03.214
mārkaṇḍeya uvāca॥
Markandeya said.
śivā bhāryā tvaṅg irasaḥ śīla-rūpa-guṇānvitā। tasyāḥ sā prathamaṃ rūpaṃ kṛtvā devī janādhipa ॥ jagāma pāvakābhyāśaṃ taṃ covāca varāṅganā ॥03-214-1॥
The auspicious wife of Tvaṅgira, endowed with character, beauty, and virtues. She, taking on her first form, the goddess, for the king, went near Agni and the splendid woman spoke to him. (03-214-1)
mām agne kāmasantaptāṃ tvaṃ kāmayitum arhasi। kariṣyasi na ced evaṃ mṛtāṃ mām upadhāraya॥03-214-2॥
O Agni, you should desire me who am tormented by desire; if you do not do so, then bear me away as dead. (03-214-2)
aham aṅgiraso bhāryā śivā nāma hutāśana. sakhībhiḥ sahitā prāptā mantrayitvā viniścayam ॥03-214-3॥
O Fire, I am Śivā, the wife of Aṅgiras by name, who, together with friends, after consultation, have arrived at a decision. (03-214-3)
agnir uvāca॥
Agni said.
kathaṁ māṁ tvaṁ vijānīṣe kāmārtamitarāḥ katham। yāstvayā kīrtitāḥ sarvāḥ saptarṣīṇāṁ priyāḥ striyaḥ ॥03-214-4॥
How do you consider me, who am afflicted by desire? How about the others? All those women, beloved of the seven sages, whom you have mentioned.
śivovāca॥
Śiva said.
asmākaṃ tvaṃ priyo nityaṃ bibhīmas tu vayaṃ tava। tvac-cittam-iṅgitair jñātvā preṣitāsmi tavāntikam॥03-214-5॥
You are always dear to us, but we fear you. Having understood your mind by its gestures, I have been sent close to you. (03-214-5)
maithunāyeha samprāptā kāmaṁ prāptaṁ drutaṁ cara। mātaro māṁ pratīkṣante gamiṣyāmi hutāśana ॥03-214-6॥
I have come here for union, my desire is fulfilled, act quickly. My mothers are waiting for me; I shall go, O Agni. (03-214-6)
mārkaṇḍeya uvāca॥
Mārkaṇḍeya said.
tato'gnirupayeme tāṃ śivāṃ prītimudāyutaḥ। prītyā devī ca saṃyuktā śukraṃ jagrāha pāṇinā॥03-214-7॥
Then Agni, filled with joy, approached her, the auspicious Goddess. With affection, the Goddess united with him and received the semen in her hand. (03-214-7)
acintayan mamedam ye rūpaṃ drakṣyanti kānane। te brāhmaṇīnām anṛtaṃ doṣaṃ vakṣyanti pāvake ॥03-214-8॥
Reflecting, those who see this form of mine in the forest will declare the false charge against the wives of brāhmaṇas at the (sacred) fire. (03-214-8)
tasmādetadrakṣyamāṇā garuḍī sambhavāmyaham। vanānnirgamanaṃ caiva sukhaṃ mama bhaviṣyati॥03-214-9॥
Therefore, as a Garudi protecting this, I will make myself manifest; and from the forest, going out will indeed be happiness for me. (03-214-9)
suparṇī sā tadā bhūtvā nirjagāma mahāvanāt। apaśyat parvataṃ śvetaṃ śarastambhaiḥ susaṃvṛtam ॥03-214-10॥
Then, having assumed the form of a winged one, she departed from the great forest. She saw a white mountain well-covered with arrow-pillars. (03-214-10)
dṛṣṭiviṣaiḥ saptaśīrṣairguptaṃ bhogibhiradbhutaiḥ। rakṣobhiśca piśācaiśca raudrairbhūtaganaistathā॥ rākṣasībhiśca sampūrṇamanekaiśca mṛgadvijaiḥ॥03-214-11॥
It was protected by marvelous serpents possessing sight and poison, with seven heads; as well as by rākṣasas, piśācas, fierce spirits, and rākṣasīs, and was completely filled by many kinds of beasts and birds. (03-214-11)
sā tatra sahasā gatvā śailapṛṣṭhaṃ sudurgamam। prākṣipat kāñcane kuṇḍe śukraṃ sā tvaritā satī ॥03-214-12॥
She, hurried and chaste, suddenly went there to the mountain top which was very difficult to access, and cast the semen into a golden vessel. (03-214-12)
śiṣṭānām api sā devī saptarṣīṇāṃ mahātmanām। patnīsarūpatāṃ kṛtvā kāmayāmāsa pāvakam ॥03-214-13॥
Even of the virtuous, she, the goddess of the great-souled seven sages, assuming the form of their wives, desired Agni. (03-214-13)
divyarūpam arundhatyāḥ kartuṁ na śakitaṁ tayā। tasyās tapaḥ-prabhāveṇa bhartṛ-śuśrūṣaṇena ca ॥03-214-14॥
Even for Arundhati, it was not possible to attain a divine form; it was by the power of her austerity and her service to her husband (that she accomplished it). (03-214-14)
ṣaṭkṛtvastattu nikṣiptamagne retaḥ kurūttama। tasminkuṇḍe pratipadi kāminyā svāhayā tadā ॥03-214-15॥
O best of the Kurus, that semen was placed in the fire six times. Then, on each day, in that firepit, the longing woman offered it with the 'svāhā' mantra. (03-214-15)
tatskannaṃ tejasā tatra sambhṛtaṃ janayat-sutam. ṛṣibhiḥ pūjitaṃ skannam-anayat-skandatāṃ tataḥ ॥03-214-16॥
That which was spilled by the energy was there collected and produced a son. The sages honored it, and the spilled substance was then made to become Skanda. (03-214-16)
ṣaṭśirā dviguṇaśrotro dvādaśākṣibhujakramaḥ। ekagrīvastvekakāyaḥ kumāraḥ samapadyata ॥03-214-17॥
The boy became six-headed, with double ears, twelve eyes, a succession of arms; yet with one neck and one body. (03-214-17)
dvitīyāyām abhivyaktaḥ tṛtīyāyāṃ śiśuḥ babhau। aṅga-pratyaṅga-sambhūtaḥ caturthyām abhavad Guhaḥ॥03-214-18॥
Guha was manifested on the second day; on the third day, the child became radiant; with his limbs and sub-limbs formed, on the fourth day, Guha came into being. (03-214-18)
lohitābhreṇa mahatā saṁvṛtaḥ saha vidyutā। lohitābhre sumahati bhāti sūrya ivoditaḥ ॥03-214-19॥
Covered by a great red cloud accompanied by lightning, he shines in the immense red cloud like the rising sun. (03-214-19)
gṛhītaṃ tu dhanus tena vipulaṃ lomaharṣaṇam। nyastaṃ yat tripuraghnena surāri-vinikṛntanam ॥03-214-20॥
The very great and fearsome bow, once wielded and then laid down by the destroyer of Tripura, who vanquishes the enemies of the gods, was taken by him. (03-214-20)
tad-gṛhītvā dhanuḥ-śreṣṭhaṃ nanāda balavāṃs tadā। saṃmohayann iva imān trīn lokān sa-carācarān॥03-214-21॥
Having seized that excellent bow, the powerful one then roared, as if bewildering these three worlds along with all moving and unmoving beings. (03-214-21)
tasya taṃ ninadaṃ śrutvā mahāmeghaughanisvanam| utpetatur mahānāgau citraś cāirāvataś ca ha ॥03-214-22॥
Hearing his roar, which sounded like a great mass of clouds, the two great elephants, Citra and Airāvata, leapt up. (03-214-22)
tāvāpatantau samprekṣya sa bālārkasamadyutiḥ। dvābhyāṃ gṛhītvā pāṇibhyāṃ śaktiṃ cānyena pāṇinā ॥ apareṇāgnidāyādastāmracūḍaṃ bhujena saḥ ॥03-214-23॥
Seeing those two charging at him, he—resplendent like the rising sun—grasped the spear with both hands; with another hand and with yet another arm, the descendant of Agni seized the one with the coppery crest. (03-214-23)
mahākāyam-upaśliṣṭam kukkuṭam balināṃ varam। gṛhītvā vyanadad bhīmaṃ cikrīḍa ca mahābalaḥ ॥03-214-24॥
The very mighty one, having seized the great-bodied cock who was the best among the strong, embraced it, uttered a terrible sound, and then played. (03-214-24)
dvābhyāṃ bhujābhyāṃ balavān gṛhītvā śaṅkham uttamam। prādhmāpayata bhūtānāṃ trāsanaṃ balinām api॥03-214-25॥
The strong man, using both arms, seized the excellent conch and blew it, frightening all beings, even the powerful ones. (03-214-25)
dvābhyāṁ bhujābhyām ākāśaṁ bahuśo nijaghāna saḥ। krīḍan bhāti mahāsenas trīnlokān vadanaiḥ piban ॥ parvatāgre'prameyātmā raśmimān udaye yathā ॥03-214-26॥
With his two arms he struck the sky repeatedly; playing, Mahasena shines, as if drinking the three worlds with his mouths, like the radiant one of immeasurable nature (the Sun) at his rising on the mountain peak. (03-214-26)
sa tasya parvatasya agre niṣaṇṇaḥ adbhuta-vikramaḥ। vyalokayat ameya-ātmā mukhaiḥ nānā-vidhaiḥ diśaḥ॥ sa paśyan vividhān bhāvān cakāra ninadam punaḥ॥03-214-27॥
He, possessing wondrous valor, sat atop that mountain; that one with immeasurable self beheld the directions with various faces. Seeing those diverse states, he let out a roar once more. (03-214-27)
tasya taṁ ninadaṁ śrutvā nyapatan bahudhā janāḥ | bhītāś codvigna-manasas tam eva śaraṇaṁ yayuḥ ||03-214-28||
Hearing his loud roar, the people collapsed in many ways; frightened and anxious at heart, they went to him alone for refuge. (03-214-28)
ye tu taṃ saṃśritā devaṃ nānāvarṇās tadā janāḥ. tān apy āhuḥ pāriṣadān brāhmaṇāḥ sumahābalān ॥03-214-29॥
But those people of various classes, who at that time took refuge in that god, are also called by the Brāhmaṇas the powerful attendants. (03-214-29)
sa tūtthāya mahābāhur upasāntvya ca tāñ janān. dhanur vikṛṣya vyasṛjad bāṇāñ śvete mahāgirau ॥03-214-30॥
Having risen, the mighty-armed one soothed those people, and drawing his bow, released arrows at the white great mountain. (03-214-30)
bibheda sa śaraiḥ śailaṃ krauñcaṃ himavataḥ sutam। tena haṃsāś ca gṛdhrāś ca meruṃ gacchanti parvatam॥03-214-31॥
He split the mountain Krauncha, the son of Himavat, with arrows; as a result, swans and vultures go to Mount Meru. (03-214-31)
sa viśīrṇo'patacchailo bhṛśam ārtasvarān ruvan। tasmin nipatite tv anye neduḥ śailā bhṛśaṃ bhayāt॥03-214-32॥
As he was shattered, the rock fell, howling violently with cries of pain. When he had fallen, the other rocks roared loudly out of great fear. (03-214-32)
sa taṃ nādaṃ bhṛśārtānāṃ śrutvāpi balināṃ varaḥ। na prāvyathad ameyātmā śaktim udyamya cānadat॥03-214-33॥
He, the chief among the strong, having heard that cry of those who were greatly anguished, was not agitated; his mind was immeasurable. Lifting up his spear, he roared. (03-214-33)
sā tadā vipulā śaktiḥ kṣiptā tena mahātmanā। bibheda śikharaṃ ghoraṃ śvetasya tarasā gireḥ॥03-214-34॥
At that time, that great force, hurled by the great-souled one, split the terrible peak of Mount Śveta with its strength. (03-214-34)
sa tenābhihato dīno giriḥ śveto'calaiḥ saha। utpapāta mahīṃ tyaktvā bhītas tasmān mahātmanaḥ॥03-214-35॥
The white mountain, struck and afflicted by him, together with other mountains, leaped up from the earth in fear of that great-souled one. (03-214-35)
tataḥ pravyathitā bhūmir vyaśīryata samantataḥ। ārtā skandaṃ samāsādya punar balavatī babhau॥03-214-36॥
Then, when the earth was agitated and shattered on all sides, she, distressed, went to Skanda, and became powerful again and shone. (03-214-36)
parvatāś ca namaskṛtya tam eva pṛthivīṃ gatāḥ. athāyam abhajallokaḥ skandaṃ śuklasya pañcamīm ॥03-214-37॥
The mountains, having bowed to him, went back to the earth. Then, on the fifth day of the bright fortnight, this world worshipped Skanda. (03-214-37)
