Shloka 12
भद्रवटगमनम् — स्कन्देन महिषदानवनिग्रहः
Bhadravaṭa Procession and Skanda’s Neutralization of Mahiṣa
सुमित्रं मित्रवन्तं च मित्रज्ञं मित्रवर्धनम् । मित्रधर्माणमित्येतान् देवानभ्यसृजत् तप:,इनके बाद पाञ्चजन्यने सुमित्र, मित्रवान, मित्रज्ञ, मित्रवर्धन और मित्रधर्मा--इन पाँच देवरूपी विनायकोंको उत्पन्न किया
sumitraṁ mitravantaṁ ca mitrajñaṁ mitravardhanam | mitradharmāṇam ity etān devān abhyasṛjat tapaḥ ||
Disse Mārkaṇḍeya: “Tapas, como se estivesse dotado de poder criador, gerou estes seres divinos—Sumitra, Mitravān, Mitrajña, Mitravardhana e Mitradharmā—encarnações da guarda por meio da amizade: o bom amigo, o que tem amigos, o que conhece a amizade, o que a faz crescer e o que sustenta a lei da amizade.”
मार्कण्डेय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse elevates friendship to a dharmic principle: true social and moral order is protected by virtues such as being a good friend, sustaining friendships, discerning loyalty, strengthening bonds, and adhering to the ethical duties of friendship.
Markandeya describes how tapas (austerity/spiritual power) generates five divine, guardian-like personifications connected with friendship—each name representing a distinct facet of how friendship functions as a protective moral force.