Critical Edition
जनमेजय उवाच सरस्वत्याः प्रभावोऽयमुक्तस्ते द्विजसत्तम कुमारस्याभिषेकं तु ब्रह्मन्व्याख्यातुमर्हसि
M. N. Dutt: Janamejaya said "You have described the inerits of the Sarasvati, O best of Brahmanas. You should, O Rishi, describe to me the investiture of Kumara by the gods.
यस्मिन्काले च देशे च यथा च वदतां वर यैश्चाभिषिक्तो भगवान्विधिना येन च प्रभुः
AI Translation: At what time, in what place, and in what manner, O best of speakers, By whom the Blessed One was consecrated, by what means, and by whom.
स्कन्दो यथा च दैत्यानामकरोत्कदनं महत् तथा मे सर्वमाचक्ष्व परं कौतूहलं हि मे
AI Translation: As Skanda did great destruction to the demons, so tell me everything. I have great curiosity.
वैशंपायन उवाच कुरुवंशस्य सदृशमिदं कौतूहलं तव हर्षमुत्पादयत्येतद्वचो मे जनमेजय
M. N. Dutt: Vaishampayana said "Your curiosity indeed becomes a Kuru. The words that I shall speak, will, O Janamejaya, please you.
हन्त ते कथयिष्यामि शृण्वानस्य जनाधिप अभिषेकं कुमारस्य प्रभावं च महात्मनः
M. N. Dutt: I shall describe to you the appointment of Kumara and the prowess of that high-souled one, since, O king, you wish to hear it.
तेजो माहेश्वरं स्कन्नमग्नौ प्रपतितं पुरा तत्सर्वभक्षो भगवान्नाशकद्दग्धुमक्षयम्
M. N. Dutt: In days of yore the vital seed of Maheshvara, dropped into a blazing fire. The consumer of everything, the worshipful Agni, could not burn that indestructible seed.
तेनासीदति तेजस्वी दीप्तिमान्हव्यवाहनः न चैव धारयामास गर्भं तेजोमयं तदा
M. N. Dutt: On the other hand, the carrier of sacrificial libations, for that seed, became possessed of great energy and splendour. He could not bear within himself that powerful seed.
स गङ्गामभिसंगम्य नियोगाद्ब्रह्मणः प्रभुः गर्भमाहितवान्दिव्यं भास्करोपमतेजसम्
M. N. Dutt: At the behest of Brahma, the lord Agni, approaching the river Ganga, threw into her that divine seed effulgent like the Sun.
अथ गङ्गापि तं गर्भमसहन्ती विधारणे उत्ससर्ज गिरौ रम्ये हिमवत्यमरार्चिते
M. N. Dutt: Ganga also, unable to hold it, threw it on the beautiful breast of Himavat adored of the celestials.
स तत्र ववृधे लोकानावृत्य ज्वलनात्मजः ददृशुर्ज्वलनाकारं तं गर्भमथ कृत्तिकाः
M. N. Dutt: Thereupon Agni's son began to grow there, overpowering all the worlds by his energy. Meanwhile the six Krittikas saw that child of fiery splendour.
शरस्तम्बे महात्मानमनलात्मजमीश्वरम् ममायमिति ताः सर्वाः पुत्रार्थिन्योऽभिचक्रमुः
M. N. Dutt: Seeing that powerful lord, that great son of Agni, lying on a clump of reeds, all the six Krittikas, who wanted to have a son, cried aloud, saying-"This child is mine, this child is mine.'
तासां विदित्वा भावं तं मातॄणां भगवान्प्रभुः प्रस्नुतानां पयः षड्भिर्वदनैरपिबत्तदा
M. N. Dutt: Understanding the feelings of those six mothers, the wonderful lord Skanda sucked the breasts of all, having assumed six months.
तं प्रभावं समालक्ष्य तस्य बालस्य कृत्तिकाः परं विस्मयमापन्ना देव्यो दिव्यवपुर्धराः
M. N. Dutt: Beholding that power of the child, the Krittikas, those beautiful goddesses, were stricken with wonder.
यत्रोत्सृष्टः स भगवान्गङ्गया गिरिमूर्धनि स शैलः काञ्चनः सर्वः संबभौ कुरुसत्तम
M. N. Dutt: And because the adorable child had been thrown by the river Ganga upon the summit of Himavat, that mountain looked beautiful, having, O delighter of the Kurus, been transformed into gold.
वर्धता चैव गर्भेण पृथिवी तेन रञ्जिता अतश्च सर्वे संवृत्ता गिरयः काञ्चनाकराः
M. N. Dutt: With that growing child the whole Earth became beautiful and it was therefore that mountains produced gold.
कुमारश्च महावीर्यः कार्त्तिकेय इति स्मृतः गाङ्गेयः पूर्वमभवन्महायोगबलान्वितः
M. N. Dutt: Possessed of great energy, the child passed by the name of Kartikeya. At first he had been called by the name of Gangeya. He was endued with high ascetic powers.
स देवस्तपसा चैव वीर्येण च समन्वितः ववृधेऽतीव राजेन्द्र चन्द्रवत्प्रियदर्शनः
M. N. Dutt: Possessed of self-restraint, asceticism and great energy, the child grew up. O king, into a person of highly charming features like Soma himself.
स तस्मिन्काञ्चने दिव्ये शरस्तम्बे श्रिया वृतः स्तूयमानस्तदा शेते गन्धर्वैर्मुनिभिस्तथा
M. N. Dutt: Highly beautiful the child lay on that excellent and golden clump of reeds, worshipped and lauded by Gandharvas and ascetics.
तथैनमन्वनृत्यन्त देवकन्याः सहस्रशः दिव्यवादित्रनृत्तज्ञाः स्तुवन्त्यश्चारुदर्शनाः
M. N. Dutt: Thousands of celestial girls, of very handsome features, accomplished in celestial music and dance, lauded him and danced before him.
अन्वास्ते च नदी देवं गङ्गा वै सरितां वरा दधार पृथिवी चैनं बिभ्रती रूपमुत्तमम्
M. N. Dutt: The best of all rivers, viz., Ganga, waited upon that god. The earth also, assuming great beauty, held the child on her lap.
जातकर्मादिकास्तस्य क्रियाश्चक्रे बृहस्पतिः वेदश्चैनं चतुर्मूर्तिरुपतस्थे कृताञ्जलिः
M. N. Dutt: The celestial priest Brihaspati performed the usual rites consequent upon the birth, of that child. The Vedas, assuming a fourfold form, approached the child with clasped hands.
धनुर्वेदश्चतुष्पादः शस्त्रग्रामः ससंग्रहः तत्रैनं समुपातिष्ठत्साक्षाद्वाणी च केवला
M. N. Dutt: The science of arms, with its four divisions and all the weapons, as also all kinds of arrows, came to him.
स ददर्श महावीर्यं देवदेवमुमापतिम् शैलपुत्र्या सहासीनं भूतसंघशतैर्वृतम्
M. N. Dutt: One day, the highly energetic child, saw that god of gods, viz., the lord of Uma, seated with the daughter of Himavat, amid a number of goblins.
निकाया भूतसंघानां परमाद्भुतदर्शनाः विकृता विकृताकारा विकृताभरणध्वजाः
M. N. Dutt: Those goblins, of lean bodies, had wonderful features. They were ugly both in person and in features and bore on this person awkward ornaments and marks.
व्याघ्रसिंहर्क्षवदना बिडालमकराननाः वृषदंशमुखाश्चान्ये गजोष्ट्रवदनास्तथा
M. N. Dutt: Their faces were like those of tigers and lions and bears and cats and Makaras. Others had faces like those of scorpions; others had faces like those of elephant and camels and owls. And some had faces like those of vultures and jackals.
उलूकवदनाः केचिद्गृध्रगोमायुदर्शनाः क्रौञ्चपारावतनिभैर्वदनै राङ्कवैरपि
AI Translation: Some had faces like owls, others like vultures and jackals, Some had faces like cranes and doves, others like monkeys,
श्वाविच्छल्यकगोधानां खरैडकगवां तथा सदृशानि वपूंष्यन्ये तत्र तत्र व्यधारयन्
AI Translation: The dogs, the porcupines, the hedgehogs, the asses, the camels, and the cows, had bodies similar to those of the others, and they were placed here and there.
केचिच्छैलाम्बुदप्रख्याश्चक्रालातगदायुधाः केचिदञ्जनपुञ्जाभाः केचिच्छ्वेताचलप्रभाः
AI Translation: Some had the form of mountains or clouds, with discuses, iron clubs, or maces as weapons. Some had the form of heaps of collyrium, some had the form of white mountains.
सप्तमातृगणाश्चैव समाजग्मुर्विशां पते साध्या विश्वेऽथ मरुतो वसवः पितरस्तथा
AI Translation: The seven groups of mothers also came, O Lord of the people, The Sadhyas, the Vishvas, the Maruts, the Vasus, and the Fathers,
रुद्रादित्यास्तथा सिद्धा भुजगा दानवाः खगाः ब्रह्मा स्वयंभूर्भगवान्सपुत्रः सह विष्णुना
AI Translation: Rudras, Adityas, Siddhas, serpents, demons, birds, Brahma, the self-existent Lord, together with his sons and with Vishnu,
शक्रस्तथाभ्ययाद्द्रष्टुं कुमारवरमच्युतम् नारदप्रमुखाश्चापि देवगन्धर्वसत्तमाः
AI Translation: Indra also approached to see the supreme and immutable prince, and the best gods and gandharvas, headed by Narada,
देवर्षयश्च सिद्धाश्च बृहस्पतिपुरोगमाः ऋभवो नाम वरदा देवानामपि देवताः तेऽपि तत्र समाजग्मुर्यामा धामाश्च सर्वशः
M. N. Dutt: And many leading celestials and Gandharvas, headed by Narada and many celestial Rishis and Siddhas headed by Brihaspati and the guardian deities of the universe, those foremost ones, they that are regarded as gods of the gods and the Yamas and the Dhamas, all went there.
स तु बालोऽपि भगवान्महायोगबलान्वितः अभ्याजगाम देवेशं शूलहस्तं पिनाकिनम्
M. N. Dutt: Gifted with great strength and great ascetic power, the child proceeded before that lord of the gods, viz., Mahadeva, armed with trident and Pinaka.
तमाव्रजन्तमालक्ष्य शिवस्यासीन्मनोगतम् युगपच्छैलपुत्र्याश्च गङ्गायाः पावकस्य च
AI Translation: Seeing him depart, the mind of Śiva, and of the daughter of the mountain, and of Gaṅgā, and of Fire, became agitated.
किं नु पूर्वमयं बालो गौरवादभ्युपैष्यति अपि मामिति सर्वेषां तेषामासीन्मनोगतम्
AI Translation: What will this boy do first, out of respect, to approach me? This was the thought in the minds of all of them.
तेषामेतमभिप्रायं चतुर्णामुपलक्ष्य सः युगपद्योगमास्थाय ससर्ज विविधास्तनूः
M. N. Dutt: Understanding the desire of each of those four, he had recourse to his Yoga powers and assumed simultaneously four different forms.
ततोऽभवच्चतुर्मूर्तिः क्षणेन भगवान्प्रभुः स्कन्दः शाखो विशाखश्च नैगमेषश्च पृष्ठतः
M. N. Dutt: The worshipful and powerful lord assumed those four forms in a instant. The three forms that stood behind were Shakra and Vishakha and Naigameya.
एवं स कृत्वा ह्यात्मानं चतुर्धा भगवान्प्रभुः यतो रुद्रस्ततः स्कन्दो जगामाद्भुतदर्शनः
M. N. Dutt: Having divided his self into four forms, he went towards the four that sat expecting him. The wonderful form called Skanda proceed where Rudra was sitting.
विशाखस्तु ययौ येन देवी गिरिवरात्मजा शाखो ययौ च भगवान्वायुमूर्तिर्विभावसुम् नैगमेषोऽगमद्गङ्गां कुमारः पावकप्रभः
M. N. Dutt: Vishakha went where the divine daughter of Himavat was. The adorable Shakha, which is Kartikeya's airy form, went towards Agni. Naigameya, that child of fiery splendour, went before Ganga.
सर्वे भास्वरदेहास्ते चत्वारः समरूपिणः तान्समभ्ययुरव्यग्रास्तदद्भुतमिवाभवत्
M. N. Dutt: All those four forms, of similar appearance, were highly effulgent. The four forms went calmly to the four gods and goddesses. It was indeed wonderful.
हाहाकारो महानासीद्देवदानवरक्षसाम् तद्दृष्ट्वा महदाश्चर्यमद्भुतं रोमहर्षणम्
M. N. Dutt: The gods, the Danavas and the Rakshasas, made a loud noise seeing that exceedingly wonderful and hair stirring incident.
ततो रुद्रश्च देवी च पावकश्च पितामहम् गङ्गया सहिताः सर्वे प्रणिपेतुर्जगत्पतिम्
M. N. Dutt: Then Rudra and the goddess Uma and Agni and Ganga, all bowed unto Brahma, that lord of the universe.
प्रणिपत्य ततस्ते तु विधिवद्राजपुंगव इदमूचुर्वचो राजन्कार्त्तिकेयप्रियेप्सया
AI Translation: Then, O best of kings, having bowed to him in accordance with the prescribed manner, they spoke these words, O king, desiring the favor of Kārttikeya.
अस्य बालस्य भगवन्नाधिपत्यं यथेप्सितम् अस्मत्प्रियार्थं देवेश सदृशं दातुमर्हसि
AI Translation: O Lord, please grant this child the lordship as desired. O Lord of the gods, please grant us a suitable one for our sake.
ततः स भगवान्धीमान्सर्वलोकपितामहः मनसा चिन्तयामास किमयं लभतामिति
M. N. Dutt: Thereat, the worshipful grandfather of all the worlds, endued with great intelligence, began to think within his mind as to what he should confer of that youth.
ऐश्वर्याणि हि सर्वाणि देवगन्धर्वरक्षसाम् भूतयक्षविहंगानां पन्नगानां च सर्वशः
AI Translation: All the powers of the gods, gandharvas, and demons, of the bhūtas, yakṣas, birds, and serpents, all of them,
पूर्वमेवादिदेशासौ निकायेषु महात्मनाम् समर्थं च तमैश्वर्ये महामतिरमन्यत
AI Translation: He had previously entrusted the great-souled ones in the Nikayas, And he considered him capable of sovereignty, the greatly wise one.
ततो मुहूर्तं स ध्यात्वा देवानां श्रेयसि स्थितः सेनापत्यं ददौ तस्मै सर्वभूतेषु भारत
M. N. Dutt: Having thought for a moment, the grandfather, always seeking the well-being of the celestials, conferred upon him the dignity of a generalissimo among all creatures, O Bharata.
सर्वदेवनिकायानां ये राजानः परिश्रुताः तान्सर्वान्व्यादिदेशास्मै सर्वभूतपितामहः
M. N. Dutt: He further ordered all those leading gods and other formless beings to wait upon him.
ततः कुमारमादाय देवा ब्रह्मपुरोगमाः अभिषेकार्थमाजग्मुः शैलेन्द्रं सहितास्ततः
M. N. Dutt: Then the gods headed by Brahman, taking that youth with them, came in a body to Himavat.
पुण्यां हैमवतीं देवीं सरिच्छ्रेष्ठां सरस्वतीम् समन्तपञ्चके या वै त्रिषु लोकेषु विश्रुता
M. N. Dutt: The site selected by them was the bank of the sacred and divine Sarasvati, that foremost of rivers, taking her rise from Himavat, which is celebrated over the three worlds by the name of Samantapanchaka.
तत्र तीरे सरस्वत्याः पुण्ये सर्वगुणान्विते निषेदुर्देवगन्धर्वाः सर्वे संपूर्णमानसाः
M. N. Dutt: There, on the sacred bank of the Sarasvati, the gods and the Gandharvas took their seats with gladness on account of the gratification of all their desire."