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.
उपाघ्राति च यो गन्धान्रसांश्चापि पृथग्विधान्। उन्माद्यति स तु क्षिप्रं स ज्ञेयो राक्षसो ग्रहः
If a man perceives various scents and tastes, he quickly becomes deranged; this should be known as possession by a Rakshasa.
गन्धर्वाश्चापि यं दिव्याः संविशन्ति नरं भुवि। उन्माद्यति स तु क्षिप्रं ग्रहो गान्धर्व एव सः
If the celestial Gandharvas enter a man on earth, he quickly becomes deranged; this is indeed known as Gandharva possession.
अधिरोहन्ति यं नित्यं पिशाचाः पुरुषं प्रति। उन्माद्यति स तु क्षिप्रं ग्रहः पैशाच एव सः
If Pisacas constantly mount a man, he quickly becomes deranged; this is known as Pisaca possession.
आविशन्ति च यं यक्षाः पुरुषं कालपर्यये। उनमाद्यति स तु क्षिप्रं ज्ञेयो यक्षग्रहस्तु सः
If Yakshas enter a man at certain times, he quickly becomes deranged; this should be known as Yaksha possession.
यस् दोषैः प्रकुपितं चित्तं मुह्यति देहिनः। उनमाद्यति स तु क्षिप्रं साधनं तस्य शास्त्रतः
If a man's mind is disturbed by faults and becomes confused, he quickly becomes deranged; the remedy for this is prescribed in the scriptures.
वैक्लव्याच्च भयाच्चैव घोराणां चापि दर्शनात्। उन्माद्यति स तु क्षिप्रं सान्त्वं तस्य तु साधनम्
If, due to weakness or fear, or from seeing terrifying things, a man quickly becomes deranged, then soothing is the remedy for him.
कश्चित्क्रीडितुकामो वै भोक्तुकामस्तथाऽपरः। अभिकामस्तथैवान्य इत्येष त्रिविधो ग्रहः
One is eager to play, another to eat, and yet another to possess; thus, there are three types of possession.
यावत्सप्ततिवर्षाणि भवन्त्येते ग्रहा नृणाम्। अतः परं देहिनां तु ग्रहतुल्या भवेञ्जरा
These influences affect men up to seventy years; after that, old age itself becomes like a possession for embodied beings.
अप्रकीर्णेन्द्रियं दान्तं शुचिं नित्यमतन्द्रितम्। आस्तिकं श्रद्दधानं च वर्जयन्ति तदा ग्रहाः
Those whose senses are not scattered, who are self-controlled, pure, ever-vigilant, faithful, and devoted, are then avoided by these influences.
इत्येष ते ग्रहोद्देशो मानुषाणां प्रकीर्तितः। न स्पृशन्ति ग्रहा भक्तान्नरान्देवं महेश्वरम्
Thus, the account of possessions among men has been described to you; those who are devoted to the great Lord Maheshvara are not touched by these influences.
यदा स्कन्देन मातृणामेवमेतत्प्रियं कृतम्। अथनैमब्रवीत्स्वाहा मम पुत्रस्त्वमौरसः
When Skanda did this favor for the Mothers, then Svaha said: 'You are my true-born son.'
इच्छाम्यहं त्वया दत्तां प्रीतिं परमदुर्लभाम्। तामब्रवीत्ततः स्कन्दः प्रीतिमिच्छसि कीदृशीम्
'I desire from you a favor that is extremely hard to obtain.' Then Skanda said: 'What kind of favor do you wish for?'
दक्षस्याहं प्रिया कन्या स्वाहा नाम महाभुज। बाल्यात्प्रभृति नित्यं च जातकामा हुताशने
'I am the beloved daughter of Daksha, named Svaha, O mighty-armed one. From childhood I have always desired union with the Fire.'
न स मां कामिनीं पुत्र सम्यग्जनाति पावकः। इच्छामि शाश्वतं वासं वस्तु पुत्र सहाग्निना
'But, my son, the Fire does not truly know me as a desirous woman. I wish for eternal residence together with the Fire, my son.'
हव्यं कव्यंच यत्किंचिद्द्विजा मन्त्रसुसंस्तुतम्। होष्यन्त्यग्नौ सदा देवि स्वाहेत्युक्त्वासमुद्धृतम्
O twice-born, whatever oblations and ancestral offerings are praised with mantras, will always be offered into the fire, O goddess, after uttering 'svāhā' and being properly withdrawn.
अद्यप्रभृति दास्यन्ति सुवृत्ताः सत्पथे स्थिताः। एवमग्निसत्वया सार्धं सदा वत्स्यति शोभने
From this day forward, those of good conduct who remain on the righteous path will always offer thus; in this way, O beautiful one, you shall ever dwell with Agni.
एवमुक्ता ततः स्वाहा तुष्टास्कन्देन पूजिता। पावकेन समायुक्ता भर्त्रा स्कन्दमपूजयत्
Thus addressed, Svāhā, gratified and honored by Skanda, joined with Pāvaka, together with her husband, worshipped Skanda.
ततो ब्रह्मा महासेनं प्रजापतिरथाब्रवीत्। अभिगच्छ महादेवं पितरं त्रिपुरार्दनम्
Then Brahmā, the lord of creatures, spoke to Mahāsena: 'Go to great Śiva, your father, the destroyer of Tripura.'
रुद्रेणाग्निं समाविश्य स्वाहामाविश्य चोमया। हितर्थं सर्वलोकानां जातस्त्वमपराजितः
'By Rudra entering Agni, and Svāhā being entered by me, for the welfare of all worlds you have been born, unconquered one.'
उमायोन्यां च रुद्रेण शुक्रं सिक्तं महात्मना। अस्मिन्गिरौ निपतितं मिञ्जिकमिञ्जिकं यतः
'And by Rudra, the great-souled, pouring seed into Umā's womb, which fell upon this mountain, drop by drop.'