketuhanan yang ditegakkan oleh tertib kosmos: para dewa utama beserta bala mereka berhimpun mengelilinginya, menandakan restu bersama, kekuatan yang berdisiplin, dan keselarasan daya tempur dengan pemerintahan ilahi.

Word by Word

• उन्मादम्: Unmāda (a Rudra-name)
• उन्मादम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: उन्माद
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• शङ्कुकर्णम्: Śaṅkukarna (a Rudra-name)
• शङ्कुकर्णम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शङ्कुकर्ण
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• पुष्पदन्तम्: Puṣpadanta (a Rudra-name)
• पुष्पदन्तम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुष्पदन्त
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• तथा: likewise
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

• एव: indeed/just
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• रुद्रैः: by/with the Rudras
• रुद्रैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुद्र
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• वसुभिः: by/with the Vasus
• वसुभिः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: वसु
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• आदित्यैः: by/with the Ādityas
• आदित्यैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: आदित्य
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• अश्विभ्याम्: by/with the two Aśvins
• अश्विभ्याम्: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अश्विन्
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Dual

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• वृतः: surrounded/encircled
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृ (वरणे)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular, क्त (past passive participle)

• प्रभुः: the lord
• प्रभुः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभु
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśaṃpāyana
• Kārttikeya (Skanda/Kumāra)
• Unmāda
• Śaṅkukarṇa
• Puṣpadanta
• Rudras
• Vasus
• Ādityas
• Aśvins (Aśvinīkumāras)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Power—especially martial power—is shown as legitimate and stabilizing when it is aligned with the wider cosmic and moral order. Kārttikeya’s might is framed as supported by divine hosts, emphasizing disciplined authority rather than solitary aggression.

What is happening in the narrative?

The narrator describes Kārttikeya being encircled and attended by named gaṇas (Unmāda, Śaṅkukarṇa, Puṣpadanta) and by major divine groups—the Rudras, Vasus, Ādityas, and the twin Aśvins—forming a protective and honorific assembly around him.