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.
त्वमत्र कृत्तिकास्थाने कथयामासुरीश्वरम् या बभूव रहःक्रीडा पार्वतीशिवयोः पुरा
You, in the place of the Krittikas, narrated to the lord the secret play that once occurred between Parvati and Shiva.
दृष्टस्य च सुरैः शम्भोवीर्य्यं भूमौ पपात ह ततो लब्धः कृत्तिकाभिरमूभिर्गच्छ साम्प्रतम्
And the seed of Shiva, seen by the gods, fell upon the earth; then it was obtained by the Krittikas—go now with them.
तवाभिषेकं विष्णुश्च करिष्यति सुरैः सह पुत्रस्त्वं विश्वसंहर्त्तुस्त्वां गोप्तुं न क्षमा इमाः
Vishnu, together with the gods, will perform your consecration; you are the son of the destroyer of the universe, and these women are not able to protect you.
नाग्निं गोप्तुं यथा शक्तः शुष्कवृक्षः स्वकोटरे यथा पतन्महाकूपे द्विजराजो न राजते
Just as a dry tree in its hollow cannot protect fire, and as a king of birds does not shine when falling into a deep pit,
करोषि जगदालोकं नाच्छन्नोऽस्याङ्गतेजसा
You illuminate the world; you are not concealed by the radiance of their bodies.
विष्णुस्त्वं च जगद्व्यापी नासां व्याप्योऽसि शाम्भव
You are Vishnu, pervading the universe; you are not pervaded by them, O son of Shiva.
योगीन्द्रो नानुलिप्तस्त्वं भोगी च परिपोषणे
You are the foremost among yogis, untouched; and you are the enjoyer, sustaining all.
विश्वाधारस्त्वमीशश्च नामृते सम्भवेत्स्थितिः
You are the support of the universe and its lord; without you, existence would not be possible.
नहि सर्वेश्वरावासः सम्भवेत्कृत्तिकालये
Indeed, the abode of the Lord of all cannot exist in the house of the Krittikas.
त्वां च देवा न जानन्ति भक्तानुग्रह विग्रहम्
Even the gods do not know you, who are the embodiment of grace to devotees.