Shloka 8

Duryodhana’s Śaraṇāgati and the Pāṇḍavas’ Resolve

Gandharva Encounter

Devanagari script

ततो ब्रह्मा महासेन॑ प्रजापतिरथाब्रवीत्‌ | अभिगच्छ महादेवं पितरं त्रिपुरार्दनम्‌

Transliteration

tato brahmā mahāsena prajāpatiḥ atha abravīt | abhigaccha mahādevaṃ pitaraṃ tripurārdanam |

Translation

随后，梵天——众生之主（生主，Prajāpati）——对摩诃军（Mahāsena）说道：“去吧，前往觐见摩诃提婆——你的父亲，摧毁三城（Tripura）者。”

Word by Word

• ततः: then, thereafter
• ततः: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (तद्-प्रातिपदिकात् अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya

• ब्रह्मा: Brahmā
• ब्रह्मा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• महासेन: O Mahāsena (great-host/commander)
• महासेन: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: महासेन
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• प्रजापतिः: the Lord of creatures (Prajāpati)
• प्रजापतिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रजापति
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अथ: then, now
• अथ: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ
• Form: Avyaya

• अब्रवीत्: said, spoke
• अब्रवीत्: Kriya
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd person, Singular, Parasmaipada

• अभिगच्छ: go to, approach
• अभिगच्छ: Kriya
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (अभि-गम्)
• Form: Imperative (Loṭ), 2nd person, Singular, Parasmaipada

• महादेवम्: Mahādeva (the great god, Śiva)
• महादेवम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: महादेव
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• पितरम्: father
• पितरम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• त्रिपुरार्दनम्: Tripurārdana (destroyer of the three cities)
• त्रिपुरार्दनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रिपुरार्दन
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

मार्कण्डेय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Mārkaṇḍeya
• Brahmā
• Prajāpati
• Mahāsena (Skanda/Kārttikeya)
• Mahādeva (Śiva)
• Tripura

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights dharmic order through reverent approach: even a powerful figure like Mahāsena is directed to seek and honor the supreme authority (Mahādeva). Ethical power is framed as operating within hierarchy, humility, and proper counsel.

What is happening in the narrative?

Mārkaṇḍeya narrates that Brahmā (as Prajāpati) speaks to Mahāsena and instructs him to go to Mahādeva—identified as his father and famed as Tripurārdana—setting up an encounter or appeal to Śiva within the story.