Shloka 73

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

Devanagari script

श्वेतवक्त्र: सुवक्त्रश्न चारुवक्त्रश्न पाण्डुर: । दण्डबाहु: सुबाहुश्चव रज: कोकिलकस्तथा

Transliteration

śvetavaktraḥ suvaktroś ca cāruvaktraś ca pāṇḍuraḥ | daṇḍabāhuḥ subāhuś ca rajaḥ kokilakas tathā ||

Translation

ไวศัมปายนะกล่าวว่า “(ม้า) มีนามว่า เศวตวักตระ สุวักตระ จารุวักตระ ปาณฑุระ ทัณฑพาหุ สุพาหุ รชะ และโกกิลกะ”

Word by Word

श्वेतवक्त्रःwhite-faced

सुवक्त्रःhandsome-faced

चand

चारुवक्त्रःbeautiful-faced

चand

पाण्डुरःpale, whitish

दण्डबाहुःstaff-like-armed (having arms like clubs)

सुबाहुःstrong-armed, well-armed

चand

रजःdust

कोकिलकःa cuckoo (bird)

तथाlikewise, also

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Śvetavaktra

Suvaktra

Cāruvaktra

Pāṇḍura

Daṇḍabāhu

Subāhu

Rajaḥ

Kokilaka

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights that heroic action in war is supported by concrete means—trained horses, chariots, and disciplined preparation—reflecting the Mahābhārata’s ethical realism: dharma in battle is not abstract, but enacted through responsible stewardship of one’s resources and companions.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana lists the names of several steeds (horses), likely as part of a description of a warrior’s chariot-team or military array during the events of Śalya Parva.