"Markandeya continued, 'Skanda was adorned with a golden amulet and
wreath, and wore a crest and a crown of gold; his eyes were
golden-coloured, and he had a set of sharp teeth; he was dressed in a
red garment and looked very handsome; he had a comely appearance, and
was endowed with all good characteristics and was the favourite of the
three worlds. He granted boons (to people who sought them) and was
brave, youthful, and adorned with bright ear-rings. Whilst he was
reposing himself, the goddess of fortune, looking like a lotus and
assuming a personal embodiment, rendered her allegiance to him. When he
became thus possessed of good fortune, that famous and delicate-looking
creature appeared to all like the moon at its full. And high-minded
Brahmanas worshipped that mighty being, and the _Maharshis_ (great
_rishis_) then said as follows to Skanda, "O thou born of the golden
egg, mayst thou be prosperous and mayst thou become an instrument of
good to the universe! O best of the gods, although thou wast born only
six nights (days) ago, the whole world has owned allegiance to thee
(within this short time), and thou hast also allayed their fears.
Therefore do thou become the Indra (lord) of the three worlds and remove
their cause of apprehension." Skanda replied, "You gentlemen of great
ascetic wealth (tell me) what Indra does with all three worlds and how
that sovereign of the celestials protects the hosts of gods
unremittingly." The _Rishis_ replied, "Indra is the giver of strength,
power, children and happiness to all creatures and when propitiated,
that Lord of the celestials bestows on all the objects of their desire.
He destroys the wicked and fulfils the desires of the righteous; and
that Destroyer of Vala assigns to all creatures their various duties. He
officiates for the sun and the moon in places where there is no sun or
moon; he even when occasion requires it, acts for (serves the purposes
of) fire, air, earth, and water. These are the duties of Indra; his
capacities are immense. Thou too art mighty; therefore great hero, do
thou become our Indra."
"'Sakra said, "O mighty being, do thou make us happy, by becoming our
lord. Excellent being, thou art worthy of the honour; therefore shall we
anoint thee this very day."
"'Skanda replied, "Do thou continue to rule the three worlds with
self-possession, and with thy heart bent on conquest. I shall remain thy
humble servant. I covet not thy sovereignty."
"'Sakra replied, "Thy prowess is unrivalled, O hero, do thou therefore
vanquish the enemies of the gods. People have been struck with wonder at
thy prowess. More specially as I have been bereft of my prowess, and
defeated by thee, now if I were to act as Indra, I should not command
the respect of all creatures, and they would be busy in bringing about
dissensions between us; and then, my lord, they would become the
partisans of one or other of us. And when they formed themselves into
two distinct factions, war as before would be the result of that
defection. And in that war, thou wouldst undoubtedly defeat me without
difficulty and thyself become the lord of all worlds."
"'Skanda replied, "Thou, O Sakra, art my sovereign, as also of the three
worlds; mayst thou be prosperous! Tell me if I can obey any commands of
thine."
"'Indra replied, "At thy bidding, O powerful being, I shall continue to
act as Indra. And if thou hast said this deliberately and in earnest,
then hear me how thou canst gratify thy desire of serving me. Do thou, O
mighty being, take the leadership of the celestial forces accordingly."
"'Skanda replied, "Do thou anoint me as leader, for the destruction of
the Danavas, for the good of the celestials, and for the well-being of
cows and Brahmanas."'
"Markandeya continued, 'Thus anointed by Indra and all other gods, and
honoured by the _Maharshis_, he looked grand at the moment. The golden
umbrella[37] held (over his head) looked like a halo of blazing fire.
That famous god, the Conqueror of Tripura, himself fastened the
celestial wreath of gold, of Viswakarma's manufacture, round his neck.
And, O great man and conqueror of thine enemies, that worshipful god
with the emblem of the bull, had gone there previously with Parvati. He
honoured him with a joyous heart. The Fire-god is called Rudra by
Brahmanas, and from this fact Skanda is called the son of Rudra. The
White Mountain was formed from discharges of Rudra's _semen virile_ and
the sensual indulgences of the Fire-god with the Krittikas took place on
that same White Mountain. And as Rudra was seen by all the dwellers of
heaven to heap honours on the excellent Guha (Skanda), he was for that
reason reputed as the son of Rudra. This child had his being by the
action of Rudra entering into the constitution of the Fire-god, and for
this reason, Skanda came to be known as the son of Rudra. And, O
Bharata, as Rudra, the Fire-god, Swaha, and the six wives (of the seven
Rishis) were instrumental to the birth of the great god Skanda, he was
for that reason reputed as the son of Rudra.'
[37] One of the ensigns of royalty in Hindustan.
"'That son of Fire-god was clad in a pair of clean red cloths, and thus
he looked grand and resplendent like the Sun peeping forth from behind a
mass of red clouds. And the red cock given to him by the Fire-god,
formed his ensign; and when perched on the top of his chariot, it looked
like the image of the all-destroying fire. And the presiding deity of
the power which conduces to the victory of the god, and which is the
director of the exertions of all creatures, and constitutes their glory,
prop and refuge, advanced before him. And a mysterious charm entered
into his constitution, the charm which manifests its powers on the
battlefield. Beauty, strength, piety, power, might, truthfulness,
rectitude, devotion to Brahmanas, freedom from illusion or perplexity,
protection of followers, destruction of foes, and care of all
creatures,--these, O lord of men, are the inborn virtues of Skanda. Thus
anointed by all the gods, he looked pleased and complacent; and dressed
in his best style, he looked beautiful like the moon at its full. The
much-esteemed incantation of _Vedic_ hymns, the music of the celestial
band, and the songs of gods and _Gandharvas_ then rang on all sides. And
surrounded by all the well-dressed _Apsaras_, and many other gay and
happy-looking _Pisachas_ and hosts of gods, that anointed (by gods) son
of Pavaka disported himself in all his grandeur. To the dwellers of
heaven, the anointed Mahasena appeared like the Sun rising after
extinction of darkness. And then the celestial forces looking upon him
as their leader, surrounded him on all sides in thousands. That adorable
being followed by all creatures then assumed their commands, and praised
and honoured by them, he encouraged them in return.
"'The Performer of a thousand sacrifices then thought of Devasena, whom
he has rescued before. And considering that this being (Skanda) was
undoubtedly destined to be the husband of this lady by Brahma himself,
he had her brought there, dressed her with the best apparel. And the
vanquisher of Vala then said to Skanda, "O foremost of gods, this lady
was, even before thy birth, destined to be thy bride by that
Self-existent Being.[38] Therefore do thou duly accept her lotus-like
beautiful right hand with invocation of the (marital) hymns." Thus told,
he duly married her. And Vrihaspati learned in hymns performed the
necessary prayers and oblations. She who is called Shashthi, Lakshmi,
Asa, Sukhaprada, Sinivali, Kuhu, Saivritti, and Aparajita, is known
among men as Devasena, the wife of Skanda. When Skanda became united to
Devasena in indissoluble bonds of matrimony, then the gods of prosperity
in her own personal embodiment began to serve him with diligence. As
Skanda attained celebrity on the fifth lunar day, that day is called
_Sripanchami_ (or the auspicious fifth day) and as he attained his
object on the sixth, that lunar day is considered to be of great
moment.'"
[38] Brahma.