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are praised with mantras, will always be offered into the fire, O goddess, after uttering 'svāhā' and being properly withdrawn.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.'
मिथुनं वै महाभाग तत्र तद्रुद्रसंभवम्'। संभूतं लोहितोदे तु शुक्रशेषमवापतत्
'There, O greatly fortunate one, a pair was born from that Rudra-origin; from the blood that arose, the remaining seed was received.'
सूर्यरश्मिषु चाप्यनयदन्यच्चैवापतद्भुवि। आसक्तमन्यद्वृक्षेषु तदेवं प्चधाऽपतत्
'Some was carried away by the rays of the sun, and some fell upon the earth; some became attached to trees—thus it fell in five ways.'
तत्र ते विविधाकारा गणा ज्ञेया मनीषिभिः। तव पारिषदा घोरा य एते पिशिताशिनः
'There, various-formed hosts are to be known by the wise—your fierce attendants, those eaters of flesh.'
एवमस्त्विति चाप्युक्त्वा महासेनो महेश्वरम्। अपूजयदमेयात्मा पितरं पितृवत्सलः
Having said 'So be it,' Mahāsena, of immeasurable soul, worshipped the great lord Maheśvara, his father, devoted as a son.
अर्कपुष्पैस्तु ते पञ् गणाः पूज्या धनार्थिभिः। व्यादिप्रशमनार्थं चतेषां पूजां समाचरेत्
Those five hosts are to be worshipped by seekers of wealth with arka flowers; one should perform their worship for the purpose of curing diseases.
मिञ्जिकामिञ्जिकं चैव मिथुनं रुद्रसंभवम्। नमस्कार्यं सदैवेह बालानां हितमिच्छता
The pair born from Rudra, called Miñjikā and Miñjika, should always be saluted here by those who desire the welfare of children.
स्त्रियो मानुषमांसादा वृक्षका नाम नामतः। वृक्षेषु जातास्ता देव्यो नमस्कार्याः प्रजार्थिभिः
Women who eat human flesh are called Vṛkṣakās by name; those goddesses born in trees should be saluted by those desiring offspring.
एषामेव पिशाचानामसङ्ख्येयगणाः स्मृताः। घण्टायाः सपताकायाः शृणु मे संभवं नृप
Of these very Piśācas, their hosts are said to be countless; hear from me, O king, the origin of the bell and the banner.
ऐरावतस्य घण्टे द्वे वैजयन्त्याविति श्रुते। गुहस्य ते स्वयं दत्ते क्रमेणानाय्य धीमता
It is heard that there are two bells of Airāvata, called Vaijayantī; they were given to you by Guha himself, in due order, O wise one.
एका तत्रविशाखस्य घण्टा स्कन्दस्य चापरा। पताका कार्तिकेयस् विशाखस्य च लोहिता
There, one bell belongs to Viśākha, and another to Skanda; the banner belongs to Kārtikeya, and the red one to Viśākha.
यानि क्रीडनकान्यस्य देवैर्दत्तानि वै तदा। तैरेव रमते देवो महासेनो महाबलः
Those playthings which were given to him by the gods at that time—by those very things, the mighty Mahāsena delights.
स संवृतः पिशाचानां गणैर्देवगणैस्तथा। शुशुभे काञ्चने शैले दीप्यमानः श्रिया वृत्तः
Surrounded by hosts of Piśācas and also by bands of gods, he shone forth on the golden mountain, radiant with splendor.
तेन वीरेण शुशुभे स शैलः शुभकाननः। आदित्येनेवांशुमता मन्दरश्चारुकन्दरः
That mountain, adorned with beautiful forests, shone with that hero, just as Mandara, with its lovely caves, shines with the radiant sun.
संतानकवनैः फुल्लैः करवीरवनैरपि। पारिजातवनैश्चैव जपाशोकवनैस्तथा
It was resplendent with blooming groves of santana trees, karavira thickets, parijata woods, and also gardens of japa and asoka.
कदम्बतरुषण्डैश्च दिव्यैर्मृगगणैरपि। दिव्यैः पक्षिगणैश्चैव शुशुभे श्वेतपर्वतः
The white mountain was splendid with clusters of kadamba trees, divine herds of animals, and also groups of celestial birds.
तत्रदेवगणाः सर्वेसर्वे देवर्षयस्तथा। मेघतूर्यरवाश्चैव क्षुब्धोदधिसमस्वनाः
There, all the hosts of gods and divine sages were present, along with sounds of cloud trumpets and roaring like the agitated ocean.
तत्रदेवाश्च गन्धर्वा नृत्यन्तेऽप्सरसस्तथा। हृष्टानां तत्रभूतानां श्रूयते निनदो महान्
There, gods and gandharvas danced, and apsaras as well; the great cry of the delighted beings was heard there.
एवं सेन्द्रं जगत्सर्वं श्वेतपर्वतसंस्थितम्। प्रहृष्टं प्रेक्षते स्कन्दं न च ग्लायति दर्शनात्
Thus, the entire world, with Indra, stationed on the White Mountain, joyfully gazes at Skanda and does not tire of the sight.
यदाऽभिषिक्तो भगवान्सैनापत्ये तु पावकिः। तदा संप्रस्थितः श्रीमान्हृष्टो भद्रवटं हरः
When the blessed son of fire was anointed as commander, the glorious and delighted Hara set out for Bhadravata.
रथेनादित्यवर्णेन पार्वत्या सहितः प्रभुः। `अनुयातः सुरैः सर्वैः सहस्राक्षपुरोगमैः
The lord, together with Parvati, rode in a chariot shining like the sun, followed by all the gods, led by the thousand-eyed one.