Chapter 46

Vaishampayana said, “Listen now to the large bands of the mothers, thoseslayers of foes, O hero, that became the companions of Kumara, as Imention their names. Listen, O Bharata, to the names of those illustriousmothers. The mobile and immobile universe is pervaded by those auspiciousones. They are Prabhavati, Vishalakshi, Palita, Gonasi, Shrimati, Bahula,Bahuputrika, Apsujata, Gopali, Brihadambalika, Jayavati, Malatika,Dhruvaratna, Bhayankari, Vasudama, Sudama, Vishoka, Nandini, Ekacuda,Mahacuda, Cakranemi, Uttejani, Jayatsena, Kamalakshi, Shobhana,Shatrunjaya, Shalabhi, Khari, Madhavi, Shubhavaktra, Tirthanemi,Gitapriya, Kalyani, Kadrula, Amitashana, Meghasvana, Bhogavati, Subhru,Kanakavati, Alatakshi, Viryavati, Vidyujjihva, Padmavati, Sunakshatra,Kandara, Bahuyojana, Santanika, Kamala, Mahabala, Sudama, Bahudama,Suprabha, Yashasvini, Nrityapriya, Shatolukhalamekhala, Shataghanta,Shatananda, Bhagananda, Bhamini, Vapushmati, Candrashita, Bhadrakali,Samkarika, Nishkutika, Bhrama, Catvaravasini, Sumangala, Svastimati,Vriddhikama, Jayapriya, Dhanada, Suprasada, Bhavada, Jaleshvari, Edi,Bhedi, Samedi, Vetalajanani, Kanduti, Kalika, Devamitra, Lambasi, Ketaki,Citrasena, Bala, Kukkutika, Shankhanika, Jarjarika, Kundarika, Kokalika,Kandara, Shatodari, Utkrathini, Jarena, Mahavega, Kankana, Manojava,Kantakini, Praghasa, Putana, Khashaya, Curvyuti, Vama, Kroshanatha,Taditprabha, Mandodari, Tunda, Kotara, Meghavasini, Subhaga, Lambini,Lamba, Vasucuda, Vikatthani, Urdhvavenidhara, Pingakshi, Lohamekhala,Prithuvaktra, Madhurika, Madhukumbha, Pakshalika, Manthanika, Jarayu,Jarjaranana, Khyata, Dahadaha, Dhamadhama, Khandakhanda, Pushana,Manikundala, Amogha, Lambapayodhara, Venuvinadhara, Pingakshi,Lohamekhala, Shasholukamukhi, Krishna, Kharajangha, Mahajava,Shishumaramukhi, Shveta, Lohitakshi, Vibhishana, Jatalika, Kamacari,Dirghajihva, Balotkata, Kaledika, Vamanika, Mukuta, Lohitakshi, Mahakaya,Haripindi, Ekakshara, Sukusuma, Krishnakarni, Kshurakarni, Catushkarni,Karnapravarana, Catushpathaniketa, Gokarni, Mahishanana, Kharakarni,Mahakarni, Bherisvanamahasvana, Shankhakumbhasvana, Bhangada, Gana,Sugana, Bhiti, Kamada, Catushpatharata, Bhutirtha, Anyagocara, Pashuda,Vittada, Sukhada, Mahayasha, Payoda, Gomahishada, Suvishana, Pratishtha,Supratishtha, Rocamana, Surocana, Naukarni, Mukhakarni, Sasira, Stherika,Ekacakra, Megharava, Meghamala, and Virocana.

These and many other mothers, O bull of Bharata’s race, numbering bythousands, of diverse forms, became the followers of Kartikeya. Theirnails were long, their teeth were large and their lips also, O Bharata,were protruding. Of straight forms and sweet features, all of them,endowed with youth, were decked with ornaments. Possessed of asceticmerit, they were capable of assuming any form at will. Having not muchflesh on their limbs, they were of fair complexions and endued withsplendour like that of gold. Some amongst them were dark and looked likeclouds in hue and some were of the colour of smoke, O bull of Bharata’srace. And some were endued with the splendour of the morning sun and werehighly blessed. Possessed of long tresses, they were clad in robes ofwhite. The braids of some were tied upwards, and the eyes of some weretawny, and some had girdles that were very long. Some had long stomachs,some had long ears, and some had long breasts. Some had coppery eyes andcoppery complexion, and the eyes of some were green.

Capable of granting boons and of travelling at will, they were alwayscheerful. Possessed of great strength, some amongst them partook of thenature of Yama, some of Rudra, some of Soma, some of Kuvera, some ofVaruna, some of Indra, and some of Agni, O scorcher of foes. And somepartook of the nature of Vayu, some of Kumara, some of Brahma, O bull ofBharata’s race, and some of Vishnu and some of Surya, and some of Varaha.

Of charming and delightful features, they were beautiful like the asuras.In voice they resembled the kokila and in prosperity they resembled theLord of Treasures. In battle, their energy resembled that of Shakra. Insplendour they resembled fire. In battle they always inspired their foeswith terror. Capable of assuming any form at will, in fleetness theyresembled the very wind. Of inconceivable might and energy, their prowessalso was inconceivable.

They have their abodes on trees and open spots and crossings of fourroads. They live also in caves and crematoriums, mountains and springs.Adorned with diverse kinds of ornaments, they wear diverse kinds ofattire, and speak diverse languages. These and many other tribes (of themothers), all capable of inspiring foes with dread, followed thehigh-souled Kartikeya at the command of the chief of the celestials.

The adorable chastiser of Paka, O tiger among kings, gave unto Guha(Kartikeya) a dart for the destruction of the enemies of the gods. Thatdart produces a loud whiz and is adorned with many large bells. Possessedof great splendour, it seemed to blaze with light. And Indra also gavehim a banner effulgent as the morning sun. Shiva gave him a large army,exceedingly fierce and armed with diverse kinds of weapons, and enduedwith great energy begotten of ascetic penances. Invincible and possessingall the qualities of a good army, that force was known by the name ofdhananjaya. It was protected by thirty 30,000 warriors each of whom waspossessed of might equal to that of Rudra himself. That force knew nothow to fly from battle. Vishnu gave him a triumphal garland that enhancesthe might of the wearer. Uma gave him two pieces of cloth of effulgencelike that of the Sun. With great pleasure Ganga gave unto Kumara acelestial water-pot, begotten of amrita, and Brihaspati gave him a sacredstick. Garuda gave him his favourite son, a peacock of beautifulfeathers. Aruna gave him a cock of sharp talons. The royal Varuna gavehim a snake of great energy and might. The lord Brahma gave unto that goddevoted to Brahman a black deer-skin. And the Creator of all the worldsalso gave him victory in all battles.

Having obtained the command of the celestial forces, Skanda lookedresplendent like a blazing fire of bright flames. Accompanied by thosecompanions and the mothers, he proceeded for the destruction of thedaityas, gladdening all the foremost of the gods. The terrible host ofcelestials, furnished with standards adorned with bells, and equippedwith drums and conchs and cymbals, and armed with weapons, and deckedwith many banners, looked beautiful like the autumnal firmamentbespangled with planets and stars.

Then that vast assemblage of celestials and diverse kinds of creaturesbegan cheerfully to beat their drums and blow their conchs numberingthousands. And they also played on their patahas and jharjharas andkrikacas and cow-horns and adambaras and gomukhas and dindimas of loudsound. All the gods, with Vasava at their head, praised Kumara. Thecelestials and the gandharvas sang and the apsaras danced.

Well-pleased (with these attentions) Skanda granted a boon unto all thegods, saying, ‘I shall slay all your foes,’ then, that is, that desire toslay you. Having obtained this boon from that best of gods, theillustrious celestials regarded their foes to be already slain. AfterSkanda had granted that boon, a loud sound arose from all those creaturesinspired with joy, filling the three worlds.

Accompanied by that vast host, Skanda then set out for the destruction ofthe daityas and the protection of the denizens of heaven. Exertion, andVictory, and Righteousness, and Success, and Prosperity, and Courage, andthe Scriptures (in their embodied forms) proceeded in the van ofKartikeya’s army, O king! With that terrible force, which was armed withlances, mallets, blazing brands, maces, heavy clubs, arrows, darts andspears, and which was decked with beautiful ornaments and armour, andwhich uttered roars like those of a proud lion, the divine Guha set out.

Beholding him, all the daityas, rakshasas and danavas, anxious with fear,fled away on all sides. Armed with diverse weapons, the celestialspursued them. Seeing (the foe flying away), Skanda, endued with energyand might, became inflamed with wrath. He repeatedly hurled his terribleweapon, the dart (he had received from Agni). The energy that he thendisplayed resembled a fire fed with libations of clarified butter. Whilethe dart was repeatedly hurled by Skanda of immeasurable energy, meteoricflashes, O king, fell upon the Earth. Thunderbolts also, with tremendousnoise, fell upon the earth. Everything became as frightful O king, as itbecomes on the day of universal destruction. When that terrible dart wasonce hurled by the son of Agni, millions of darts issued from it, O bullof Bharata’s race.

The puissant and adorable Skanda, filled with joy, at last slew Taraka,the chief of the daityas, endued with great might and prowess, andsurrounded (in that battle) by a 100,000 heroic and mighty daityas. Hethen, in that battle, slew Mahisha who was surrounded by eight padmas ofdaityas. He next slew Tripada who was surrounded by a 1,000 ajutas ofdaityas. The puissant Skanda then slew Hradodara, who was surrounded byten nikharvas of daityas, with all his followers armed with diverseweapons. Filling the ten points of the compass, the followers of Kumara,O king, made a loud noise while those daityas were being slain, anddanced and jumped and laughed in joy.

Thousands of daityas, O king, were burnt with the flames that issued fromSkanda’s dart, while others breathed their last, terrified by the roarsof Skanda. The three worlds were frightened at the yawns of Skanda’ssoldiers. The foes were consumed with flames produced by Skanda. Manywere slain by his roars alone. Some amongst the foes of the gods, struckwith banners, were slain. Some, frightened by the sounds of bells, felldown on the surface of the Earth. Some, mangled with weapons, fell down,deprived of life. In this way the heroic and mighty Kartikeya slewinnumerable foes of the gods possessed of great strength that came tofight with him.

Then Bali’s son Vana of great might, getting upon the Kraunca mountain,battled with the celestial host. Possessed of great intelligence, thegreat generalissimo Skanda rushed against that foe of the gods. From fearof Kartikeya, he took shelter within the Kraunca mountain. Inflamed withrage, the adorable Kartikeya then pierced that mountain with that dartgiven him by Agni. The mountain was called Kraunca (crane) because of thesound it always produced resembled the cry of a crane. That mountain wasvariegated with shala trees. The apes and elephants on it wereaffrighted. The birds that had their abode on it rose up and wheeledaround in the welkin. The snakes began to dart down its sides. Itresounded also with the cries of leopards and bears in large numbers thatran hither and thither in fear. Other forests on it rang with the criesof hundreds upon hundreds of animals. Sharabhas and lions suddenly ranout. In consequence of all this that mountain, though it was reduced to avery pitiable plight, still assumed a very beautiful aspect. Thevidyadharas dwelling on its summits soared into the air. The kinnarasalso became very anxious, distracted by the fear caused by the fall ofSkanda’s dart. The daityas then, by hundreds and thousands, came out ofthat blazing mountain, all clad in beautiful ornaments and garlands.

The followers of Kumara, prevailing over them in battle, slew them all.The adorable Skanda, inflamed with rage, quickly slew the son of daityachief (Bali) along with his younger brother, even as Indra had slainVritra (in days before). The slayer of hostile heroes, Agni’s son,pierced with his dart the Kraunca mountain, dividing his own selfsometimes into many and sometimes uniting all his portions into one.Repeatedly hurled from his hand, the dart repeatedly came back to him.Even such was the might and glory of the adorable son of Agni. Withredoubled heroism, and energy and fame and success, the god pierced themountain and slew hundreds of daityas. The adorable god, having thusslain the enemies of the celestials, was worshipped and honoured by thelatter and obtained great joy.

After the Kraunca mountain had been pierced and after the son of Candahad been slain, drums were beaten, O king, and conchs were blown. Thecelestial ladies rained floral showers in succession upon that divinelord of yogis. Auspicious breezes began to blow, bearing celestialperfumes. The gandharvas hymned his praises, as also great rishis alwaysengaged in the performance of sacrifices. Some speak of him as thepuissant son of the Grandsire, Sanat-kumara, the eldest of all the sonsof Brahma. Some speak of him as the son of Maheshvara, and some as thatof Agni. Some again describe him as the son of Uma or of the Krittikas orof Ganga. Hundreds and thousands of people speak of that Lord of yogis ofblazing form and great might, as the son of one of those, or of either oftwo of those, or of any one of four of those.

I have thus told thee, O king, everything about the installation ofKartikeya. Listen now to the history of the sacredness of that foremostof tirthas on the Sarasvati. That foremost of tirthas, O monarch, afterthe enemies of the gods had been slain, became a second heaven. Thepuissant son of Agni gave unto each of the foremost ones among thecelestials diverse kinds of dominion and affluence and at last thesovereignty of the three worlds. Even thus, O monarch, was that adorableexterminator of the daityas installed by the gods as their generalissimo.That other tirtha, O bull of Bharata’s race, where in days of yore Varunathe lord of waters had been installed by the celestials, is known by thename of Taijasa. Having bathed in that tirtha and adored Skanda, Ramagave unto the brahmanas gold and clothes and ornaments and other things.Passing one night there, that slayer of hostile heroes, Madhava, praisingthat foremost of tirthas and touching its water, became cheerful andhappy. I have now told thee everything about which thou hadst enquired,how the divine Skanda was installed by the assembled gods!”