"Markandeya continued, 'Those six ladies, the wives of the seven
_Rishis_ when they learned that good fortune had smiled on Mahasena and
that he had been made leader of the celestial forces,[39] repaired to
his camp. Those virtuous ladies of high religious merit had been
disowned by the _Rishis_. They lost no time in visiting that leader of
the celestial forces and then addressed him thus, "We, O son, have been
cast out by our god-like husbands, without any cause. Some people spread
the rumour that we gave birth to thee. Believing in the truth of this
story, they became greatly indignant, and banished us from our sacred
places. It behooves thee now to save us from this infamy. We desire to
adopt thee as our son, so that, O mighty being, eternal bliss may be
secured to us by that favour. Do thou thus repay the obligation thou
owest to us."
[39] Devasenapati is the original. It may mean either the _pati_
(leader) of the _sena_ (forces) of _devas_ or the _pati_
(husband) of Devasena.
"'Skanda replied, "O ladies of faultless character, do you accordingly
become my mothers. I am your son and ye shall attain all the objects of
your desire."
"Markandeya continued, 'Then Sakra having expressed a wish to say
something to Skanda, the latter enquired, "What is it?" Being told by
Skanda to speak it out, Vasava said, "The lady Abhijit, the younger
sister of Rohini, being jealous of her seniority, has repaired to the
woods to perform austerities. And I am at a loss to find out a
substitute for the fallen star. May good luck attend on thee, do thou
consult with _Brahma_ (for the purpose of filling up the room) of this
great asterism." Dhanishtha and other asterisms were created by
_Brahma_, and Rohini used to serve the purpose of one such; and
consequently their number was full. And in accordance with Sakra's
advice, Krittika was assigned a place in the heavens, and that star
presided over by _Agni_ shines as if with seven heads. Vinata also said
to Skanda, "Thou art as a son to me, and entitled to offer me the
funeral cakes (at my funeral obsequies). I desire, my son, to live with
thee always."
"'Skanda replied, "Be it so, all honour to thee! Do thou guide me with a
mother's affection, and honoured by thy daughter-in-law, thou shalt
always live with me."'
"Markandeya continued, 'Then the great mothers spoke as follows to
Skanda, "We have been described by the learned as the mothers of all
creatures. But we desire to be thy mothers, do thou honour us."
"'Skanda replied, "Ye are all as mothers to me, and I am your son. Tell
me what I can do to please you."
"'The mothers replied, "The ladies (Brahmi, Maheswari, &c.) were
appointed as mothers of the world in bygone ages. We desire, O great
god, that they be dispossessed of that dignity, and ourselves installed
in their place, and that we, instead of them, be worshipped by the
world. Do thou now restore to us those of our progeny, of whom we have
been deprived, by them on thy account."
"'Skanda replied, "Ye shall not recover those that have been once given
away, but I can give you other offspring if ye like."
"'The mothers replied, "We desire that living with thee and assuming
different shapes we be able to eat up the progeny of those mothers and
their guardians. Do thou grant us this favour."
"'Skanda said, "I can grant you progeny, but this topic on which ye have
just now dilated is a very painful one. May ye be prosperous! All honour
to you, ladies, do ye vouchsafe to them your protecting care."
"'The mothers replied, "We shall protect them, O Skanda, as thou
desirest. Mayst thou be prosperous! But, O mighty being, we desire to
live with thee always."
"'Skanda replied, "So long as children of the human kind do not attain
the youthful state in the sixteenth year of their age, ye shall afflict
them with your various forms, and I too shall confer on you a fierce
inexhaustible spirit. And with that ye shall live happily, worshipped by
all."'
"Markandeya continued, 'And then a fiery powerful being came out of the
body of Skanda for the purpose of devouring the progeny of mortal
beings. He fell down upon the ground, senseless and hungry. And bidden
by Skanda, that genius of evil assumed a terrific form. Skandapasmara is
the name by which it is known among good Brahmanas. Vinata is called the
terrific Sakuni _graha_ (spirit of evil). She who is known as _Putana
Rakshasi_ by the learned is the _graha_ called Putana; that fierce and
terrible looking _Rakshasa_ of a hideous appearance is also called the
_pisacha_, Sita Putana. That fierce-looking spirit is the cause of
abortion in women. Aditi is also known by the name of Revati; her evil
spirit is called Raivata, and that terrible _graha_ also afflicts
children. Diti, the mother of the Daityas (_Asuras_), is also called
Muhkamandika, and that terrible creature is very fond of the flesh of
little children. Those male and female children, O Kaurava, who are said
to have been begotten by Skanda, are spirit of evil and they destroy the
foetus in the womb. They (the _Kumaras_) are known as the husbands of
those very ladies, and children are seized unawares by these cruel
spirits. And, O king, _Surabhi_ who is called the mother of bovine kind
by the wise is best ridden by the evil spirit Sakuni, who in company
with her, devours children on this earth. And Sarama, the mother of
dogs, also habitually kills human beings while still in the womb. She
who is the mother of all trees has her abode in a _karanja_ tree. She
grants boons and has a placid countenance and is always favourably
disposed towards all creatures. Those persons who desire to have
children, bow down to her, who is seated in a _karanja_ tree. These
eighteen evil spirits fond of meat and wine, and others of the same
kind, invariably take up their abode in the lying-in-room for ten days.
Kadru introduces herself in a subtle form into the body of a pregnant
woman and there she causes the destruction of the foetus, and the mother
is made to give birth to a _Naga_ (serpent). And that mother of the
Gandharvas takes away the foetus, and for this reason, conception in
woman turns out to be abortive. The mother of the _Apsaras_ removes the
foetus from the womb, and for this reason such conceptions are said to
be stationary by the learned. The daughter of the Divinity of the Red
Sea is said to have nursed Skanda,--she is worshipped under the name of
Lohitayani on Kadamva trees. Arya acts the same part among female
beings, as Rudra does among male ones. She is the mother of all children
and is distinctly worshipped for their welfare. These that I have
described are the evil spirits presiding over the destinies of young
children, and until children attain their sixteenth year, these spirits
exercise their influence for evil, and after that, for good. The whole
body of male and female spirits that I have now described are always
denominated by men as the spirits of Skanda. They are propitiated with
burnt offerings, ablutions, unguents, sacrifices and other offerings,
and particularly by the worship of Skanda. And, O king, when they are
honoured and worshipped with due reverence, they bestow on men whatever
is good for them, as also valour and long life. And now having bowed
down to Maheswara, I shall describe the nature of those spirits who
influence the destinies of men after they have attained their sixteenth
year.
"'The man who beholds gods while sleeping, or in a wakeful state soon
turns mad, and the spirit under whose influence these hallucinations
take place is called the celestial spirit. When a person beholds his
dead ancestors while he is seated at ease, or lying in his bed, he soon
loses his reason, and the spirit which causes this illusion of sensible
perception, is called the ancestral spirit. The man who shows disrespect
to the _Siddhas_ and who is cursed by them in return, soon runs mad and
the evil influence by which this is brought about, is called the
_Siddha_ spirit. And the spirit by whose influence a man smells sweet
odour, and becomes cognisant of various tastes (when there are no
odoriferous or tasteful substances about him) and soon becomes
tormented, is called the _Rakshasa_ spirit. And the spirit by whose
action celestial musicians (_Gandharvas_) blend their existence into the
constitution of a human being, and make him run mad in no time, is
called the _Gandharva_ spirit. And that evil spirit by whose influence
men are always tormented by _Pisachas_, is called the _Pisacha_ spirit.
When the spirit of _Yakshas_ enters into the system of a human being by
some accident, he loses his reason immediately, and such a spirit is
called the _Yaksha_ spirit. The man who loses his reason on account of
his mind being demoralised with vices, runs mad in no time, and his
illness must be remedied according to methods prescribed in the
_Sastras_. Men also run mad from perplexity, from fear, as also on
beholding hideous sights. The remedy lies in quieting their minds. There
are three classes of spirits, some are frolicsome, some are gluttonous,
and some sensual. Until men attain the age of three score and ten, these
evil influences continue to torment them, and then fever becomes the
only evil spirit that afflicts sentient beings. These evil spirits
always avoid those who have subdued their senses, who are
self-restrained, of cleanly habits, god-fearing and free from laziness
and contamination. I have thus described to thee, O king, the evil
spirits that mould the destinies of men. Thou who art devoted to
Maheswara art never troubled by them.'"