Bala Kanda — Sarga 37

तप्यमानो तदा देवे सेन्द्राः साग्निपुरोगमाः। सेनापतिमभीप्सन्तः पितामहमुपागमन्॥

On that celestial being engaged in austerities, the deities with Indra and Agni at their head, desirous of gaining over the generalissimo, Appeared before the Grand-sire.

Bala Kanda 37.1

ततोऽब्रुवन् सुराः सर्वे भगवन्तं पितामहम्। प्रणिपत्य सुरा राम सेन्द्राः साग्निपुरोगमाः॥।

And, O Rāma, the gods with Agni at their head, bowing to him, addressed that possessor of the six attributes, the Grand-sir, saying,

Bala Kanda 37.2

येन सेनापतिर्देव दत्तो भगवता पुरा। स तपः परमास्थाय तप्यते स्म सहोमया॥

'O God, that adorable one who had formerly consigned to us the generalissimo, resorting to high asceticism, is practising austerities with Uma.

Bala Kanda 37.3

यदवानन्तरं कार्य लोकानां हितकाम्यया। संविधत्स्व विधानज्ञ त्वं हि नः परमा गतिः॥

Do you now, O you conversant with resources, so order as is advisable in the interests of the worlds! Verily you are our prime way.'

Bala Kanda 37.4

देवतानां वचः श्रुत्वा सर्वलोकपितामहः। सान्त्वयन् मधुरैर्वाक्यस्त्रिदशानिदमब्रवीत्॥

Hearing the words of the deities, the Grandsire of all creatures, 'consoling them with soft words, spoke to them saying

Bala Kanda 37.5

शैलपुत्र्या यदुक्तं तन्न प्रजाः स्वासु पलिषु। तस्या वचनमक्लिष्टं सत्यमेव न संशयः॥

'Even as the Mountain's daughter has said, sons will not be born to you of your own wives. Her words is infallible of a certainty: there is no doubt about it.

Bala Kanda 37.6

इयमाकाशगङ्गा च यस्यां पुत्रं हुताशनः। जनयिष्यति देवानां सेनापतिमरिंदमम्॥

This is the celestial Gangă she on whom Hutaśana will beget a son-the foe-subduing generalissimo of the celestials.

Bala Kanda 37.7

ज्येष्ठा शैलेन्द्रदुहिता मानयिष्यति तं सुतम्। उमायास्तद्बहुमतं भविष्यति न संशयः॥

And the elder daughter of the Mountain will consider that son as brought forth by Uma; and Uma also will, without doubt, look upon him with regard.'

Bala Kanda 37.8

तच्छ्रुत्वा वचनं तस्य कृतार्था रघुनन्दन। प्रणिपत्य सुराः सर्वे पितामहमपूजयन्॥

Hearing these words of him o descendant of Raghu, the gods bowing to the Grand-sire, paid him homage.

Bala Kanda 37.9

ते गत्वा परमं राम कैलासं धातुमण्डितम्। अग्नि नियोजयामासुः पुत्रार्थं सर्वदेवताः॥

Then, O Rama, repairing to the Kailasa mountain teeming with metals, the deities commissioned Agni with the view of having a son (born to him.)10

Bala Kanda 37.10

देवकार्यमिदं देव समाधत्स्व हुताशन । शैलपुत्र्यां महातेजो गङ्गायां तेज उत्सृज॥

‘Do you, O god, accomplish this work of the oddities! O you of mighty energy, do you discharge your energy into that daughter of the Mountain, Ganga.

Bala Kanda 37.11

देवतानां प्रतिज्ञाय गङ्गामभ्येत्य पावकः। गर्भं धारय वै देवि देवतानामिदं प्रियम्॥

Thereupon giving his promise to the gods, Pavaka* (Fire) approached Ganga, saying, Do you, O Goddess, bear an embryo; for even this is the desire of the deities.

Bala Kanda 37.12

इत्येतद् वचनं श्रुत्वा दिव्यं रूपमधारयत्। स तस्या महिमां दृष्ट्वा समन्तादवशीर्यत ॥

Hearing this speech, she assumed a divine appearance. And beholding her mightiness, Agni was shrunk up on all sides.

Bala Kanda 37.13

समन्ततस्तदा देवीमभ्यषिञ्चत पावकः। सर्वस्रोतांसि पूर्णानि गङ्गाया रघुनन्दन॥

And then Pavaka from all sides discharged his energy into her, and thereat all her streams became surcharged with it,

Bala Kanda 37.14

तमुवाच ततो गङ्गा सर्वदेवपुरीगमम्। अशक्ता धारणे देव तेजस्तव समुद्धतम्॥ दह्यमानाग्निना तेन सम्प्रव्यथितचेतना।

O descendant of Raghu. And to him staying at the head of all the deities, Gangā spoke, saying, "O god, I am incapable of sustaining this new sprung energy of yours: I am burning with that fire, and my consciousness fails me.

Bala Kanda 37.15

अथाब्रवीदिदं गङ्गां सर्वदेवहुताशनः॥ इह हैमवते पार्वे गर्भोऽयं संनिवेश्यताम्।

Thereupon that partaker of the oblations offered to the gods, said to Ganga, 'Do you bring forth your embryo on the side of this Himavat!'

Bala Kanda 37.16

श्रुत्वा त्वग्निवचो गङ्गा तं गर्भमतिभास्वरम्॥ उत्ससर्ज महातेजाः स्रोतोभ्यो हि तदानघ।

Hearing Agni's words, Gangă of mighty energy cast her exceedingly effulgent embryo on her streams, O sinless one.

Bala Kanda 37.17

यदस्या निर्गतं तस्मात् तप्तजाम्बूनदप्रभम् ॥ काञ्चनं धरणी प्राप्तं हिरण्यमतुलप्रभम्। तानं कार्णायसं चैव तैक्ष्ण्यादेवाभिजायत॥

And as it came out of her, it wore the splendour of molten gold; and in consequence of its fiery virtue, objects near and objects far were converted into gold and silver of unsurpassed sheen, while those that were more distant were turned into copper and iron.

Bala Kanda 37.18

मलं तस्याभवत् तत्र त्रपु सीसकमेव च। तदेतद्धरणीं प्राप्य नानाधातुरवर्धत ॥

Her excreta were turned into lead. In this wise, various metals began to increase on earth.

Bala Kanda 37.19

निक्षिप्तमात्रे गर्भे तु तेजोभिरभिरञ्जितम्। सर्वं पर्वतसंनद्धं सौवर्णमभवद् वनम्॥

As soon as the embryo was brought forth, the woods adjoining the mountain, being overspread with that energy, were turned into gold.

Bala Kanda 37.20

जातरूपमिति ख्यातं तदाप्रभृति राघव। सुवर्णं पुरुषव्याघ्र हुताशनसमप्रभम्।॥

And from that day, O descendant of Raghu, gold of effulgence like to that of fire, became known as Jātarūpa, O foremost of men!

Bala Kanda 37.21

तं कुमारं ततो जातं सेन्द्राः सह मरुद्गणाः। क्षीरसम्भावनार्थाय कृत्तिकाः समयोजयन्॥

And when the son was born, the deities with Indra and the Maruts enjoined upon the Křttikā stars to suckle him.

Bala Kanda 37.22

ताः क्षीरं जातमात्रस्य कृत्वा समयमुत्तमम्। ददुः पुत्रोऽयमस्माकं सर्वासामिति निश्चिताः॥

'Surely he shall be son to us all’-concluding thus, they as soon as he was born, by turns began to dispense milk to him.

Bala Kanda 37.23

ततस्तु देवताः सर्वाः कार्तिकेय इति ब्रुवन्। पुत्रस्त्रैलोक्यविख्यातो भविष्यति न संशयः॥

Then the celestials called him Kārtikeya, saying, “Without doubt, this son shall become famed over the three worlds.'

Bala Kanda 37.24

तेषां तद् वचनं श्रुत्वा स्कन्नं गर्भपरिस्रवे। स्नापयन् परया लक्ष्म्या दीप्यमानं यथानलम्॥

And hearing those words of theirs, the Kșttikās bathed the offspring that had issued from her womb, flaming like fire, and with auspicious marks.

Bala Kanda 37.25

स्कन्द इत्यब्रुवन् देवाः स्कन्नं गर्भपरिस्रवे। कार्तिकेयं महाबाहुं काकुत्स्थ ज्वलनोपमम्॥

And, O Kākutstha, since Kārtikeya had issued from (Gangā's) womb the celestials called that effulgent and mighty-armed one, Skanda.

Bala Kanda 37.26

प्रादुर्भूतं ततः क्षीरं कृत्तिकानामनुत्तमम्। षण्णां षडाननो भूत्वा जग्राह स्तनजं पयः॥

And then the teats of the Křttikās were filled with milk; and thereupon assuming six mouths, he began to suck milk from the teats of those six.

Bala Kanda 37.27

गृहीत्वा क्षीरमेकाहा सुकुमारवपुस्तदा। अजयत् स्वेन वीर्येण दैत्यसैन्यगणान् विभुः॥

Having drunk the milk, that lord although then possessed of a tender frame, by virtue of his inbom prowess in one day vanquished the Dänava forces.

Bala Kanda 37.28

सुरसेनागणपतिमभ्यषिञ्चन्महाद्युतिम्। ततस्तममराः सर्वे समेत्याग्निपुरोगमाः॥

And him possessed of mighty effulgence, the celestials assembled with Agni as their leader sprinkled with water, by way of installing him as their generalissimo.

Bala Kanda 37.29

एष ते राम गङ्गाया विस्तरोऽभिहितो मया। कुमारसम्भवश्चैव धन्यः पुण्यस्तथैव च॥ भक्तश्च यः कार्तिकेये काकुत्स्थ भुवि मानवः। आयुष्मान् पुत्रपौत्रैश्च स्कन्दसालोक्यतां व्रजेत् ॥

He who, O Kākutstha, on earth revere Kārtikeya, is blessed, and attain righteousness, and being long-lived and obtaining sons and grand-sons, repair to the regions of Skanda.

Bala Kanda 37.30