MARKANDEYA SAMASYA PARVA: Chapter 225

Birth of Skanda

मार्कण्डेय उवाच शिवा भार्या त्वङ्गिरसः शीलरूपगुणान्विता। तस्याः सा प्रथमं रूपं कृत्वा देवी जनाधिप॥ जगाम पावकाभ्याशं तं चोवाच वराङ्गना। मामग्ने कामसंतप्तां त्वं कामयितुमर्हसि॥ करिष्यसि न चेदेवं मृतां मामुपधारय। अहमङ्गिरसो भार्या शिवा नाम हुताशन। शिष्टाभिः प्रहिता प्राप्ता मन्त्रयित्वा विनिश्चयम्॥
Markandeya said : O ruler of men, Angirasa's wife possessed good behaviour, beauty and accomplishments. That lady, then assuming the disguise went to the fire, That charming lady thus spoke to him, “O Angi, 1 am afflicted with desire, you should satisfy me. If you refused to do it, I shall commit suicide. O Hutasana, I am Angirasa's wife, named Siva. I have come at the advice of others who have sent me to you after due deliberation.

अग्निरुवाच कथं मां त्वं विजानीये कामार्तमितराः कथम्। यास्त्वता कीर्तिताः सर्वाः सप्तर्षीणां प्रियाः स्त्रियः।
Agni said : How did you know that I was afflicted with desire? How did the others, the beloved wives of the seven Rishis, as you say, know this?

शिवोवाच अस्माकं त्वं प्रियो नित्यं बिभीमस्तु वयं तव। त्वच्चित्तमिङ्गित्तैख़त्वा प्रेषितास्मि तवान्तिकम्॥
Shiva said: You are always beloved to us, but we are afraid of you. Now knowing your mind by clear signs, they have sent me to you.

मैथुनायेह सम्प्राप्ता कामं प्राप्तं दुतं चर। जामयो मां प्रतीक्षन्ते गमिष्यामि हुताशन॥
O Hutasana, I have come here to satisfy my desire. Kindly gratify me. My sister-in-law are waiting for me; I must soon return.

मार्कण्डेय उवाच ततोऽग्निरुपयेमे तां शिवां प्रीतिमुदायुतः। प्रीत्या देवी समायुक्ता शुक्रं जग्राह पाणिना॥
Markandeya said : Then Agni being exceedingly pleased lived with her; and that lady too joyfully held intercourse with him; and she also held the seed in her hand.

अचिन्तयन्ममेदं ये रूपं द्रक्ष्यन्ति कानने। ते ब्राह्मणीनामनृतं दोषं वक्ष्यन्ति पावक॥
Then she thought that those who would see her in that disguise in the forest would speak ill of the Brahmana women and Agni.

तस्मादेतद् रक्ष्यमाणा गरुडी सम्भवाम्यहम्। वनानिर्गमनं चैव सुख मम भविष्यति॥
Therefore she should be a 'Garudi' bird and go out of the forest without being seen by anybody.

मार्कण्डेय उवाच सुपर्णी सा तदा भूत्वा निर्जगाम महावनात्। अपश्यत् पर्वतं श्वेतं शरस्तम्बैः सुसंवृतम्॥
Then becoming a bird, she went out of the great forest and saw the white mountain covered with the clumps of heath.

दृष्टीविषैः सप्तशीर्षैर्गुप्तं भोगिभिरद्भुतैः। रक्षोभिश्च पिशाचैश्च रौद्रैर्भूतगणैस्तथा॥ राक्षसीभिश्च सम्पूर्णमनेकैश्च मृगद्विजैः।
That mountain guarded by seven headed serpents with poison in their very looks and frequented by the male and famale, Rakshashas, the Pishachas, the fearful spirits and various kinds of birds and beasts.

सा तत्र सहसा गत्वा शैलपृष्ठं सुदुर्गमम्॥ प्राक्षिपत् काञ्चने कुण्डे शुक्रं सा त्वरिता शुभा।
Suddenly going up to an inaccessible peak that excellent lady threw the seed into a golden well.

सप्तानामपि सा देवी सप्तर्षीणां महात्मनाम्॥ पत्नीसरूपतां कृत्वा कामयामास पावकम्। दिव्यरूपमरुन्धत्याः कर्तुं न शकितं तया॥ तस्यास्तपःप्रभावेण भर्तृशुश्रूषणेन च। षट्कृत्वस्तत् तु निक्षिप्तमग्ने रेतः कुरूत्तम॥
Then assuming successively the forms of the wives of the illustrious seven Rishis, she held intercourse with Agni, But she could not assume the disguise of Arundhuti. On account of her great ascetic merit and her great devoition towards her husband. O foremost of Kurus, the damsel Svaha in the first lunar day threw six times into that (golden) well the seed of Agni.

तस्मिन् कुण्डे प्रतिपदि कामिन्या स्वाहया तदा। तत् स्कन्नं तेजसा तत्र संवृतं जनयत् सुतम्॥ ऋषिभिः पूजितं स्कन्नमनयत् स्कन्दतां ततः। षशिरा द्विगुणश्रोत्रो द्वादशाक्षिभुजक्रमः॥
Thrown there, it produced a greatly powerful male child. As it was considered by the Rishis as cast off, that child came to be called Skanda. The child had six heads, twelve ears, twelve eyes and twelve arms.

एकग्रीवैकजठरः कुमारः समपद्यत। द्वितीयायामभिव्यक्तस्तृतीयायां शिशुर्बभौ॥
One nack and one stomach. It first assumed a form on the second lunar day; and on the third lunar day it grew to be a little child.

अङ्गप्रत्यङ्गसम्भूतश्चतूर्थ्यामभवद् गुहः। लोहिताभ्रेण महता संवृतः सह विद्युताः॥ लोहिताभ्रे सुमहति भाति सूर्य इवोदितः।
The limbs of Guhaka (Skanda) were developed on the fourth day. Being surrounded by a mass of red clouds flashing blazing lightnings, it shone like the sun rising in the midst of a mass of red clouds.

गृहीतं तु धनुस्तेन विपुलं लोमहर्षणम्॥ न्यस्तं यत् त्रिपुरघ्नेन सुरारिविनिकृन्तनम्। तद् गृहीत्वा धनुः श्रेष्ठं ननाद बलवांस्तदा॥
Seizing the fearful great bow used by the destroyer of the Asura Tripura for the destruction of the enemies of the celestials.

सम्मोहयन्निवेमान् स त्रील्लोकान् सचराचरान्। तस्य तं निनदं श्रुत्वा महामेघौघनिः स्वनम्॥ उत्पेततुर्महानागौ चित्रश्चैरावतश्च ह। तावापतन्तौ सम्प्रेक्ष्य स बालोऽर्कसमद्युतिः॥ द्वाभ्यां गृहीत्वा पाणिभ्यां शक्ति चान्येन पाणिना अपरेणाग्निदायादस्ताम्रचूडं भुजेन सः॥ महाकायमुपश्लिष्टं कुक्कुटं बलिनां वरम्। गृहीत्वा व्यनदद् भीमं चिक्रीड च महाभुजः॥
That mighty one uttered such a terrible roar that the three worlds with their mobile and immobile divisions became struck with fear. Hearing that sound which seemed like the roarings of big clouds, the great Nagas, Chitra and Airavata, were shaken with fear. Seeing them unsteady, that lad shining with sun like refulgence, held them with both his hands. With a dart in one hand and with a stout, redcentral and big cock fast secured in another, that mighty-armed son of Agni sported about making a fearful noise.

द्वाभ्यां भुजाभ्यां बलवान् गृहीत्वा शङ्खमुत्तमम्। प्राध्यापयत भूतानां त्रासनं बलिनामपि॥
Holding an excellent conch in two of his hands, that mighty one blew it, frightening even the most powerful creatures.

द्वाभ्यां भुझाभ्यामाकाशं बहुशो निजधान ह। क्रीडन् भाति महासेनस्त्रील्लोकान् वदनैः पिबन्॥
Striking the air with two hands and playing about on the hill-top, the mighty Mahasena of matchless prowess looked as if he were on the point of devouring the three worlds.

पर्वताचेऽप्रमेयात्मा रश्मिमानुदये यथा। स तस्य पर्वतस्याचे निषण्णोऽद्भुतविक्रमः॥ व्यलोकयदमेयात्मा मुखैर्नानाविधैर्दिशः। स पश्यन् विविधान् भावांश्चकार निनदं पुनः॥ तस्य तं निनदं श्रुत्वा न्यपतन् बहुधा जनाः। भीताश्चोद्विग्नमनसस्तमेव शरणं ययुः॥
He looked like Surya when he rises in heavens. That wonderfully shining and matchlessly powerful one, seated on the top of that hill saw with many directions. He again raised up a loud roar. Hearing his those roars many creatures fell down on the ground in fear. Frightened and anxious, they sought protection.

ये तु तं संश्रिता देवं नानावर्णास्तदा जनाः। तानप्याहुः पारिषदान् ब्राह्मणाः सुमहाबलान्॥
All those persons of various orders that sought the protection of that god are known as his mighty Brahmana flowers,

स तूत्थाय महाबाहुरुपसान्त्व्य च तान् जनान्। धनुर्विकृष्य व्यसृजद् बाणान् श्वेते महागिरौ।॥
Rising from his seat, that mighty deity dispelled the fear of all creature and then drawing his bow, he discharged his arrows towards the great white mountain.

बिभेद स शरैः शैलं क्रौचं हिमवतः सुतम्। तेन हंसाश्च गृध्राश्च मेरुं गच्छन्ति पर्वतम्॥
With those arrows, the hill Karaneha the son of Himavat, was rent asunder. Therefore white swans and vultures now migrate to the Meru mountains.

स विशीर्णोऽपतच्छैलो भृशमार्तस्वरान् रुवन्। तस्मिन् निपतिते त्वन्ये नेदुः शैला भृशं तदा॥
The Krauncha hill, being fearfully wounded, fell down uttering terrible groans. Seeing him fallen, the other hills also began to scream.

स तं नादं भृशार्तानां श्रुत्वापि बलिनां वरः। न प्राच्यवदमेयात्मा शक्तिमुद्यम्य चानदत्॥
That mighty being of matchless prowess, hearing the groans of the afflicted hills, was not at all moved, but uplifting his mace he yelled forth his cry.

सा तदा विमला शक्तिः क्षिप्ता तेन महात्मना। बिभेद शिखरं घोरं श्वेतस्य तरसा गिरेः॥
That high-souled one then hurled his mace of great lustre. The quickly rent in two the peaks of the great white mountain.

स तेनाभिहतो दीर्णो गिरिः श्वेतोऽचलैः सह। उत्पपात महीं त्यक्त्वा भीतस्तस्मान्महात्मनः॥
The white mountain being thus pierced by him was greatly afraid of him and disassociating himself from the earth she fled away with the other mountains.

ततः प्रव्यथिता भूमिळशीर्यत समन्ततः। आर्ता स्कन्दं समासाद्य पुनर्बलवती बभौ॥
The earth was greatly afflicted and she was bereft off all her ornaments. She went to Skanda and she again became as shining as before.

पर्वताश्च नमस्कृत्य तमेव पृथिवीं गताः। अथैनमभजल्लोकः स्कन्दं शुक्लस्य पञ्चमीम्॥
The mountains also bowed down to Skanda and cane back and stuck into the earth. All creatures then performed the Puja (worship) of Skanda on the fifth day of the lunar month.