Shloka 20

भद्रवटगमनम् — स्कन्देन महिषदानवनिग्रहः

Bhadravaṭa Procession and Skanda’s Neutralization of Mahiṣa

Devanagari script

मुमुदे परमप्रीतः सह पुत्र्महायशा:

Transliteration

mumude paramaprītaḥ saha putrair mahāyaśāḥ | tapasaḥ putrā ye rathantara-nāmāgnayaḥ kathyante, tebhyo dattā haviḥ mitravinda-devatāyā bhāga iti yajuḥ-vedavido manyante | mahāyaśas tapo (pāñcajanyaḥ) sa sarvaiḥ putraiḥ saha atyanta-prasanna ānandamagno babhūva ||

Translation

Mārkaṇḍeya nói: Tapas lừng danh, vui mừng khôn xiết, cùng các người con của mình hân hoan. Lễ vật (havi) dâng lên những ngọn lửa ấy—được gọi là các con của Tapas và mang danh Rathantara—được các bậc thông tuệ Yajurveda xem là phần thuộc về thần Mitravinda. Vì thế Tapas (cũng gọi là Pāñcajanya), được tất cả các con vây quanh, vẫn hết sức mãn nguyện và đắm chìm trong niềm hoan hỷ.

Word by Word

• मुमुदे: rejoiced
• मुमुदे: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: मुद्
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), 3rd, Singular, Ātmanepada

• परमप्रीतः: supremely delighted
• परमप्रीतः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परमप्रीत
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सह: together with
• सह: Karana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह

• पुत्रैः: with (his) sons
• पुत्रैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• महायशाः: the greatly renowned one
• महायशाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महायशस्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

मार्कण्डेय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Mārkaṇḍeya
• Tapas (Pāñcajanya)
• sons of Tapas
• Rathantara-named fires (Agnis)
• Mitravinda (deity)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse emphasizes the Vedic principle that offerings in sacrifice are not arbitrary: each oblation has a designated divine recipient, as preserved and interpreted by authoritative ritual knowledge (here, Yajurvedic experts). Proper allocation of the ‘bhāga’ sustains sacred order and brings auspicious satisfaction.

What is happening in the narrative?

Mārkaṇḍeya describes Tapas rejoicing with his sons, identified with specific ritual fires called ‘Rathantara.’ The oblation given to these fires is explained as belonging to the deity Mitravinda, according to Yajurvedic tradition, and Tapas remains delighted with all his sons.