Mahabharata 9.45.39 — Shalya Parva, Adhyaya 45, Shloka 39

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

Devanagari script

कुन्दं च कुसुमं चैव कुमुदं च महायशा: । डम्बराडम्बरौ चैव ददौ धाता महात्मने

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca |

kuṇḍaṃ ca kusumaṃ caiva kumudaṃ ca mahāyaśāḥ |

ḍambarāḍambarau caiva dadau dhātā mahātmane ||

Translation

毗湿摩波耶那说：声名显赫的达塔赐予大心的斯坎陀五名侍从——军荼、拘苏摩、拘牟陀、檀婆罗与阿檀婆罗。此景彰显诸天对功德的认可：他们敬奉斯坎陀，不止以赞词，更以侍奉与扶持，宣示正当的统御因纪律严整的随从与有序的分任而愈加坚固。

Word by Word

• कुन्दम्: Kunda (a servant/name)
• कुन्दम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुन्द
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

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

• कुसुमम्: Kusuma (a servant/name)
• कुसुमम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुसुम
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

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

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

• कुमुदम्: Kumuda (a servant/name)
• कुमुदम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुमुद
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

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

• महायशाः: highly renowned
• महायशाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महायशस्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• डम्बर: Ḍambara (a servant/name)
• डम्बर: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: डम्बर
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• आडम्बरौ: Āḍambara (two persons/dual form as in text)
• आडम्बरौ: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: आडम्बर
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Dual

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

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

• ददौ: gave
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा
• Form: Perfect, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• धाता: Dhātā (the creator-god)
• धाता: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: धातृ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• महात्मने: to the great-souled one
• महात्मने: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: महात्मन्
• Form: Masculine, Dative, Singular

• 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
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular, Past passive participle (क्त)

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

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Dhātā
• Skanda (Kumāra/Kārttikeya)
• Kuṇḍa
• Kusuma
• Kumuda
• Ḍambara
• Āḍambara

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Honor and authority are sustained through rightful support: when a worthy leader is recognized, the divine response is not only praise but the provision of disciplined service—suggesting that power should be accompanied by orderly assistance and responsibility.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Vaiśampāyana’s narration, the deity Dhātā grants Skanda five named attendants—Kuṇḍa, Kusuma, Kumuda, Ḍambara, and Āḍambara—marking Skanda’s exalted status and the gods’ formal support of him.