Chapter 227

“Markandeya continued, ‘Now hear of those terrible and curious-lookingfollowers of Skanda. A number of male children came into being whenSkanda was struck with the thunder-bolt,–those terrific creatures thatsteal (spirit away) little children, whether born, or in the womb and anumber of female children too of great strength were born to him. Thosechildren adopted Visakha as their father. That adorable and dexterousBhadrasakha, having a face like that of a goat was at the time (of thebattle), surrounded by all his sons and daughters whom he guardedcarefully in the presence of the great mothers. And for this reason theinhabitants of this earth call Skanda the father of Kumaras (littlechildren). Those persons who desire to have sons born to them, worship intheir places the powerful Rudra in the form of the Fire-god, and Uma inthe form of Swaha. And by that means they are blessed with sons. Thedaughters begotten by the Fire-god, Tapa, went over to Skanda, who saidto them, ‘What can I do for you?’ Those girls replied, ‘Do us thisfavour; by thy blessing, may we become the good and respected mothers ofall the world!’ He replied, ‘Be it so.’ And that liberal-minded beingrepeated again and again, ‘Ye shall be divided into Siva and Asiva.'[76]And the mothers then departed, having first established Skanda’s sonship,Kaki, Halima, Malini, Vrinhila, Arya, Palala and Vaimitra, these were theseven mothers of Sisu. They had a powerful, red-eyed, terrific, and veryturbulent son named Sisu born by the blessing of Skanda. He was reputedas the eighth hero, born of the mothers of Skanda. But he is also knownas the ninth, when that being with the face of a goat, is included. Knowthat the sixth face of Skanda was like that of a goat. That face, O king,is situated in the middle of the six, and is regarded constantly by themother. That head by which Bhadrasakha created the divine energy, isreputed to be the best of all his heads O ruler of men, these virtuouswonderful events happened on the fifth day of the bright half of thelunar month, and on the sixth, a very fierce and terrific battle wasfought at that place.”