प्रविश्य पक्षिरंध्रेण शुकरूपी हुताशनः। ददर्श शयने सर्वं रतौ गिरिजया सह
Taking the form of a boar, Agni entered through a bird's hole and saw everything—Shiva lying with Girija in love.
ददर्श तं च देवेशो हुताशं शुकरूपिणं। तमुवाच महादेवः किंचित्कोपसमन्वितः
The Lord of the gods saw Agni in the form of a boar and, with some anger, Mahadeva spoke to him.
शर्व उवाच। निषिक्तमर्धं देव्यां मे वीर्यं च शुकविग्रह। लज्जया विरतिश्चास्य त्वमर्धं पिब पावक
Shiva said: 'Half my seed has been placed in the Goddess, and the rest, in the form of a boar, remains. Out of modesty, she refrains; you, O Agni, drink the other half.'
यस्मात्तु त्वत्कृते विघ्नं तस्मात्त्वय्युपपद्यते। इत्युक्तः प्राञ्जलिर्वह्निरपिबद्वीर्यमाहितं
Because you caused this obstacle, it now falls upon you. Thus addressed, Agni, with joined palms, drank the potent seed.
तेनाप्लुतास्ततो देवास्तन्मुखा ऋभवो यतः। विपाट्य जठरं तेषां वीर्यं माहेश्वरं ततः
Then, the gods were filled with it, and from their mouths the Ribhus arose; splitting open their bellies, the great seed of Shiva emerged.
निष्क्रांतं तप्तहेमाभं वितते शंकराश्रमे। तस्मिन्सरो महज्जातं विमलं बहुयोजनं
It came forth, glowing like molten gold, and in the wide hermitage of Shankara, a great, pure lake was formed, spanning many leagues.
प्रोत्फुल्लहेमकमलं नानाविहगनादितम्। तच्छ्रुत्वा तु सरो देवी जातं हेममहांबुजम्
That lake, filled with blooming golden lotuses and resounding with many birds, was heard of by the Goddess, who learned that a great golden lotus had appeared there.
जगाम कौतुकाविष्टा तत्सरः कनकांबुजम्। तत्र कृत्वा जलक्रीडां तदब्जकृतशेखरा
Filled with curiosity, the Goddess went to that lake of golden lotuses; there, she played in the water and adorned herself with those lotuses.
उपविष्टा ततस्तस्य तीरे देवी सखीवृता। पातुकामा च तत्तोयं स्वादुनिर्मलपंकजम्
Then, seated on the bank, the goddess surrounded by her companions, desired to drink that sweet, pure, lotus-filled water.
अपश्यत्कृत्तिकास्तास्स षडर्कद्युतिसन्निभाः। पद्मपत्रे तु तद्वारि गृहीत्वा प्रस्थिता गृहम्
She saw the Krittikas there, six in number, shining like the light of the sun; taking that water from the lotus leaf, she set out for home.
हर्षात्सोवाच पास्यामि पद्मपत्रे स्थितं पयः। ततःस्ता ऊचुरखिलाः कृत्तिका हिमशैलजाम्
With delight she said, 'I will drink the water resting on the lotus leaf.' Then all the Krittikas spoke to the daughter of the Himalaya.
कृत्तिका ऊचुः-। दास्यामो दयिते गर्भे संभूतो यो भविष्यति। सोस्माकमपि पुत्रः स्यादस्मत्त्राता च वृत्तिमान्
The Krittikas said: 'Beloved, the one who will be born in your womb—he shall also be our son, and he will be our protector and virtuous.'
त्रिषु लोकेषु विख्यातः सर्वेष्वपि शुभानने। इत्युक्तोवाच गिरिजा कथं मद्गात्रसंभवैः
'He will be renowned in all three worlds, O auspicious-faced one.' Thus addressed, Girija asked, 'How can a son born from my body belong to you all?'
सर्वैरवयवैर्युक्तो भवतीभ्यः सुतो भवेत्। ततस्तां कृत्तिका ऊचुर्विधास्यामोस्य वै वयम्
'Will he, with all his limbs, be a son to you ladies?' Then the Krittikas replied to her, 'We shall arrange it so.'
उत्तमान्युत्तमांगानि यद्येवं तु भविष्यति। उक्ता वै शैलजा प्राह भवत्वेवमनिंदिताः
'If so, let the best limbs be with the best,' said the daughter of the mountain, 'let it be so, without blame.'
ततस्तु हर्षसंपूर्णा पद्मपत्रस्थितं पयः। तस्यै ददुस्तया चापि तत्पीतं क्रमशो जलम्
Then, filled with joy, they gave her the water resting on the lotus leaf; and she drank that water, sip by sip.
पीते तु सलिले चैव तस्मिन्नेव क्षणे वरः। विपाट्य देव्याश्च ततो दक्षिणं कुक्षिमुद्गतः
When she had drunk the water, at that very moment, a wonder occurred: from the goddess's right side, a boon emerged.
निश्चक्रामाद्भुतो बालो रोगशोकविनाशनः। प्रभाकरकरव्रात प्रकारप्रकरप्रभुः
A marvelous boy came forth, destroyer of disease and sorrow, radiant like a multitude of sunbeams, lord of shining hosts.
गृहीतनिर्मलोदग्र शक्तिशूलांकुशोनलः। दीप्तो मारयितुं दैत्यानुत्थितः कनकच्छविः
He held pure, lofty weapons: spear, trident, goad, and fire; blazing, arisen to destroy the demons, with a golden complexion.
एतस्मात्कारणादेव कुमारश्चापि सोभवत्। वामं विदार्य निष्क्रांतस्ततो देव्याः पुनः शिशुः
For this reason, Kumara was born; then, having split the goddess's left side, another child emerged from her.
स्कंदोथ वदनाद्वह्नेः शुभ्रात्षड्वदनोरिहा। कृत्तिकासलिलादेव शाखाभिः सविशेषतः
Skanda, from the mouth of Agni, pure, with six faces here, especially from the waters of the Krittikas, with branches.
शाखाः शिवाः समाख्याताः षट्सुवक्त्रेषु विस्तृताः। यतस्ततो विशाखोसौ ख्यातो लोकेषु षण्मुखः
The branches are called auspicious, spread across the six faces; therefore, he is known in the worlds as Vishakha and Shanmukha.
स्कंदो विशाखः षड्वक्त्रः कार्तिकेयश्च विश्रुतः। पक्षे चैत्रस्य बहुले पंचदश्यां महाबलौ
Skanda, Vishakha, the six-faced one, and Kartikeya—he is renowned; on the fifteenth day of the dark half of Chaitra, the mighty ones.
संभूतावर्कसदृशौ विशाले शरकानने। सिते पक्षे तु पंचम्यां तथैतौ पावकानलौ
They were born, resembling the sun, in the vast forest of reeds; and on the fifth day of the bright half, these two, fire-born, shone.
बालकाभ्यां चकारैकं संध्यायामेव भूतये। तस्यामेव ततः षष्ठ्यामभिषिक्तो गुहः प्रभुः
With the two boys, he made one at twilight for the sake of being; then, on the sixth day, Guha the lord was anointed.
सर्वैरमरसंघातैर्ब्रह्मोपेंद्रेंद्र भास्करैः। गंधमाल्यैः शुभैर्धूपैस्तथा क्रीडनकैरपि
By all the hosts of immortals—Brahma, Upendra, Indra, and Bhaskara—with fragrant garlands, auspicious incense, and also with playthings.
छत्रैश्चामरजालैश्च भूषणैश्च विलेपनैः। अभिषिक्तो विधानेन यथावत्षण्मुखः प्रभुः
He was anointed according to the proper rite with parasols, chowries, garlands, ornaments, and unguents, just as the mighty six-faced one.
सुतामस्मै ददौ शक्रो देवसेनेति विश्रुताम्। पत्न्यर्थं देवदेवेशो ददौ विष्णुरथायुधम्1.44.
Indra gave him his daughter, renowned as Devasena, as a wife; and the Lord of the gods, Vishnu, gave him a divine weapon.
यक्षाणां दशलक्षाणि ददावस्य धनाधिपः। ददौ हुताशनस्तेजो ददौ वायुश्च वाहनम्
The Lord of Wealth gave him one hundred thousand Yakshas; Agni gave him his brilliance, and Vayu gave him a vehicle.
ददौ क्रीडनकं त्वष्टा कुक्कुटं कामरूपिणम्। एवं सुरास्तु ते सर्वे परिवारमनन्तकम्
Tvashtar gave him a toy, a rooster that could assume any form at will; thus, all the gods gave him an endless retinue.