तेनापूर्यत तान्देवांस् तत्तत्कायविभेदतः विपाट्य जठरं तेषां वीर्यं माहेश्वरं ततः
By that, the gods were filled, each according to their bodily division; splitting open their bellies, the Maheshvara seed emerged.
निष्क्रान्ते तप्तहेमाभं विततं शंकराश्रमे तस्मिन्सरो महज्जातं विमलं बहुयोजनम्
When it came forth, glowing like molten gold, spread out in Shankara’s hermitage, a great, pure lake was formed, vast in extent.
प्रोत्फुल्लहेमकमलं नानाविहगनादितम् तच्छ्रुत्वा तु ततो देवी हेमद्रुममहाजलम्
With golden lotuses in full bloom, resounding with various birds, hearing this, the goddess then approached the great golden lake.
जगाम कौतुकाविष्टा तत्सरः कनकाम्बुजम् तत्र कृत्वा जलक्रीडां तदब्जकृतशेखरा
Filled with curiosity, she went to that lake of golden lotuses; there, after playing in the water, she adorned herself with a lotus garland.
उपविष्टा ततस्तस्य तीरे देवी सखीयुता पातुकामा च तत्तोयं स्वादु निर्मलपङ्कजम्
Then, seated on the bank with her companions, the goddess wished to drink, and saw that water, sweet and pure, adorned with lotuses.
अपश्यत्कृत्तिकाः स्नाताः षडर्कद्युतिसंनिभाः पद्मपत्रे तु तद्वारि गृहीत्वोपस्थिता गृहम्
She saw the Krittikas, bathed and radiant like six suns, who had taken that water from the lotus leaf and brought it home.
हर्षादुवाच पश्यामि पद्मपत्रे स्थितं पयः ततस्ता ऊचुरखिलं कृत्तिका हिमशैलजाम्
With delight she said, 'I see milk resting on the lotus leaf.' Then the Krittikas spoke everything to the daughter of the mountain.
दास्यामो यदि ते गर्भः सम्भूतो यो भविष्यति सो ऽस्माकमपि पुत्रः स्याद् अस्मन्नाम्ना च वर्तताम् भवेल्लोकेषु विख्यातः सर्वेष्वपि शुभानने
If a child is born to you, we will give him to you; but let him also be our son, bearing our names, and let him be renowned in all worlds, O auspicious one.
इत्युक्तोवाच गिरिजा कथं मद्गात्रसंभवः सर्वैरवयवैर्युक्तो भवतीभ्यः सुतो भवेत्
Girija replied, 'How can a son born from my body, possessing all limbs, belong to you all?'
ततस्तां कृत्तिका ऊचुर् विधास्यामो ऽस्य वै वयम् उत्तमान्युत्तमाङ्गानि यद्येवं तु भविष्यति
Then the Krittikas said to her, 'We will provide him with the finest limbs; if it is so, let it be.'
उक्ता वै शैलजा प्राह भवत्वेवमनिन्दिताः ततस्ता हर्षसम्पूर्णाः पद्मपत्रस्थितं पयः
The daughter of the mountain replied, 'Let it be so, O blameless ones.' Then, filled with joy, they gave her the milk resting on the lotus leaf.
तस्यै ददुस्तया चापि तत्पीतं क्रमशो जलम् पीते तु सलिले तस्मिंस् ततस्तस्मिन्सरोवरे
They gave it to her, and she drank that water gradually; when she had drunk the water, then, in that lake,
विपाट्य देव्याश्च ततो दक्षिणां कुक्षिमुद्गतः निश्चक्रामाद्भुतो बालः सर्वलोकविभासकः
The goddess split open her right side, and from it emerged a wondrous child, illuminating all worlds.
प्रभाकरप्रभाकारः प्रकाशकनकप्रभः गृहीतनिर्मलोदग्रशक्तिशूलः षडाननः
He shone like the sun, radiant as gold, holding a pure, sharp spear, and possessed six faces.
दीप्तो मारयितुं दैत्यान् कुत्सितान्कनकच्छविः एतस्मात्कारणाद्दैवः कुमारश्चापि सो ऽभवत्
Brilliant, to destroy the vile demons, golden in hue; for this reason, by divine will, he became Kumara.
वामं विदार्य निष्क्रान्तः सुतो देव्याः पुनः शिशुः स्कन्दाच्च वदने वह्नेः शुक्रात्सुवदनो ऽरिहा
Again, splitting the left side, the goddess's son emerged as a child; from Skanda's mouth, from Agni's seed, came the enemy-slayer with a beautiful face.
कृत्तिकामेलनादेव शाखाभिः सविशेषतः शाखाभिधाः समाख्याताः षट्सु वक्त्रेषु विस्तृताः
Because of the union with the Krittikas, he was especially called 'Shakha'; the names 'Shakha' were given, spread among his six faces.
यतस्ततो विशाखो ऽसौ ख्यातो लोकेषु षण्मुखः स्कन्दो विशाखः षड्वक्त्रः कार्तिकेयश्च विश्रुतः
Therefore, he is known in the world as Vishakha, six-faced, Skanda, Vishakha, six-mouthed, and Kartikeya, famed everywhere.
चैत्रस्य बहुले पक्षे पञ्चदश्यां महाबलौ सम्भूतावर्कसदृशौ विशाले शरकानने
On the fifteenth day of the bright half of Chaitra, two mighty ones were born, resembling the sun, in the vast forest of reeds.
चैत्रस्यैव सिते पक्षे पञ्चम्यां पाकशासनः बालकाभ्यां चकारैकं मत्वा चामरभूतये
On the fifth day of the bright half of Chaitra, Paka-shasana, considering the two boys, performed a rite for their becoming leaders.
तस्यामेव ततः षष्ठ्याम् अभिषिक्तो गुहः प्रभुः सर्वैरमरसंघातैर् ब्रह्मेन्द्रोपेन्द्रभास्करैः
On the sixth day, Guha was anointed as lord by all the hosts of immortals—Brahma, Indra, Upendra, and Bhaskara.
गन्धमाल्यैः शुभैर्धूपैस् तथा क्रीडनकैरपि छत्रैश्चामरजालैश्च भूषणैश्च विलेपनैः
With fragrant garlands, auspicious incense, toys, umbrellas, fans, nets, ornaments, and ointments, they adorned him.
अभिषिक्तो विधानेन यथावत्षण्मुखः प्रभुः सुतामस्मै ददौ शक्रो देवसेनेति विश्रुताम्
Having been duly anointed according to the prescribed rite, the mighty Six-faced Lord received from Indra the renowned daughter named Devasena.
पत्न्यर्थं देवदेवस्य ददौ विष्णुस्तदायुधम् यक्षाणां दशलक्षाणि ददावस्मै धनाधिपः
For the sake of the Lord of the gods’ wife, Vishnu then gave his weapon, and the lord of wealth granted him one hundred thousand Yakshas.
ददौ हुताशनस्तेजो ददौ वायुश्च वाहनम् ददौ क्रीडनकं त्वष्टा कुक्कुटं कामरूपिणम् एवं सुरास्तु ते सर्वे परिवारमनुत्तमम्
Agni gave his radiance, Vayu gave a vehicle, and Tvashtar gave a toy—a rooster able to assume any form; thus all the gods bestowed upon him an unsurpassed retinue.
ददुर्मुदितचेतस्काः स्कन्दायादित्यवर्चसे
With joyful hearts, they gave to Skanda, who shone with the brilliance of the sun.
जानुभ्यामवनौ स्थित्वा सुरसंघास्तमस्तुवन् स्तोत्रेणानेन वरदं षण्मुखं मुख्यशः सुराः
The hosts of gods, kneeling upon the ground, praised Six-faced, the bestower of boons, with this hymn, the foremost among the gods.
नमः कुमाराय महाप्रभाय स्कन्दाय च स्कन्दितदानवाय नवार्कविद्युद्द्युतये नमो ऽस्तुते नमो ऽस्तु ते षण्मुख कामरूप
Salutations to Kumara, the great radiant one, to Skanda, the destroyer of demons, to you whose brilliance rivals the newly risen sun; salutations to you, Six-faced, who can assume any form.
पिनद्धनानाभरणाय भर्त्रे नमो रणे दानवदारणाय नमो ऽस्तु ते ऽर्कप्रतिमप्रभाय नमो ऽस्तु गुह्याय गुहाय तुभ्यम्
Salutations to you, adorned with bound jewels, the lord in battle, the destroyer of demons; salutations to you whose radiance equals the sun, salutations to the secret one, to Guha, to you.
नमो ऽस्तु त्रैलोक्यभयापहाय नमो ऽस्तु ते बाल कृपापराय नमो विशालामललोचनाय नमो विशाखाय महाव्रताय
Salutations to you who remove the fear of the three worlds, salutations to you, child of boundless compassion; salutations to you, wide-eyed and pure, salutations to Vishakha, the great vow-holder.