Mahabharata Vol. 3 (Penguin Translated Texts) (52 page)

‘“Vinata
²⁸⁵
told Skanda, ‘You are my son and you are entitled to offer me funeral oblations. O son! I wish to live with you always.’ Skanda replied, ‘I bow before you. Let it be that way. Instruct me with a mother’s affection. O goddess! Worshipped by your daughter-in-law, you will always live here.’ Then the entire group of mothers spoke to Skanda in these words. ‘The wise ones have praised us as the mothers of all the worlds. But we wish to be your mother. Therefore, show us honour.’ Skanda replied, ‘You will be my mothers and I will be your son. Tell me what I should do to satisfy your wishes.’ The mothers said, ‘In earlier times, others had been thought of as mothers of the world. Let us have that position and let them no longer have that position. O bull among gods! Let us be worshipped by the world, not them. Because of you, we have been deprived of our offspring.
²⁸⁶
Give them back to us.’ Skanda replied, ‘You cannot wish for offspring that have already been given away. But if you so wish, I can give you other offspring.’ The mothers said, ‘While we are with you, we wish to devour the offspring of those mothers.
²⁸⁷
Give them to us. They and their gods are different from you.’ Skanda replied, ‘I can give you offspring. But what you have asked for will be extremely painful. O fortunate ones! Protect the offspring as long as they are good and show you homage.’ The mothers said, ‘O fortunate one! O Skanda! As you desire, we will protect the offspring. O Skanda! O lord! If it
pleases you, we wish to live with you always.’ Skanda replied, ‘In different forms, afflict the offspring of young humans until they have attained sixteen years of age. I will give you undecaying and terrible souls. With these, you will live in supreme happiness and also be worshipped a lot.’ At that, an extremely strong being, golden in complexion, sprung up from Skanda’s body to devour the offspring of humans. Oppressed by hunger, it suddenly fell down on the ground, unconscious.

‘“With Skanda’s permission, it became a
graha
,
²⁸⁸
terrible in form. Supreme brahmanas know it by the name of Skandapasmara.
²⁸⁹
The extremely terrible Vinata is known as the graha Shakuni. The rakshasa woman Putana is known by the learned as the graha Putana. She is terrible in form. She is fearful in form. She causes great pain and roams around in the night. The pishacha woman who is terrible in form is known as Shitaputana. Her form is fearful and she steals embryos from women. Aditi is known as Revati and her graha is known as Raivata. This extremely terrible and gigantic graha afflicts children. Diti, the mother of the daityas, is known as Mukhamandika. This inaccessible demoness happily feeds on the flesh of children. The Kumaras and the Kumaris are said to have been created from Skanda. O Kouravya! They are extremely large grahas and all of them devour embryos. They
²⁹⁰
are known as the husbands of the Kumaris. They are terrible in deeds, and without it being known, they snatch small children. O king! The wise know Surabhi to be the mother of cattle. Shakuni rides on her, and with her, devours children on earth. O lord of men! The goddess Sarama is the mother of dogs. She always robs the embryos of women. The mother of trees resides in a
karanja
.
²⁹¹
Men who wish to have sons worship her in the karanja. These eighteen grahas, and others, are fond of meat and liquor.
²⁹²
They always live
for ten nights in places where delivery takes place. Assuming a subtle form, Kadru enters a woman who is pregnant. She devours the embryo there and she
²⁹³
gives birth to a serpent instead.
²⁹⁴
The mother of gandharvas grasps the embryo and departs. On earth, that woman is seen as one whose foetus has vanished. The mother of apsaras grasps the embryo and sits and the learned refer to this as a foetus that is seated.
²⁹⁵
The daughter of the ocean of blood is known as Skanda’s nurse. In a kadamba tree, she is worshipped by the name of Lohitayani.
²⁹⁶
Arya dwells among women, the way Rudra resides in men. Kumara’s mother Arya is separately worshipped for the fulfilment of desires.

‘“I have thus recounted for you the great grahas of the Kumaras. They are inauspicious up to sixteen years of age. After that, they turn auspicious. The listed group of mothers and the male grahas are always known by everyone as Skanda grahas, residing in the body. They are pacified through oblations, bathing, incense, collyrium, sacrifices and gifts, especially rites for Skanda. When thus worshipped and offered homage properly, all of them bestow welfare, long lives and energy on men. O Indra among kings! After worshipping Maheshvara, I will now recount the grahas that afflict men beyond the sixteenth year. The man who sees gods, whether asleep or awake, swiftly turns mad and the learned know this as
devagraha
. The man who sees his ancestors, whether seated or asleep, swiftly turns mad and this is known as
pitrigraha
. He who disrespects the siddhas angers them and is cursed
by them, swiftly turning mad, and this is known as siddhagraha. He who inhales fragrances and tastes different flavours, swiftly turns mad and this is known as rakshasagraha. A man on earth who is touched by celestial gandharvas, swiftly turns mad and this is known as gandharvagraha. Over a period of time, a man who is entered by yakshas, swiftly turns mad and this is known as yakshagraha. A man who is always ascended by pishachas, swiftly turns mad and this is known as pishachagraha. A man whose mind is deluded and turbulent because of these evils, swiftly turns mad, and must be cured in accordance with the sacred texts. Men swiftly turn mad because of perplexity, fear and terrible sights, and must be cured through rites. There are three types of grahas—some are frolicsome, others are gluttons, and others are lustful. They afflict men until the attainment of seventy years of age. After that, fever is the equivalent of a graha for men. Grahas always avoid those who have not dispersed their senses and those who are controlled, pure and always attentive, and also those who believe in god and are devoted. This is the description of grahas that afflict men. Grahas do not touch men who are devoted to the god Maheshvara.”’

‘Markandeya said, “When Skanda had done all this, to please the mothers, Svaha appeared before him and said, ‘You are the son born from my womb. I wish that you should give me happiness that is extremely difficult to obtain.’ Skanda replied to her, ‘What kind of bliss do you wish for?’ Svaha said, ‘O mighty-armed one! I am Daksha’s beloved daughter and my name is Svaha. Ever since I was a child, I have always desired Agni. O son! But the fire does not completely know how much I love him. O son! I wish to reside eternally with Agni.’ Skanda replied, ‘O goddess! Whatever oblations are properly offered to gods and ancestors by brahmanas, with the recital of mantras and through Agni, will henceforth be rendered with the
utterance of the word “svaha”. O beautiful one! Thus, you will always reside with Agni.’ Having been thus addressed and worshipped by Skanda, Svaha was satisfied. She was united with her husband Agni and offered homage to Skanda.

‘“Then Prajapati Brahma told Mahasena, ‘Go to your father Mahadeva, the destroyer of Tripura. For the welfare of the worlds, you have been born invincible, with Rudra entering Agni and Uma entering Svaha. The great-souled Rudra moistened Uma’s vagina with his semen. This was thrown on the mountain and created Minjika and Minjika.
²⁹⁷
The remaining semen flowed into the red river.
²⁹⁸
Other parts ascended into the rays of the sun and others fell on the earth. Still others adhered to the trees. Thus, it fell in five ways.
²⁹⁹
The wise ones know your terrible companions of many different forms, the eaters of flesh, as ganas.’ Mahasena agreed and the one whose soul was immeasurable, worshipped his father Maheshvara, and he in turn was affectionate towards his son. Those who wish to acquire riches should worship the five ganas with
arka
flowers and worship them if they wish diseases to be cured.
³⁰⁰
Those who wish to ensure welfare for children should always worship Minjika and Minjika,
³⁰¹
generated from Rudra. Those who wish to obtain offspring should bow in obeisance before the divine women named Vriddhikas, who were born from trees and eat human flesh. Thus is known the innumerable masses of pishachas. O king! Now learn from me about the origins of the bells and the pennants. Airavata
³⁰²
had two bells known as Vaijayanti. The intelligent Shakra brought them himself and gave them to Guha. One of those bells was for
Vishakha and the other for Skanda. The pennants of both Kartikeya and Vishakha are red. The immensely strong god Mahasena played happily with these toys, given to him by the gods. Surrounded by the masses of pishachas and the masses of gods, he was radiant on that golden mountain, blazing with prosperity. With that brave one, the mountain and its pure groves was radiant, like the beautiful caverns of Mandara with the rays of the sun. Mount Shveta was radiant with groves blossoming with
samtanaka
flowers,
³⁰³
groves of karaviras,
³⁰⁴
groves of parijatas,
japa
s,
³⁰⁵
groves of ashokas, clusters of kadamba trees, masses of divine animals and masses of divine birds. All the masses of gods and all the devarshis were there. The clouds thundered like drums, like the sound of the turbulent ocean. The celestial gandharvas danced there, together with the apsaras. The great sound of happy beings was heard there. Thus the entire universe, together with Indra, gathered on Mount Shveta and happily beheld Skanda, not tired of looking.”’

‘Markandeya said, “When Agni’s illustrious son was instated as the general, the radiant lord Hara
³⁰⁶
was delighted and left for Bhadravata
³⁰⁷
in a chariot that had the complexion of the sun, together with Parvati. One thousand lions were yoked to that supreme chariot. Driven by destiny, it ascended into the bright firmament. It seemed to drink up the sky and terrified mobile and immobile objects.
Those lions with handsome manes roared and went up to the sky. Pashupati was resplendent, seated on that chariot, together with Uma. It looked like the sun amidst clouds thick with lightning and Indra’s bow.
³⁰⁸
The illustrious Naravahana, lord of riches,
³⁰⁹
together with the guhyakas, advanced in front on the beautiful Pushpaka. Behind Vrishadhvaja, the granter of boons, Shakra followed, ascended on Airavata, accompanied by the gods. The great yaksha Amogha was on the right side, with
jambhaka
s,
³¹⁰
yakshas and rakshasas adorned with garlands. Also on the right advanced the gods, the Maruts, armed with many different weapons, together with the Vasus and accompanied by the Rudras.
³¹¹
Yama, together with Mrityu,
³¹²
terrible in form, advanced, surrounded on all sides by hundreds of terrible diseases. Behind Yama followed Rudra’s beautiful, sharp and decorated trident, by the name of Vijaya. There was also the illustrious Varuna, lord of the ocean, advancing slowly with his terrible noose and surrounded by innumerable aquatic animals. Vijaya was followed by Rudra’s spear, with maces, clubs, lances and several other supreme weapons. O king! The spear was followed by Rudra’s extremely radiant umbrella and his water pot,
³¹³
served by masses of maharshis. On the right was his radiant staff, accompanied by Shri, with Bhrigu, Angiras
³¹⁴
and the gods worshipping it. Behind these was Rudra on his unblemished chariot, gladdening all the gods with his energy. The rishis, the gods, the gandharvas, the serpents, female rivers, male rivers, trees, masses of apsaras, nakshatras, planets, the children of the gods and different types of women followed Rudra at the rear.
The lovely and beautiful women scattered showers of flowers. Parjanjya followed, worshipping the wielder of the pinaka.
³¹⁵
Soma
³¹⁶
held a white umbrella over his head. Agni and Vayu held whisks on either side. O king! Shakra was behind them, accompanied by Shri and all the rajarshis, singing praises of Vrishadhvaja.
³¹⁷
Gouri, Vidya, Gandhari, Keshini and Mitrasahrya—all of them followed Parvati at the rear, together with Savitri. The different branches of knowledge, created by those who are wise and recited by Indra and the other gods, were in the vanguard. The rakshasas and grahas, holding pennants, were in front, as was Rudra’s friend Pingala, the Indra of the yakshas, who ensures happiness to the world and is always busy in burning grounds. Accompanied by all these, the god happily travelled. His course was not certain. He was sometimes in the front, and sometimes at the back. Those on earth worship the god Rudra through good deeds, using the name Shiva. He is also known as Isha, Rudra and Pinaki. Maheshvara is worshipped with all kinds of objects. Thus, Krittika’s son, the general of the gods and with the qualities of a brahmana, followed the lord of the gods, surrounded by the army of the gods.

‘“Then Mahadeva spoke words of great import to Mahasena. ‘Always, steadfastly, protect the seventh corps of the Maruts.’ Skanda replied, ‘O lord! I will protect the seventh corps of the Maruts. O god! Tell me quickly what else I should do.’ Rudra said, ‘O son! You will always see me in every task you undertake. By looking at me devotedly, you will ensure supreme welfare.’ Having said this, Maheshvara embraced him and gave him permission to leave. O great king! When Skanda was allowed to go, a great portent suddenly appeared. To bewilder all the gods, the firmament, with all its nakshatras, blazed. The earth trembled and groaned. The entire universe was enveloped in darkness. On witnessing this terror, Shankara
³¹⁸
was disturbed. So were the immensely fortunate Uma and the gods, together with
the maharshis. While they stood around in bewilderment, a great army appeared. It was like a mass of mountains or rain clouds. It was terrible to see and had many weapons. This terrible army roared and uttered diverse sounds. It advanced towards the illustrious Shankara and the gods to do battle. They hurled many showers of arrows on them, and mountains,
shatagni
s,
³¹⁹
javelins, clubs and maces. From that great and terrible shower of weapons, the entire army of the gods was scattered in an instant and was seen to waver. Oppressed by the danavas, the army of the gods was mauled. The soldiers, the elephants and the horses were sliced down. The weapons and the maharathas were shattered. They were killed by the asuras, like a grove by many fires. It fell down burnt, like a forest full of large trees. The gods were mowed down, heads severed from bodies. They were slaughtered in that great battle and were without a protector. On seeing the army destroyed, the god Purandara, the slayer of Bala, spoke comfortingly to the army that was oppressed by the danavas. ‘O fortunate ones! O brave ones! Discard your fear. Grasp your weapons. Set your minds on valour. Do not be disheartened. Vanquish the extremely evil danavas, terrible in form. O fortunate ones! Attack those great asuras with me.’ Having heard Shakra’s words, the residents of heaven were comforted. Seeking refuge with Shakra, they attacked the danavas. Then all the thirty gods, the immensely strong Maruts and the Sadhyas, together with the Vasus, returned the attack with great force. The weapons that they angrily unleashed on the armies in battle, and the arrows, drunk up large quantities of blood from the daityas. The sharp arrows pierced their bodies, which could be seen to fall down, like serpents from a mountain. O king! The bodies of the daityas were sliced by the arrows and fell down on the ground everywhere, like shredded clouds. In that battle, attacked by all the masses of gods with their diverse arrows, the army of the danavas was terrified and retreated. On seeing this, all the gods raised their weapons. There was great rejoicing and the sounding of many musical instruments. Thus an extremely terrible and fearful battle raged between the gods and the danavas, creating muck out of flesh and blood.