अरजे वाससी रक्ते वसानः पावकात्मजः। भाति दीप्तवपुः श्रमान्रक्ताभ्राभ्यामिवांशुमान्
Clad in spotless red garments, the son of fire shines with a radiant form, like the sun with rays colored by red clouds.
कुक्कुटश्चाग्निना दत्तस्तस् केतुरलंकृतः। रथे समुच्छितो भाति कालाग्निरव लोहितः
A rooster, given by Agni, serves as his emblem, adorned and placed upon his chariot; he shines, fierce as the black fire, with a red hue.
या चेष्टा सर्वभूतानां प्रभा शक्तिर्बलं तथा। अग्रतस्तस्य सा शक्तिर्देवानां जयवर्धनी
Whatever movement, radiance, power, and strength exist among all beings, that power stands foremost for him, increasing the gods’ victory.
विवेश कवचं चास्य शरीरं सहजं तथा। युध्यमानस्य देवस्य प्रादुर्भवति तत्सदा
His armor and innate body entered him; whenever the god fights, these always manifest.
शक्तिर्धर्मो बलं तेजः कान्तत्वं सत्यमुन्नतिः। ब्रह्मण्यत्वमसंमोहो भक्तानां परिरक्षणम्
Power, righteousness, strength, brilliance, beauty, truth, elevation, devotion to Brahman, clarity, and protection of devotees—
निकृन्तनं च शत्रूणां लोकानां चाभिरक्षणम्। स्कन्देन सह जातानि सर्वाण्येव जनाधिप
The destruction of enemies and the safeguarding of worlds—all these arose together with Skanda, O lord of men.
एवं देवगणैः सर्वैः सोऽभिषिक्तः स्वलंकृतः। बभौ प्रतीतः सुमनाः परिपूर्णेन्दुदर्शनः
Thus, anointed and adorned by all the hosts of gods, he shone, confident and joyful, with the appearance of a full moon.
इष्टैः स्वाध्यायघोषैश्च देवतूर्यवरैरपि। देवगन्धर्वगीतैश्च सर्वैरप्सरसां गणैः
With desired recitations of sacred study, divine trumpets, songs of Gandharvas, and all the groups of Apsaras,
एतैश्चान्यैश्च बहुभिस्तुष्टैर्हृष्टैः स्वलंकृतः। [सुसंवृतः पिशाचानां गणैर्देवगणैस्तथा।] क्रीडन्भाति तदा देवैरभिषिक्तश्च पावकिः
And with many others, pleased and adorned, surrounded by the hosts of Pisacas and gods, he played and shone, anointed by the gods, the son of fire.
अभिषिक्तं महासेनमपश्यन्त दिवौकसः। विनिहत्य तमः सूर्यं यथैवाभ्युदितं तथा
The dwellers of heaven beheld Mahasena anointed, as the sun rises dispelling darkness.
अथैनमभ्ययुः सर्वा देवसेनाः सहस्रशः। अस्माकं त्वं पतिरिति ब्रुवाणाः सर्वतो दिशः
Then all the divine armies approached him by the thousands from every direction, declaring, 'You are our lord.'
ताः समासाद्य भगवान्सर्वभूतगणैर्वृतः। अर्चितस्तु स्तुतश्चैव सान्त्वयामास ता अपि
Having met them, the blessed one, surrounded by all the hosts of beings, was worshipped and praised, and he comforted them as well.
शतक्रतुश्चाभिषिच्य स्कन्दं सेनापतिं तदा। सस्मार तां देवसेनां या सा तेन विमोक्षिता
Then Indra anointed Skanda as the commander of the army, and remembered that divine army which had been freed by him.
अयं तस्याः पतिर्नूनं विहितो ब्रह्मणा स्वयम्। संचिन्त्य त्वानयामास देवसेनां ह्यलंकृताम्
Surely, he has been appointed as her husband by Brahma himself; reflecting on this, he brought the adorned Devaseṇā here.
स्कन्दं प्रोवाच बलभिदियं कन्या सुरोत्तम। अजाते त्वयि निर्दिष्टा तव पत्नी स्वयंभुवा
Indra said to Skanda, the breaker of hosts: 'O best of gods, this maiden was designated by the Self-born as your wife before you were born.'
तस्मात्त्वमस्या विधिवत्पाणिं मन्त्रपुरस्कृतम्। गृहाण दक्षिणं देव्याः पाणिना पद्मवर्चसा
Therefore, according to the proper rite, take her hand, sanctified by mantras, with your lotus-bright hand, as the right hand of the goddess.
एवमुक्तः स जग्राह तस्याः पाणिं यथाविधि। बृहस्पतिर्मन्त्रविद्धि जजाप च जुहाव च
Thus addressed, he took her hand as prescribed; Bṛhaspati, knower of mantras, recited the hymns and performed the oblation.
एवं स्कन्दस्य महिषीं देवसेनां विदुर्जनाः। षष्ठीं यां ब्राह्मणाः प्राहुर्लक्ष्मीमासां सुखप्रदाम्
Thus people know Devaseṇā as Skanda’s queen, whom the Brāhmaṇas call Ṣaṣṭhī, Lakṣmī, and the bestower of happiness to women.
सिनीबालीं कुहूं चैव सद्वृत्तिमपराजिताम्। `इत्येवमादिभिर्देवी नामभिः परिकीर्त्यते
She is also praised by such names as Sinīvālī, Kuhū, Sadvṛtti, and Aparājitā, O goddess.
यदा स्कन्दः पतिर्लब्धः शाश्वतो देवसेनया। तदा तमाश्रयल्लक्ष्मीः स्वयं देवी शरीरिणी
When Skanda became the eternal husband of Devaseṇā, then Lakṣmī herself, the embodied goddess, took refuge in him.
श्रीजुष्टः पञ्चमीस्कन्दस्तस्माच्छ्रीः पञ्चमी स्मृता। षष्ठ्यां कृतार्थोऽभूद्यस्थात्तस्मात्षष्ठी महातिधिः
Skanda, endowed with Śrī, is thus called Pañcamī with Śrī; having succeeded on the sixth day, he is called Ṣaṣṭhī, the great lunar day.
श्रिया जुष्टं महासेनं देवसेनापतीकृतम्। सप्तर्षिपत्नयः षड् देव्यस्तत्सकाशमथागमन्
Mahāsena, graced by Śrī and made the commander of the divine army, was then approached by the six wives of the Saptarṣis.
ऋषिभिः संपरित्यक्ता धर्मयुक्ता महाव्रताः। द्रुतमागम्य चोचुस्ता देवसेनापतिं प्रभुम्
Abandoned by the sages, righteous and devoted to great vows, they quickly came and addressed the lord, the commander of the gods’ army.
वयं पुत्र परित्यक्तां भर्तृभिर्देवसंमितैः। अकारणाद्रुषा तैस्तु पुण्यस्थानात्परिच्युताः
'We, O lord, have been abandoned by our husbands, equal to the gods, without cause, in anger, and cast out from our place of merit.'
अस्माभिः किल जातस्त्वमिति केनाप्युदाहृतम्। तत्सत्यमेतत्संश्रुत्य तस्मान्नस्त्रातुमर्हसि
'It has been said by someone that you were born from us; hearing this truth, you ought therefore to protect us.'
अक्षयश्च भवेत्स्वर्गस्त्वत्प्रसादाद्धि नः प्रभो। त्वां पुत्रं चाप्यभीप्सामः कृत्वैतदनृणो भव
'May heaven be inexhaustible for us by your grace, O lord; we wish for you as our son—thus, fulfill this and be free of debt.'
मातरो हि भवत्यो मे सुतो वोऽहमनिन्दिताः। यद्वापीच्छत तत्सर्वं संभविष्यति वस्तथा
'You are indeed my mothers, and I am your son, O blameless ones; whatever you desire, all that will truly come to pass.'
विवक्षन्तं ततः शक्रं किं कार्यमिति सोऽब्रवीत्। उक्तः स्कन्देन ब्रूहिति सोऽब्रवीद्वासवस्ततः
Then, as Indra wished to speak, Skanda asked, 'What should be done?' Thus addressed by Skanda, Vāsava then spoke.
अभिजित्स्पर्धमाना तु रोहिण्या कन्यसी स्वसा। इच्छन्ती ज्येष्ठतां देवी तपस्तप्तुं वनं गता
'Abhijit, the younger sister of Rohiṇī, competing with her, desiring seniority, went to the forest to perform austerities.'
तत्र मूढोस्मि भद्रं ते नक्षत्रं गगनाच्च्युतम्। कालं त्विमं परं स्कन्द ब्रह्मणा सह चिन्तय
'There I am perplexed, good one, for a star has fallen from the sky; consider this time, O Skanda, together with Brahmā.'