SECTION –CCXXIV
(Markandeya-Samasya Parva Continued)
"Markandeya continued, 'O lord of men, the
beautiful Siva endowed with great virtues and an unspotted character was the
wife of Angiras (one of the seven Rishis). That excellent lady (Swaha) at first
assuming the disguise of Siva, sought the presence of Agni unto whom she said,
'O Agni, I am tortured with love for thee. Do thou think it fit to woo me. And
if thou dost not accede to my request, know that I shall commit
self-destruction. I am Siva the wife of Angiras. I have come here according to
the advice of the wives of the other Rishis, who have sent me here after due
deliberation.'
Agni replied, 'How didst thou know that I was
tortured with love and how could the others, the beloved wives of the seven
Rishis, of whom thou hast spoken, know this?'
Swaha replied, 'Thou art always a favourite with
us, but we are afraid of thee. Now having read thy mind by well-known signs,
they have sent to thy presence. I have come here to gratify my desire. Be thou
quick, O Agni, to encompass the object of thy desire, my sisters-in-law are
awaiting me. I must return soon.'
Markandeya continued, 'Then Agni, filled with
great joy and delight, married Swaha in the guise of Siva, and that lady
joyfully cohabiting with him, held the semen virile in her hands. And then she
thought within herself that those who would observe her in that disguise in the
forest, would cast an unmerited slur upon the conduct of those Brahmana ladies
in connection with Agni. Therefore, to prevent this, she should assume the
disguise of a bird, and in that state she should more easily get out of the
forest.
Markandeya continued, 'Then assuming the disguise
of a winged creature, she went out of the forest and reached the White Mountain
begirt with clumps of heath and other plants and trees, and guarded by strange
seven-headed serpents with poison in their very looks, and abounding with
Rakshasas, male and female Pisachas, terrible spirits, and various kinds of
birds and animals. That excellent lady quickly ascending a peak of those
mountains, threw that semen into a golden lake. And then assuming successively the
forms of the wives of the high-souled seven Rishis, she continued to dally with
Agni. But on account of the great ascetic merit of Arundhati and her devotion
to her husband (Vasishtha), she was unable to assume her form. And, O chief of
Kuru's race, the lady Swaha on the first lunar day threw six times into that
lake the semen of Agni. And thrown there, it produced a male child endowed with
great power. And from the fact of its being regarded by the Rishis as cast off,
the child born therefrom came to be called by the name of Skanda. And the child
had six faces, twelve ears, as many eyes, hands, and feet, one neck, and one
stomach. And it first assumed a form on the second lunar day, and it grew to
the size of a little child on the third. And the limbs of Guha were developed
on the fourth day. And being surrounded by masses of red clouds flashing forth
lightning, it shone like the Sun rising in the midst of a mass of red clouds.
And seizing the terrific and immense bow which was used by the destroyer of the
Asura Tripura for the destruction of the enemies of the gods, that mighty being
uttered such a terrible roar that the three worlds with their mobile and
immobile divisions became struck with awe. And hearing that sound which seemed
like the rumbling of a mass of big clouds, the great Nagas, Chitra and
Airavata, were shaken with fear. And seeing them unsteady that lad shining with
sun-like refulgence held them with both his hands. And with a dart in (another)
hand, and with a stout, red-crested, big cock fast secured in another, that
long-armed son of Agni began to sport about making a terrible noise. And
holding an excellent conch-shell with two of his hands, that mighty being began
to blow it to the great terror of even the most powerful creatures. And
striking the air with two of his hands, and playing about on the hill-top, the
mighty Mahasena of unrivalled prowess, looked as if he were on the point of
devouring the three worlds, and shone like the bright Sun-god at the moment of
his ascension in the heavens. And that being of wonderful prowess and matchless
strength, seated on the top of that hill, looked on with his numerous faces
directed towards the different cardinal points, and observing various things,
he repeated his loud roars. And on hearing those roars various creatures were
prostrate with fear. And frightened and troubled in mind they sought
protection. And all those persons of various orders who then sought the
protection of that god are known as his powerful Brahmana followers. And rising
from his seat, that mighty god allayed the fears of all those people, and then
drawing his bow, he discharged his arrows in the direction of the White
Mountain. And with those arrows the hill Krauncha, the son of Himavat, was rent
asunder. And that is the reason why swans and vultures now migrate to the
Sumeru mountains. The Krauncha hill, sorely wounded, fell down uttering fearful
groans. And seeing him fallen, the other hills too began to scream. And that
mighty being of unrivalled prowess, hearing the groans of the afflicted, was
not at all moved, but himself uplifting his mace, yelled forth his war-whoop.
And that high-souled being then hurled his mace of great lustre and quickly
rent in twain one of the peaks of the White Mountain. And the White Mountain
being thus pierced by him was greatly afraid of him and dissociating himself
from the earth fled with the other mountains. And the earth was greatly
afflicted and bereft of her ornaments on all sides. And in this distress, she
went over to Skanda and once more shone with all her might. And the mountains
too bowed down to Skanda and came back and stuck into the earth. And all
creatures then celebrated the worship of Skanda on the fifth day of the lunar
month.
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