Search for Kartikeya

Narada said

Lord of the gods, lord of subjects, Vidhatri, what happened after that? Show me your compassion and tell me, and also tell me of Shiva's pastimes.

Brahma replied

Sage, after the Krittikas accepted Shambhu's son some time passed. But the Himalaya's daughter did not know of it. With a smiling face like an opening lotus, Durga spoke to her husband, the lord and divinity Shambhu.

Parvati said

Lord of the gods, Mahadeva, listen to my auspicious words. Ishvara, by the weight of my earlier merit I have won you. You are the best of yogis, yet you gave yourself to amusement. Bhava, but the gods interrupted our union. Lord, your semen fell on the ground and not into my womb. Where did it go? Which god has hidden it? Maheshvara, how can my husband's semen be made useless? Has it failed, or has a son been born somewhere?

Brahma said

Hearing Parvati, the lord of the universe laughed. Lord among sages, he called the gods and sages and spoke to them.

Maheshvara said

Gods, hear my words. You have heard Parvati. How can my semen be fruitless? Who has hidden it? If someone, afraid, flings himself down at once, he does not deserve punishment. If a capable king does not punish, his subjects stop obeying and become devourers.

Brahma said

The assembly talked it over, and afraid before the lord they spoke in turn, each laying a curse on whoever had hidden the semen. Vishnu named the burden carried in Bharata by a liar, a violator of his guru's wife and a constant slanderer of his guru. Brahma said the culprit would be barred from serving or worshipping Shiva in this sacred land. The guardians of the worlds called him a sinner fallen through delusion who would suffer for the deed forever. The gods said a pledge-breaker is a foolish sinner and the culprit would share his fate. The gods' wives said he would share the lot of wives who revile their husbands and go to other men, who lose mother and kin. Then Hara turned to Dharma and the other witnesses of karma, who see every deed in the universe, and asked them, with a threat in his voice, whether they had hidden it or knew who had. Trembling in that assembly, they glanced at one another and spoke one at a time. Brahma said only that in the course of the union the semen fell to the ground, and that Shankara's rage never fails. Earth said she could not bear it and so, weak as she is, had thrown it into the fire, and begged pardon. Agni said it was too hard to bear, so as a dove he threw it onto Mount Kailasa. The mountain said he could not hold it and flung it into the Ganga. Ganga said she was shaken and cast it into a clump of reeds. Vayu told how it became a child at once, a very handsome one, on the holy bank of the heavenly river. Surya said he saw the weeping child and went to Mount Astachala, but the wheel of time kept him from staying there at night. Chandra said the Krittikas lifted up the crying boy and took him home to Badarika ashrama. Water said they suckled him and that he now shines like the sun. Sandhya said they were rearing him in the forest and had named him Kartikeya out of love. Ratri said they would not let him out of their sight and loved him more than their lives, adding that whoever nurtures a child makes him his own. Dina said they gave him the best clothes and ornaments and tasty, admired food. Hearing all this, the destroyer of cities was satisfied and delightedly gave the brahmanas generous dakshina.

Hearing the news of her son, Parvati was delighted. She gave the brahmanas crores of jewels and many riches, and Lakshmi, Sarasvati, Mena, Savitri, all the women, Vishnu and all the gods gave the brahmanas wealth as well. Urged by the gods, sages and mountains, the lord sent his ganas as messengers to where his son was. Narada, they included Virabhadra, Vishalaksha, Shankukarna, Karakrama, Nandishvara, Mahakala, Vajradamshtra, Mahonmada, Gokarnasya and Dadhimukha, who blazed like fire flames, a hundred thousand Kshetrapalas, three hundred thousand bhutas, Rudras and Bhairavas as valiant as Shiva, and other innumerable malformed beings. All of Shiva's messengers held astras and shastras in their hands and ringed the Krittikas' dwelling. Seeing them, the Krittikas were shaken and afraid, and spoke to Kartikeya, who blazed with the energy of the brahman.

The Krittikas said

Child, countless soldiers and others have surrounded our dwelling. There is great fear. What shall we do? Where shall we go?

Kartikeya said

Fortunate ones, put away your fear. As long as I am here, what is there to fear? Mothers, though I am a child, who can counter me?

Brahma said

Meanwhile Nandikeshvara, the army's leader, presented himself before Kartikeya, sat down and spoke.

Nandishvara said

Brother, mothers, listen to the auspicious message I bring. I have been sent by Mahesha, by Shankara the destroyer. Son, an assembly is going on in Kailasa with all the gods, Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva and the others, and there are great auspicious festivities. In that assembly Shivaa asked Shankara, who brings welfare to all, to search for you. So, to get you back, Shiva questioned the gods one by one, and each answered as was fitting; they told the lord of gods that you were here in the Krittikas' dwelling. Dharma and the others witness all karma, of dharma and of adharma. Long ago, in private, Parvati and Shiva were at their play. The gods saw Shambhu's semen fall to the ground. The earth threw it into the fire, the fire threw it onto the mountain, the mountain threw it into the Ganga, and the flow of waves carried it to a grove of reeds. To accomplish the gods' task, the lord took form there as a child, and the Krittikas got you from that place. You will now go to earth. There, with the gods, Shambhu will perform your abhisheka. You will obtain every weapon and kill the one called Taraka. You are the son of the destroyer of the universe and they cannot keep you; the hollow of a dry tree cannot hide a fire. You will light up the universe. As a king of elephants fallen into a great pit does not shine, so you do not shine in this house. If your energy is not hidden you can illumine the world, as the sun's rays do when no cloud covers them. Shambhu's son, you and no one else can pervade the universe, as the sky pervades everything but is not pervaded. An Indra among yogis is not attached to the pleasures he needs to sustain himself, and the atman is not attached to the deeds a living being does. You are lord at the beginning of the universe and cannot stay in this place. Like a yogi, you are a mass of qualities and energy. Brother, men who do not know you have lost their intelligence. Even though a toad lives in the same place as a lotus, it does not get the same respect.

Kartikeya said

You know everything and have knowledge of the three periods of time. Since you have knowledge and refuge in Mrityunjaya, there is no need to praise you. Karma depends on the species one is born into, brother, and so does the attaining of nivritti. The Krittikas are yoginis with knowledge and portions of Prakriti. They reared me with milk from their breasts and have always done me good. I am the son they nourished, and so I am also a portion of these ladies. They are portions of Prakriti and I was born from the semen of Prakriti's lord. Nandikeshvara, although I have no portion of the Indra among mountains' daughter in me, by the dharma all revere she is my mother. Shambhu has sent you. You are great and like Shambhu's son. I will come with you and see all the gods.

Brahma said

Having said this, he quickly told the Krittikas, and with Shankara's attendants Kartikeya set out.