Kṛttikās

Kṛttikā

Kṛttikā has other meanings too: see all meanings of Kṛttikā.

The Kṛttikās are the six wives of the saptarshis, the seven ṛshis, all except Arundhatī, the wife of Vasishṭha. They conceived through Agni when Agni carried the tejas of Bhagavān Śiva, and from their six garbhas Kumāra, the six-faced son of Śiva, was born. Because the Kṛttikās bore him, Kumāra is called Kārttikeya. Cast off by their husbands, they took refuge in Kārttikeya, bathed in the Gautamī at his word and worshipped Maheśvara, and by the grace of Bhagavān Śiva they were taken back by the ṛshis. The place is the Kṛttikā-tīrtha on the Gautamī.

The name Kārttikeya

In the account of the Vasus, Lomaharshaṇa tells the munis that Anala’s son was Kumāra, who shone in a clump of reeds, with his younger brothers Śākha, Viśākha and Naigameya. Because he is the child borne by the Kṛttikās, Kumāra is called Kārttikeya.

Source: Brahma Purāṇa, Chapter 3

The Kṛttikā-tīrtha

Brahmā tells Nārada of the tīrtha known as the Kṛttikā-tīrtha, next to the Kārttikeya tīrtha on the Gautamī. Merely by hearing of it one gains the fruit of drinking the Soma.

Long ago, to destroy Tāraka, Agni took within himself the retas of Bhagavān Śiva. Seeing Agni with it, the wives of the ṛshis desired the same. Of the saptarshis’ wives, Arundhatī, the wife of Vasishṭha, was at her menstrual bath; all the other six became pregnant through Agni.

The six felt a scorching at their bath, and they shone splendidly. They said to one another: “What shall we do? Where shall we go? How can we gain puṇya?” They went to the Gaṅgā and pressed themselves hard, and the garbhas came out and floated on the water as foam. Water and wind joined the foam together, and so the six-faced one, Shaṇmukha, was born with a single body.

The six went home. Seeing their changed bodies, the ṛshis said: “Go away, go quickly. It is not proper for women to be unchaste.” So their husbands cast them off. Seeing them in great misery, Nārada, the devarshi, said to them: “Śiva’s son is well known as Kārttikeya, Gāṅgeya (son of Gaṅgā), Agnibhava (born of Agni) and Tārakāntaka (slayer of Tāraka). Go to him. Before long he will be pleased and grant you what you wish.”

At the devarshi’s word the Kṛttikās went to the six-faced one and told him everything as it had happened. Kārttikeya accepted them and said: “All of you go to the Gautamī. Bathe there and worship Maheśvara. I shall come there myself and lead you to the abode of the devas.” Saying “So be it”, the Kṛttikās bathed in the Gaṅgā and the Gautamī and worshipped Maheśvara, the ruler of the devas, at Kārttikeya’s word. By the grace of Bhagavān Śiva they went to their own homes and were accepted again by the ṛshis. From then on that tīrtha is called the Kārttikā-tīrtha.

The phala. One who bathes there on the full-moon day of the month of Kārttika, when it is joined with the Kṛttikā nakshatra, gains the fruit of all yajñas and becomes a dhārmika king. One who remembers that tīrtha or hears of it is freed from every pāpa and gains long life.

Source: Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 12

Agni places the tejas in the Kṛttikās

At the Tapovana-tīrtha Brahmā tells Nārada another account of the same birth. At the devas’ request Agni took the form of a parrot and came to the place where Bhagavān Śiva was with Umā. Śambhu recognised him at once and placed a great portion of his tejas in Agni’s mouth. With it within him Agni could not go on. Utterly exhausted, he sat down on the bank of the Gaṅgā and placed the greater portion of the tejas in the Kṛttikās, and from it Kārttika was born. The rest Agni placed in his wife Svāhā, who bore the twins Suvarṇa and Suvarṇā.

Source: Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 58

Sources

• Brahma Purāṇa, Chapter 3; Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapters 12, 58