“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.