Varāha Mahā Purana
25 - Origin of Skanda
Prajäpäla said:
l. O great sage, how was Skanda born out of Ahamkära (Ego)? Please clear my doubt in this matter.
Mahätapas said:
2. From Purusha, considered as the highest of all Tattvas, arose Avyakta which is of three kinds.
3. Betwecn Purusha and Avyakta, there arose Mahat which is also known as Ahañkära.
4. Purusha is called Vishnu, and is also known by the name Shiva. Avyakta is Umä or Sri (Lakshmi).
5. By the union of these two and Avyakta) arose Ahañkära, also known as Senäpati and Guha. Listen O king, I shall narrate to you his origin.
6. The first is Näräyana. Out of him arose Brahma, and then Sväyambhuva, and others like Marïchi from the Sun.
7. Thereafter came creation consisting of gods, demons, Gandharvas, men, birds, beasts and all other beings.
8. When the creation was thus progressing, the powers of gods and demons began to fight each other in order to gain victory.
9. Among the demons there were strong leaders of warlike Hiraryakašhipu, Hiranyäksha, Viprachitti, Vichitra, Bhimaksha and Krauñcha.
10. These mighty warriors were gaining victory over the gods in the battle every day.
11. Seeing the defeat of gods, Bruhaspati said: “O gods, your army is without a proper leader.
12. It is not possible for a single Indra to manage the whole army. So quickly search for a commander.”
13. Thus told, the gods went to Brahma and prayed to him to give them a commander.
14. Brahmä then entered into serious thought to find out what he could do in this predicament of Devas, and his mind then fell upon Rudra.
15. Then led by Brahmä, Devas, Gandharvas. Rushis, Siddhas and Chäranas went to mount Kailäsa.
16. Seeing there the great god Shiva, the lord of all beings, Indra and the other gods praised him.
The gods said:
17. O Mahešhvara, the three-eyéd god, lord of all beings, we supplicants bow to you. O lord of Umä, lord of the worlds, lord of Maruts, protect us all.
18. O god everlasting and holding the trident in hand, and illumining the whole world with the rays of the moon on the locks of matted hair, protect us who have come to you out of the fear of demons.
19. You are the first of gods, the best of men, Hari, Bhava, Mahešha, the destroyer of Tripuras, all-pervading, the enemy of demons, the most ancient, the bull-bannered. O great god, protect us.
20. You are the husband of Pårvati, and the great lord worshipped by all gods. You are Ganešha and the lord of all beings. For averting danger to us, protect us from the fierce demons.
21. You are established in Tattvas like the Earth; particularly you are of the nature of sound in the sky. You are hidden two-fold in fire, threefold in water, fourfold in earth and fivefold in qualities.
22. In the tree you are of the nature of fire, in stone you are of the nature of truth, in sesamum you are of the nature of oil. O Mahešhvara, protect us who are oppressed by demons.
23. O three-eyed god, when there was no stem of the universe, and there was no Sun, moon or Indra, then you alone remained beyond the purview of any reasoning.
24. O lord of gods, wearer of the garland of skulls, bearer of the crescent moon on the head, resorter to the cremation ground, smearer of ashes all over the body and encircled by serpents, you are capable of protecting us.
25. You are the Male and the beautiful daughter of the mountain is your Energy. You are fierce to the whole world with your trident, but the three sacrificial fires (Gärhapatya, Ähavaniya and Dakshina) remain in your three eyes.
26. In the form of your matted hair remain all oceans, all great mountains and all rivers. The whole universe is your body, though men without proper inner vision see only the physical aspect.
27. You are Näräyana, the source of the universe. Similarly, you are the great Brahma. By the difference in the Gunas and difference in the fires and by the difference in the yugas you remain threefold.
28. O lord, all these chieftains of the gods now seek your favour. O you Rudra, who shine with ashes, we bow to you again, be pleased to save us all.
Mahätapas said:
29. Thus praised by Devas, Rudra asked them as to what he was to do.
The gods said:
30. O great god, give us a commander. That is the desire of Brahma and others.
Rudra said:
31. O Gods, be free from anxiety. I shall give you a commander. Good time will befall the people.
32. Saying thus, he sent away Devas and then excited the Shakti (Energy) in him for producing a son.
33. By this excitement there arose Kumara glowing like fire, holding Šhakti (lance), the embodiment of knowledge.
34. O king, the origin of Kumara is different in different manvantaras.
35. What remains in the body as Ahañkära, the same appeared as Senàpati for a purpose.
36. When he was born, Brahmä together with Devas worshipped him and Shiva.
37. The Senäpati was thus propitiated by all the gods, sages and Siddhas. He then asked gods to give him a plaything and a pair of companions.
38. Hearing this, the great Shiva said: “I shall give a cock as your plaything and Shákha and Višhäkha as your followers. You are the leader of all beings and you become the commander of the army (of Devas)”.
39. Then Rudra and other gods all praised profusely Skanda the commander.
The gods said:
40. “O lord, Mahešhvara’s son, six-faced, cock-bannered, the issue of fire, Skanda, may you be the commander of the army of gods.
41. O Kumara, a terror to the enemies, the smasher of the Krauñca mountain, son of Kruttikä, son of Shiva.
42. O the foremost of all beings, giver of joy to fire, son of the lord of all beings, three-eyed god, we bow to you.”
43. Thus extolled by Devas, the son of Shiva grew up and became resplendent like the dozen Suns and of matchless valour.
44. O king, he illumined the whole world by his effulgence. Prajäpãla said:
45. How is it that you referred to him as the son of Kruttikä, son of fire, and the son of six mothers?
Mahätapas said:
46. What I narrated relates to the first birth of Skanda. But the gods, by their omniscience knew about the future also and extolled him accordingly.
47. In the second birth of Skanda, Kruttikä, Fire, Mothers and Pärvatï were the causes of his origin.
48. O great king, I have told you the secret of the birth of Ahañkära (as Skanda) and this is a secret which pertains to self-knowledge.
49. Skanda is a great god and he dispels all sins. During his anointment, Brahma allotted to him the Shashthï tithi.
50. On that day, if one worships him with concentration of mind, and eating only fruit, he becomes blessed with child if he is childless, and attains wealth if he is poor.
51. Whatever man desires, he attains (by worshipping him on that day).
52. He who recites the stotra of Karttikeya (Skanda), in his house the children get health and prosperity.
Summary of chapter 25 of the Varāha Mahā Purana is as follows:
Distressed by the plight of her heavenly children who wander stateless and deprived of their rightful offerings, Mother Aditi, the divine mother of the devas, seeks counsel from her revered husband, Maharshi Kaśyapa. Guided by his spiritual wisdom, Aditi observes the rigorous Payovrata vow, consuming only milk for twelve days while meditating with complete devotion on Bhagavān Vishṇu. Pleased by her unwavering penance, Maharshi Kaśyapa and the devas journey to the shore of Kshīrasāgara, the ocean of milk, to invoke the Supreme Being through profound Vedic hymns.