Critical Edition
मार्कण्डेय उवाच स्कन्दस्य पार्षदान्घोराञ्शृणुष्वाद्भुतदर्शनान् वज्रप्रहारात्स्कन्दस्य जज्ञुस्तत्र कुमारकाः ये हरन्ति शिशूञ्जातान्गर्भस्थांश्चैव दारुणाः
M. N. Dutt: Markandeya said : Now hear about the fearful and curiouslooking followers of Skanda. Struck with the thunder, (Skanda gave birth to) a number of male children.
वज्रप्रहारात्कन्याश्च जज्ञिरेऽस्य महाबलाः कुमाराश्च विशाखं तं पितृत्वे समकल्पयन्
AI Translation: From the blow of the thunderbolt were born daughters of great strength. The Kumāras appointed Viśākha as their father.
स भूत्वा भगवान्संख्ये रक्षंश्छागमुखस्तदा वृतः कन्यागणैः सर्वैरात्मनीनैश्च पुत्रकैः
AI Translation: He became the Blessed One, the protector with the goat face, in that battle, Surrounded by all the groups of maidens and his own sons.
मातॄणां प्रेक्षतीनां च भद्रशाखश्च कौशलः ततः कुमारपितरं स्कन्दमाहुर्जना भुवि
AI Translation: And the mothers, who were watching, and Bhadraśākha and Kauśala. Then the people on earth call the father of the boy Skanda.
रुद्रमग्निमुमां स्वाहां प्रदेशेषु महाबलाम् यजन्ति पुत्रकामाश्च पुत्रिणश्च सदा जनाः
AI Translation: In the directions, they worship the powerful Rudra, Agni, Uma, and Svāhā, And those who desire sons and those who have sons always.
यास्तास्त्वजनयत्कन्यास्तपो नाम हुताशनः किं करोमीति ताः स्कन्दं संप्राप्ताः समभाषत
AI Translation: Those daughters whom you gave birth to, O Fire, by Tapas, Approaching Skanda, they said, "What shall we do?"
मातर ऊचुः भवेम सर्वलोकस्य वयं मातर उत्तमाः प्रसादात्तव पूज्याश्च प्रियमेतत्कुरुष्व नः
AI Translation: The Mothers said: "May we all become the best mothers of the entire world." "By your grace, we shall be worthy of worship. Please do this for us."
मार्कण्डेय उवाच सोऽब्रवीद्बाढमित्येवं भविष्यध्वं पृथग्विधाः अशिवाश्च शिवाश्चैव पुनः पुनरुदारधीः
AI Translation: Markandeya said: He said, "So be it!" and you will become of various kinds. The wise ones, both inauspicious and auspicious, again and again.
ततः संकल्प्य पुत्रत्वे स्कंदं मातृगणोऽगमत् काकी च हलिमा चैव रुद्राथ बृहली तथा आर्या पलाला वै मित्रा सप्तैताः शिशुमातरः
AI Translation: Then, having conceived him as their son, the group of mothers went to Skanda. And Kaki, Halima, Rudra, Brihali, Arya, Palala, and Mitra - these seven were the mothers of the child.
एतासां वीर्यसंपन्नः शिशुर्नामातिदारुणः स्कन्दप्रसादजः पुत्रो लोहिताक्षो भयंकरः
M. N. Dutt: They had a powerful, red-eyed, terrific and very turbulent son, named Shishu, born by the blessings of Skanda.
एष वीराष्टकः प्रोक्तः स्कन्दमातृगणोद्भवः छागवक्त्रेण सहितो नवकः परिकीर्त्यते
M. N. Dutt: He was regarded as the eighth hero born of the mothers of Skanda called 'Virashtaka. But he is known also as the Vira-navaka when the being with the face of a goat is included.
षष्ठं छागमयं वक्त्रं स्कन्दस्यैवेति विद्धि तत् षट्शिरोऽभ्यन्तरं राजन्नित्यं मातृगणार्चितम्
M. N. Dutt: Know that the sixth face of Skanda was that of a goat. That face, O king, is situated in the middle of the sixth. It is always adored by the mothers.
षण्णां तु प्रवरं तस्य शीर्षाणामिह शब्द्यते शक्तिं येनासृजद्दिव्यां भद्रशाख इति स्म ह
AI Translation: The best of the six heads is declared here to be The one by which he created the divine power, known as Bhadraśākha.
इत्येतद्विविधाकारं वृत्तं शुक्लस्य पञ्चमीम् तत्र युद्धं महाघोरं वृत्तं षष्ठ्यां जनाधिप
AI Translation: Thus this various form of the story of the fifth day of the bright fortnight. There, O Lord of men, the battle took place on the sixth day, which was very terrible.