Mahabharata 3.221.26-31

Devanāgarī

अथाब्रवीन् महासेनं महादेवो बृहद्वचः ॥
सप्तमं मारुतस्कन्धं रक्ष नित्यम् अतन्द्रितः ॥
स्कन्द उवाच
सप्तमं मारुतस्कन्धं पालयिष्याम्य् अहं प्रभो ॥
यद् अन्यद् अपि मे कार्यं देव तद् वद माचिरम् ॥
रुद्र उवाच
कार्येष्व् अहं त्वया पुत्र संद्रष्टव्यः सदैव हि ॥
दर्शनान् मम भक्त्या च श्रेयः परम् अवाप्स्यसि ॥
मार्कण्डेय उवाच
इत्य् उक्त्वा विससर्जैनं परिष्वज्य महेष्वरः ॥
विसर्जिते ततः स्कन्दे बभूवौत्पातिकं महत् ॥
सहसैव महाराज देवान् सर्वान् प्रमोहयत् ॥
जज्वाल खं सनक्षत्रं प्रमूढं भुवनं भृशम् ॥
चचाल व्यनदच् चोर्वी तमोभूतं जगत् प्रभो ॥
ततस् तद् दारुणं दृष्ट्वा क्षुभितः शंकरस् तदा ॥
उमा चैव महाभागा देवाश् च समहर्षयः ॥

Transliteration (IAST)

athābravīn mahāsenaṃ mahādevo bṛhadvacaḥ ||
saptamaṃ mārutaskandhaṃ rakṣa nityam atandritaḥ ||
skanda uvāca
saptamaṃ mārutaskandhaṃ pālayiṣyāmy ahaṃ prabho ||
yad anyad api me kāryaṃ deva tad vada māciram ||
rudra uvāca
kāryeṣv ahaṃ tvayā putra saṃdraṣṭavyaḥ sadaiva hi ||
darśanān mama bhaktyā ca śreyaḥ param avāpsyasi ||
mārkaṇḍeya uvāca
ity uktvā visasarjainaṃ pariṣvajya maheṣvaraḥ ||
visarjite tataḥ skande babhūvautpātikaṃ mahat ||
sahasaiva mahārāja devān sarvān pramohayat ||
jajvāla khaṃ sanakṣatraṃ pramūḍhaṃ bhuvanaṃ bhṛśam ||
cacāla vyanadac corvī tamobhūtaṃ jagat prabho ||
tatas tad dāruṇaṃ dṛṣṭvā kṣubhitaḥ śaṃkaras tadā ||
umā caiva mahābhāgā devāś ca samaharṣayaḥ ||

Word-by-word

SanskritIASTMeaning

अथाब्रवीन् महासेनं महादेवो बृहद्वचः ॥ सप्तमं मारुतस्कन्धं रक्ष नित्यम् अतन्द्रितः ॥ स्कन्द उवाच सप्तमं मारुतस्कन्धं पालयिष्याम्य् अहं प्रभो ॥ यद् अन्यद् अपि मे कार्यं देव तद् वद माचिरम् ॥ रुद्र उवाच कार्येष्व् अहं त्वया पुत्र संद्रष्टव्यः सदैव हि ॥ दर्शनान् मम भक्त्या च श्रेयः परम् अवाप्स्यसि ॥ मार्कण्डेय उवाच इत्य् उक्त्वा विससर्जैनं परिष्वज्य महेष्वरः ॥ विसर्जिते ततः स्कन्दे बभूवौत्पातिकं महत् ॥ सहसैव महाराज देवान् सर्वान् प्रमोहयत् ॥ जज्वाल खं सनक्षत्रं प्रमूढं भुवनं भृशम् ॥ चचाल व्यनदच् चोर्वी तमोभूतं जगत् प्रभो ॥ ततस् तद् दारुणं दृष्ट्वा क्षुभितः शंकरस् तदा ॥ उमा चैव महाभागा देवाश् च समहर्षयः ॥athābravīn mahāsenaṃ mahādevo bṛhadvacaḥ || saptamaṃ mārutaskandhaṃ rakṣa nityam atandritaḥ || skanda uvāca saptamaṃ mārutaskandhaṃ pālayiṣyāmy ahaṃ prabho || yad anyad api me kāryaṃ deva tad vada māciram || rudra uvāca kāryeṣv ahaṃ tvayā putra saṃdraṣṭavyaḥ sadaiva hi || darśanān mama bhaktyā ca śreyaḥ param avāpsyasi || mārkaṇḍeya uvāca ity uktvā visasarjainaṃ pariṣvajya maheṣvaraḥ || visarjite tataḥ skande babhūvautpātikaṃ mahat || sahasaiva mahārāja devān sarvān pramohayat || jajvāla khaṃ sanakṣatraṃ pramūḍhaṃ bhuvanaṃ bhṛśam || cacāla vyanadac corvī tamobhūtaṃ jagat prabho || tatas tad dāruṇaṃ dṛṣṭvā kṣubhitaḥ śaṃkaras tadā || umā caiva mahābhāgā devāś ca samaharṣayaḥ ||Mahadeva commands Mahasena to ceaselessly guard the seventh marut-skandha; Skanda promises to do so and asks for a further task; Rudra says that in all undertakings Skanda must always behold him, for through vision of him and devotion to him he will attain the highest good; Maheshvara embraces and releases Skanda, after which a great ominous sign arises: the sky burns, the world is darkened, the earth trembles and roars, and Shankara, Uma, and the gods grow troubled.

Translation

Mahadeva addressed Mahasena with weighty words: 'Ceaselessly guard the seventh marut-skandha.' Skanda replied: 'Lord, I shall guard the seventh marut-skandha. If there is any further task for me, tell me without delay.' Rudra said: 'Son, in all your undertakings you must always behold me; through vision of me and through devotion to me you shall attain the highest good.' Having said this, Maheshvara embraced him and let him go. When Skanda had departed, a great and ominous portent suddenly arose: the sky, together with its stars, blazed up, the world was thrown into deep confusion, the earth shook and roared, and everything was plunged into darkness. Seeing this terrible sign, Shankara, the illustrious Uma, the gods, and the great seers were struck with dismay.

Commentary

Even upon receiving an independent charge, Skanda remains turned toward the source. Strength becomes pure when it remembers the one it serves.

Version

51531b43309a · published Jul 16, 2026, 5:23:49 PM UTC

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