यूयं च साक्षिणो विश्वे सततं सर्वकर्मणाम्
And you all, O Viśve, are always witnesses of all actions.
ईश्वरस्य वचः श्रुत्वा सभायां कम्पिताश्च ते
Hearing the words of the Lord, they in the assembly were shaken.
श्रीधर्म उवाच मया ज्ञातममोघं तच्छङ्करस्य प्रकोपतः
Śrī Dharma said: I have understood this unfailing matter, which arose from Śaṅkara's wrath.
क्षितिरुवाच अतीव दुर्वहं ब्रह्मन्नबलां क्षन्तुमर्हसि
Kṣiti said: O Brahman, this is extremely difficult to bear; you should forgive the powerless.
अग्निरुवाच दुर्बलस्य जगन्नाथ किं यशः किं च पौरुषम्
Agni said: O Lord of the universe, what fame or manliness belongs to the weak?
वायुरुवाच अतीव सुन्दरो विष्णो स्वर्णरेखानदीतटे
Vāyu said: O Viṣṇu, he is exceedingly handsome, on the bank of the river with golden streaks.
श्रीसूर्य्य उवाच प्रेरितः कालचक्रेण निशि संस्थातुमक्षमः
Śrī Sūrya said: Driven by the wheel of time, he was unable to remain at night.
चन्द्र उवाच जगाम स्वालयं विष्णो गच्छन्बदरिकाश्रमात्
Candra said: Departing from Badarikāśrama, O Viṣṇu, he went to his own abode.
जलमुवाच वर्द्धयामासुरीशस्य तं ताः सूर्य्याधिकप्रभम्
Jalam said: Those goddesses nourished him, who was more radiant than the sun.
सन्ध्ये ऊचतुः तन्नाम चक्रुस्ताः प्रेम्णा कार्त्तिकेय इति स्वयम्
Sandhyā said: Out of love, they themselves named him Kārttikeya.
रात्रिरुवाच प्राणेभ्योऽपि प्रेमपात्रं यः पोष्टा तस्य पुत्रकः
Rātri said: He who is the object of love even more than life itself, the nourisher, is their son.
दिनमुवाच प्रशंसितानि स्वादूनि भोजयामासुरेव तम्
Dina said: They fed him with praised and delicious foods.
तेषां तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा सन्तुष्टो मधुसूदनः
Hearing their words, Madhusūdana was satisfied.
पुत्रस्य वार्त्तां सम्प्राप्य पार्वती हृष्टमानसा ददौ सर्वाणि विप्रेभ्यो वासांसि विविधानि च
Receiving news of her son, Pārvatī, with a joyful heart, gave all kinds of garments to the brāhmaṇas.
लक्ष्मीः सरस्वती मेना सावित्री सर्वयोषितः
Lakṣmī, Sarasvatī, Menā, Sāvitrī, and all the women—
नारायण उवाच प्रेरितो विष्णुना देवैर्मुनिभिः पर्वतैर्मुने
Nārāyaṇa said: O sage, prompted by Viṣṇu, the gods, sages, and mountains—
दूतान्प्रस्थापयामास महाबलपराक्रमान्
He sent forth messengers of great strength and valor.
नन्दीश्वरं महाकालं वज्रदन्तं भगन्दरम्
Nandīśvara, Mahākāla, Vajradanta, Bhagandara—
लक्षं च क्षेत्रपालानां भूतानां च त्रिलक्षकम्
A hundred thousand Kṣetrapālas and three hundred thousand spirits,
कूष्माण्डानां चतुर्लक्षं त्रिलक्षं ब्रह्मराक्षसान्
Four hundred thousand Kūṣmāṇḍas and three hundred thousand Brahmarākṣasas—
रुद्रांश्च भैरवांश्चैव शिवतुल्यपराक्रमान्
And the Rudras and Bhairavas, possessing valor equal to Shiva,
ते सर्वे शिवदूताश्च नानाशस्त्रास्त्रपाणयः
All of them, Shiva's attendants, wielding various weapons and missiles,
दृष्ट्वा तान्कृत्तिकाः सर्वा भयविह्वलमानसाः
Seeing them, all the Krittikas became overwhelmed with fear in their hearts.
कृत्तिका ऊचुः न जानीमो वयं कस्य करालानि च बालक
The Krittikas said: 'We do not know whose these fierce children are.'
कार्त्तिकेय उवाच दुर्निवार्य्यः कर्मपाको मातरः केन वार्य्यते
Kartikeya said: 'The result of karma is difficult to resist, mothers; by whom can it be prevented?'
एतस्मिन्नन्तरे तत्र सेनानीर्नन्दिकेश्वरः
Meanwhile, the commander Nandikesvara was present there.
नन्दिकेश्वर उवाच प्रेषितस्य सुरेन्द्रस्य संहर्तुः शंकरस्य च
Nandikesvara said: 'Sent by the lord of the gods and by Shiva, the destroyer,'
कैलासे सर्वदेवाश्च ब्रह्मविष्णुशिवादयः
On Kailasa, all the gods, including Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva and others,
शैलेन्द्रकन्या तं विष्णुं जगतां परिपालकम्
The daughter of the mountain, to Vishnu, the protector of the worlds,
पप्रच्छ देवान्विष्णुस्तान्क्रमेणावाप्तिहेतवे
Vishnu questioned those gods, in turn, regarding the cause of attainment.