The Slaying of Tarakasura and Kartikeya's Renunciate Wisdom

Verse 1 (skanda.6.264.1)

ब्रह्मोवाच । कार्तिकेयश्च पार्वत्याः प्राणेभ्यश्चातिवल्लभः । संक्रीडति समीपस्थो नानाचेष्टाभिरुद्यतः

brahmovāca kārtikeyaśca pārvatyāḥ prāṇebhyaścātivallabhaḥ saṁkrīḍati samīpastho nānāceṣṭābhirudyataḥ

Brahma said: Kartikeya, dearer to Parvati than her very life-breaths, stayed close by, playing, engaged in various sportive activities.

Verse 2 (skanda.6.264.2)

रक्तकांतिर्महातेजाः षण्मुखोऽद्भुत विक्रमः । क्वचिद्गायति चात्यर्थं क्वचिन्नृत्यति स्वेच्छया

raktakāṁtirmahātejāḥ ṣaṇmukho'dbhuta vikramaḥ kvacidgāyati cātyarthaṁ kvacinnṛtyati svecchayā

Of red splendor, of great radiance, six-faced, of wondrous valor — sometimes he sang most delightfully, sometimes he danced at his own will,

Verse 3 (skanda.6.264.3)

मातरं पितरं दृष्ट्वा विनयावनतः क्वचित् । क्वचिच्च गंगापुलिने सिकतालेपनाकृतिः

mātaraṁ pitaraṁ dṛṣṭvā vinayāvanataḥ kvacit kvacicca gaṁgāpuline sikatālepanākṛtiḥ

sometimes, seeing his mother and father, he bowed low in humility; and sometimes, on the sandy bank of the Ganga, he took the form of one smeared with sand,

Verse 4 (skanda.6.264.4)

गणैः सह विचिन्वानो विविधान्वनभूरुहान् । एवं प्रक्रीडितस्तस्य दिवसाः पंच जज्ञिरे

gaṇaiḥ saha vicinvāno vividhānvanabhūruhān evaṁ prakrīḍitastasya divasāḥ paṁca jajñire

gathering with his companions the various trees of the forest. Thus playing, five days passed for him.

Verse 5 (skanda.6.264.5)

ततो देवा महेन्द्राद्यास्तारकत्रासविद्रुताः । स्तुवन्तः शंकरं सर्वे तारकस्य जिघृक्षया

tato devā mahendrādyāstārakatrāsavidrutāḥ stuvantaḥ śaṁkaraṁ sarve tārakasya jighṛkṣayā

Then the gods, headed by Mahendra, fleeing in terror of Taraka, all praised Shankara, desiring the means to seize Taraka,

Verse 6 (skanda.6.264.6)

चक्रुः कुमारं सेनान्यं जाह्नव्यां स्वगणैः सुराः । सस्वनुर्देववाद्यानि पुष्पवर्षं पपात ह

cakruḥ kumāraṁ senānyaṁ jāhnavyāṁ svagaṇaiḥ surāḥ sasvanurdevavādyāni puṣpavarṣaṁ papāta ha

and the gods, together with their hosts, made the Kumara the general on the bank of the Jahnavi; the divine instruments resounded, and a rain of flowers fell.

Verse 7 (skanda.6.264.7)

वह्निस्तु स्वां ददौ शक्तिं हिमवान्वाहनं ददौ । सर्वदेवसमुद्भूतगणकोटिसमावृतः

vahnistu svāṁ dadau śaktiṁ himavānvāhanaṁ dadau sarvadevasamudbhūtagaṇakoṭisamāvṛtaḥ

Agni gave him his own Shakti-spear, and Himavan gave him a mount; surrounded by hosts of crores born from all the gods,

Verse 8 (skanda.6.264.8)

प्रणम्य मुनिसंघेभ्यः प्रययौ रिपुविग्रहे । ताम्रवत्यां नगर्यां च शंखं दध्मौ प्रतापवान्

praṇamya munisaṁghebhyaḥ prayayau ripuvigrahe tāmravatyāṁ nagaryāṁ ca śaṁkhaṁ dadhmau pratāpavān

having bowed to the assemblies of sages, he set out for battle against the enemy; and at the city of Tamravati, the mighty one blew his conch.

Verse 9 (skanda.6.264.9)

ततस्तारकसैन्यस्य दैत्यदानवकोटयः । समाजग्मुस्तस्य पुराच्छंखनादभयातुराः

tatastārakasainyasya daityadānavakoṭayaḥ samājagmustasya purācchaṁkhanādabhayāturāḥ

Then crores of the daityas and danavas of Taraka's army, alarmed with fear at the sound of the conch, came forth from his city.

Verse 10 (skanda.6.264.10)

स्ववाहनसमारूढाः संयता बलदर्पिताः । देवाः सर्वेऽपि युयुधुः स्कन्दतेजोपबृंहिताः

svavāhanasamārūḍhāḥ saṁyatā baladarpitāḥ devāḥ sarve'pi yuyudhuḥ skandatejopabṛṁhitāḥ

Mounted on their own vehicles, disciplined, proud of their strength, all the gods, empowered by Skanda's own radiance, fought.

Verse 11 (skanda.6.264.11)

तदा दानवसैन्यानि निजघान च सर्वशः । विष्णुचक्रेण ते छिन्नाः पेतुरुर्व्यां सहस्रशः

tadā dānavasainyāni nijaghāna ca sarvaśaḥ viṣṇucakreṇa te chinnāḥ petururvyāṁ sahasraśaḥ

Then he struck down the armies of the danavas on every side; cut down by Vishnu's discus, they fell upon the earth by the thousands.

Verse 12 (skanda.6.264.12)

ततो भग्नाश्च शतशो दानवा निहतास्तदा । नद्यः शोणितसंभूता जाता बहुविधामुने

tato bhagnāśca śataśo dānavā nihatāstadā nadyaḥ śoṇitasaṁbhūtā jātā bahuvidhāmune

Then, broken by the hundreds, the danavas were slain; O sage, rivers born of blood arose in many forms.

Verse 13 (skanda.6.264.13)

तद्भग्नं दानवबलं दृष्ट्वा स युयुधे रणे । बभंज सद्यो देवेशो बाणजालैरनेकधा

tadbhagnaṁ dānavabalaṁ dṛṣṭvā sa yuyudhe raṇe babhaṁja sadyo deveśo bāṇajālairanekadhā

Seeing that army of the danavas broken, he himself fought on in battle; but the Lord of gods at once shattered it in many ways with his showers of arrows.

Verse 14 (skanda.6.264.14)

शक्तिनायुध्य गंगिन्याश्चिक्षेप कृष्णप्रेरिताः । सरथं च सयंतारं चक्रे तं भस्मसात्क्षणात्

śaktināyudhya gaṁginyāścikṣepa kṛṣṇapreritāḥ sarathaṁ ca sayaṁtāraṁ cakre taṁ bhasmasātkṣaṇāt

Fighting with his shakti-weapon, the son of the Ganga, impelled by Krishna, hurled it, and instantly reduced him, together with his chariot and charioteer, to ashes.

Verse 15 (skanda.6.264.15)

शेषाः पातालमगमन्हतं दृष्ट्वाऽथ तारकम् । ततो देवगणाः सर्वे शसंसुस्तस्य विक्रमम्

śeṣāḥ pātālamagamanhataṁ dṛṣṭvā'tha tārakam tato devagaṇāḥ sarve śasaṁsustasya vikramam

The rest fled to Patala, seeing Taraka thus slain. Then all the hosts of the gods praised his valor.

Verse 16 (skanda.6.264.16)

देवदुन्दुभयो नेदुः पुष्पवृष्टिस्तथाऽभवत् । ते लब्धविजयाः सर्वे महेश्वरपुरोगमाः

devadundubhayo neduḥ puṣpavṛṣṭistathā'bhavat te labdhavijayāḥ sarve maheśvarapurogamāḥ

The divine kettledrums resounded, and a rain of flowers fell likewise; all of them, having gained victory, with Maheshvara at their head —

Verse 17 (skanda.6.264.17)

सिषिचुः सर्वदेवानां सेनापत्ये षडाननम् । ततः स्कंदं समालिंग्य पार्वती हर्षगद्गदा

siṣicuḥ sarvadevānāṁ senāpatye ṣaḍānanam tataḥ skaṁdaṁ samāliṁgya pārvatī harṣagadgadā

— anointed the six-faced one to the generalship of all the gods. Then, embracing Skanda, Parvati, her voice choked with joy,

Verse 18 (skanda.6.264.18)

मांगल्यानि तदा चक्रे स्वसखीभिः समावृता । एवं च तारकं हत्वा सप्तमेऽहनि बालकः

māṁgalyāni tadā cakre svasakhībhiḥ samāvṛtā evaṁ ca tārakaṁ hatvā saptame'hani bālakaḥ

performed auspicious rites, surrounded by her companions. And thus, having slain Taraka on the seventh day, the boy,

Verse 19 (skanda.6.264.19)

मंदराचलमासाद्य पितरौ संप्रहर्षयन् । उवाच सकलं स्कन्दः परमानंदनिर्भरः

maṁdarācalamāsādya pitarau saṁpraharṣayan uvāca sakalaṁ skandaḥ paramānaṁdanirbharaḥ

having arrived at Mount Mandara, delighting his parents, Skanda, filled with supreme joy, related everything.

Verse 20 (skanda.6.264.20)

काले दारक्रियां तस्य चिन्तयामास शंकरः । स उवाच प्रसन्नात्मा गांगेयममितद्युतिम्

kāle dārakriyāṁ tasya cintayāmāsa śaṁkaraḥ sa uvāca prasannātmā gāṁgeyamamitadyutim

In due time, Shankara thought about arranging a marriage for him; with gladdened heart, he spoke to the boundlessly radiant son of the Ganga:

Verse 21 (skanda.6.264.21)

प्राप्तः कालस्तव विभो पाणिग्रहणसंमतः । कुरु दारान्समासाद्य धर्मस्ते पुंससंमतः

prāptaḥ kālastava vibho pāṇigrahaṇasaṁmataḥ kuru dārānsamāsādya dharmaste puṁsasaṁmataḥ

'O mighty one, the time approved for your marriage has arrived; take a wife, for that is the duty approved for a man.'

Verse 22 (skanda.6.264.22)

क्रीडस्व विविधैर्भोगैर्विमानैः सह कामिकैः । तच्छ्रुत्वा भगवान्स्कन्दः पितरं वाक्यमब्रवीत्

krīḍasva vividhairbhogairvimānaiḥ saha kāmikaiḥ tacchrutvā bhagavānskandaḥ pitaraṁ vākyamabravīt

'Enjoy yourself with various pleasures, along with wish-fulfilling celestial chariots.' Hearing this, the Lord Skanda said this to his father:

Verse 23 (skanda.6.264.23)

अहमेव हि सर्वत्र दृश्यः सर्वगणेषु च । दृश्यादृश्यपदार्थेषु किं गृह्णामि त्यजामि किम्

ahameva hi sarvatra dṛśyaḥ sarvagaṇeṣu ca dṛśyādṛśyapadārtheṣu kiṁ gṛhṇāmi tyajāmi kim

'I myself am indeed visible everywhere, and present in all the hosts of beings; among things visible and invisible, what should I take, and what should I reject?'

Verse 24 (skanda.6.264.24)

याः स्त्रियः सकला विश्वे पार्वत्या ताः समा हि मे । नराः सर्वेऽपि देवेश भवद्वत्तान्विलोकये

yāḥ striyaḥ sakalā viśve pārvatyā tāḥ samā hi me narāḥ sarve'pi deveśa bhavadvattānvilokaye

'All the women in the universe are indeed equal to Parvati in my eyes; and, O Lord of gods, I regard all men as being of the same nature as you.'

Verse 25 (skanda.6.264.25)

त्वं गुरुर्मां च रक्षस्व पुनर्नरकमज्जनात् । येन ज्ञातमिदं ज्ञानं त्वत्प्रसादादखंडितम्

tvaṁ gururmāṁ ca rakṣasva punarnarakamajjanāt yena jñātamidaṁ jñānaṁ tvatprasādādakhaṁḍitam

'You are my teacher — protect me from sinking once more into hell, I by whom this unbroken knowledge has been known, through your grace.'

Verse 26 (skanda.6.264.26)

पुनरेव महाघोरसंसाराब्धौ निमज्जये । दीपहस्तो यथा वस्तु दृष्ट्वा तत्करणं त्यजेत्

punareva mahāghorasaṁsārābdhau nimajjaye dīpahasto yathā vastu dṛṣṭvā tatkaraṇaṁ tyajet

'Do not let me sink once more into the most terrible ocean of worldly existence. Just as one holding a lamp in hand, having seen a thing by it, sets aside its use,'

Verse 27 (skanda.6.264.27)

तथा ज्ञानमधिप्राप्य योगी त्यजति संसृतिम् । ज्ञात्वा सर्वगतं ब्रह्म सर्वज्ञ परमेश्वर

tathā jñānamadhiprāpya yogī tyajati saṁsṛtim jñātvā sarvagataṁ brahma sarvajña parameśvara

'so too the yogi, having attained knowledge, abandons the cycle of rebirth, having known the all-pervading Brahman, O omniscient Supreme Lord.'

Verse 28 (skanda.6.264.28)

निवर्त्तंते क्रियाः सर्वा यस्य तं योगिनं विदुः । विषये लुब्धचित्तानां वनेऽपि जायते रतिः

nivarttaṁte kriyāḥ sarvā yasya taṁ yoginaṁ viduḥ viṣaye lubdhacittānāṁ vane'pi jāyate ratiḥ

'Him, from whom all actions have ceased, they know to be the true yogi. For those whose minds are greedy for sense-objects, attachment arises even in the forest;'

Verse 29 (skanda.6.264.29)

सर्वत्र समदृष्टीनां गेहे मुक्तिर्हि शाश्वती । ज्ञानमेव महेशान मनुष्याणां सुदुर्लभम्

sarvatra samadṛṣṭīnāṁ gehe muktirhi śāśvatī jñānameva maheśāna manuṣyāṇāṁ sudurlabham

'but for those of equal vision everywhere, liberation is eternal even in the household. O great Ishana, knowledge alone is exceedingly rare for men.'

Verse 30 (skanda.6.264.30)

लब्धं ज्ञानं कथमपि पंडितो नैव पातयेत् । नाहमस्मि न माता मे न पिता न च बांधवः

labdhaṁ jñānaṁ kathamapi paṁḍito naiva pātayet nāhamasmi na mātā me na pitā na ca bāṁdhavaḥ

'Once knowledge has somehow been attained, the wise man should never let it fall away. I am not this body; I have no mother, no father, no kinsman —'

Verse 31 (skanda.6.264.31)

ज्ञानं प्राप्य पृथक्भावमापन्नो भुवनेष्वहम् । प्राप्यं भागमिदं दैवात्प्रभावात्तव नार्हसि

jñānaṁ prāpya pṛthakbhāvamāpanno bhuvaneṣvaham prāpyaṁ bhāgamidaṁ daivātprabhāvāttava nārhasi

'having attained knowledge, I have come to a state of separateness within the worlds. This portion I have obtained by fate, through your own grace — it would not be fitting for you'

Verse 32 (skanda.6.264.32)

वक्तुमेवंविधं वाक्यं मुमुक्षोर्मे न संशयः । यदाग्रहपरा देवी पुनःपुनरभाषत

vaktumevaṁvidhaṁ vākyaṁ mumukṣorme na saṁśayaḥ yadāgrahaparā devī punaḥpunarabhāṣata

'to say such words to me, who am bent on liberation — of this there is no doubt.' But when the goddess, insistent, spoke again and again,

Verse 33 (skanda.6.264.33)

तदा तौ पितरौ नत्वा गतोऽसौ क्रौञ्चपर्वतम् । तत्राश्रमे महापुण्ये चचार परमं तपः

tadā tau pitarau natvā gato'sau krauñcaparvatam tatrāśrame mahāpuṇye cacāra paramaṁ tapaḥ

then, bowing to his two parents, he went to Mount Krauncha; there, in a most sacred hermitage, he performed supreme austerity.

Verse 34 (skanda.6.264.34)

जजाप परमं ब्रह्म द्वादशाक्षरबीजकम् । पूर्वं ध्यानेन सर्वाणि वशीकृत्येन्द्रियाणि च

jajāpa paramaṁ brahma dvādaśākṣarabījakam pūrvaṁ dhyānena sarvāṇi vaśīkṛtyendriyāṇi ca

He recited the supreme Brahman, the seed of the twelve syllables; first, through meditation, having subdued all the senses,

Verse 35 (skanda.6.264.35)

ममतां संवियुज्याथ ज्ञानयोगमवाप्तवान् । सिद्धयस्तस्य निर्विघ्ना अणिमाद्या यदाऽऽगताः

mamatāṁ saṁviyujyātha jñānayogamavāptavān siddhayastasya nirvighnā aṇimādyā yadā''gatāḥ

and having cast off possessiveness, he then attained jnana-yoga. When the accomplishments beginning with anima came to him unhindered,

Verse 36 (skanda.6.264.36)

तदा तासां गणा क्रुद्धो वाक्यमेतदुवाच ह । ममापि दु्ष्टभावेन यदि यूयमुपागताः

tadā tāsāṁ gaṇā kruddho vākyametaduvāca ha mamāpi duṣṭabhāvena yadi yūyamupāgatāḥ

then, angry at that host of accomplishments, he spoke these words: 'If you too have come to me with an evil intent,'

Verse 37 (skanda.6.264.37)

तदास्मत्समशांतानां नाभिभूतिं करिष्यथ । एवं ज्ञात्वा महेशोऽपि यतो ज्ञानमहोदयम्

tadāsmatsamaśāṁtānāṁ nābhibhūtiṁ kariṣyatha evaṁ jñātvā maheśo'pi yato jñānamahodayam

'then you shall not be able to bring about any diminishing in one at peace like me.' Knowing this, Mahesha too, from whom that great rise of knowledge had come,

Verse 38 (skanda.6.264.38)

मत्तोऽपि ज्ञानयोगेनस्कन्दोऽप्यधिकभावभृत् । विस्मयाविष्टहृदयः पार्वतीमनुशिष्टवान्

matto'pi jñānayogenaskando'pyadhikabhāvabhṛt vismayāviṣṭahṛdayaḥ pārvatīmanuśiṣṭavān

realized that Skanda, through his yoga of knowledge, had come to bear an even greater state than himself; his heart filled with wonder, he instructed Parvati,

Verse 39 (skanda.6.264.39)

पुत्रशोकपरां चोमां शुभैर्वाक्यामृतैर्हरः । चातुर्मासस्य माहात्म्यं सर्वपापप्रणाशनम्

putraśokaparāṁ comāṁ śubhairvākyāmṛtairharaḥ cāturmāsasya māhātmyaṁ sarvapāpapraṇāśanam

Hara, comforting Uma, who was overcome with grief for her son, with auspicious, nectar-like words, told her the glory of Chaturmasya, the destroyer of all sin.

Verse 40 (skanda.6.264.40)

महेश्वरो वा मधुकैटभारिर्हृद्याश्रितो ध्यानमयोऽद्वितीयः । अभेदबुद्ध्या परमार्तिहंता रिपुः स एवातिप्रियो भवेत्ततः

maheśvaro vā madhukaiṭabhārirhṛdyāśrito dhyānamayo'dvitīyaḥ abhedabuddhyā paramārtihaṁtā ripuḥ sa evātipriyo bhavettataḥ

Whether it be Maheshvara, or the Slayer of Madhu and Kaitabha, resorted to in the heart, of the nature of meditation, without a second — through the understanding of their non-difference, that very remover of supreme distress becomes such that, thereafter, even one's enemy becomes exceedingly dear.

Verse 41 (skanda.6.264.41)

सूत उवाच । एतद्वः कथितं विप्राश्चातुर्मास्यसमुद्भवम् । माहात्म्यं विस्तरेणैव किमन्यच्छ्रोतुमिच्छथ

sūta uvāca etadvaḥ kathitaṁ viprāścāturmāsyasamudbhavam māhātmyaṁ vistareṇaiva kimanyacchrotumicchatha

Suta said: This, O brahmins, has been told to you at length — the glory arisen from Chaturmasya. What else do you wish to hear?