ततोऽब्रुवन् सुराः सर्वे भगवन्तं पितामहम् । प्रणिपत्य सुराराम सेन्द्राः साग्निपुरोगमाः ॥१-३७-
Then all the gods, along with Indra and Agni at their head, bowed down to the blessed Grandfather and spoke these words.
येन सेनापतिर्देव दत्तो भगवता पुरा । स तपः परमास्थाय तप्यते स्म सहोमया ॥१-३७-
O god, the commander of the army whom you once appointed is now engaged in severe austerities together with his wife.
यदत्रानन्तरं कार्यं लोकानां हितकाम्यया । संविधत्स्व विधानज्ञ त्वं हि नः परमा गतिः ॥१-३७-
Whatever must now be done for the welfare of the worlds, arrange it, O knower of order, for you are our supreme refuge.
देवतानां वचः श्रुत्वा सर्वलोकपितामहः । सान्त्वयन् मधुरैर्वाक्यैस्त्रिदशानिदमब्रवीत् ॥१-३७-
Hearing the words of the gods, the Grandfather of all worlds comforted the immortals with gentle words and spoke to them as follows.
शैलपुत्र्या यदुक्तं तन्न प्रजाः स्वासु पत्निषु । तस्या वचनमक्लिष्टं सत्यमेव न संशयः ॥१-३७-
What was spoken by the daughter of the mountain is not fitting for creatures with their own wives; her words are pure and true, without doubt.
इयमाकाशगङ्गा च यस्यां पुत्रं हुताशनः । जनयिष्यति देवानां सेनापतिमरिंदमम् ॥१-३७-
This celestial Gaṅgā, in whom Agni will beget a son, will bear the commander of the gods' army, the destroyer of enemies.
ज्येष्ठा शैलेन्द्रदुहिता मानयिष्यति तं सुतम् । उमायास्तद्बहुमतं भविष्यति न संशयः ॥१-३७-
The eldest daughter of the king of mountains will honor that son; he will be greatly esteemed by Umā, without doubt.
तच्छ्रुत्वा वचनं तस्य कृतार्था रघुनन्दन । प्रणिपत्य सुराः सर्वे पितामहमपूजयन् ॥१-३७-
Hearing these words, O descendant of Raghu, all the gods, their purpose fulfilled, bowed down and worshipped the Grandfather.
ते गत्वा परमं राम कैलासं धातुमण्डितम् । अग्निं नियोजयामासुः पुत्रार्थं सर्वदेवताः ॥१-३७-
Then, having gone to the supreme, jewel-adorned Kailāsa, all the gods appointed Agni for the sake of obtaining a son.
देवकार्यमिदं देव समाधत्स्व हुताशन । शैलपुत्र्यां महातेजो गङ्गायां तेज उत्सृज ॥१-३७-
O god, accomplish this task for the gods: release your energy into Gaṅgā, the daughter of the mountain.
देवतानां प्रतिज्ञाय गङ्गामभ्येत्य पावकः । गर्भं धारय वै देवि देवतानामिदं प्रियम् ॥१-३७-
Having promised the gods, Agni approached Gaṅgā and said, 'O goddess, bear the embryo; this is dear to the gods.'
इत्येतद् वचनं श्रुत्वा दिव्यं रूपमधारयत् । स तस्या महिमां दृष्ट्वा समन्तादवशीर्यत ॥१-३७-
Hearing these words, she assumed a divine form; seeing her greatness, his energy dispersed in all directions.
समन्ततस्तदा देवीमभ्यषिञ्चत पावकः । सर्वस्रोतांसि पूर्णानि गङ्गाया रघुनन्दन ॥१-३७-
Then, O descendant of Raghu, Fire anointed the goddess on all sides, and all the streams of the Ganga became full.
तमुवाच ततो गङ्गा सर्वदेवपुरोगमम् । अशक्ता धारणे देव तेजस्तव समुद्धतम् ॥१-३७-
Thereupon, Ganga spoke to the assembly of all the gods: 'O god, I am unable to bear the blazing energy that has arisen from you.'
दह्यमानाग्निना तेन सम्प्रव्यथितचेतना । अथाब्रवीदिदं गङ्गां सर्वदेवहुताशनः ॥१-३७-
Burned by that fire and her mind greatly disturbed, Ganga was then addressed by the Fire, the receiver of all offerings from the gods.
इह हैमवते पार्श्वे गर्भोऽयं संनिवेश्यताम् । श्रुत्वा त्वग्निवचो गङ्गा तं गर्भमतिभास्वरम् ॥१-३७-
‘Let this embryo be placed here, on the slopes of the Himalayas.’ Hearing the words of Agni, Ganga released that exceedingly radiant embryo.
उत्ससर्ज महातेजाः स्रोतोभ्यो हि तदानघ । यदस्या निर्गतं तस्मात् तप्तजाम्बूनदप्रभम् ॥१-३७-
O sinless one, the mighty and radiant embryo was discharged from her streams; what emerged from her shone with the brilliance of molten gold.
काञ्चनं धरणीं प्राप्तं हिरण्यमतुलप्रभम् । ताम्रं कार्ष्णायसं चैव तैक्ष्ण्यादेवाभिजायत ॥१-३७-
Gold, shining like the sun, reached the earth, as did incomparable radiant silver; copper and black iron also arose from its sharpness.
मलं तस्याभवत् तत्र त्रपु सीसकमेव च । तदेतद्धरणीं प्राप्य नानाधातुरवर्धत ॥१-३७-
There, her impurity became tin and lead; and, having reached the earth, various metals increased.
निक्षिप्तमात्रे गर्भे तु तेजोभिरभिरञ्जितम् । सर्वं पर्वतसंनद्धं सौवर्णमभवद् वनम् ॥१-३७-
When the embryo was deposited, infused with radiance, the entire forest, encircled by mountains, became golden.
जातरूपमिति ख्यातं तदाप्रभृति राघव । सुवर्णं पुरुषव्याघ्र हुताशनसमप्रभम् । तृणवृक्षलतागुल्मं सर्वं भवति काञ्चनम् ॥१-३७-
From that time on, O Raghava, it has been known as 'jātarūpa'—gold, equal in brilliance to fire; all grass, trees, creepers, and shrubs there became golden.
तं कुमारं ततो जातं सेन्द्राः सह मरुद्गणाः । क्षीरसम्भावनार्थाय कृत्तिकाः समयोजयन् ॥१-३७-
Then, the gods together with Indra and the hosts of wind deities, assigned the Krittikas to nourish the boy who had been born.
ताः क्षीरं जातमात्रस्य कृत्वा समयमुत्तमम् । ददुः पुत्रोऽयमस्माकं सर्वासामिति निश्चिताः ॥१-३७-
Having made an excellent agreement to give milk to the newborn, the Krittikas, firmly resolved, said, 'He is the son of all of us.'
ततस्तु देवताः सर्वाः कार्तिकेय इति ब्रुवन् । पुत्रस्त्रैलोक्यविख्यातो भविष्यति न संशयः ॥१-३७-
Then all the gods declared, 'He shall be called Kartikeya; he will become renowned throughout the three worlds as our son—there is no doubt.'
तेषां तद् वचनं श्रुत्वा स्कन्नं गर्भपरिस्रवे । स्नापयन् परया लक्ष्म्या दीप्यमानं यथानलम् ॥१-३७-
Hearing those words, they bathed the radiant one, who had emerged from the flow of the embryo, with supreme splendor, as if he were blazing fire.
स्कन्द इत्यब्रुवन् देवाः स्कन्नं गर्भपरिस्रवे । कार्तिकेयं महाबाहुं काकुत्स्थ ज्वलनोपमम् ॥१-३७-
The gods called him Skanda, because he had flowed forth from the embryo; O descendant of Kakutstha, Kartikeya, mighty-armed and blazing like fire.
प्रादुर्भूतं ततः क्षीरं कृत्तिकानामनुत्तमम् । षण्णां षडाननो भूत्वा जग्राह स्तनजं पयः ॥१-३७-
Then, the excellent milk of the Krittikas appeared; having six faces, he took the milk from the breasts of the six.
गृहीत्वा क्षीरमेकाह्ना सुकुमारवपुस्तदा । अजयत् स्वेन वीर्येण दैत्यसैन्यगणान् विभुः ॥१-३७-
Having taken the milk in a single day, with a tender body, the mighty one conquered the hosts of demon armies by his own strength.
सुरसेनागणपतिमभ्यषिञ्चन्महाद्युतिम् । ततस्तममराः सर्वे समेत्याग्निपुरोगमाः ॥१-३७-
All the immortals, led by Agni, then anointed him, the one of great splendor, as the commander of the divine armies.
एष ते राम गङ्गाया विस्तरोऽभिहितो मया । कुमारसम्भवश्चैव धन्यः पुण्यस्तथैव च ॥१-३७-
O Rama, thus I have recounted to you the full story of Ganga and the auspicious and blessed birth of the boy.