Mahabharata 9.45.44 — Shalya Parva, Adhyaya 45, Shloka 44

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

Devanagari script

बल॑ चातिबलं चैव महावक्त्रौ महाबलौ

Transliteration

balaṁ cātibalaṁ caiva mahāvaktrau mahābalau | rudravasubhirādityairaśvibhyāṁ ca vṛtaḥ prabhuḥ ||

Translation

Vaiśaṃpāyana disse: O Senhor—poderoso e mais que poderoso, de vasto semblante e grande força—permaneceu cercado pelos Rudras, pelos Vasus, pelos Ādityas e pelos dois Aśvins. Assim, as hostes radiantes dos deuses se reuniram ao redor de Kumāra Kārttikeya, honrando seu poder e sua posição em meio a um mundo dilacerado pela guerra, como a afirmar que a ordem divina e a proteção ainda sustentam a liderança legítima e o valor disciplinado.

Word by Word

• बलम्: strength
• बलम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: बल
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

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

• अतिबलम्: great strength
• अतिबलम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अतिबल
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

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

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

• महावक्त्रौ: two great-faced (ones)
• महावक्त्रौ: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महावक्त्र
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• महाबलौ: two very mighty (ones)
• महाबलौ: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महाबल
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• 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 Adityas
• आदित्यैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: आदित्य
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• अश्विभ्याम्: by/with the two Ashvins
• 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, Past passive participle (क्त)

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

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Prabhu (Lord)
• Rudras
• Vasus
• Ādityas
• Aśvins (Aśvinīkumāras)
• Kumāra Kārttikeya (implied by the accompanying prose)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse emphasizes divine sanction and the upholding of cosmic order: the great powers (Rudras, Vasus, Ādityas, Aśvins) gather around the Lord/commander figure, suggesting that disciplined strength and rightful authority are supported by higher principles even amid war.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana describes a majestic scene in which a supremely powerful figure is encircled and attended by groups of gods—Rudras, Vasus, Ādityas, and the twin Aśvins—forming an honor-guard around Kumāra Kārttikeya (as indicated by the contextual prose).