Mahabharata Vol. 3 (Penguin Translated Texts)

by Debroy, Bibek

  ‘“Grasping the maiden by the hand, Vasava234 told him, ‘Why are you acting towards this maiden like someone who is not an arya? Know me to be the wielder of the vajra and refrain from causing her any violence.’ Keshi replied, ‘O Shakra! Let her be. I desire her. O chastiser of Paka!235 Return to your city with your life.’ Having said this, Keshi flung his club at Indra, so as to kill him. But as it descended, Vasava sliced it into two with his vajra. Enraged, Keshi then flung the peak of a mountain. O king! On seeing that mountain peak descend, Shatakratu236 splintered it with his vajra and it fell down on the ground. As it fell, the peak hurt Keshi. Having been thus hurt, he let go of the immensely fortunate maiden and fled. When the asura had left, Vasava spoke to the maiden. ‘O one with the beautiful face! Who are you? Whose are you? What are you doing here?’ The maiden answered, ‘I am Prajapati’s daughter, famous by the name of Devasena. My sister Daityasena has already been abducted by Keshi.237 When Prajapati gave us permission, we sisters always used to come to Manasa to sport, together with our friends. The great asura Keshi always craved for our favours. O chastiser of Paka! Daityasena desired him, but I did not. O illustrious one! She was then abducted, but I have been freed through your strength. O lord of the gods! I desire that an invincible one like you should be my husband.’ Indra replied, ‘My mother is Dakshayani.238 You are the daughter of my mother’s sister. I desire that you should tell me about your own strength.’ The maiden said, ‘O mighty-armed one! I am weak, but my husband will be strong. Through my father’s boon, he will be worshipped by the gods and the asuras.’ Indra replied, ‘O goddess! O unblemished one! What kind of strength will your husband possess? I wish to hear this from you.’ The maiden said, ‘He will be immensely valorous and immensely strong. He will vanquish the gods, the danavas, the yakshas, the kinnaras, the serpents and the rakshasas. He will be seen to vanquish all the evil ones. Together with you, he will vanquish all the beings. Such will my husband be. He will have the traits of a brahmana. He will be extensive in his deeds.’ On hearing her words, Indra was unhappy and began to think, because there was no one who could be the husband the goddess had spoken of.

  ‘“Then the one, whose radiance was like the sun,239 saw the sun rise on Udaya.240 He also saw the immensely fortunate moon enter the sun. The new moon had set in and it was a terrible instant. He saw the gods and the asuras fighting on Mount Udaya. Shatakratu saw that the dawn was tinged with red clouds. The illustrious one also saw that Varuna’s abode241 was red. He saw Agni enter the sun, bearing oblations offered with mantras by Bhrigu, Angiras and the others. He also saw the twenty-four parvas surrounding the sun.242 It was a terrible instant. The moon, traversing the path of dharma, was united with the sun. On seeing the union of the sun and the moon, and on witnessing that terrible instant, Shakra began to think. ‘This great conjunction is terrible and is united with energy. This conjunction of Agni, the sun and the moon is extraordinary. If the moon begets a son now, he may be the husband of the goddess. Agni has all the qualities too and Agni is also a god. If he begets a son, he may be the husband of the goddess too.’ Having thought in this way, the illustrious one went to Brahma’s world, taking Devasena with him. Worshipping the grandfather, he said, ‘Please grant a brave husband for this goddess.’ Brahma replied, ‘O destroyer of danavas! It will be done as you have thought. There will be an embryo with great strength and valour. O Shatakratu! Together with you, he will be your army’s general. That valorous one will be the husband of this goddess.’ Hearing these words, the lord of the gods bowed in obeisance. Together with the maiden, he went to the abode of the devarshis. With Vasishtha at the forefront, those chief among the foremost of the brahmanas were extremely great in their vows. With Shatakratu leading them, the gods went to the sacrifice, thirsting for a share of the soma that had been obtained through austerities. Having performed the sacrifice in accordance with the prescribed rites, the great-souled ones243 offered oblations to all the gods into the well-kindled fire. The Adbhuta fire, the bearer of oblations, was summoned from the sun’s circle. According to the prescribed rules, the lord Agni emerged. He restrained his speech, and entered the sacrificial fire, into which, oblations had been offered with mantras. Various oblations had been rendered by the rishis and Agni accepted these. O best of the Bharata lineage! Having accepted them, he carried them to the residents of heaven.

  ‘“When he emerged, he saw the wives of those great-souled ones.244 They were seated in their hermitages and were happily bathing. Their complexions were as golden as sacrificial altars. They were as unblemished as a digit of the moon.245 Their limbs glowed with the radiance of the fire. They were as extraordinary as the stars. On seeing the wives of those foremost among brahmanas, Agni became overcome with desire and his mind and his senses were stirred. But he thought, ‘It is not proper for me to be excited. These are the wives of the foremost among brahmanas. They are beyond the reach of desire and I am desiring them. I cannot look at them, or touch them, without justified reason. I will therefore enter the household fire, and thereby, satisfy myself by always looking at them.’ He entered the household fire and happily looked at them. He touched all of them with his flames, golden in complexion. Overcome by those beautiful ones, Agni lived there, his heart attracted by love for them. However, he was not able to obtain the wives of the brahmanas. And since his heart was tormented by desire, Agni decided that he would give up his body. He went to the forest. But Daksha’s daughter, Svaha, had desired Agni earlier. For a long time, the beautiful one had been watching out for a weakness. However, the unblemished one did not find one in the god who was never distracted. But on learning that Agni had left for the forest, the beautiful one, who was tormented by desire, began to think. ‘I will assume the forms of the wives of the saptarshis and seek out Agni. He is overcome with desire. I will seduce and desire him in those forms. On doing this, he will be delighted and my desire will be satisfied.’”’

  511(214)

  ‘Markandeya said, “Shiva246 was the wife of Angiras. She was endowed with conduct, beauty and qualities. O lord of men! The goddess assumed her form first. The beautiful lady went to Agni and said, ‘O Agni! I am tormented by desire and you should satisfy my desire. O god! If you do not do this, know that I will kill myself. O Agni! I am the wife of Angiras and my name is Shiva. I have decided to come here after consulting my friends.’247 Agni asked, ‘How did you know that I was suffering from desire? How did all the others, the beloved wives of the saptarshis, come to know this?’ Shiva said, ‘You have always been our beloved. But we were afraid of you. Now that we have got to know about your desire through signs, they have sent me to you. O Agni! I have come here to have intercourse with you. Now quickly satisfy the desire we feel. The mothers248 are waiting for my return.’ Extremely happy, Agni then lived with Shiva.

  ‘“The goddess was pleased with this union and caught the semen in her hand. She thought, ‘If people see this form in the forest, they will speak about the misdeeds of the wives of the brahmanas with Agni. Therefore, to prevent this, I will become a Garudi and will easily escape from this forest.’249 She then became a Suparni and left the great forest. She saw Mount Shveta, covered extremely well with reeds. The mountain was guarded by extraordinary seven-hooded serpents, with poison in their eyes. It was populated by rakshasas, pishachas, masses of terrible demons, female rakshasas and many animals and birds. She quickly went to the mountain peak that was difficult of access. She then hurriedly hurled the semen into a golden well. Then the goddess assumed the forms of the other wives of the great-souled saptarshis and united with Agni. But she was not able to assume the celestial form of Arundhati,250 because of her faithfulness towards her husband and because of the power of her austerities. O supreme among the Kuru lineage! Driven by desire, Svaha hurled Agni’s semen into the well six times.

  ‘“On the first day of the lunar fortnight, the energy of the semen that had fallen down gave birth to a son. He was worshipped by the rishis and because the semen had fallen down,
he became Skanda.251 He had six heads and twice that many ears. He had twelve eyes and twelve arms. But Kumara had one neck and one torso. The child assumed form on the second lunar day and became a child on the third lunar day. Guha’s limbs were developed on the fourth lunar day. He was surrounded by a great mass of red clouds, with lightning in them, and looked like the sun rising on a gigantic red cloud. He held a giant bow in his hands, which made the body hair stand up. For the destruction of the enemies of the gods, it was placed there by the slayer of Tripura.252 Seizing that supreme bow, he roared with a great strength, and this terrified the three worlds, with all their mobile and immobile objects. The roar was like that of masses of giant clouds and on hearing this, the great nagas Chitra and Airavata jumped up. On seeing them fall, Agni’s son, with radiance like that of the morning sun, grabbed them with two of his hands. He held a spear in another hand. The one with the gigantic form, supreme among strong ones, grasped a cock in one hand.253 Having grasped the cock, the immensely strong one roared terribly and sported. The strong one grasped a supreme conch shell in two of his arms and blew on it, striking fear even among powerful beings. As he played repeatedly, he pounded the sky with two of his other hands. It seemed as if Mahasena was about to drink up the three worlds with his mouths. On the mountain peak, the one whose soul was infinite, looked like the sun’s rays at the time of sunrise. The one whose valour was extraordinary sat on the mountain peak. The one whose soul was infinite looked at the directions with his many faces. He saw the different types of beings and roared again. On hearing those roars, many beings fell down. They were terrified and anxious and sought refuge with him. All the beings of different varnas sought refuge with the god whom the brahmanas dub the greatest of all great companions. Arising, the mighty-armed one comforted all beings. He then drew his bow and shot arrows at the great Mount Shveta. With those arrows, Mount Krouncha, the son of the Himalayas, was rent asunder. Through that breach, swans and vultures travel to Mount Meru. On being shattered, the mountain fell down, uttering terrible lamentations. On seeing it fall, other mountains also screamed miserably. The supremely strong one heard those piteous lamentations. But he was not moved. The one whose soul is infinite, raised his spear and roared. The great-souled one then hurled his great spear and swiftly cleft the terrible peak of Mount Shveta. Having been thus shattered, Mount Shveta was miserable. Frightened of the great-souled one, it left the earth and arose, with the other mountains. This pained the earth and it trembled on all sides. In distress, it sought refuge with Skanda and was made strong again. The mountains also worshipped him and returned to earth. The worlds now worship Skanda on the fifth day of shuklapaksha.”’

  512(215)

  ‘Markandeya said, “However, the rishis were concerned about ensuring the welfare of the worlds. On seeing these extremely terrible portents of different kinds, they became anxious and performed tasks to pacify the worlds. The people who lived in Chitraratha forest averred, ‘These great calamities have descended on us because Agni had intercourse with the wives of the saptarshis.’ Others, who had seen the goddess leave in the form of Garudi, said, ‘You are responsible for this disaster.’ No one knew that this deed had been done by Svaha. Having heard that Skanda was her son, Suparni slowly went to him and said, ‘I am your mother.’ On learning that an immensely energetic son had been born, the saptarshis abandoned their six wives, with the exception of the divine Arundhati. All the residents of the forest referred to him as the son of the six. O king! But Svaha repeatedly told the saptarshis, ‘I know that he is my son. What is being said is not true.’ After performing sacrifices for the saptarshis, the great sage Vishvamitra had followed Agni without being seen, when he had been tormented by desire. He knew everything, exactly as it had happened. Vishvamitra was the first to seek refuge with Kumara. He composed a celestial hymn of praise to Mahasena. The great sage performed all the thirteen birth and other rituals for Kumara.254 He spoke about the greatness of the six-faced one, the virtues of the cock and the worship of the goddess Shakti and her companions. Vishvamitra performed rituals for the welfare of the world. Thus, the rishi Vishvamitra came to be loved by Kumara. The great sage came to know about Svaha’s transformation of form and told all the sages that the women had not committed any crimes. But though they heard those details, all of them abandoned their wives.

  ‘“On hearing about Skanda, the gods went and told Vasava, ‘O Shakra! Skanda’s strength cannot be tolerated. Kill him swiftly and without any delay. If you do not kill him now, he will become Indra. O Shakra! With his great strength, he will oppress the three worlds, us and you.’ He replied to the ones who were miserable, ‘This child is immensely strong. With his valour, he can destroy the creator of the worlds in battle. Let the mothers of the world now go to Skanda.255 They have the power and the will to destroy him.’ They256 agreed to these words and went. But on seeing that his strength was unmatched, their faces became miserable. They thought that he was invincible and sought refuge with him. They told him, ‘You are our son. We hold up the universe. Welcome all of us. We are overcome with affection for you. Our milk is flowing.’ Mahasena worshipped them and complied with their wishes. Then the strongest of the strong saw his father Agni approach and together with the group of mothers, he257 received his worship. He remained there with Mahasena, so as to protect him steadily. There was a lady among the mothers who had been created out of anger. She nursed Skanda like her own son, with a spear in her hand. She was the daughter of an ocean of blood and lived on blood. She embraced Mahasena and protected him like a son. Agni transformed himself into goat-faced Naigameya with many offspring.258 He sported himself on the mountain with the child, as if with toys.”’

  513(216)

  ‘Markandeya said, “The planets, the minor planets, the rishis and the mothers, all radiant and led by Agni, with masses of attendants and many other terrible residents of heaven, established themselves around Mahasena, together with the groups of mothers. The lord of the gods wished for victory, but was unsure about victory.259 He ascended Airavata’s shoulders260 and departed, together with the gods. Desiring victory over Mahasena, Indra travelled swiftly. The army of the gods was immensely radiant. It was terrible and extremely fast. It was adorned with colourful flags and decorations and had many vehicles and bows. It was dressed in beautiful garments and was adorned and served by prosperity. When Kumara saw Shakra advance, with the desire of killing him, he advanced. The immensely strong Shakra roared and advanced swiftly. This delighted the army of the gods, who wished to kill Agni’s son. Worshipped by the thirty gods and the supreme rishis, Vasava approached near Kartikeya. Together with the gods, the lord of the gods roared like a lion. On hearing this sound, Guha roared like the ocean. On hearing this great sound, the splendid army of the gods lost its senses. It was agitated, like the ocean by a storm.

  ‘“Having seen that the gods had approached with the desire of killing him, Agni’s son was angered. He belched forth large flames of fire from his mouth. They burnt the army of the gods and made them writhe on the ground. The heads and the bodies were in flames and the arms and the mounts were ablaze. They looked like radiant clusters of stars that had suddenly been dislodged. Having been burnt, the gods abandoned the wielder of the vajra and sought refuge with Agni’s son, thus obtaining peace. Having been deserted by the gods, Shakra hurled his vajra at Skanda. O great king! This split open Skanda’s right side. When the side of the great-souled Skanda was split from the force of the vajra, another being was born. He was a youth, decorated in gold. He was clad in celestial earrings and wielded a spear. Since he was created from the entering of the vajra, he was known as Vishakha.261 On seeing another one arise, like the fire of destruction, Indra was frightened. He joined his hands in salutation and sought refuge with Skanda. O excellent one! Skanda granted him safety, together with his army. The thirty gods were delighted and played on their musical instruments.”’

  514(217)

  ‘Markandeya said, “Now hear about Skanda’s compa
nions. They were terrible and extraordinary. They were born when Skanda was struck by the vajra and are the minor Kumaras. These terrible ones steal children, whether they have been born or whether they are in the womb. From the force of the vajra, immensely strong daughters were also born from him. The Kumaras thought of Vishakha as their father. The illustrious one protects in battle, with the face of a goat. He is surrounded by the masses of daughters and all his own sons. While the mothers look on, Bhadrashakha262 provides succour. So people on earth call Skanda the father of sons. In different regions, those who wish sons or have sons, always worship Rudra, Agni and the extremely strong Uma as Svaha.

  ‘“The maidens who the fire named Tapas had begotten, went to Skanda and he asked, ‘What will I do?’ The mothers replied, ‘Grant us this favour. May we be the supreme mothers of all the worlds. May we be worshipped. Do this for our pleasure.’ He replied that it would be this way. Then that great-souled one again said, ‘You will be of different kinds, auspicious and inauspicious.’ Thus, having fulfilled the resolution of making Skanda their son, the group of mothers went away. Kaki, Halima, Rudra, Brihali, Arya, Palala and Mitra became the seven mothers of children who have just been born. Through Skanda’s favours, each of them had a terrible son, named Shishu,263 full of valour and red in the eye. Those who were born from Skanda’s group of mothers are known as the eight brave ones.264 Together with the one who has the face of a goat,265 they are referred to as the nine. O king! Know that the sixth of Skanda’s six heads has the face of a goat and is always worshipped by the group of mothers. The chief among his six heads is known as Bhadrashakha. It is through this that he created divine energy. All these incidents occurred on the fifth day of shuklapaksha. O lord of men! The extremely terrible war transpired on the sixth.”’