Svaha's Wish and Skanda's Parentage

Verse 1 (3.231.1)

यदा स्कन्देन मातृणामेवमेतत्प्रियं कृतम् । अथैनमब्रवीत्स्वाहा मम पुत्रस्त्वमौरसः ॥

yadā skandena mātṛṇāmevametatpriyaṃ kṛtam | athainamabravītsvāhā mama putrastvamaurasaḥ

When Skanda had in this way done what pleased the Mothers, Svaha said to him, "You are my own son, born of my body.

Note on the text: Corrected अथनैमब्रवीत् → अथैनमब्रवीत् (misprint in Wikisource; अथ एनम् "then to him", as the critical edition's athainam).

Verse 2 (3.231.2)

इच्छाम्यहं त्वया दत्तां प्रीतिं परमदुर्लभाम् । तामब्रवीत्ततः स्कन्दः प्रीतिमिच्छसि कीदृशीम् ॥

icchāmyahaṃ tvayā dattāṃ prītiṃ paramadurlabhām | tāmabravīttataḥ skandaḥ prītimicchasi kīdṛśīm

I wish you to grant me a joy that is most hard to win." Then Skanda said to her, "What kind of joy do you wish for?"

Verse 3 (3.231.3)

दक्षस्याहं प्रिया कन्या स्वाहा नाम महाभुज । बाल्यात्प्रभृति नित्यं च जातकामा हुताशने ॥

dakṣasyāhaṃ priyā kanyā svāhā nāma mahābhuja | bālyātprabhṛti nityaṃ ca jātakāmā hutāśane

I am the beloved daughter of Daksha, Svaha by name, O mighty-armed one. Since childhood I have always been in love with Agni, the eater of oblations.

Verse 4 (3.231.4)

न स मां कामिनीं पुत्र सम्यग्जानाति पावकः । इच्छामि शाश्वतं वासं वस्तुं पुत्र सहाग्निना ॥

na sa māṃ kāminīṃ putra samyagjānāti pāvakaḥ | icchāmi śāśvataṃ vāsaṃ vastuṃ putra sahāgninā

But Pavaka does not truly know, my son, that I long for him. I wish to dwell with Agni for ever, my son.

Note on the text: Corrected सम्यग्जनाति → सम्यग्जानाति and वस्तु → वस्तुं (misprints in Wikisource; "knows" and the infinitive "to dwell", as the critical edition's jānāti and vastuṃ). न स मां for the critical edition's na ca māṃ is a recension variant.

Verse 5 (3.231.5)

हव्यं कव्यंच यत्किंचिद्द्विजा मन्त्रसुसंस्तुतम् । होष्यन्त्यग्नौ सदा देवि स्वाहेत्युक्त्वासमुद्धृतम् ॥

havyaṃ kavyaṃca yatkiṃciddvijā mantrasusaṃstutam | hoṣyantyagnau sadā devi svāhetyuktvāsamuddhṛtam

Whatever offering to the gods or to the ancestors the twice-born, hallowing it with mantras, pour into the fire, they will always lift it up and offer it saying "svaha", O goddess.

Verse 6 (3.231.6)

अद्यप्रभृति दास्यन्ति सुवृत्ताः सत्पथे स्थिताः । एवमग्निस्त्वया सार्धं सदा वत्स्यति शोभने ॥

adyaprabhṛti dāsyanti suvṛttāḥ satpathe sthitāḥ | evamagnistvayā sārdhaṃ sadā vatsyati śobhane

From this day on, those of good conduct who keep to the true path will make their offerings so. In this way, lovely one, Agni will dwell with you always.

Note on the text: Corrected एवमग्निसत्वया → एवमग्निस्त्वया (misprint in Wikisource; a broken conjunct, अग्निः त्वया "Agni with you", as the critical edition's agnis tvayā).

Verse 7 (3.231.7)

एवमुक्ता ततः स्वाहा तुष्टास्कन्देन पूजिता । पावकेन समायुक्ता भर्त्रा स्कन्दमपूजयत् ॥

evamuktā tataḥ svāhā tuṣṭāskandena pūjitā | pāvakena samāyuktā bhartrā skandamapūjayat

Addressed in this way and honoured by Skanda, Svaha was content; united with Pavaka, her husband, she worshipped Skanda.

Verse 8 (3.231.8)

ततो ब्रह्मा महासेनं प्रजापतिरथाब्रवीत् । अभिगच्छ महादेवं पितरं त्रिपुरार्दनम् ॥

tato brahmā mahāsenaṃ prajāpatirathābravīt | abhigaccha mahādevaṃ pitaraṃ tripurārdanam

Then Brahma, the lord of creatures, said to Mahasena: "Go to Mahadeva, your father, the destroyer of the Three Cities.

Verse 9 (3.231.9)

रुद्रेणाग्निं समाविश्य स्वाहामाविश्य चोमया । हितार्थं सर्वलोकानां जातस्त्वमपराजितः ॥

rudreṇāgniṃ samāviśya svāhāmāviśya comayā | hitārthaṃ sarvalokānāṃ jātastvamaparājitaḥ

Rudra entered Agni and Uma entered Svaha, and so, for the good of all the worlds, you were born, the unconquered one.

Note on the text: Speaker: Brahma's address to Skanda, begun in verse 8, fills this whole verse (no heading in Wikisource, which carries on मार्कण्डेय). Corrected हितर्थं → हितार्थं (misprint in Wikisource; "for the good", as the critical edition's hitārthaṃ).

Verse 10 (3.231.10)

उमायोन्यां च रुद्रेण शुक्रं सिक्तं महात्मना । अस्मिन्गिरौ निपतितं मिञ्जिकामिञ्जिकं यतः ॥

umāyonyāṃ ca rudreṇa śukraṃ siktaṃ mahātmanā | asmingirau nipatitaṃ miñjikāmiñjikaṃ yataḥ

The seed that great-souled Rudra shed in Uma's womb fell upon this mountain, and from it arose the pair Minjika and Minjika.

Note on the text: Speaker: Brahma's address to Skanda, begun in verse 8, fills this whole verse (no heading in Wikisource, which carries on मार्कण्डेय). Corrected मिञ्जिकमिञ्जिकं → मिञ्जिकामिञ्जिकं (misprint in Wikisource; the pair Miñjikā and Miñjika, as Wikisource itself spells it in verse 16 and the critical edition reads miñjikāmiñjikaṃ). अस्मिन्गिरौ for the critical edition's āste girau is a recension variant.

Verse 11 (3.231.11)

मिथुनं वै महाभाग तत्र तद्रुद्रसंभवम् । संभूतं लोहितोदे तु शुक्रशेषमवापतत् ॥

mithunaṃ vai mahābhāga tatra tadrudrasaṃbhavam | saṃbhūtaṃ lohitode tu śukraśeṣamavāpatat

That pair, O fortunate one, sprang from Rudra there. What was left of the seed fell into the Red Sea, and beings arose there too;

Note on the text: Speaker: Brahma's address to Skanda, begun in verse 8, fills this whole verse (no heading in Wikisource, which carries on मार्कण्डेय). Removed the stray wiki marks (` and ') around the first line. The first line is not in the critical edition's text (found in the vulgate recension; its apparatus gives it as 3.220.10d*1081); the second line is CE 3.220.11a.

Verse 12 (3.231.12)

सूर्यरश्मिषु चाप्यन्यदन्यच्चैवापतद्भुवि । आसक्तमन्यद्वृक्षेषु तदेवं पञ्चधाऽपतत् ॥

sūryaraśmiṣu cāpyanyadanyaccaivāpatadbhuvi | āsaktamanyadvṛkṣeṣu tadevaṃ pañcadhā'patat

another part fell into the rays of the sun, another onto the earth, and another clung to the trees. In this way it fell in five places.

Note on the text: Speaker: Brahma's address to Skanda, begun in verse 8, fills this whole verse (no heading in Wikisource, which carries on मार्कण्डेय). Corrected चाप्यनयद् → चाप्यन्यद् and प्चधा → पञ्चधा (misprints in Wikisource; "another part" and "in five ways", as the critical edition's cāpy anyad and pañcadhā; the first also restores the metre). This verse is CE 3.220.11c–e (Wikisource divides the lines differently).

Verse 13 (3.231.13)

तत्र ते विविधाकारा गणा ज्ञेया मनीषिभिः । तव पारिषदा घोरा य एते पिशिताशिनः ॥

tatra te vividhākārā gaṇā jñeyā manīṣibhiḥ | tava pāriṣadā ghorā ya ete piśitāśinaḥ

The wise should know the hosts of many forms that arose there as your attendants, these fearsome eaters of flesh."

Note on the text: Speaker: Brahma's address to Skanda, begun in verse 8, fills this whole verse (no heading in Wikisource, which carries on मार्कण्डेय).

Verse 14 (3.231.14)

एवमस्त्विति चाप्युक्त्वा महासेनो महेश्वरम् । अपूजयदमेयात्मा पितरं पितृवत्सलः ॥

evamastviti cāpyuktvā mahāseno maheśvaram | apūjayadameyātmā pitaraṃ pitṛvatsalaḥ

Saying "So be it", Mahasena, of boundless spirit and devoted to his father, worshipped Maheshvara, his father.

Verse 15 (3.231.15)

अर्कपुष्पैस्तु ते पञ्च गणाः पूज्या धनार्थिभिः । व्याधिप्रशमनार्थं चतेषां पूजां समाचरेत् ॥

arkapuṣpaistu te pañca gaṇāḥ pūjyā dhanārthibhiḥ | vyādhipraśamanārthaṃ cateṣāṃ pūjāṃ samācaret

Those five hosts are to be worshipped with arka flowers by those who seek wealth, and one should also worship them to allay disease.

Note on the text: Corrected पञ् → पञ्च and व्यादि → व्याधि (misprints in Wikisource; "five" and "disease", as the critical edition's pañca and vyādhi).

Verse 16 (3.231.16)

मिञ्जिकामिञ्जिकं चैव मिथुनं रुद्रसंभवम् । नमस्कार्यं सदैवेह बालानां हितमिच्छता ॥

miñjikāmiñjikaṃ caiva mithunaṃ rudrasaṃbhavam | namaskāryaṃ sadaiveha bālānāṃ hitamicchatā

Minjika and Minjika too, the pair born of Rudra, should always be saluted here by anyone who wishes children well.

Verse 17 (3.231.17)

स्त्रियो मानुषमांसादा वृक्षका नाम नामतः । वृक्षेषु जातास्ता देव्यो नमस्कार्याः प्रजार्थिभिः ॥

striyo mānuṣamāṃsādā vṛkṣakā nāma nāmataḥ | vṛkṣeṣu jātāstā devyo namaskāryāḥ prajārthibhiḥ

The women who eat human flesh, called Vrikshakas by name, goddesses born in the trees, should be saluted by those who desire offspring.

Verse 18 (3.231.18)

एषामेव पिशाचानामसङ्ख्येयगणाः स्मृताः । घण्टायाः सपताकायाः शृणु मे संभवं नृप ॥

eṣāmeva piśācānāmasaṅkhyeyagaṇāḥ smṛtāḥ | ghaṇṭāyāḥ sapatākāyāḥ śṛṇu me saṃbhavaṃ nṛpa

The hosts of these very pishachas are said to be countless. Now hear from me, O king, how the bell and the banner came to be.

Verse 19 (3.231.19)

ऐरावतस्य घण्टे द्वे वैजयन्त्याविति श्रुते । गुहस्य ते स्वयं दत्ते क्रमेणानाय्य धीमता ॥

airāvatasya ghaṇṭe dve vaijayantyāviti śrute | guhasya te svayaṃ datte krameṇānāyya dhīmatā

Airavata had two bells, known as the Vaijayantis. The wise one had them brought in due order and gave them to Guha himself.

Verse 20 (3.231.20)

एका तत्रविशाखस्य घण्टा स्कन्दस्य चापरा । पताका कार्तिकेयस्य विशाखस्य च लोहिता ॥

ekā tatraviśākhasya ghaṇṭā skandasya cāparā | patākā kārtikeyasya viśākhasya ca lohitā

Of these, one bell went to Vishakha and the other to Skanda; and the banner of Karttikeya and of Vishakha was red.

Note on the text: Corrected कार्तिकेयस् → कार्तिकेयस्य (misprint in Wikisource; a dropped akshara, as the critical edition's kārttikeyasya).

Verse 21 (3.231.21)

यानि क्रीडनकान्यस्य देवैर्दत्तानि वै तदा । तैरेव रमते देवो महासेनो महाबलः ॥

yāni krīḍanakānyasya devairdattāni vai tadā | taireva ramate devo mahāseno mahābalaḥ

With the playthings the gods gave him then, with those very toys the god Mahasena of great might takes his delight.

Verse 22 (3.231.22)

स संवृतः पिशाचानां गणैर्देवगणैस्तथा । शुशुभे काञ्चने शैले दीप्यमानः श्रिया वृतः ॥

sa saṃvṛtaḥ piśācānāṃ gaṇairdevagaṇaistathā | śuśubhe kāñcane śaile dīpyamānaḥ śriyā vṛtaḥ

Surrounded by the hosts of pishachas and the hosts of the gods, he shone on the golden mountain, blazing and wrapped in splendour.

Note on the text: Corrected वृत्तः → वृतः (misprint in Wikisource; श्रिया वृतः "wrapped in splendour", as the critical edition reads).

Verse 23 (3.231.23)

तेन वीरेण शुशुभे स शैलः शुभकाननः । आदित्येनेवांशुमता मन्दरश्चारुकन्दरः ॥

tena vīreṇa śuśubhe sa śailaḥ śubhakānanaḥ | ādityenevāṃśumatā mandaraścārukandaraḥ

Through that hero the mountain with its lovely forests shone, like Mandara with its beautiful caves lit by the rayed sun.

Verse 24 (3.231.24)

संतानकवनैः फुल्लैः करवीरवनैरपि । पारिजातवनैश्चैव जपाशोकवनैस्तथा ॥

saṃtānakavanaiḥ phullaiḥ karavīravanairapi | pārijātavanaiścaiva japāśokavanaistathā

With flowering groves of santanaka and of karavira, with groves of parijata, and of japa and ashoka,

Verse 25 (3.231.25)

कदम्बतरुषण्डैश्च दिव्यैर्मृगगणैरपि । दिव्यैः पक्षिगणैश्चैव शुशुभे श्वेतपर्वतः ॥

kadambataruṣaṇḍaiśca divyairmṛgagaṇairapi | divyaiḥ pakṣigaṇaiścaiva śuśubhe śvetaparvataḥ

with clusters of kadamba trees, with heavenly herds of deer and heavenly flocks of birds, the White Mountain shone.

Verse 26 (3.231.26)

तत्रदेवगणाः सर्वेसर्वे देवर्षयस्तथा । मेघतूर्यरवाश्चैव क्षुब्धोदधिसमस्वनाः ॥

tatradevagaṇāḥ sarvesarve devarṣayastathā | meghatūryaravāścaiva kṣubdhodadhisamasvanāḥ

All the hosts of the gods were there, and all the divine sages as well; and the sound of clouds and of trumpets rang out like the roar of the churning ocean.

Verse 27 (3.231.27)

तत्रदेवाश्च गन्धर्वा नृत्यन्तेऽप्सरसस्तथा । हृष्टानां तत्रभूतानां श्रूयते निनदो महान् ॥

tatradevāśca gandharvā nṛtyante'psarasastathā | hṛṣṭānāṃ tatrabhūtānāṃ śrūyate ninado mahān

There were the gods and the gandharvas, and the apsarases danced; and a great clamour of joyful beings was heard.

Verse 28 (3.231.28)

एवं सेन्द्रं जगत्सर्वं श्वेतपर्वतसंस्थितम् । प्रहृष्टं प्रेक्षते स्कन्दं न च ग्लायति दर्शनात् ॥

evaṃ sendraṃ jagatsarvaṃ śvetaparvatasaṃsthitam | prahṛṣṭaṃ prekṣate skandaṃ na ca glāyati darśanāt

So the whole world, with Indra, gathered on the White Mountain, gazed in delight on Skanda and never tired of the sight of him.