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.'
अग्निर्भूत्वा ततश्चैनं छागवक्रो बहुप्रजः। रमयामास शैलस्थं बलं क्रीडनकैरिव
Then, taking the form of fire, he, with the head of a goat and many offspring, delighted the child stationed on the mountain, as if with playthings.
ततः प्रकल्प्य पुत्रत्वे स्कन्दं मातृगणोऽगमत्। काकी च हलिमा चैव माता चाथ हली तथा। आर्या बाला च धात्री च सप्तैता शिशुमातरः
Then the host of Mothers approached Skanda, establishing him as their son: Kaki, Halima, Mata, Hali, Arya, Bala, and Dhatri—these seven are the Mothers of the child.
एतासां वीर्यसंपन्नः शिशुर्नामातिदारुणः। स्कन्दप्रसादजः पुत्रो लोहिताक्षो भयंकरः
From these, a child of great vigor was born, named Atidāruṇa, the son born from Skanda's favor, red-eyed and terrifying.
एष वीरोऽष्टमः प्रोक्तः स्कन्दो मातृगणोद्भवः। छागवक्रेण सहितो नवमः परिकीर्त्यते
This is the eighth hero, said to have arisen from the host of Mothers with Skanda; together with Chāgavakra, he is counted as the ninth.
षष्ठं छागमयं वक्रं स्कन्दस्यैवेति विद्धि तम्। षट्शिरोभ्यन्तरं राजन्नित्यं मातृगणार्चितम्
Know that the sixth, Chāgavakra, is goat-headed and belongs to Skanda; he is the inner sixth head, always worshipped by the host of Mothers, O King.
षण्णां तु प्रवरं तस्य शीर्षाणामिह शब्द्यते। शक्तिं येनासृजद्दिव्यां भद्रशाख इति स्म ह
Among his six heads, the foremost is called Bhadraśākha, by which he created the divine spear.
इत्येतद्द्विविधाकारं वृत्तं शुक्लस्य पञ्चमीम्। तत्र युद्धं महाघोरं वृत्तं षष्ठ्यां जनाधिप
Thus, this twofold event occurred on the fifth day of the bright fortnight; on the sixth, O lord of men, a great and terrible battle took place.
उपविष्टं तु तं स्कन्दमामुक्तकवचस्रजम्। हिरण्यचूडमुकुटं हिरण्यांक्षं महाप्रभम्
There sat Skanda, adorned with armor and garlands, wearing a golden crown, with golden eyes, and of great splendor.
लोहिताम्बरसंवीतं तीक्ष्णदंष्ट्रं मनोरमम्। सर्वलक्षणसंपन्नं त्रैलोक्यस्यापि सुप्रियम्
Clad in red garments, with sharp fangs, charming, endowed with all auspicious marks, and dearly loved even by the three worlds.
ततस्तं वरदं शूरं युवानं मृष्टकुण्डलम्। अभजत्पद्मरूपा श्रीः स्वयमेव शरीरिणी
Then, the goddess Śrī herself, in the form of a lotus, chose that youthful, heroic, boon-giving one, adorned with shining earrings.