स्वाहा तं दक्षदुहिता प्रथमाऽकामयत्तदा। सा तस्य च्छिद्रमन्वैच्छच्चिरात्प्रभृतिभामिनी
At that time, Svaha, daughter of Daksha, first desired him; that radiant one long sought an opportunity with him.
सा तं ज्ञात्वा यथावत्तु वर्हिं वनमुपागतम्। तत्त्वतः कामसंतप्तं चिन्तयामास भामिनी
Knowing that Fire had gone to the forest in such a state, truly burning with desire, the radiant one pondered.
अहं सप्तर्षिपत्नीनां कृत्वा रूपाणि पावकम्। कामयिष्यामि कामार्तं तासां रूपेण मोहितम्। एवं कृते प्रीतिरस् कामावाप्तिश्च मे भवेत्
'I will assume the forms of the wives of the Seven Sages and approach Fire, who is tormented by desire and captivated by their beauty. In this way, I will gain both his affection and the fulfillment of my desire.'
शिवा भार्या त्वङ्गिरसः शीलरूपगुणान्विता। तस्याः सा प्रथमं रूपं कृत्वादेवी जनाधिप
Śivā, the wife of Aṅgiras, endowed with virtue, beauty, and good qualities—her form the goddess first assumed, O lord of men.
जगाम पावकाभ्याशं तं चोवाच वराङ्गना। मामग्ने कामसंतप्तां त्वं कामयितुमर्हसि
She went near Fire and, as a splendid woman, said to him: 'O Agni, you ought to desire me, for I am burning with longing.'
करिष्यसि न चेदेवं मृतां मामुपधारय। `तवाप्यधर्मः सुमहान्भविता वै हुताशन
'If you will not do this, then know me as dead; and for you, O Fire, a great unrighteousness will result.'
अहमङ्गिरसो भार्या शिवा नाम हुताशन। सखीभिः सहिता प्राप्ता मन्त्रयित्वा विनिश्चयम्
'I am Śivā, wife of Aṅgiras, O Fire; I have come here with my companions, having resolved after deliberation.'
कथं मां त्वं विजानीषे कामार्तमितराः कथम्। यास्त्वया कीर्तिताः सर्वाः सप्तर्षीणां प्रियाः स्त्रियः
'How do you recognize me, who am tormented by desire, and how the others? All the beloved wives of the Seven Sages whom you have named?'
अस्माकं त्वं प्रियो नित्यं बिभीमस्तु वयं तव। त्वच्चित्तमिङ्गितैर्ज्ञात्वा प्रेषिताऽस्मि तवान्तिकम्
You are always dear to us, and we are dear to you, Bibhīmas. Understanding your thoughts and gestures, I have been sent to you.
मैथुनायेह संप्राप्ता कामाच्चैव द्रुतं च माम्। `उपयन्तुं महावीर्य पूर्वमेव त्वमर्हसि'। [जामयो मां प्रतीक्षन्ते गमिष्यामि हुताशन]
I have come here for union, driven by desire and haste; O mighty one, you should approach me first. [My co-wives await me; I will go to the fire.]
ततोऽग्निरुपयेमे तां शिवां प्रीतिमुदायुतः। प्रीत्या देवी समायुक्ता शुक्रं जग्राह पाणिना
Then Agni united with her, the auspicious one, filled with joy. The goddess, joined in affection, took the seed in her hand.
साऽचिन्तयन्ममेदं ये रूपं द्रक्ष्यन्ति कानने। ते ब्राह्मणीनामनृतं दोषं वक्ष्यन्ति पावके
She thought: Those who see my form in the forest will accuse the wives of the Brahmins of falsehood and blame, O Pāvaka.
तस्मादेतद्रक्षमाणा गरुडी संभवाम्यहम्। वनान्निर्गमनं चैव सुखं मम भविष्यति
Therefore, to protect this, I will take the form of a Garuḍī. Leaving the forest will also be easy for me.
सुपर्णी सा तदा भूत्वा निर्जगाम महावनात्। अपश्यत्पर्वतं श्वेतं शरस्तम्बैः सुसंवृतम्
Then she became a Suparṇī and departed from the great forest. She saw a white mountain, covered with tall arrow-like pillars.
दृष्टीविषैः सप्तशीर्षैर्गुप्तं भोगिभिरद्भुतैः। रक्षोभिश्च पिशाचैश्च रौद्रैर्भूतगणैस्तथा
Guarded by snakes with seven heads and venomous gaze, wondrous in form, and by fierce rakṣasas, piśācas, and other terrifying beings.
राक्षसीभिश्च संपूर्णमनेकैश्च मृगद्विजैः। `नदीप्रस्रवणोपेतं नानातरुलताचितम्
Filled with rākṣasīs and many wild animals and birds, adorned with river springs and various trees and creepers.
सा तत्र सहसा गत्वा शैलपृष्ठं सुदुर्गमम्। प्राक्षिपत्काञ्चने कुण्डे शुक्रं सा त्वरिता शुभा
There, swiftly reaching the difficult mountain summit, she, the auspicious one, quickly cast the seed into a golden vessel.
शिष्टानामपि सा देवी सप्तर्षीणां महात्मनाम्। पत्नीसरूपतां कृत्वा रमयामास पावकम्
The goddess, assuming the form of the wives of the noble seven sages, delighted Agni.
दिव्यरूपमरुन्धत्याः कर्तुं न शकितं तया। तस्यास्तपःप्रभावेण भर्तृशुश्रूषणेन च
She was unable to assume the divine form of Arundhatī, due to the power of her austerity and service to her husband.
षट्कृत्वस्तत्तु निक्षिप्तमग्ने रेतः कुरुत्तम। तस्मन्कुण्डे प्रतिपदि कामिन्या स्वाहया तदा
Six times, O best of Kurus, Agni's seed was deposited; at each time, the desirous woman offered it with svāhā into the vessel.
तत्स्कन्नं तेजसा तत्रसंवृतंजनयत्सुतम्। ऋषिभिः पूजितं स्कन्नमनयन्स्कन्दतां ततः
That which was infused with energy and contained there produced a son, honored by the sages, and thus became Skanda.
षट्शिरा द्विगुणश्रोत्रो द्वादशाक्षिभूजक्रमः। एकग्रीवस्त्वेककायः कुमारः समपद्यत
He appeared with six heads, double the ears, twelve eyes, a single neck and body—the boy was born thus.
द्वितीयायामभिव्यक्तस्तृतीयायां शिशुर्बभौ। अङ्गप्रत्यङ्गसंभूतश्चतुर्थ्यामभवद्गुहः
He manifested on the second day; on the third, he shone as a child; with limbs and sub-limbs formed, on the fourth, he became Guha.
लोहिताभ्रेण महता संवृतः सह विद्युता। लोहिताभ्रे सुमहति भाति सूर्य इवोदितः
Covered with a great red cloud, together with lightning, he shone like the rising sun in a vast red cloud.
गृहीतं तु धनुस्तेन विपुलं रोमहर्षणम्। न्यस्तं यत्रिपुरघ्नेन सुरारिविनिकृन्तनम्
He took up a mighty bow, awe-inspiring, which had been placed by the destroyer of Tripura, capable of cutting down the enemies of the gods.
तद्गृहीत्वा धनुःश्रेष्ठं ननाद बलवांस्तदा। संमोहयन्निमाँल्लोकान्गुहस्त्रीन्सचराचरान्
Taking that best of bows, the powerful Guha roared, bewildering all worlds, including the Guha women and all beings, moving and unmoving.
तस् तं निनदं श्रुत्वा महामेघौघनिःस्वनम्। उत्पेततुर्महानागौ चित्रश्चैरावतश्च ह
Hearing that roar, which sounded like the thunder of a great mass of clouds, the two mighty elephants, Chitra and Airavata, leapt up.
तावापतन्तौ संप्रेक्ष्यस बालोऽर्कसमद्युतिः। द्वाभ्यां गृहीत्वा पाणिभ्यां शक्तिं चान्येन पाणिना
Seeing those two charging forward, that radiant boy, shining like the sun, seized them both with his hands and, with another hand, took up his spear.
अपरेणाग्निदायादस्ताम्रचूडं भुजेन सः। महाकायमुपश्लिष्टं कुक्कुटं बलिनां वरम्। गृहीत्वा व्यनदद्भीमं चिक्रीड च महाभुजः
With yet another arm, the heir of Agni grasped the copper-crested, massive-bodied, powerful rooster—best among the strong—embracing it, he let out a terrible roar and played, that mighty-armed one.
द्वाभ्यां भुजाभ्यां बलवान्गृहीत्वा शङ्खमुत्तमम्। प्राध्मापयत् भूतानां त्रासनं बलिनामपि। द्वाभ्यां भुजाभ्यामाकाशं बहुशो निजघान
With two strong arms he took up the excellent conch and blew it, striking fear even among the powerful beings; with both arms he struck the sky again and again.