Skandapurana 1.4.27: adhyāyaḥ 29

Nārada said:
As she was going, Girijā saw a radiant companion of her mother,
named Kusumāmodinī, the deity of that mountain.

She too, seeing the mountain's daughter, her mind agitated by affection,
embraced her and said aloud, "Where are you going again?"

And she related to her everything, the reason for her anger at Śaṃkara;
and Girijā spoke again to the deity honored by her mother:

"You are constantly the deity of the king of mountains, O blameless one;
you are everywhere present, and exceedingly affectionate toward me.

Therefore, I shall tell you what you must do now:
if another woman should enter into the presence of Pinākin,

you must inform me, O auspicious one; I shall do what is fitting afterwards."
When she said, "So be it," the goddess departed toward the mountain.

There on that delightful great peak adorned with various wonders,
setting aside ornaments and the like, wearing the bark of trees,

the mountain's daughter performed tapas, protected by her son,
tormented by five fires in summer, and staying in water during the rains.

And in winter she dwelt on bare ground, fasting and performing austerities.
In the meantime, the mighty Daitya, son of Andhaka,

knowing that the mountain's daughter had left and remembering his father's enmity,
named Āḍi, brother of Baka, watching for a secret opportunity—

when indeed the Daitya Andhaka, enemy of the gods, had been defeated by Giriśa,
Āḍi performed vast tapas, desiring to conquer Hara.

Brahmā, delighted by his tapas, approached him and said:
"Speak, O best of asuras, what do you wish to obtain through tapas?"

The Daitya said to Brahmā, "I choose freedom from death."
Brahmā said:
"There is no creature, O asura, that is without death.

From one source or another, O lord of Daityas, death must be reached by an embodied being."
Addressed thus, he, being pleased, said to the Lotus-born One, "So be it:

When there is a change in my form, O Lotus-born One,
then let my death occur; otherwise, may I be immortal."

Addressed thus, the Lotus-born One, pleased, said to him, "So be it."
Told this, the asura, established in the sovereignty of the Daityas, considered himself immortal.

He then went to the abode of the Slayer of Tripura,
and having arrived, he saw Vīraka standing at the doorway.

Deceiving him, Āḍi assumed the body of a serpent / and, unobstructed by Vīraka, entered the presence of Hara.

Then, casting off his serpent form, that great Asura, / his mind deluded, took the form of Umā to deceive Giriśa.

Having assumed Umā's form, unimaginably beautiful, / complete in all limbs and endowed with all her characteristic marks,

the Daitya placed within the vulva teeth firm as vajra / with sharp points, eager to kill Giriśa out of foolish delusion.

Having thus assumed the form of Umā, the Daitya stood near Hara. / Seeing her, Giriśa was pleased, and embracing the great Asura,

believing him to be the daughter of the mountain in every limb, / he asked: “Noble is your feeling, for you are indeed the genuine daughter of the mountain,

who, knowing my disposition, have come here, O fair-complexioned lady! / Deprived of you, I consider this threefold world empty.

That you have arrived well-pleased with me is truly worthy of you.” / When this was said, the Asura in the form of Umā, concealing his design, said:

“I went to perform matchless austerity at your words, ‘O Kālī!’ / But I found no pleasure there, and therefore I have returned to your side.”

Addressed thus, Śaṃkara felt a slight doubt and reflected: / “The slender-limbed lady was angry with me, and she is openly firm in her vows.

How has she arrived without having attained her desire? This is my doubt.” / Thus pondering in secret, he then examined her signs.

On her left side he did not see the mark of the lotus / or the whorl of hair; thereupon the god who bears the Pināka,

perceiving that demonic illusion, his face smiling slightly, / placed the Raudra weapon upon his member and fulfilled the Daitya's desire.

The Asura, uttering terrifying shrieks, met his destruction. / Vīraka did not realize this slaying of the lord of the Asuras.

When he was slain, the swift-moving wind reported it to the mountain deity, / who, not understanding the true nature of the fact, reported it to the daughter of the mountain.

Hearing this from the mouth of the wind, the goddess, her eyes exceedingly red with rage, / looked upon her son Vīraka, her heart grieving:

“Because you, abandoning me, your mother, distracted with love, / gave admittance to [other] women into Śaṃkara's private quarters,

therefore a harsh, rough, inert stone, devoid of heart, / like the letters of a gaṇeśa, shall become your mother!”

Immediately after the daughter of the mountain had uttered this curse, / from her mouth emerged wrath in the form of a lion of great strength.

Stricken with remorse, the goddess sent him away. / But that lion had a terrifying mouth and a neck with a great mane;

his strong tail lashed about, his cavernous mouth was frightful with fangs; / his jaws agape, his tongue licking, his belly emaciated, he was eager to devour.

The faithful goddess Satī then resolved to enter his mouth. / Knowing what was in her heart, the four-faced Blessed Lord [Brahmā]

came to the precinct of the hermitage, the resort of prosperities. / Arriving there, Brahmā spoke to Girijā with gentle words:

“What do you wish to obtain, O goddess? What unachievable thing may I grant you?” / Hearing that, Girijā said, full of deep respect:

“By arduous austerity Śaṃkara was obtained by me as a husband. / Yet Bhava has repeatedly spoken to me, calling me dark-complexioned.

May I become golden-hued and endowed with beloved status, / without any misgiving on one side of the body of my husband, the lord of beings!”

Hearing these words of hers, the lotus-seated [Brahmā] said: / “So be it! You shall further bear half of your husband's body.”

Then from her body came forth a woman with the lustre of a dark-blue lotus; / she was fierce, held a bell in her hand, and had three eyes.

Her limbs were adorned with various ornaments, and she was clad in yellow silk. / Then Brahmā spoke to that goddess who had the lustre of a dark-blue lotus:

“From this contact with the body of the mountain-born [goddess], by my command / you have attained the fulfillment of your purpose, having your ancient form as Ekānaṃśā.

This lion that has arisen from the goddess's wrath, O fair-faced one, / let him be your mount, O goddess, and let the mighty one be on your banner.

Go to the Vindhya mountain; there you will accomplish the purpose of the gods, / having slain Śumbha and Niśumbha, the two generals of Tāraka's army.

This Yakṣa named Pāñcāla, who is followed by a hundred thousand Yakṣas / and possesses hundreds of great illusions, is given to you as a servant, O goddess.”

Thus addressed, the goddess Kauśikī said “So be it” to the Grandsire. / When Kauśikī had departed, [Umā] became endowed with her natural virtues,

all of which had been acquired in previous births and now returned of their own accord. / Umā too, having accomplished her desire, devoted herself to remorse.

Reproaching herself repeatedly, she went into the presence of Giriśa. / As she approached, Vīraka, vigilant at the doorway,

holding a cane of gold, stopped the goddess, / and said to her in anger: “Halt, halt! Where are you going?

You have no business here. Depart before you are reproached! / A Daitya bearing the form of the goddess entered here

to deceive the god, and he was not seen; but he was slain by the god. / And when he was slain, I was rebuked by the wise blue-throated god [Śiva]:

‘No woman whatsoever is to be permitted [entrance] by you, O son!’ / Therefore, even though you stand here at the door for many multitudes of years,

you shall not obtain entrance here. Go away! / Only my mother, who is tender with affection,

the daughter of the king of mountains, Pārvatī, beloved of Rudra, may enter here.” / Being thus addressed, the goddess then reflected in her heart:

“That was not a woman; it was that Daitya; it did not shine clear to the wind! / In vain indeed was Vīraka cursed by me overcome with anger.

Improper deeds are often done by fools possessed of anger; / through anger fame is destroyed, anger slays enduring prosperity.

Without discerning the whole truth, I have cursed my son; / for misfortunes easily befall those who misunderstand the truth.”

Having reflected thus, the daughter of the mountain spoke this to Vīraka, / with her lotus-bright face lowered in embarrassed alteration: 29.63

“Vīraka, I am your mother; let there be no confusion in your mind. / I am the beloved wife of Śaṃkara and the daughter of the snow-mountain. 29.64

Do not foster doubt, my son, deceived by the state of my body; / this fair complexion was granted to me by the lotus-born [Brahmā] when he was pleased. 29.65

You were cursed by me when this event arranged by the Daitya was unknown [to me], / thinking that a woman had entered while Śaṃkara was in private. 29.66

The curse cannot be revoked, yet I say this to you: / you will be born as a mortal upon a rock from Śilāda, 29.67

and in the sacred forest of Arbuda, which grants heaven and liberation to men, / where, O Vīraka, the Acaleśvara liṅga stands. 29.68

It yields the same fruit to men as Viśvanātha in Vārāṇasī. / Whatever fruit men obtain from ten pilgrimages to Prabhāsa, 29.69

that is said [to be gained] by a single pilgrimage to the great mountain of Arbuda, / where, after practicing austerity and casting off the bodily elements, mortals 29.70

will never again become transmigrating beings, according to the word of Maheśvara. / If Arbuda can be reached and worshipped by those tormented by rebirth, 29.71

why would they vainly remember Vārāṇasī and Kedāra? / There, having worshipped Lord Bhava, bearing the name Nandī, 29.72

you will swiftly come right here and attain the office of door-keeper.” / When she had spoken thus, his hair standing on end, Vīraka bowed down to her 29.73

and, praising her with diverse words, spoke to his mother: / “Blessed am I, O goddess, who shall obtain the most difficult mortal birth! 29.74

This curse has the nature of a blessing, especially upon Mount Arbuda, / near which lies the sacred confluence of the Mahī and the ocean. 29.75

This region between the mountain and the ocean is the very udder of the earth. / Having gone there, obtaining great merit through devotion to Bhava, 29.76

I shall return again, O mother!” Having said this, he became the son of Śilā. / Then the goddess entered the palace of the moon-crested [Śiva]. 29.77

— Thus ends the Arbuda-narrative. — / Then, seeing her, the three-eyed Lord said, “Woe to women!” 29.78

And bowing to him, she said: “This is true, not false; / this portion of nature is inert, and women deserve reproach. 29.79

By the grace of the Puruṣa, they are freed from the ocean of worldly existence.” / Thereupon Hara, delighted, said to her: “You are fit now, auspicious one! 29.80

I will give you a son through whom you will attain fame, beautiful one.” / Then Hara, the abode of diverse wonders, sported with the goddess. 29.81

Then, after a thousand years, the gods, eager in their minds, / urged Agni forward to find out Śaṃkara’s doings. 29.82

Having deceived the door-keeper standing at the gate, Agni / entered the presence of Hara in the form of a pigeon. 29.83

The lord of gods saw him, seeing Pārvatī bow [in shame]. / Then he said to Agni: “This was not right for you to do. 29.84

Since this peerless fiery energy of mine has been shaken from its place, / take it yourself, foolish one, or else I shall burn you in wrath!” 29.85

Terrified, he received it, and he is the mouth of all gods; / thereby the gods, together with Agni, were thrown into distress. 29.86

Rupturing their bellies, that seed of Maheśvara / issued forth and became a lake of quicksilver a hundred yojanas wide. 29.87

And Agni, becoming distraught, cast it at once into the Gaṅgā. / And she, burning, cast it outside by means of her waves. 29.88

From that, the White Mountain, famous in the three worlds, was born. / In the meantime, Agni was summoned to the Himālaya 29.89

by the seven seers performing a fire oblation by the power of mantras. / Having arrived there, Agni took that offered share. 29.90

When that day had passed, standing there he saw their wives, / resembling pillars of golden plantain trees, with crescent moons [on their foreheads]. 29.91

Gazing with wide-open eyes, Agni came under the sway of desire. / He reflected repeatedly: “It is not right that I am agitated. 29.92

I lust after the chaste wives of the foremost brahmins, who do not desire me. / This action is an awful sin; clearly I shall perish like a blade of grass. 29.93

By doing this, my fame will be destroyed as long as the moon and stars endure.” / Having reflected thus in many ways and gone to another forest, 29.94

he was unable to restrain his mind by numerous means. / Then, tormented by passion, he fell into a faint. 29.95

Then his wife Svāhā became aware of that conduct of his, / and having understood it, she reflected, delighted in her mind: 29.96

“Having abandoned me, his own wife, in disdain due to long cohabitation, / he surely lusts for the wives of the great seven seers. 29.97

Therefore, assuming their form, I too shall sport with him.” / There was the beautiful wife of Aṅgiras, Śivā by name; 29.98

assuming her form and approaching Agni, she said: / “O Agni, you ought to make love to me, who am tormented by passion. 29.99

If you do not, O god, know me to be dead. / I am the wife of Aṅgiras, named Śivā, O fire! 29.100

I have come together with all [the other wives], and they too will come in turn. / You are ever dear to us, and our minds are likewise devoted to you.” 29.101

Then, tormented by passion, he united with her; / and when he was gratified, that goddess, delighted, departed from that forest, 29.102

thinking: “If they see this form of mine in the forest, / they will speak falsely of a flaw in the brahmin women on account of Agni. 29.103

Therefore, protecting this [reputation], let me become a female Garuḍa bird.” / Then, having become a bird, she saw the White Mountain, 29.104

thickly covered with clumps of reeds and with demons and piśācas. / Having swiftly gone there, to the summit of the mountain, exceedingly difficult to reach, 29.105

unable to hold it, she discharged the semen into a golden bowl / [and similarly for the forms] of the remaining noble wives of the great seven seers. 29.106

Assuming the form of each of the wives, she united in love with the Fire. / But she was unable to assume the divine form of Arundhatī,

by virtue of her austerity and her devotion to her husband. / Six times, O bull of the Kurus, that semen of the Fire was cast

into that pit by Svāhā, on the first day of the dark fortnight of Caitra. / And then, out of grief, the Fire sorrowed and was bewildered.

Thinking, 'Alas, a sin has been committed!' he resolved to cast off his body. / Then an ethereal voice spoke to him: 'Do not court death!

This was destined to be; for who, O Fire, can escape destiny? / Yet because you enjoyed the wife of another, even though by fate,

and did so in your mind, indigestion shall enter you, / even when sated with streams of clarified butter at the great sacrifice of Śvetaketu.

Cast off grief: those were not the women [you thought]; this was only your beloved Svāhā. / You ought to see your son who is in the pit on Mount Śveta.' / Then the Fire went there and saw his lordly son.

Arjuna said: / Why did Svāhā take the forms of those six, O great sage,

since they are devoted to their husbands, chaste, ascetic, and like fire itself? / And why was the guilty Svāhā not afraid of those six, / since, by devotion to their husbands, they were capable of burning up the world, O sage?

Nārada said: / This is true, O best of the Kurus; listen also to that reason / why she took their forms and yet they did not utter a curse.

Where formerly that splendor of Rudra was cast once into the Gaṅgā by the Fire, / there those six wives bathed, due to ignorance.

Then, overwhelmed and bewildered by that splendor, / and out of shame toward their own husbands, they remained in secret on the bank of the Gaṅgā.

Seeing this state of affairs and desiring to accomplish her wish, / Svāhā entered their bodies and took away that splendor.

The wife of the Fire then sported [with him], just as I have told you.

Remembering this favor from her, O descendant of Bharata, / she was not cursed by them; for a curse should not be given to a benefactor.

Then the seven seers, having learned by insight that they had incurred impurity, / cast off the six wives at that time, with the exception of the divine Arundhatī.

Lord Viśvāmitra, however, took refuge in Kumāra; / and he composed a divine hymn of praise to Mahāsena.

Listen to the one hundred and eight names, O Phālguna, / by the recitation of which sins depart and one attains knowledge:

'You are the speaker of the Veda; you are Brahmā; you are fond of brahmins; / you are friendly to brahmins; you are the god of sacred knowledge; you are the giver of the Veda; you are the collector of sacred lore.

You are the highest, supreme splendor; the most auspicious of all auspicious things; / possessing immeasurable virtues; you are the one reachable through mantras.

You are made of the Sāvitrī, O Lord; undefeated everywhere; / the god whose soul is the mantra and Śarva; the foremost among masters of the six-syllable mantra.

Wearing a garland, crowned, bearing a banner, matted-haired, shaven-headed, crested; / wearing earrings, holding a plow, a youth, Kumāra, eminent, the best.

Son of cows, slayer of enemies of the gods, the origin, creator of existence; / armed with the bow Pināka, killer of foes, white, secret, Skanda, foremost in action.

The twelfth, earth, atmosphere, the future, son of the earth, worshipped; / king of serpents, very righteous-souled, dwelling in heaven, eternal.

You are the maintainer, the soul of all beings, you are the protector, you are the bringer of happiness; / born in autumn, having a peacock, the conqueror, six-faced, dispeller of fear.

Golden-wombed, containing the universe, victory, lord of victory; / you are the maker, you are the creator, eternal, constant crusher of foes.

Mahāsena, of great splendor, Vīrasena, lord of the earth; / seated upon perfection, overseer of the gods, Bhīmasena, free from disease.

Heroic, Yadu, endowed with great splendor, full of valor, of truthful prowess; / womb of light, foe of asuras, embodiment of the gods, strengthened by the gods.

Grateful, giver of boons, true, a refuge, affectionate toward the virtuous; / keeping good vows, sun-like, womb of fire, atom of the earth.

Pippalī, swift-moving, fierce, son of Gaṅgā, tearer of enemies; / Kārttikeya, the sovereign, forbearing, blue-tusked, noble-minded.

Restraint, and the leader of restraints, you are the delighter of the gods; / curb, supreme bliss, destroyer of anger, lofty, exalted.

Having a cock, abundant, divine, granter of desires, greatly flourishing; / unfailing, giver of nectar, fire itself, slayer of enemies, gladdening all.

Imperishable, immortal, glorious, elevated, born of fire; / king of piśācas, sun-radiant, identical to Śiva, son of Śiva.

Shore of the boundless, hard to know, devoted to the welfare of all beings; / ungraspable, the cause, the maker, the supreme deity, the highest state.

Inconceivable, the soul of all beings, the universal self, you are eternal.' / Thus was that supreme lord of all beings praised

with this set of one hundred and eight names by the great seer Viśvāmitra. / With a gracious appearance, he said this to the prince of sages: 'Choose a boon!

This hymn of praise to me that has been set forth by you, O best of the twice-born, / will bring about the attainment of their hearts' desires for creatures on earth.

Fortune increases in the family of one who recites this. / Neither rākṣasas nor piśācas, neither spirits nor adversities

shall create obstacles in the home of anyone who praises me thus; / he shall not experience bad dreams, and if bound, he is released from bondage.

Through the power of this hymn, a man will attain a divine state. / And you ought to consecrate me with all Vedic sacraments;

for a birth without sacraments is considered to be like that of a beast. / And by the gift of my boon, you shall become a brahmin seer.'

Then the sage performed the birth ceremonies and other rites for him; / and the master took up the office of family priest by Skanda's very command.

Then the Fire came to him and saw his son Guha, / with six heads, twice that many ears, and twelve eyes, arms, and feet.

He beheld Kumāra, who had one neck and one body, / an unformed mass on the first day, attaining distinct form on the second,

become an infant on the third, fully formed on the fourth, / consecrated on the fifth, and who also looked upon the fire.

Then, O Pārtha, Pāvaka embraced and kissed him, / and saying, “O son,” he himself gave him the spear weapon.

Taking the spear and bowing to Pāvaka, / he ascended the White Peak, gazing at the ten directions with his faces.

He uttered a terrifying roar, terrifying the world together with the asuras. / Then the peak of the White Mountain, inhabited by a hundred thousand rākṣasas,

extending a hundred yojanas, he split swiftly with his spear. / With that single blow, it fell to the earth in pieces.

Those rākṣasas, the perpetual enemies of dharma, were crushed to dust. / Then the earth, deeply agitated, broke apart on all sides.

And all the frightened mountains wailed as if at the dissolution of the world. / There the creatures shrieked intensely: “Save us! Save us!”

Hearing this, the gods together said to Vāsava: / “By whom with a single blow the three worlds have been thrown into confusion,

that enraged one, O Vāsava, will destroy the universe in an instant. / And we were created by the god Vedhas for the purpose of protection.

And that protection must always be carried out, even with our lives in our throats. / If the world is perturbed in this way before our very eyes,

then cursed is the birth of heroes; praised indeed is death in a moment! / Therefore, you must slay him together with us, O Vāsava.”

Thus addressed, saying “So be it,” Śakra went against him together with the gods, / desiring then to test his valor very swiftly.

Seeing that fierce, swift, invincible army of the gods / roaring, Guha roared like the ocean.

Because of his great roar, appearing like an agitated ocean, / the army of the gods wandered here and there, senseless.

Seeing the gods arrived with a desire to kill him, that son of Pāvaka / discharged from his mouth vast flames of fire.

He scorched the divine armies writhing upon the ground. / Their heads and bodies blazing, their weapons and mounts blazing,

falling suddenly, they shone like hosts of stars from heaven. / Being burned, they fled for refuge to the son of Pāvaka.

The gods said to the wielder of the thunderbolt: “Drop the thunderbolt, O Śatakratu!” / Addressed by the gods, Śakra then hurled the thunderbolt at Skanda.

Hurled, it struck the right flank of Skanda swiftly / and pierced it, O best of the Kurus, of that great-souled one.

From the blow of the thunderbolt, another person arose from Skanda, / a youth clad in golden armor, holding a spear, with divine earrings,

renowned as Śākha; he too roared wondrously. / Then Indra, enraged again, cleaved Skanda in the chest.

There too another like him was born, known as Naigameya. / Then, roaring, Skanda and the others, four [in all], charged against him at that time.

Then Indra, abandoning his thunderbolt, went for refuge with folded palms. / Skanda, the best of beings, granted safety to him along with his army.

Then the delighted gods sounded musical instruments. / And from his thunderbolt blow, maidens of great strength were born,

dreadful ones, who seize children that are born and those remaining in the womb: / Kākī, Hilimā, Rudrā, and likewise Vṛṣabhā,

Āyā, Palālā, and Mitrā—these are the seven Mothers of Children. / And from these was born a child endowed with valor, very dreadful,

a terrifying, red-eyed son born from the grace of Skanda. / This is declared as the wondrous group of eight heroic mothers of Skanda,

always to be worshipped with devotion, granting relief from all forms of epilepsy. / Then Śrī approached Skanda, who had a golden armor and garland,

covered in red cloth, radiant even to the three worlds, / a youth; Śrī herself, incarnate, attended upon him, bowing down.

And to him who was attended by Śrī, all the gods indeed said, bowing: / “O golden-hued one, auspiciousness to you! Be a bringer of welfare to the worlds!

May you be Indra, our lord, for the benefit of the three worlds!”

Skanda said: / “What does Indra do for all the worlds here, O best of gods? / And how does the Lord of Gods always protect the hosts of deities?”

The gods said: / “Indra assigns strength, splendor, offspring, and happiness to living beings; / and the Lord of Gods bestows wisdom and all inheritances.

He takes away from the ill-behaved; he bestows upon those established in good conduct. / And, most mighty, he commands creatures in their duties.

Where there is no sun, he becomes the sun; likewise, where there is no moon, the moon. / He becomes fire and wind, the cause of life on earth.

This is to be done by Indra, for Indra is vast strength. / And become our Indra, O hero! Slay Tāraka! Homage to you!”

Indra said: / “You become Indra, O mighty-armed one, bringing happiness to all of us. / Bowing, I pray, O Skanda: slay Tāraka, protect us!”

Skanda said: / “Rule the three worlds yourself; may you always be Indra. / I will perform the deeds of Indra; the rank of Indra is not desired by me.

You alone are king—auspiciousness to you—of the three worlds and of myself. / And what command of yours shall I carry out, O Śakra? Tell that to me.”

Indra said: / “If these words have been spoken by you with firm resolve, / be consecrated in the generalship of the gods, O one of great strength! / I will be Indra by your word; may glory be yours!”

Skanda said: / “For the destruction of the Dānavas, for the success of the purpose of the gods, / and for the sake of cows and brahmins, so let your word be!”

When this was said, a very great roar arose from the gods, / and from all living beings, filling the lap of the three worlds.

They praised him, crying 'Victory!', and sounded musical instruments; / they danced, sang praises, and clapped their hands.

Amazed by that great noise, the daughter of the mountain / said to Śaṃkara: 'O Lord, what is this resounding noise?'

Rudra said: / 'Today indeed, O goddess, the manifold voices of the rejoiced gods are heard, / since your son has been born.

For cows, for brahmins, and for virtuous wives among the celestials, / your son shall wipe away tears, O blessed one.'

As he spoke thus, the goddess became eager to see him, / as did Śaṃkara of great splendor, being full of deep affection for his son.

Then, having mounted the bull together with the goddess, eager, / accompanied by his attendants, Bhava went forth, yearning for the sight of his son.

Then Brahmā, the lord of creatures, spoke to Mahāsena: / 'Go to Mahādeva, your father, and to your mother, O lord.

For your primal origin was from the union of their seed.' / Having replied, 'So be it,' Mahāsena went to Maheśvara.