15 - Conversation between Karttikeya and Nandakeshvara 

Narayana said - О sage, on coming to know about the news of their son both Shiva and Parvati at the instance of lord Vishnu, the gods and the sages besides the mountains, deputed some valorous messengers for bringing the child. The messengers included Virabhadra, Visalaksha, Sankukarna, Kabandhaka, Nandishvara, Mahakala, Vajradanta, Bhagandara, Godhamukha, Dadhimukha, who was like burning flames, a lakh of Kshetra-palas, three lakhs of Bhutas, four lakhs of vetalas, five lakhs of Yakshas, four lakhs of kusmandas, three lakhs of Brahmarakshas, three lakhs of Dakinis and three lakhs of yoginis. 

О Narada, the Rudras who were as valorous as Shiva himself, the Bhairavas and valorous other ganas with deformed limbs also proceeded for the purpose. 

These messengers of Shiva holding weapons in their hands surrounded the palaces of Kruttikas from all the four sides. 

Thereafter Kruttikas felt disturbed at the sight of the messengers. They then addressed Karttikeya who possessed the divine lustre. 

Kruttikas said - О son, О child, innumerable armies have surrounded our house from all the sides. We are not aware as to whom these armies belong? 

Karttikeya said - О pleasant mother, don’t be afraid, why should you be afraid when I am there? О mothers, who can prevent result of the evil deeds. 

At that point of time Nandikeshvara who happened to be the commander of the armies spoke to Karttikeya. 

Nandikesvara said - О brother, you listen to the pleasant message of the mother and also of lord Shiva, who has sent us here. Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva besides other gods had collected at Kailasa in order to celebrate the festivities for the birth of Ganesha. At that very moment Parvati the daughter of Himalaya, the king of the mountains spoke to lord Vishnu who preserves the universe and desired the search for you to be made. 

Thereafter lord Vishnu enquired from all the gods about your whereabouts and everyone gave the proper reply. 

Dharma the witness of all and other gods told the lord that you are staying with Krittikas. In the earlier times Shiva and Parvati had united in seclusion as a result of which the semen of Shiva fell on earth in full view of canes. From the same place Kruttikas picked you up; therefore now you get along with us. О god, all the gods and Vishnu well, similarly by remaining in the house of Kruttikas, you can never be graceful. 

You are illumining the entire universe with the lustre of your body but you cannot bear the glory of other gods at the same way as a person cannot withhold the sun in his palms. 

О son of Shiva, you pervade the entire universe everywhere and cannot be concentrated at one place. Similarly you are not pervaded by these people. 

You are the lord of the yogis and you also freed the universe without involving yourself in the time, as the soul does not get involved in the deeds of the bodies. 

You are the base of the entire universe besides being its lord. As the ocean is the final resort for all the rivers and as such it cannot have the base in the river; therefore, your position cannot remain stable here. 

As Garuda cannot be born out of the womb of a petty bird similarly the lord of the universe cannot stay in the house of Kruttikas. 

You have taken to the human form for the sake of the devotees. You are the heap of the lustre and merits. The gods are unaware about your personality like the persons who is devoid of knowledge of the yogas is unaware about the soul. 

You are inexplicable and Kruttikas are not aware about your birth in the same way as the one who is devoid of devotion is not aware of the true devotion of the lord. 

Therefore, О brother, the one who is not aware of the true identity cf someone, he sometimes is sure to disrespect to him as the frog and the lotus live together but the frog does not show any respect to the letter. 

Karttikeya said - О brother, I possessed the complete knowledge of all the three times and you are also well-versed in the scriptures because of your association with Shiva who has over powered the death. Therefore, I cannot praise you. 

O brother, whosoever is born in difficult type of creatures is unable to get relieved of the effects of the environment. 

Because a noble person or the foolish person whosoever is born according to his deeds, is influenced by the illusion of Vishnu himself to be well-honoured in the same position. 

Currently Parvati the mother of the universe who happens to be illusion of Vishnu, eternal, the form of all, who always provides welfare to all and is born from the womb of Mena the wife of Himalaya and has got Shiva as her husband after performing great tapas. 

Everything right for a Brahma to a straw of perishable and artificial, all are born out of lord Krishna and ultimately merge in him. In every kalpa Parvati the mother of the universe also become my mother and at the time of creation influenced by illusion, I am born firm her. 

All the ladies of the universe are born out of Prakruti. This is the tmth someone is the part of Prakruti, someone is the part of the ray. 

Kruttikas who are well-versed in the yogic practices or the rays of Prakruti they have brought me up by breast feeding me. 

I am the competent son of all of them and they happen to be my mothers. No doubt I am born of the semen of your lord and as such I happen to be the son of mother Parvati as well but, О Nandikeshvara, I am not the son born out of the womb of Parvati. She is my mother religiously. Similarly Kruttikas are also my mothers according to the acceptable tradition. According to the acceptable tradition the one who feeds a child out of her breast, the one who gives birth out of the womb, the one who feeds, wife of the teacher, wife of the family god, wife of the father, daughter, pregnant daughter, sister, wife of the son, mother of the wife, mother of the mother, mother of the father, wife of the brother, sisters of mother and father, maternal aunt, are the sixteen types of mothers prescribed in the Vedas. 

Therefore, the one who is aware of all the siddhis and who is bestowed with all the riches besides the daughter of Brahma cannot be considered as downgraded, that is why they are adored in all the three worlds. 

You are also like the great son of Shiva and have been deputed by lord Vishnu; therefore, accompanying you I shall also have an audience with all the gods.