ब्रहाः सोपग्रहाश्चैव ऋषयो मातरस्तथा। हुताशनमुखाश्चैव दृप्ताः पारिषदां गणाः
The Brahmās with their satellites, the sages, the mothers, and the proud hosts of attendants born from the mouth of fire,
एते चान्ये च बहवो घोरास्त्रिदिववासिनः। परिवार्य महासेनं स्थिता मातृगणैः सह
These and many other fierce dwellers of heaven, together with the host of mothers, surrounded Mahāsena and stood by him.
संदिग्धं विजयं दृष्ट्वा विजयेप्सुः सुरेश्वरः। आरुह्यैरावतस्कन्धं प्रययौ दैवतैः सह
Seeing victory uncertain and desiring triumph, the lord of the gods mounted Airāvata's shoulder and departed with the deities.
आदाय वज्रं बवान्सर्वैर्देवगणैर्वृतः। विजिघांसुर्महासेनमिन्द्रस्तूर्णतरं ययौ
Taking up the thunderbolt and surrounded by all the hosts of gods, Indra swiftly advanced, intent on slaying Mahāsena.
इन्द्रस्तस्य महावेगं दृष्ट्वाऽद्भुतपराक्रमम्। विस्मितश्चाभवद्राजन्देवानीकमचोदयत्
Indra, seeing his great speed and wondrous valor, became astonished, O king, and urged the army of gods forward.
उग्रं तं च महानादं देवानीकं महाप्रभम्। विचित्रध्वजसन्नाहं नानावाहनकार्मुकम्
That fierce and mighty army of gods, resplendent, with varied banners and armor, with diverse mounts and bows,
प्रवराम्बरसंवीतं श्रिया जुष्टमलंकृतम्। विजिघांसुं तमायान्तं कुमारः शक्रमन्वयात्
Clad in excellent garments, adorned and radiant with glory, Kumāra advanced to meet Indra, who was approaching to slay him.
वियत्पतिः स शक्रस्तु द्रुतमायान्महाबलः। संहर्पयन्देवसेनां जिघांसुः पावकात्मजम्
The lord of the sky, Indra, of great might, came swiftly, assembling the divine army, intent on killing the son of fire.
संपूज्यमानस्त्रिदशैस्तथैव परमर्षिभिः। समीपमथ संप्राप्तो वह्निपुत्रस्य वासवः
Honored by the gods and the supreme sages, Vāsava then approached the son of Agni.
सिंहनादं ततश्चक्रे देवेशः सहितैः सुरैः। गुहोऽपिशब्दं तं श्रुत्वा व्यनदात्सागरो यथा
Then the lord of the gods, together with the deities, gave a lion's roar; Guha, hearing that sound, roared in reply like the ocean.
तस्य शब्देन महता समुद्धूतोदधिप्रभम्। वभ्राम तत्रतत्रैव दैवसैन्यमचेतनम्
By that great sound, which resembled the uprising of the ocean, the unconscious army of the gods was thrown into confusion here and there.
जिधांसूनुपसंप्राप्तान्देवान्दृष्ट्वा सपावकिः। विससर्ज मुखात्क्रुद्धः प्रवृद्धाः पावकार्चिषः
Seeing the gods, who had come near desiring to fight, the son of Pāvaka, enraged, released from his mouth blazing flames of fire.
अदहद्देवसैन्यानि वेपमानानि भूतले
He burned the trembling armies of the gods upon the earth.
ते प्रदीप्तशिरोदेहाः प्रदीप्तायुधवाहनाः। प्रच्युताः सहसा भान्ति चित्रास्तारागणा इव
Those with blazing heads and bodies, with flaming weapons and vehicles, suddenly fell, shining like clusters of bright stars.
दह्यमानाः प्रपन्नास्ते शरणं पावकात्मजम्। देवा वज्रधरं त्यक्त्वाततः शानतिमुपागताः
Burning, they sought refuge with the son of Pāvaka, abandoning the wielder of the thunderbolt, and thus the gods attained peace.
त्यक्तो देवैस्ततः स्कन्दे वज्रं शक्रो न्यपातयत्
Then, abandoned by the gods, Indra hurled his thunderbolt at Skanda.
तद्विसृष्टं जघानाशु पर्श्वं स्कन्दस्य दक्षिणम्। विभेद च महाराज पार्श्वं तस्य महात्मनः
That thunderbolt, swiftly released, struck Skanda’s right side, O king, and split the side of that great-souled one.
वज्रप्रहारात्स्कन्दस्य संजातः पुरुषोऽपरः। युवा काञ्चनसन्नाहः शक्तिधृग्दिव्यकुण्डलः
From the blow of the thunderbolt upon Skanda, another man was born—young, adorned with golden armor, bearing a spear, and with divine earrings.
यद्वज्रविशनाज्जातो विशाखस्तेन सोऽभवत्
Because he was born from the split caused by the thunderbolt, he became known as Viśākha.
तं जातमपरं दृष्ट्वा कालानलसमद्युतिम्। भयादिनद्रस्तुत तं स्कन्दं प्राञ्जलिः शरणं गतः
Seeing that other one born, radiant like the fire at the end of time, Indra, out of fear, praised Skanda with joined palms and sought his protection.
तस्याभयंददौ स्कन्दः सहसैन्यस् सत्तम। ततः प्रहृष्टास्त्रिदशा वादित्राण्यभ्यवादयन्
To him, Skanda, the best of warriors, granted fearlessness along with his army; then the delighted gods sounded their instruments.
स्कन्दपारिषदान्धोराञ्छृणुष्वाद्भुतदर्शनान्। वज्रप्हहारात्स्कन्दस्य जज्ञुस्तत्र कुमारकाः। ये हरन्ति शिशूञ्जातान्गर्भस्थाश्चैव दारुणाः
Hear now of Skanda’s fierce attendants, wondrous to behold, who were born from the blow of the thunderbolt—boys who snatch away newborn children, even those still in the womb, and are terrible.
वज्रप्रहारात्कन्याश्च जज्ञिरेऽस् महाबलाः
From the blow of the thunderbolt, powerful maidens were also born.
कुमारान्स विशखं च पुत्रत्वे समकल्पयत्। स भूत्वा भगवान्सङ्ख्ये रक्षंश्छागमुखस्तदा
He accepted those boys and Viśākha as his sons; then the blessed one, assuming the form of a goat-faced being, protected them in battle.
वृतः कन्यागणैः सर्वैरात्मीयैः सह पुत्रकैः। मातृणां प्रेषितानां च भद्रशाखश्चकोमलैः
Surrounded by all those maidens, his own sons, and the gentle branches sent by the Mothers, Bhadraśākha was also present.
ततः कुमारं संजातं स्कन्दमाहुर्जना भुवि। रुद्रमग्निमुखां स्वाहां प्रदेशेषु महाबलाः
Therefore, people on earth call the son thus born Kumāra or Skanda, and the mighty ones—Rudra, Agni, and Svāhā—are invoked in various regions.
यजन्ति पुत्रकामाश्च पुत्रिणश्च सदा जनाः। यास्तास्त्वजनयत्कन्यास्तपो नाम हुताशनः
Those who desire sons and those who have sons always worship them; those maidens whom Hutāśana generated are called Tapas.
किं करोमीति ताः स्कन्दं संप्राप्ताः समभाषयन्
They approached Skanda and asked, 'What shall we do?'
भवेम सर्वलोकस्य मातरो वयमुत्तमाः। प्रसादात्तव पूज्याश्च प्रियमेतत्कुरुष्व नः
May we become the foremost mothers of all the worlds, honored and beloved by your grace—grant us this favor.
सोऽब्रवीद्बाढमित्येवं भविष्यध्वं पृथिग्विधाः। शिवाश्चैवाशिवाश्चैव पुनःपुनःरुदारधीः
He replied, 'So be it; you shall indeed become so, of many forms, both auspicious and inauspicious, again and again, O noble-minded ones.'