The Origin of Katyayani

Verse 1 (skanda.6.120.1)

सूत उवाच। एवं शक्रादयो देवा जितास्ते तु रणाजिरे। महिषेण ततो राज्यं त्रैलोक्येऽपि चकार सः

sūta uvāca evaṁ śakrādayo devā jitāste tu raṇājire mahiṣeṇa tato rājyaṁ trailokye'pi cakāra saḥ

Suta said: Thus Indra and the other gods were defeated on the battlefield; and then that Mahisha assumed rule even over the three worlds.

Verse 2 (skanda.6.120.2)

यत्किञ्चित्त्रिषु लोकेषु सारभूतं प्रपश्यति। गजवाजिरथाश्वादि सर्वं गृह्णाति सोऽसुरः

yatkiñcittriṣu lokeṣu sārabhūtaṁ prapaśyati gajavājirathāśvādi sarvaṁ gṛhṇāti so'suraḥ

Whatever he perceived as the finest thing in all the three worlds — elephants, horses, chariots, and the like — that demon seized it all.

Verse 3 (skanda.6.120.3)

एवं प्रवर्तमानस्य तस्य देवाः सवासवाः। वधार्थं मिलिताश्चक्रुः कथा दुःखसमन्विताः

evaṁ pravartamānasya tasya devāḥ savāsavāḥ vadhārthaṁ militāścakruḥ kathā duḥkhasamanvitāḥ

While he continued thus, the gods, together with Indra, gathered together for the purpose of his destruction and held sorrowful counsel.

Verse 4 (skanda.6.120.4)

एतस्मिन्नंतरे प्राप्तो नारदो मुनिसत्तमः। दृष्ट्वा तं माहिषं सर्वं व्यवहारं महोत्कटम्

etasminnaṁtare prāpto nārado munisattamaḥ dṛṣṭvā taṁ māhiṣaṁ sarvaṁ vyavahāraṁ mahotkaṭam

Meanwhile, the foremost of sages, Narada, arrived, having witnessed the entire, most terrible conduct of that Mahisha.

Verse 5 (skanda.6.120.5)

ततश्च कथयामास सर्वं तेषां सविस्तरम्। तस्य संचेष्टितं भूरि लोकत्रयप्रपीडनम्

tataśca kathayāmāsa sarvaṁ teṣāṁ savistaram tasya saṁceṣṭitaṁ bhūri lokatrayaprapīḍanam

Then he related to them in full detail all his many deeds that tormented the three worlds.

Verse 6 (skanda.6.120.6)

अथ तेषां महाकोपो भूय एवाभ्यवर्धत। नारदस्य वचः श्रुत्वा तादृग्लोककथोद्भवम्

atha teṣāṁ mahākopo bhūya evābhyavardhata nāradasya vacaḥ śrutvā tādṛglokakathodbhavam

Then their great wrath increased all the more, upon hearing Narada's words, arising from such an account of the worlds.

Verse 7 (skanda.6.120.7)

तेषां कोपोद्भवो घर्मो वक्त्रद्वारेण निर्ययौ। येन दिङ्मंडलं सर्वं तत्क्षणात्कलुषीकृतम्

teṣāṁ kopodbhavo gharmo vaktradvāreṇa niryayau yena diṅmaṁḍalaṁ sarvaṁ tatkṣaṇātkaluṣīkṛtam

A heat born of their anger issued forth from their mouths, by which the entire circle of the horizon was, in that instant, made turbid.

Verse 8 (skanda.6.120.8)

एतस्मिन्नंतरे तत्र कार्तिकेयः समभ्ययात्। पप्रच्छ च किमेतद्धि देवानां कोपकारणम्। येन कालुष्यतां प्राप्तं दिक्चक्रं सकलं मुने

etasminnaṁtare tatra kārtikeyaḥ samabhyayāt papraccha ca kimetaddhi devānāṁ kopakāraṇam yena kāluṣyatāṁ prāptaṁ dikcakraṁ sakalaṁ mune

Meanwhile Kartikeya arrived there, and asked: "O sage, what is this cause of the gods' anger, by which the entire circle of the directions has become turbid?"

Verse 9 (skanda.6.120.9)

नारद उवाच। एतेषां सांप्रतं स्कन्द मया वार्ता निवेदिता। त्रैलोक्यं दानवैः सर्वैर्यथा नीतं मदोत्कटैः

nārada uvāca eteṣāṁ sāṁprataṁ skanda mayā vārtā niveditā trailokyaṁ dānavaiḥ sarvairyathā nītaṁ madotkaṭaiḥ

Narada said: "O Skanda, I have just now related to them the news of how the three worlds have been overrun by all these demons, intoxicated with pride."

Verse 10 (skanda.6.120.10)

स्त्रीरत्नमश्वरत्नं वा न किंचित्कस्यचिद्गृहे। ते दृष्ट्वा मोक्षयंति स्म दुर्निवार्या मदोत्कटाः

strīratnamaśvaratnaṁ vā na kiṁcitkasyacidgṛhe te dṛṣṭvā mokṣayaṁti sma durnivāryā madotkaṭāḥ

"Not a single jewel of a woman, nor a jewel of a horse, remains in anyone's house; those irresistible, pride-intoxicated ones seize whatever they see."

Verse 11 (skanda.6.120.11)

तच्छ्रुत्वा कार्तिकेयस्य विशेषात्संप्रजायत। वक्त्रद्वारेण देवानां यथा कोपः समागतः

tacchrutvā kārtikeyasya viśeṣātsaṁprajāyata vaktradvāreṇa devānāṁ yathā kopaḥ samāgataḥ

Hearing this, in Kartikeya too there arose especially the same anger, coming forth through his mouth, just as it had for the other gods.

Verse 12 (skanda.6.120.12)

एतस्मिन्नंतरे जाता तत्कोपांते कुमारिका। सर्वलक्षणसंपन्ना दिव्यतेजोऽन्विता शुभा

etasminnaṁtare jātā tatkopāṁte kumārikā sarvalakṣaṇasaṁpannā divyatejo'nvitā śubhā

Meanwhile, at the culmination of that anger, a maiden was born, endowed with every auspicious sign, possessed of divine splendor, and most beautiful.

Verse 13 (skanda.6.120.13)

कार्तिकेयस्य कोपेन कोपे मिश्रे दिवौकसाम्। यस्माज्जातात्र सा कन्या तस्मात्कात्यायनी स्मृता

kārtikeyasya kopena kope miśre divaukasām yasmājjātātra sā kanyā tasmātkātyāyanī smṛtā

Since that maiden was born from Kartikeya's own wrath blended with the wrath of the heaven-dwellers, therefore she is remembered as Katyayani.

Verse 14 (skanda.6.120.14)

ततस्तस्या ददौ वज्रमायुधं त्रिदशाधिपः। शक्तिं स्कन्दः सुतीक्ष्णाग्रां चापं देवो जनार्दनः

tatastasyā dadau vajramāyudhaṁ tridaśādhipaḥ śaktiṁ skandaḥ sutīkṣṇāgrāṁ cāpaṁ devo janārdanaḥ

Then the lord of the thirty gods gave her the thunderbolt weapon, Skanda gave the sharp-pointed spear, and the god Janardana gave a bow.

Verse 15 (skanda.6.120.15)

त्रिशूलं च महादेवः पाशं च वरुणः स्वयम्। आदित्यश्च सितान्बाणांश्चंद्रमाश्चर्म चोत्तमम्

triśūlaṁ ca mahādevaḥ pāśaṁ ca varuṇaḥ svayam ādityaśca sitānbāṇāṁścaṁdramāścarma cottamam

Mahadeva gave the trident, Varuna himself gave the noose, Aditya gave white arrows, and the Moon gave an excellent shield.

Verse 16 (skanda.6.120.16)

निस्त्रिंशं निर्ऋतिस्तुष्ट उल्मुकं च हुताशनः। वायुश्च छुरिकां तीक्ष्णां धनदः परिघं तथा

nistriṁśaṁ nirṛtistuṣṭa ulmukaṁ ca hutāśanaḥ vāyuśca churikāṁ tīkṣṇāṁ dhanadaḥ parighaṁ tathā

The pleased Nirriti gave a sword, Fire gave a firebrand, Vayu gave a sharp dagger, and Kubera likewise gave a mace.

Verse 17 (skanda.6.120.17)

दण्डं प्रेताधिपो रौद्रं वधाय सुरविद्विषाम्। द्वादशैवं समालोक्य साऽऽयुधानि द्विजोत्तमाः

daṇḍaṁ pretādhipo raudraṁ vadhāya suravidviṣām dvādaśaivaṁ samālokya sā''yudhāni dvijottamāḥ

The lord of the departed gave a fearsome rod, for the slaying of the enemies of the gods. O best of brahmins, thus, beholding these twelve weapons...

Verse 18 (skanda.6.120.18)

कात्यायनी ततश्चक्रे भुजद्वादशकं तदा। जग्राह च द्रुतं तानि सुरास्त्राणि दिवौकसाम्

kātyāyanī tataścakre bhujadvādaśakaṁ tadā jagrāha ca drutaṁ tāni surāstrāṇi divaukasām

...Katyayani then formed twelve arms, and swiftly took up those divine weapons of the heaven-dwellers.

Verse 19 (skanda.6.120.19)

ततः प्रोवाच तान्सर्वान्संप्रहृष्टतनूरुहा। यदर्थं विबुधश्रेष्ठाः सृष्टा तद्ब्रूत मा चिरम्

tataḥ provāca tānsarvānsaṁprahṛṣṭatanūruhā yadarthaṁ vibudhaśreṣṭhāḥ sṛṣṭā tadbrūta mā ciram

Then, the hairs of her body standing in delight, she said to all of them: "O foremost of the wise gods, for what purpose I have been created — tell me that without delay."

Verse 20 (skanda.6.120.20)

सर्वं कार्यं करिष्यामि युष्माकं नात्र संशयः। देवा ऊचुः। महिषो दानवो रौद्रः समुत्पन्नोऽत्र सांप्रतम्। अवध्यः सर्वभूतानां मानुषाणां विशेषतः

sarvaṁ kāryaṁ kariṣyāmi yuṣmākaṁ nātra saṁśayaḥ devā ūcuḥ mahiṣo dānavo raudraḥ samutpanno'tra sāṁpratam avadhyaḥ sarvabhūtānāṁ mānuṣāṇāṁ viśeṣataḥ

"I shall accomplish every task of yours — of this there is no doubt." The gods said: "Just now there has arisen a fearsome demon, Mahisha, unslayable by all beings, especially by men."

Verse 21 (skanda.6.120.21)

मुक्त्वैकां योषितं तेन त्वमस्माभिर्विनिर्मिता

muktvaikāṁ yoṣitaṁ tena tvamasmābhirvinirmitā

"...excepting a single woman — and it is for that very reason that you have been fashioned by us."

Verse 22 (skanda.6.120.22)

तस्मात्त्वं सांप्रतं गच्छ विंध्याख्यं पर्वतोत्तमम्। तपस्तत्र कुरुष्वोग्र तेजो येनाभिवर्धते

tasmāttvaṁ sāṁprataṁ gaccha viṁdhyākhyaṁ parvatottamam tapastatra kuruṣvogra tejo yenābhivardhate

"Therefore go now to the excellent mountain named Vindhya, and there perform fierce austerity, by which your splendor may increase."

Verse 23 (skanda.6.120.23)

ततस्तु तेजःसंयुक्तां त्वां ज्ञात्वा वयमेव हि। अग्रे धृत्वा करिष्यामो युद्धं तेन दुरात्मना

tatastu tejaḥsaṁyuktāṁ tvāṁ jñātvā vayameva hi agre dhṛtvā kariṣyāmo yuddhaṁ tena durātmanā

"Then, knowing you to be endowed with splendor, we ourselves shall place you at the forefront and wage war against that evil-souled one."

Verse 24 (skanda.6.120.24)

ततस्त्वच्छस्त्रनिर्दग्धः पंचत्वं स प्रयास्यति। वयं च त्रिदशैश्वर्यं लभिष्यामो हतद्विषः

tatastvacchastranirdagdhaḥ paṁcatvaṁ sa prayāsyati vayaṁ ca tridaśaiśvaryaṁ labhiṣyāmo hatadviṣaḥ

"Then, consumed by your weapons, he shall go to his death; and we, our enemy slain, shall regain the sovereignty of the thirty gods."