13.084
The origin of Kārttikeya;
The gods said.
O lord, the demon named Tāraka, who has received a boon from you, is tormenting the gods and sages; therefore, please arrange for his destruction. (13-84-1)
O grandsire, from that, fear has arisen for us indeed; protect us, O god, for we truly have no other refuge. (13-84-2)
Brahmā said.
I am impartial to all beings, and I do not favor unrighteousness here. Let Tāraka, who troubles the assemblies of the divine sages, be slain quickly. (13-84-3)
O best among the gods, the Vedas and dharmas should not come to destruction. What was ordained by me long ago here, let your affliction be dispelled. (13-84-4)
The gods said;
Due to the boon of the blessed one, the son of Diti, proud of his strength, cannot be killed by the gods; so how could he meet his end? (13-84-5)
He indeed never accepted to be liable to be slain by gods, Asuras, or Rākṣasas—thus he accepted that boon from you, O Grandfather. (13-84-6)
O lord of all the worlds, the gods were once cursed by Rudrāṇī regarding the destruction of their progeny: "You will have no offspring." (13-84-7)
Brahmā said.
The Fire-god was not present there at the time of the curse, O best among the gods. He begot an offspring to destroy the enemies of the gods. (13-84-8)
That indeed surpassed all—the gods, asuras, rākṣasas, humans, gandharvas, nāgas, and also birds. (13-84-9)
He will slay him with a spear— a weapon with unfailing strike; because of whom fear has arisen for you and for the other enemies of the gods. (13-84-10)
Indeed, resolve is eternal, which is called desire. The energy of Rudra flowed into and fell into the fire. (13-84-11)
That splendor, like a second fire and a great being, will be generated in Gaṅgā for the destruction of the enemies of the gods. (13-84-12)
But he did not incur that curse—he, who was destroyed, the giver to the consumer of the oblation (fire). Therefore, O gods, the remover of fear, the son of Pāvaka, will be born for you. (13-84-13)
Let fire be sought and thus also employed today. The means for Tāraka's destruction has indeed been described by me, O blameless ones. (13-84-14)
Indeed, the curses of the powerful do not affect the powerful; lesser strengths, when encountered by excessive strength, certainly become powerless. (13-84-15)
Desire, the most ancient fire, pleased by the power of resolve, may destroy even ascetics endowed with boons who are otherwise invincible. (13-84-16)
He is the lord of the world, indescribable, all-pervading, creator of all, the indweller in the hearts of all beings, the eldest, and a lord even greater than Rudra. (13-84-17)
But let it be quickly searched, that mass of brilliance, Agni; that god will accomplish for you the desire existing in your mind. (13-84-18)
Having listened to this speech, then the gods, their purpose achieved, went in search of fire to the great-souled one. (13-84-19)
Then the sages of all three worlds, together with the gods, searched everywhere, all desiring the sight of Agni, their minds fixed upon him. (13-84-20)
Endowed with supreme austerity, wealth, and fame in the worlds, all the perfected beings wandered among the worlds, O best of the Bhṛgus. The fire, being lost and merged into themselves, they did not attain. (13-84-21)
Then, the frog, whose mind was weary, frightened, desiring a vision of Agni, and inflamed by the radiance of Agni, who had arisen from the bottom of the netherworld, spoke to the gods. (13-84-22)
O lord, it is said that fire dwells at the bottom of the netherworld. O master, I have arrived here due to the heat, because of the brilliance of the fire. (13-84-23)
He, the revered Agni, sleeping in the water, O gods, having mingled his energies with the waters, has afflicted us. (13-84-24)
If the sight of him is desired by you, O gods of Fire, then approach him there to accomplish your work by means of fire. (13-84-25)
"Let it be gone; we will accomplish it, O gods, indeed out of fear of fire." Having spoken thus, the frog quickly entered the water. (13-84-26)
Agni perceived the frog’s maliciousness and, approaching him, cursed him: "You will not enjoy tastes." (13-84-27)
Pāvaka, having afflicted the frog with a curse, went elsewhere to dwell. The powerful one did not show himself to the gods. (13-84-28)
The gods showed favour to the frogs, O best of the Bhṛgus. Hear in full what that was, O mighty-armed, as I recount it to you. (13-84-29)
The gods said:
Though your tongues, due to Agni's curse, are deprived of the sense of taste, you all will still utter speech (Sarasvatī) in many forms. (13-84-30)
Those of you who have crawled into holes, have lost possessions, are unconscious, or have died—even your dry bodies will be supported by the earth. When darkness falls, you will also wander about at night. (13-84-31)
Thus, having said this to them, the gods again searched this earth for fire, but they did not find (the) fire. (13-84-32)
Then, someone equal to Indra’s elephant, that elephant, Agni standing on the aśvattha tree, thus spoke to the gods, O best of the Bhṛgus. (13-84-33)
Overcome with anger, Agni cursed all the elephants: "Your tongue will become contrary," thus he said, O best of the Bhṛgus. (13-84-34)
Having thus spoken, Agni departed from the aśvattha tree, indicated by the elephants, and then the fire, wishing to sleep, entered into the womb of the śamī tree. (13-84-35)
O best of the Bhṛgu family, O lord, listen to the favor that the gods, pleased and truly valiant, showed to the nāgas. (13-84-36)
The gods said;
Even with your tongue acting contrariwise, you will be able to take all foods, and you will utter speech loudly with indistinct letters. Having thus spoken, the celestials again followed Agni. (13-84-37)
O brāhmaṇa, fire having emerged from the aśvattha tree and entered the womb of the śamī tree, was revealed by the śuka bird; the gods then approached it. (13-84-38)
Agni cursed the parrot, saying, "You will become unable to speak." Then, at that time, Agni also rolled back his tongue. (13-84-39)
Seeing the fire, the gods, moved by compassion, said to the parrot: "You will not entirely lose your speech, O parrot." (13-84-40)
The speech of a person with a restrained tongue will become pleasing, just as the voice of a grown person, though marvelous, is as indistinct as that of a child. (13-84-41)
Having said thus, when the deities saw the fire within the śamī tree, they made that very place its abode, which is held sacred in all rituals. (13-84-42)
From that time onward, fire is seen within the interiors of the śamī wood, and humans have thus adopted this means for producing it. (13-84-43)
O Bhārgava, the waters in the netherworld, which have been mixed with Citrabhānu (the Sun), those waters, heated and pervaded by his radiance, release their heat through mountain springs by the power of fire. (13-84-44)
Then Agni, having seen the gods, became disturbed at that moment. Pāvaka (Fire) asked them, "What is the reason for your arrival?" (13-84-45)
All the gods and indeed those great sages said to him: "We shall appoint you for this task, for you are worthy to carry it out. And when this is accomplished, there will be very great merit for you also." (13-84-46)
Agni said.
Tell me what task you wish, O gods; I will accomplish all that. Truly, I am to be employed by you; let there be no discussion about this for you here. (13-84-47)
The gods said.
The demon Tāraka, empowered by a boon from Brahma, is tormenting us with his strength; let arrangements be made for his destruction. (13-84-48)
O fire, please protect these groups of gods, groups of progenitors, and also the greatly fortunate sages, O dear one. (13-84-49)
O Lord, produce an offspring endowed with brilliance and excellent heroism. Whatever fear we have from the demon, may O Agni, destroy it. (13-84-50)
For us, cursed by Mahādevī, there is no other refuge; elsewhere your might (is effective); therefore, protect us from that. (13-84-51)
Thus addressed, he replied, 'So be it,' and the venerable, unassailable eater of oblations to gods and ancestors then proceeded towards the Gaṅgā, the river Bhāgīrathī. (13-84-52)
Through her, a mixed embryo was also formed, and then that embryo of his grew in the womb, like (one) with dark motion. (13-84-53)
On account of the brilliance of his embryo, the goddess Gaṅgā, her mind greatly agitated, experienced severe torment. She was truly unable to bear it. (13-84-54)
When fire was established and (the being) endowed with brilliance was within the womb, then a certain asura in the Ganga emitted a terrifying sound. (13-84-55)
Then, startled by the sudden, loud sound, Gaṅgā—terrified, her eyes wide and bewildered—lost consciousness and was unable to sustain the child of Śakada within herself. (13-84-56)
But she, Jāhnavī—her body enveloped by brilliance, trembling and agitated by the force of the embryo—then spoke these words, O Brāhmaṇa: "O revered one, I am not able to sustain this energy." (13-84-57)
I am bewildered by this, and have thus suffered great illness; I am also distressed, O revered one, and my vigor is lost, O sinless one. (13-84-58)
O best among the austere, I am not able to sustain this embryo. I shall let it go because of pain, but not at all from desire. (13-84-59)
O god Agni, there is no contact with my mind; at the time of misfortune, even a very subtle connection matters, O greatly radiant one. (13-84-60)
O Fire, whatever here is virtuous or otherwise—I consider both righteousness and unrighteousness to reside exclusively in you. (13-84-61)
Then Agni said to her: Let this embryo, endowed with my energy and possessing the manifestation of great virtuous qualities, be borne. (13-84-62)
You are certainly able to bear and sustain the entire earth; there is indeed nothing unattainable for you except retaining my seed. (13-84-63)
She, the foremost river, when restrained by Agni and the gods, then released that embryo upon Meru, the best of mountains. (13-84-64)
Even though she was capable of holding, being overpowered by Rudra's energy, she was not able at that time to bear the embryo by her strength. (13-84-65)
She, overwhelmed by sorrow, abandoned him who was blazing with the radiance of Vaiśvānara. Then Agni showed her to Gaṅgā, O Bhṛgūdvaha. (Agni) asked the best of rivers whether the offspring had arisen without trouble. (13-84-66)
O goddess, of what kind is the color, or what kind is the form that is seen? With what brilliance is it endowed? Tell me all this. (13-84-67)
Gaṅgā spoke.
That embryo, golden in color, indeed by its brilliance, like fire, became pure shining gold, and lit up the mountain. (13-84-68)
O best among the afflicted, the fragrance of this is as cool as the lakes filled with lotuses and blue-lotuses and is equal to that of kadamba trees. (13-84-69)
By the radiance of its core, like the sun's rays, whatever substance was spread on the earth or on the mountains, all of it was seen to have become golden on every side. (13-84-70)
He circled the mountains, rivers, and springs, and with his radiance illuminated the three worlds, with all that moves and does not move. (13-84-71)
That son of yours, O Agni, possessed such a form, brilliant like Sūrya and Vaiśvānara, another Soma in splendor. Having spoken thus, the goddess vanished then and there. (13-84-72)
Then Agni, the brilliant one, having accomplished the task of the heavenly beings, went from there to the desired place, O son of Bhṛgu. (13-84-73)
By these qualities and actions, Agni's name is proclaimed in the world as 'Hiranya-Retā,' thus indeed by sages and wise men. Similarly, at that time, the goddess Earth was known as Vasumatī. (13-84-74)
But that embryo, possessed of great brilliance, the son of Gaṅgā and born from Pāvaka, having reached the divine lake of reeds, grew there with a wondrous appearance. (13-84-75)
The Krittika goddesses saw him, whose radiance resembled the rising sun; with newly arisen affection, they nourished that boy with streams of milk. (13-84-76)
Then that one of supreme splendor became Kārtikeya; because he was dropped, he was called Skanda, and because he dwelt in a cave, he became Guha. (13-84-77)
Thus, gold that is produced is considered the offspring of Jātavedas. Among them, Jāmbūnada gold is the best and is an ornament even for the gods. (13-84-78)
From then onwards, this refined gold has also been called so; for that gold is the revered Agni, the lord, Prajāpati. (13-84-79)
O best of twice-born, gold is indeed the purest among pure things. Gold is spoken of as having the very nature of Agni and Soma. (13-84-80)
It is the best among jewels, the best among ornaments; it is pure among pure things, and auspicious among auspicious things. (13-84-81)
