Critical Edition
मार्कण्डेय उवाच यदा स्कन्देन मातॄणामेवमेतत्प्रियं कृतम् अथैनमब्रवीत्स्वाहा मम पुत्रस्त्वमौरसः
M. N. Dutt: Markandeya said : When Skanda had done all these favourite works of the mothers, Svaha appeared before him and said, “You are my son.
इच्छाम्यहं त्वया दत्तां प्रीतिं परमदुर्लभाम् तामब्रवीत्ततः स्कन्दः प्रीतिमिच्छसि कीदृशीम्
M. N. Dutt: I desire that you should give me great happiness." "To her Skanda replied,” What sort of happiness you desire to get?
स्वाहोवाच दक्षस्याहं प्रिया कन्या स्वाहा नाम महाभुज बाल्यात्प्रभृति नित्यं च जातकामा हुताशने
AI Translation: Svaha said: O mighty-armed one, I am Daksha's beloved daughter named Svaha. From childhood, I have always been in love with the fire.
न च मां कामिनीं पुत्र सम्यग्जानाति पावकः इच्छामि शाश्वतं वासं वस्तुं पुत्र सहाग्निना
AI Translation: And the fire does not know me, the woman, properly. I wish to dwell with the fire forever, O son.
स्कन्द उवाच हव्यं कव्यं च यत्किंचिद्द्विजा मन्त्रपुरस्कृतम् होष्यन्त्यग्नौ सदा देवि स्वाहेत्युक्त्वा समुद्यतम्
AI Translation: Skanda said: Whatever oblations and offerings are made by the twice-born, preceded by mantras, They will always offer into the fire, O Goddess, having uttered "svāhā" and raised up.
अद्य प्रभृति दास्यन्ति सुवृत्ताः सत्पथे स्थिताः एवमग्निस्त्वया सार्धं सदा वत्स्यति शोभने
AI Translation: From now on, the virtuous ones who abide in the right path will give. Thus, O auspicious one, the fire will always dwell with you.
मार्कण्डेय उवाच एवमुक्ता ततः स्वाहा तुष्टा स्कन्देन पूजिता पावकेन समायुक्ता भर्त्रा स्कन्दमपूजयत्
M. N. Dutt: Markandeya said : Having been thus addressed and worshipped by Skanda, Svaha was greatly pleased. Being thus united with her husband Pavaka (Agni), she much honoured Skanda.
ततो ब्रह्मा महासेनं प्रजापतिरथाब्रवीत् अभिगच्छ महादेवं पितरं त्रिपुरार्दनम्
M. N. Dutt: Then Brahma, the lord of creatures, said to Mahasena, “Go and see your father Maheshvara, the chastiser of Tripura.
रुद्रेणाग्निं समाविश्य स्वाहामाविश्य चोमया हितार्थं सर्वलोकानां जातस्त्वमपराजितः
M. N. Dutt: Rudra with Agni and Uma and with Svaha have combined to make you invincible for the good of the world.
उमायोन्यां च रुद्रेण शुक्रं सिक्तं महात्मना आस्ते गिरौ निपतितं मिञ्जिकामिञ्जिकं यतः
AI Translation: And the semen of the great-souled Rudra was deposited in the womb of Uma, and it remained on the mountain, falling in drops, from which it is called Miñjaka-Miñjaka.
Supplementary Passages:
3.220.10 After 10, S (except G3) ins.: *1081 मिथुनं वै महाभाग तत्र तद्रुद्रसंभवम्
संभूतं लोहितोदे तु शुक्रशेषमवापतत् सूर्यरश्मिषु चाप्यन्यदन्यच्चैवापतद्भुवि आसक्तमन्यद्वृक्षेषु तदेवं पञ्चधापतत्
AI Translation: The semen fell on the red lotus, and some fell into the sun's rays, and some fell on the ground, and some was attached to the trees. Thus it fell in five ways.
त एते विविधाकारा गणा ज्ञेया मनीषिभिः तव पारिषदा घोरा य एते पिशिताशनाः
AI Translation: These various kinds of groups should be known by the wise. These terrible eaters of flesh, who are your attendants,
एवमस्त्विति चाप्युक्त्वा महासेनो महेश्वरम् अपूजयदमेयात्मा पितरं पितृवत्सलः
AI Translation: Having said, "So be it," the great-souled Mahasena, who was devoted to his father, worshipped Shiva, the father, with an immeasurable soul.
अर्कपुष्पैस्तु ते पञ्च गणाः पूज्या धनार्थिभिः व्याधिप्रशमनार्थं च तेषां पूजां समाचरेत्
M. N. Dutt: Men who are desirous of acquiring wealth should worship these five classes of spirits with the sun-flower. They should also be worshipped for the alleviation of diseases.
मिञ्जिकामिञ्जिकं चैव मिथुनं रुद्रसंभवम् नमस्कार्यं सदैवेह बालानां हितमिच्छता
AI Translation: The pair of Miñjaka and Miñjikā, born from Rudra, Should always be worshipped here by those who desire the welfare of children.
स्त्रियो मानुषमांसादा वृद्धिका नाम नामतः वृक्षेषु जातास्ता देव्यो नमस्कार्याः प्रजार्थिभिः
AI Translation: The women who eat human flesh are called Vṛddhikā by name. Those goddesses born in trees should be worshipped by those who desire offspring.
एवमेते पिशाचानामसंख्येया गणाः स्मृताः घण्टायाः सपताकायाः शृणु मे संभवं नृप
AI Translation: Thus these are remembered as the innumerable groups of the piśācas. Listen to the origin of the bell with the flag, O king.
ऐरावतस्य घण्टे द्वे वैजयन्त्याविति श्रुते गुहस्य ते स्वयं दत्ते शक्रेणानाय्य धीमता
M. N. Dutt: Airavata had two Bells named Vaijayanti. The intelligent Indra brought them and personally gave them to Guha.
एका तत्र विशाखस्य घण्टा स्कन्दस्य चापरा पताका कार्त्तिकेयस्य विशाखस्य च लोहिता
M. N. Dutt: Vishakha took one of those Bells and Skanda the other. The standards of both Kartikeya and Vishakha are of the red colour.
यानि क्रीडनकान्यस्य देवैर्दत्तानि वै तदा तैरेव रमते देवो महासेनो महाबलः
M. N. Dutt: That greatly powerful deity Mahasena was very much pleased with the toys give to him by the celestials.
स संवृतः पिशाचानां गणैर्देवगणैस्तथा शुशुभे काञ्चने शैले दीप्यमानः श्रिया वृतः
M. N. Dutt: Surrounded by the celestials and the Pishachas and seated on the golden mountain, he looked effulgent in all the grandeur of prosperity.
तेन वीरेण शुशुभे स शैलः शुभकाननः आदित्येनेवांशुमता मन्दरश्चारुकन्दरः
M. N. Dutt: That mountain covered with beautiful forests looked grand with the presence of that hero, as the Mandara with charming caves looks with the rays of the sun.
संतानकवनैः फुल्लैः करवीरवनैरपि पारिजातवनैश्चैव जपाशोकवनैस्तथा
AI Translation: With blooming groves of santānaka trees, groves of karavīra trees, And groves of pārijāta trees, and also groves of jasmine and aśoka trees,
कदम्बतरुषण्डैश्च दिव्यैर्मृगगणैरपि दिव्यैः पक्षिगणैश्चैव शुशुभे श्वेतपर्वतः
AI Translation: With clusters of kadamba trees and with flocks of divine animals, And with flocks of divine birds, the white mountain shone.
तत्र देवगणाः सर्वे सर्वे चैव महर्षयः मेघतूर्यरवाश्चैव क्षुब्धोदधिसमस्वनाः
AI Translation: There all the hosts of gods and all the great sages, and the sounds of clouds and drums, like the sound of the agitated ocean,
तत्र दिव्याश्च गन्धर्वा नृत्यन्त्यप्सरसस्तथा हृष्टानां तत्र भूतानां श्रूयते निनदो महान्
AI Translation: There the divine gandharvas and apsaras dance, and a great sound is heard of the delighted beings there.
एवं सेन्द्रं जगत्सर्वं श्वेतपर्वतसंस्थितम् प्रहृष्टं प्रेक्षते स्कन्दं न च ग्लायति दर्शनात्
M. N. Dutt: It appeared as if Indra with all the worlds had been transferred to the white mountain. All looked at Skanda with great satisfaction. None felt tired in doing so.