युधिष्ठिर उवाच भगवन् श्रोतुमिच्छामि नामान्यस्य महात्मनः। त्रिषु लोकेषु यान्यस्य विख्यातानि द्विजोत्तम॥
Yudhishthira said : O high-souled and the exalted Brahmana, I desire to know the names of that great deity by which he is celebrated all over the three worlds.
वैशम्पायन उवाच इत्युक्तः पाण्डवेयेन महात्मा ऋषिसंनिधौ। उवाच भगवांस्तत्र मार्कण्डेयो महातपाः॥
Vaishampayana said : Having been thus addressed by the illustrious Pandava in the midst of the Rishis, the exalted and the greatly ascetic Markandeya said-
मार्कण्डेय उवाच आग्नेयश्चैव स्कन्दश्च दीप्तकीर्तिरनामयः। मयूरकेतुर्धर्मात्मा भूतेशो महिषार्दनः॥ कामजित् कामदः कान्तः सत्यवाग् भुवेनश्वरः। शिशुः शीघ्रः शुचिश्चण्डो दीप्तवर्णः शुभाननः॥ अमोघस्त्वनधो रौद्रः प्रियश्चन्द्राननस्तथा। दीप्तशक्तिः प्रशान्तात्मा भद्रकृत् कूटमोहनः॥ षष्ठीप्रियश्च धर्मात्मा पवित्रो मातृवत्सलः। कन्याभर्ता विभक्तश्च स्वाहेयो रेवतीसुतः॥ प्रभुर्नेता विशाखश्च नैगमेयः सुदुश्चरः। सुव्रतो ललितश्चैव बालक्रीडनकप्रियः॥ खचारी ब्रह्मचारी च शूरः शरवणोद्भवः। विश्वामित्रप्रियश्चैव देवसेनाप्रियस्तथा।॥ वासुदेवप्रियश्चैव प्रिय: प्रियकृदेव तु। नामान्येतानि दिव्यानि कार्तिकेयस्य यः पठेत्। स्वर्ग कीर्तिं धनं चैव स लभेन्नात्र संशयः॥
Markandeya said : (They are) Agneya, Skanda, Diptakirti, Anameya, Mayuraketu, Dharmatma, Bhutesha, Mahishmardana, Kamajit, Kamada, Kanta, Satyavak, Bhuvaneshvara, Shishu, Shighra, Suchi, Chanda, Dipatvarna, Shubhanana, Amogha, Anagha, Raudra, Priya, Chandranana, Diptashakti, Prashantatman, Bhadrakrit, Kutamohana, Shashtipriya, Pavitra, Matrivatsala, Kanyabharta, Vibhakta, Svaheya, Revatisuta, Prabhu, Neta, Vishakha, Naigameya, Suduschara, Suduschara, Suvrata, Lalita, Balakridanakapriya, Akashachari, Brahmachari, Shura, Shakhanodbhava, Vishvamitrapriya, Devasenapriya, Vasudevapriya, Priya and Priyakrit. These are the divine names of Kartikeya. Whoever repeats them there is no doubt he secures fame, wealth and salvation.
स्तोष्यामि देवैर्ऋषिभिश्च जुष्टं शक्त्या गुहं नामभिरप्रमेयम्। षडाननं शक्तिधरं सुवीरं निबोध चैतानि कुरुप्रवी॥
O foremost of the Kurus, I shall now with devotion pray to that matchless, powerful, six faced and brave Guha who is worshipped by the celestials and the Rishis. Listen to them.
ब्रह्मण्यो वै ब्रह्मजो ब्रह्मविच्च ब्रह्मेशयो ब्रह्मवतां वरिष्ठः। ब्रह्मप्रियो ब्राह्मणसव्रती त्वं ब्रह्मज्ञो वै ब्राह्मणानां च नेता॥
O Skanda, you are devoted to Brahma you are begotten by Brahma, you are versed in the mysteries of Brahma, you are Brahmeshya, you are the foremost of those who possess Brahma, you are fond of Brahma, you are as austere as the Brahmanas, you are learned in the great mystery of Brahma and you are the leader of the Brahmanas.
स्वाहा स्वधा त्वं परमं पवित्रं मन्त्रस्तुतस्त्वं प्रथितः षडर्चिः। संवत्सरस्त्वमृतवश्च घड् वै मासार्धमासावयनं दिशश्च॥
You are Guha, you are Svadha, you are the holiest of the holy. You are invoked by Mantras and you are celebrated as the six flamed fire, you are the year, you are the six seasons, you are the months, the fortnights, the solar declination and the cardinal points of firmament.
त्वं पुष्कराक्षस्त्वरविन्दवक्त्रः सहस्रवक्त्रोऽसि सहस्रबाहुः। त्वं लोकपालः परमं हविश्व त्वं भावनः सर्वसुरासुराणाम्॥
You are lotus-eyed, you possess a lotus-like face, you have one thousand faces and one thousand arms. You are the ruler of the universe and you are the great oblations, you are the animating spirit of all the celestials and the Asuras.
त्वमेव सेनाधिपतिः प्रचण्डः प्रभुर्विभुश्चाप्यथ शत्रुजेता। सहस्रभूस्त्वं धरणी त्वमेव सहस्रतुष्टिश्च सहस्रभुक् च॥
You are the generallissimo of armies, you are fury, you are the lord, you are the great master, you are the conqueror of your enemies, you Sahasrbhu, Sahasratushti and Sahasrbhuk.
सहस्रशीर्षस्त्वमनन्तरूपः सहस्रपात् त्वं गुह शक्तिधारी। गङ्गासुतस्त्वं स्वमतेन देव स्वाहामहीकृत्तिकानां तथैव॥
You are the Sahasrapat, you are the earth herself, you possess innumerable forms and thousands of heads, you are endued with great strength. O god, you have with your own desire are appeared as the son of Ganga, Svaha and Mahikritika.
त्वं क्रीडसे षण्मुख कुक्कुटेन यथेष्टनानाविधकामरूपी। दीक्षासि सोमो मरुतः सदैव धर्मोऽसि वायुरचलेन्द्र इन्द्रः॥
O six-faced god, you play with the cock, you assume various forms according to your own will, you are Daksha, Soma, Marutas, Dharma, Vayu and the king of mountains.
सनातनानामपि शाश्वतस्त्वं प्रभुः प्रभूणामपि चोचधन्वा। ऋतस्य कर्ता दितिजान्तकस्त्वं जेता रिपूणां प्रवरः सुराणाम्॥
For everlasting time you are mighty, you are the most eternal of all eternal things and you are the lord of lords, you are the origin of Truth, you are the destroyer of the children of Diti, you are the great conqueror of the enemies of the celestials.
सूक्ष्मं तपस्तत् परमं त्वमेव परावरज्ञोऽसि परावरस्त्वम्। धर्मस्य कामस्य परस्य चैव त्वत्तेजसा कृत्स्त्रमिदं महात्मन्॥
You are the personation of virtue. Being yourself both vast and minute, you are acquainted with the highest and the lowest points of virtuous acts, you are the mysteries of Brahma.
व्याप्तं जगत् सर्वसुरप्रवीर शक्त्या मया संस्तुत लोकनाथ। नमोऽस्तु ते द्वादशनेत्रबाहो अतः परं वेद्मि गतिं न तेऽहम्॥
O foremost of the celestials, O lord of the universe, this whole creation is pervaded by your spirit. I have thus prayed to you according to the best of my power. I bow to you who possess twelve eyes and twelve hands. Your remaining attributes are beyond my conception.
स्कन्दस्य य इदं विप्रः पठेज्जन्म समाहितः। श्रावयेद् ब्राह्मणेभ्यो यः शृणुयाद् वा द्विजेरितम्॥ धनमायुर्यशो दीप्तं पुत्राञ्छत्रुजयं तथा। स पुष्टितुष्टी सम्प्राप्य स्कन्दसालोम्यमाप्नुयात्॥
The Brahmana who attentively reads this story of the birth of Skanda or narrates it to Brahmanas or hears it narrated by Brahmanas obtains wealth, long-life, fame, children, victory, prosperity, contentment and association with Skanda.