The Sages' Question at Prayaga

Verse 1 (skanda.8.1.1)

नमः परमदेवाय त्रैगुण्यविजितात्मने । शाश्वते योगरूपाय संसाराभावहेतवे

namaḥ paramadevāya traiguṇyavijitātmane | śāśvate yogarūpāya saṁsārābhāvahetave

Salutation to the Supreme God, whose true self transcends the three gunas, the eternal one whose form is Yoga, the cause of the cessation of worldly existence.

Verse 2 (skanda.8.1.2)

स्थितिसंरोधसर्गाणां हेतवेऽन्तप्रसारिणे । षड्विंशाय प्रधानाय महादेवाय धीमते

sthitisaṁrodhasargāṇāṁ hetave'ntaprasāriṇe | ṣaḍviṁśāya pradhānāya mahādevāya dhīmate

To the cause, pervading within, of creation, preservation and dissolution; to the twenty-sixth principle, to Pradhana, to the wise Mahadeva.

Verse 3 (skanda.8.1.3)

प्रजापतेर्महाक्षेत्रे गङ्गाकालिन्दिसङ्गमे । प्रयागे परमे पुण्ये ब्रह्मणो लोकवर्त्मनि

prajāpatermahākṣetre gaṅgākālindisaṅgame | prayāge parame puṇye brahmaṇo lokavartmani

At Prayaga, the great sacred field of Prajapati, at the confluence of the Ganga and Yamuna, that supremely holy place which is Brahma's path to his world.

Verse 4 (skanda.8.1.4)

मुनयः शंशितात्मानस्तपसा क्षीणकल्मषाः । तीर्थसंप्लवनार्थाय पौर्णमास्यां कृताह्निकाः

munayaḥ śaṁśitātmānastapasā kṣīṇakalmaṣāḥ | tīrthasaṁplavanārthāya paurṇamāsyāṁ kṛtāhnikāḥ

Sages of purified minds, whose sins had been dissolved by austerity, had performed their daily rites on the full-moon day for the purpose of bathing at the sacred confluence.

Verse 5 (skanda.8.1.5)

पौराणिकमपश्यन्त सूतं सत्यपरायणम् । स्नात्वा तस्मिन्महातीर्थे प्रणामार्थमुपागतम्

paurāṇikamapaśyanta sūtaṁ satyaparāyaṇam | snātvā tasminmahātīrthe praṇāmārthamupāgatam

They saw the reciter of the Puranas, Suta, devoted to truth, who had bathed in that great sacred place and had come there for the purpose of paying homage.

Verse 6 (skanda.8.1.6)

दृष्ट्वा ते सूतमायान्तमृषयो हृष्टमानसाः । आशास्यासनसंवेशं तद्योगं समकल्पयन्

dṛṣṭvā te sūtamāyāntamṛṣayo hṛṣṭamānasāḥ | āśāsyāsanasaṁveśaṁ tadyogaṁ samakalpayan

Seeing Suta approaching, the sages, glad at heart, hoping to receive him, arranged a seat and the proper honours for him.

Verse 7 (skanda.8.1.7)

स प्रणम्य ततः सर्वान् सूतस्तान्मुनिपुङ्गवान् । प्रदत्तमासनं भेजे सर्वधर्मसमन्वितः

sa praṇamya tataḥ sarvān sūtastānmunipuṅgavān | pradattamāsanaṁ bheje sarvadharmasamanvitaḥ

Then Suta, endowed with all virtue, having saluted all those foremost sages, took the seat that was offered to him.

Verse 8 (skanda.8.1.8)

तमासीनमपृच्छन्ते मुनयस्तपसैधिताः । ब्रह्मसत्रे पुरा साधो नैमिशारण्यवासिनाम्

tamāsīnamapṛcchante munayastapasaidhitāḥ | brahmasatre purā sādho naimiśāraṇyavāsinām

As he sat there, the sages who had grown strong through austerity questioned him: 'O good one, once, at the sacrificial session held by the dwellers of the Naimisha forest...'

Verse 9 (skanda.8.1.9)

कथितं भारताख्यानं पुराणं च परं त्वया । तेन नः प्रतिभासि त्वं साक्षात्सत्यवतीसुतः

kathitaṁ bhāratākhyānaṁ purāṇaṁ ca paraṁ tvayā | tena naḥ pratibhāsi tvaṁ sākṣātsatyavatīsutaḥ

...you narrated the great tale of the Mahabharata and the supreme Purana. For that reason you appear to us as none other than the son of Satyavati himself.

Verse 10 (skanda.8.1.10)

सर्वागमपरार्थज्ञः सत्यधर्मपरायणः । द्विजपूजारतो नित्यं तेन पृच्छां त्वमर्हसि

sarvāgamaparārthajñaḥ satyadharmaparāyaṇaḥ | dvijapūjārato nityaṁ tena pṛcchāṁ tvamarhasi

You know the essence of all scriptures, you are devoted to true dharma, and you are ever intent on honouring brahmins — therefore you are fit to be questioned by us.

Verse 11 (skanda.8.1.11)

भारताख्यानसदृशं पुराणाद्यद्विशिष्यते । तत्त्वा पृच्छाम वै जन्म कार्त्तिकेयस्य धीमतः

bhāratākhyānasadṛśaṁ purāṇādyadviśiṣyate | tattvā pṛcchāma vai janma kārttikeyasya dhīmataḥ

That which, among the Puranas, excels even the tale of the Mahabharata — that we now ask of you: the birth of the wise Karttikeya.

Verse 12 (skanda.8.1.12)

इमे हि मुनयः सर्वे त्वदुपास्तिपरायणाः । स्कन्दसंभवशुश्रूषा संजातौत्सुक्यमानसाः

ime hi munayaḥ sarve tvadupāstiparāyaṇāḥ | skandasaṁbhavaśuśrūṣā saṁjātautsukyamānasāḥ

All these sages here are devoted to attending upon you, and their minds have grown eager with the desire to hear of Skanda's birth.

Verse 13 (skanda.8.1.13)

एवमुक्तस्तदा सूतः संसिद्धैर्मुनिपुंगवैः । प्रोवाचेदं मुनीन्सर्वान्वचो भूतार्थवाचकम्

evamuktastadā sūtaḥ saṁsiddhairmunipuṁgavaiḥ | provācedaṁ munīnsarvānvaco bhūtārthavācakam

Thus addressed by the accomplished, foremost sages, Suta then spoke to all the sages these words that told of what had truly come to pass.

Verse 14 (skanda.8.1.14)

शृणुध्वं मुनयः सर्वे कार्त्तिकेयस्य सम्भवम् । ब्रह्मण्यत्वं समाहात्म्यं वीर्यं च त्रिदशाधिकम्

śṛṇudhvaṁ munayaḥ sarve kārttikeyasya sambhavam | brahmaṇyatvaṁ samāhātmyaṁ vīryaṁ ca tridaśādhikam

Listen, all you sages, to the birth of Karttikeya, his devotion to brahmins, his greatness, and his valour surpassing that of the gods.

Verse 15 (skanda.8.1.15)

मुमुक्षया परं स्थानं याते शुकमहात्मनि । सुतशोकाभिसंतप्तो व्यासस्त्र्यम्बकमैक्षत

mumukṣayā paraṁ sthānaṁ yāte śukamahātmani | sutaśokābhisaṁtapto vyāsastryambakamaikṣata

When the great soul Shuka, desiring liberation, had gone to the supreme abode, Vyasa, tormented by grief for his son, beheld Tryambaka (Shiva).

Verse 16 (skanda.8.1.16)

दृष्ट्वैव स महेशानं व्यासोऽभूद्विगतव्यथः । विचरन्स तदा लोकान्मुनिः सत्यवतीसुतः

dṛṣṭvaiva sa maheśānaṁ vyāso'bhūdvigatavyathaḥ | vicaransa tadā lokānmuniḥ satyavatīsutaḥ

The very sight of Mahesha freed Vyasa, the sage born of Satyavati, from his sorrow, and he then wandered through the worlds.

Verse 17 (skanda.8.1.17)

मेरुशृङ्गेऽथ ददृशे ब्रह्मणः सुतमग्रजम् । सनत्कुमारं वरदं योगैश्वर्यसमन्वितम्

meruśṛṅge'tha dadṛśe brahmaṇaḥ sutamagrajam | sanatkumāraṁ varadaṁ yogaiśvaryasamanvitam

Then, on the peak of Meru, he saw Brahma's eldest son Sanatkumara, a bestower of boons, endowed with the majesty of yoga.

Verse 18 (skanda.8.1.18)

विमाने रविसंकाशे तिष्ठन्तमनलप्रभम् । मुनिभिर्योगसंसिद्धैस्तपोयुक्तैर्महात्मभिः

vimāne ravisaṁkāśe tiṣṭhantamanalaprabham | munibhiryogasaṁsiddhaistapoyuktairmahātmabhiḥ

He was seated in a celestial chariot radiant as the sun, himself luminous as fire, surrounded by great-souled sages perfected in yoga and devoted to austerity.

Verse 19 (skanda.8.1.19)

वेदवेदाङ्गतत्त्वज्ञैः सर्वधर्मागमान्वितैः । सकलावाप्तविद्यैस्तु चतुर्वक्त्रमिवावृतम्

vedavedāṅgatattvajñaiḥ sarvadharmāgamānvitaiḥ | sakalāvāptavidyaistu caturvaktramivāvṛtam

Sages who knew the truths of the Vedas and Vedangas, versed in every scripture of dharma, who had mastered all learning — so that he seemed surrounded as if he were four-faced Brahma himself.

Verse 20 (skanda.8.1.20)

दृष्ट्वा तं सुमहात्मानं व्यासो मुनिमथास्थितम् । ववन्दे परया भक्त्या साक्षादिव पितामहम्

dṛṣṭvā taṁ sumahātmānaṁ vyāso munimathāsthitam | vavande parayā bhaktyā sākṣādiva pitāmaham

Seeing that great sage seated there, Vyasa bowed to him with the utmost devotion, as if to Pitamaha (Brahma) himself in person.

Verse 21 (skanda.8.1.21)

ब्रह्मसूनुरथ व्यासं समायातं महौजसम् । परिष्वज्य परं प्रेम्णा प्रोवाच वचनं शुभम्

brahmasūnuratha vyāsaṁ samāyātaṁ mahaujasam | pariṣvajya paraṁ premṇā provāca vacanaṁ śubham

Then Brahma's son, embracing the greatly powerful Vyasa who had come to him with utmost love, spoke these auspicious words.

Verse 22 (skanda.8.1.22)

दिष्ट्या त्वमसि धर्मज्ञ प्रसादात्पारमेश्वरात् । अपेतशोकः सम्प्राप्तः पृच्छस्व प्रवदाम्यहम्

diṣṭyā tvamasi dharmajña prasādātpārameśvarāt | apetaśokaḥ samprāptaḥ pṛcchasva pravadāmyaham

By good fortune, O knower of dharma, you have come here freed from sorrow through the grace of the Supreme Lord. Ask, and I shall tell you.

Verse 23 (skanda.8.1.23)

श्रुत्वाथ वचनं सूनोर्ब्रह्मणो मुनिपुंगवः । इदमाह वचो विप्राश्चिरं यद्धृदये स्थितम्

śrutvātha vacanaṁ sūnorbrahmaṇo munipuṁgavaḥ | idamāha vaco viprāściraṁ yaddhṛdaye sthitam

Then, hearing the words of Brahma's son, the foremost sage spoke this, O brahmins, which had long remained fixed in his heart.

Verse 24 (skanda.8.1.24)

कुमारस्य कथं जन्म कार्त्तिकेयस्य धीमतः । किंनिमित्तं कुतो वास्य इच्छाम्येतद्धि वेदितुम्

kumārasya kathaṁ janma kārttikeyasya dhīmataḥ | kiṁnimittaṁ kuto vāsya icchāmyetaddhi veditum

How was the wise Kumara Karttikeya born, for what cause, and from whom — this indeed I wish to know.

Verse 25 (skanda.8.1.25)

कथं रुद्रसुतश्चासौ वह्निगङ्गासुतः कथम् । उमायास्तनयश्चैव स्वाहायाश्च कथं पुनः । सुपर्ण्याश्चाथ मातॄणां कृत्तिकानां कथं च सः

kathaṁ rudrasutaścāsau vahnigaṅgāsutaḥ katham | umāyāstanayaścaiva svāhāyāśca kathaṁ punaḥ | suparṇyāścātha mātṝṇāṁ kṛttikānāṁ kathaṁ ca saḥ

How is he the son of Rudra, and how the son of Agni and Ganga? How again is he the son of Uma, and also of Svaha? And how is he the son of Suparna, of the divine Mothers, and of the Krittikas?

Verse 26 (skanda.8.1.26)

कश्चासौ पूर्वमुत्पन्नः किंतपाः कश्च विक्रमः । भूतसंमोहनं ह्येतत्कथयस्व यथातथम्

kaścāsau pūrvamutpannaḥ kiṁtapāḥ kaśca vikramaḥ | bhūtasaṁmohanaṁ hyetatkathayasva yathātatham

Who was he that was born first, what austerity did he practise, and what is his valour? This bewilders all beings — please tell it to me exactly as it is.

Verse 27 (skanda.8.1.27)

सूत उवाच । एवं स पृष्टस्तेजस्वी ब्रह्मणः पुत्रसत्तमः । उवाच सर्वं सर्वज्ञो व्यासायाक्लिष्टकारिणे । तच्छृणुध्वं यथातत्त्वं कीर्त्यमानं मयानघाः

sūta uvāca | evaṁ sa pṛṣṭastejasvī brahmaṇaḥ putrasattamaḥ | uvāca sarvaṁ sarvajño vyāsāyākliṣṭakāriṇe | tacchṛṇudhvaṁ yathātattvaṁ kīrtyamānaṁ mayānaghāḥ

Suta said: Thus questioned, that radiant and most excellent son of Brahma, the all-knowing one, told everything to Vyasa, the doer of untroubled deeds. Hear it now, O sinless ones, just as it is being told by me, exactly as it truly is.