प्रजा वो दद्मि कष्टं तु भवतीभिरुदाहृतम्। परिरक्षत भद्रं वः प्रजा साधुनमस्कृताः
'I give you offspring, though it is a difficult request you have made. Protect them—may it be well for you—those offspring who are properly honored.'
परिरक्षाम भद्रं ते प्रजाः स्कन्द यथेच्छसि। त्वया नो रोचते स्कन्द सहवासश्चिरंप्रभो
'We will protect your offspring, O Skanda, as you wish. We desire, O lord, to dwell with you for a long time.'
यावत्षोडश वर्षाणि भवन्ति तरुणाः प्रजाः। प्रबाधत मनुष्याणां तावद्रूपैः पृथग्विधैः
'For as long as sixteen years, the offspring remain youthful; for that period, trouble humans in various forms.'
अहं च वः प्रदास्यामि रौद्रमात्मानमव्ययम्। परमं तेन सहिताः सुखं वत्स्यथ पूजिताः
'And I will give you my fierce, imperishable form; with that, you shall live happily, honored.'
ततः शरीरात्स्कन्दस्य परुषः पावकप्रभः। भोक्तुं प्रजाः स मर्त्यानां निष्पपात महाबलः
Then, from Skanda's body, a harsh, fire-bright being emerged, powerful, to consume the offspring of mortals.
अपतत्सहसा भूमौ विसंज्ञोऽथ क्षुधार्दितः। स्कन्देन सोऽभ्यनुज्ञातो रौद्ररूपोऽभवद्ग्रहः
He suddenly fell to the earth, unconscious and afflicted by hunger; permitted by Skanda, he became a fierce spirit.
स्कन्दापस्मार इत्याहुर्गृहं तं द्विजसत्तमाः। विनता तु महारौद्रा कथ्यते शकुनिग्रहः
The best of twice-born say he is called Skanda-apasmara; Vinata, however, is said to be the terrible bird-demon.
मातॄणां राक्षसंप्राहुस्तं विद्यात्पूतनाग्रहम्। कष्टा दारुणरूपेण घोररूपा निशाचरी
The Mothers are said to have a demon among them, known as the Putana-spirit; she is harsh, dreadful in form, and a fearsome night-wanderer.
पशाची रदारुणाकारा कथ्यते शीतपूतना। गर्भान्सा मानुषीणां तु हरते घोरदर्शना
The demoness known as Paśācī, with blood-red teeth, is called Śītapūtanā; she, terrifying in appearance, seizes the embryos of human women.
अदितिं रेवतीं प्राहुर्ग्रहस्तस्यास्तु रैवतः। सोऽपि बालान्महागोरो बाधते वै महाग्रहः
Aditi is called Revatī, and her planet is Raivata; that great and dreadful planet also afflicts children.
दैत्यानां या दितिर्माता तामाहुर्मुखमण्डिकाम्। अत्यर्थं शिशुमांसेन संप्रहृष्टा दुरासदा
The one who is called Diti, mother of the Daityas, is known as Mukhamanḍikā; she is exceedingly delighted by the flesh of infants and is difficult to approach.
कुमाराश्च कुमार्यश् ये प्रोक्ताः स्कन्दसंभवाः। तेऽपि गर्भभुजः सर्वे कौरव्यसुमहाग्रहाः
The boys and girls said to be born from Skanda are also all devourers of embryos, O Kauravya, and are great and powerful spirits.
तासामेव तु पत्नीनां पतयस्ते प्रकीर्तिताः। आजायमानान्गृह्णन्ति बालकान्रौद्रकर्मणः
The husbands of these very wives are also mentioned; they seize newborn children and perform fierce deeds.
गवां माता तु या प्राज्ञैः कथ्यते सुरभिर्नृप। शकुनिस्तामथारुह्यसह भुङ्क्ते शिशून्भुवि
The one who is called Surabhi by the wise, the mother of cows, O King, is mounted by a bird and together they devour calves on earth.
सरमा नाम या माता शुनां देवी जनाधिप। साऽपिगर्भान्समादत्ते मानुषीणां सदैव हि
Saramā, the goddess who is known as the mother of dogs, O lord of men, also always takes the embryos of human women.
पादपानां च या माता करञ्जनिलया हि सा। वरदा सा हि सौम्या च नित्यं भूतानुकम्पिनी
The mother of trees, who dwells in the karañja tree, is a bestower of boons, gentle, and always compassionate to beings.
करञ्जे तां नमस्यन्ति तस्मात्पुत्रार्थिनो नराः। इमे त्वष्टादशान्ये वै ग्रहा मांसमधुप्रियाः
Therefore, those who desire sons worship her in the karañja tree; these are the eighteen other spirits who delight in flesh and honey.
द्विपञ्चरात्रं तिष्ठन्ति सततं सूतिकागृहे। कद्रूः सूक्ष्मवपुर्भूत्वा गर्भिणीं प्रविशत्यथ
They remain constantly in the birthing chamber for two or five nights; Kadrū, taking a subtle form, then enters a pregnant woman.
भुङ्क्ते सा तत्र तं गर्भं सा तु नागं प्रसूयते। गन्धर्वाणां तु या माता सा गर्भं गृह्य गच्छति
There she devours the embryo and then gives birth to a serpent; the mother of the Gandharvas, taking the embryo, departs.
ततो विलीनगर्भा सा मानुषी भुवि दृश्यते। या जनित्री त्वप्सरसां गर्भमास्ते प्रगृह्य सा
Then, with the embryo dissolved, she appears as a human woman on earth; the mother of the Apsarases, having seized the embryo, keeps it.
उपविष्टं ततो गर्भं कथयनति मनीषिणः। लोहितस्योदधेः कन्या धात्री स्कन्दस्य सा स्मृता
The wise say that she then sits with the embryo; the daughter of the red ocean is remembered as Skanda's nurse.
लोहितायनिरित्येवं कदम्बे सा हि पूज्यते। पुरुषे तु यथा रुद्रस्तथाऽऽर्या प्रमदास्वपि
She is called Lohitāyanī and is worshipped in the kadamba tree; among women, Āryā is as Rudra is among men.
आर्या माता कुमारस्य पृथक्कामार्थमिज्यते। एवमेते कुमाराणां मया प्रोक्ता महाग्रहाः
Āryā is the mother of Kumāra and is worshipped separately for the sake of desire; thus I have described these great spirits of Kumāra.
यावत्षोडश वर्षाणि शिशूनां ह्यशिवास्ततः। ये च मातृगणाः प्रोक्ताः पुरुषाश्चैवये ग्रहाः
For sixteen years, these are inauspicious for children; and the groups of mothers and the male spirits mentioned.
सर्वे स्कन्दग्रहा नाम ज्ञेया नित्यं शरीरिभिः। तेषां प्रशमनं कार्यं स्नानं धूपमथाञ्जनम्। बलिकार्गेपहाराश् स्कन्दस्येज्या विशेषतः
All these are to be known as Skanda-spirits by embodied beings; their pacification should be performed with bathing, incense, and ointment, with offerings and special worship for Skanda.
एवमभ्यर्चिताः सर्वे प्रयच्छन्ति शुभं नृणाम्। आयुर्दीर्घं च राजेनद्रसम्यक्पूजानमस्कृताः
Thus, when all are duly worshipped, they bestow good fortune on people and long life, O King, when properly honored and revered.
ऊर्ध्वं तु षोडशाद्वर्षाद्ये भवन्ति ग्रहा नृणाम्। तानहं संप्रवक्ष्यामि नमस्कृत्य महेश्वरम्
Now, after the sixteenth year, certain influences arise among men; I shall explain these, having first bowed to the great Lord.
यः पश्यति नरो देवाञ्जाग्रद्वा शयितोपि वा। उन्माद्यति स तु क्षिप्रं तं तु देवग्रहं विदुः
If a man sees the gods, whether awake or asleep, he quickly becomes deranged; this is known as possession by a divine spirit.
आसीनश्च शयानश्च यः पश्यति नरः पितॄन्। उन्माद्यतिस तु क्षिप्रं स ज्ञेयस्तु पितृग्रहः
If a man, sitting or lying down, sees the ancestors, he quickly becomes deranged; this should be understood as possession by an ancestral spirit.
अवमन्यति यः सिद्धान्क्रुद्धाश्चापि शपन्ति यम्। उन्माद्यति स तु क्षिप्रं ज्ञेयः सिद्धग्रहस्तु सः
If someone disrespects the Siddhas and is cursed by them in anger, he quickly becomes deranged; this is known as possession by a Siddha.