# Bāla Kāṇḍa 36 — Story of Gaṅgā & Umā: Kārttikeya’s birth and six nurses *Gaṅgā releases Agni’s unbearable embryo onto the mountain, its radiance produces minerals and six Kṛttikās nurse the child who becomes the Devas’ commander* Portion: Story of Gaṅgā & Umā · Verses: 31 · Ref format: 1.36. ## Sequence - While Śiva is away at his penance with Umā, the Suras, needing a war commander, approach Brahmā (36.1–4) - Brahmā says that Umā's curse stands: they can have no children by their own wives (36.5–6) - instead, Agni will father the senāpati (war commander) through Gaṅgā, an arrangement that Umā too will esteem (36.7–8) - the Devas honor Brahmā, go to Kailāsa, and instruct Agni to cast his energy into Gaṅgā (36.9–11) - Agni asks her to bear the embryo → she assumes a divine form, and he pours himself into her, filling all her channels (36.12–14) - burning and overwhelmed, Gaṅgā says that she cannot bear his surging energy (36.15) - at Agni's direction she releases the blazing embryo onto the Himālaya's slope (36.16–17). What falls to earth becomes pure gold - copper and iron arise from its fierce heat, while its dross becomes tin and lead → the deposit gives rise to the minerals (36.18–20) - its radiance turns the surrounding forest to gold, and gold is henceforth called jātarūpa (36.21–22) - the Devas appoint the six Kṛttikās to nurse the newborn → they agree that he is the son of them all (36.23–24) - the devatās name him Kārttikeya (36.25) - seeing him blazing amid the birth-flow, they also call him Skanda because he has oozed forth, skanna (36.26–27) - he becomes six-faced and drinks from the six Kṛttikās' breasts (36.28) - after drinking their milk in a single day, the tender-bodied boy defeats the Daitya army through his own courage (36.29) - the assembled Suras, with Agni at their head, perform his abhiṣeka as senāpati (commander) → Viśvāmitra closes the account of Gaṅgā and Kumāra's birth (36.30–31). ## Verses **1.36.1** tapyamāne tapo deve devāḥ sarṣigaṇāḥ purā senāpatim abhīpsantaḥ pitāmaham upāgaman Long ago, while the god (Śiva) was performing austerities, the gods together with the hosts of seers, desiring a war-leader, approached the Grandsire (Brahmā). **1.36.2** tato 'bruvan surāḥ sarve bhagavantaṃ pitāmaham praṇipatya śubhaṃ vākyaṃ sendrāḥ sāgnipurogamāḥ Then all the gods, headed by Indra and Agni, bowing down, spoke this auspicious word to the venerable Grandsire: **1.36.3** yo naḥ senāpatir deva datto bhagavatā purā sa tapaḥ param āsthāya tapyate sma sahomayā “O god, the commander who was formerly given to us by your holiness — he, having undertaken supreme austerity, is practising penance together with Umā. **1.36.4** yad atrānantaraṃ kāryaṃ lokānāṃ hitakāmyayā saṃvidhatsva vidhānajña tvaṃ hi naḥ paramā gatiḥ Whatever thereupon must be done for the welfare of the worlds, arrange it, O knower of ordinances; for you are our supreme recourse.” **1.36.5** devatānāṃ vacaḥ śrutvā sarvalokapitāmahaḥ sāntvayan madhurair vākyais tridaśān idam abravīt Having heard the speech of the deities, the Grandsire of all the worlds, soothing the gods with sweet words, said this: **1.36.6** śailaputryā yad uktaṃ tan na prajāsyatha patniṣu tasyā vacanam akliṣṭaṃ satyam eva na saṃśayaḥ That which was said by the mountain's daughter — that you shall not beget offspring upon your wives — her flawless word is indeed true, there is no doubt. **1.36.7** iyam ākāśagā gaṅgā yasyāṃ putraṃ hutāśanaḥ janayiṣyati devānāṃ senāpatim ariṃdamam This Gaṅgā moves through the sky; in her Agni shall beget a son — the commander of the gods, a subduer of foes. **1.36.8** jyeṣṭhā śailendraduhitā mānayiṣyati taṃ sutam umāyās tad bahumataṃ bhaviṣyati na saṃśayaḥ The eldest daughter of the mountain-lord (Gaṅgā) will honour that son; and that will be highly esteemed by Umā, no doubt. **1.36.9** tac chrutvā vacanaṃ tasya kṛtārthā raghunandana praṇipatya surāḥ sarve pitāmaham apūjayan Hearing that speech of his, O joy of the Raghus, all the gods, their purpose fulfilled, bowed down and honoured the Grandsire. **1.36.10** te gatvā parvataṃ rāma kailāsaṃ dhātumaṇḍitam agniṃ niyojayām āsuḥ putrārthaṃ sarvadevatāḥ Going to the mountain Kailāsa, adorned with minerals, O Rāma, all the deities appointed Agni to the task for the sake of a son: **1.36.11** devakāryam idaṃ deva samādhatsva hutāśana śailaputryāṃ mahātejo gaṅgāyāṃ teja utsṛja “Accomplish this task of the gods, O god Agni; O one of great splendour, cast your energy into Gaṅgā, the mountain's daughter.” **1.36.12** devatānāṃ pratijñāya gaṅgām abhyetya pāvakaḥ garbhaṃ dhāraya vai devi devatānām idaṃ priyam Having given his promise to the gods, Agni the purifier approached Gaṅgā: “Bear this embryo, O goddess; this is dear to the gods.” **1.36.13** ity etad vacanaṃ śrutvā divyaṃ rūpam adhārayat sa tasyā mahimāṃ dṛṣṭvā samantād avakīryata Hearing this speech, she assumed a divine form; and he (Agni), beholding her majesty, poured himself out on every side. **1.36.14** samantatas tadā devīm abhyaṣiñcata pāvakaḥ sarvasrotāṃsi pūrṇāni gaṅgāyā raghunandana Then Agni suffused the goddess on every side; and all the channels of Gaṅgā were filled, O joy of the Raghus. **1.36.15** tam uvāca tato gaṅgā sarvadevapurohitam aśaktā dhāraṇe deva tava tejaḥ samuddhatam dahyamānāgninā tena saṃpravyathitacetanā Then Gaṅgā, burning with that fire, her consciousness sorely agitated, said to him, the household-priest of all the gods: “I am unable, O god, to bear your surging energy.” **1.36.16** athābravīd idaṃ gaṅgāṃ sarvadevahutāśanaḥ iha haimavate pāde garbho 'yaṃ saṃniveśyatām Then Agni, the fire of all the gods, said this to Gaṅgā: “Let this embryo be deposited here on the slope of the Himālaya.” **1.36.17** śrutvā tv agnivaco gaṅgā taṃ garbham atibhāsvaram utsasarja mahātejāḥ srotobhyo hi tadānagha Hearing Agni's word, the mighty Gaṅgā then released that intensely blazing embryo from her streams, O sinless one. **1.36.18** yad asyā nirgataṃ tasmāt taptajāmbūnadaprabham kāñcanaṃ dharaṇīṃ prāptaṃ hiraṇyam amalaṃ śubham That which issued from her, gleaming like refined river-gold, became, on reaching the earth, gold — pure and lovely bullion. **1.36.19** tāmraṃ kārṣṇāyasaṃ caiva taikṣṇyād evābhijāyata malaṃ tasyābhavat tatra trapusīsakam eva ca Copper and black iron too came into being from its fierce heat; and its dross there became tin and lead. **1.36.20** tad etad dharaṇīṃ prāpya nānādhātur avardhata All this, upon reaching the earth, grew into the various minerals. **1.36.21** nikṣiptamātre garbhe tu tejobhir abhirañjitam sarvaṃ parvatasaṃnaddhaṃ sauvarṇam abhavad vanam The moment the embryo was set down, the whole forest clinging to the mountain, tinged by its radiances, turned to gold. **1.36.22** jātarūpam iti khyātaṃ tadā prabhṛti rāghava suvarṇaṃ puruṣavyāghra hutāśanasamaprabham From that time on, O Rāghava, gold has been known as jātarūpa — gold, O tiger among men, whose radiance equals fire's. **1.36.23** taṃ kumāraṃ tato jātaṃ sendrāḥ sahamarudgaṇāḥ kṣīrasaṃbhāvanārthāya kṛttikāḥ samayojayan Then, to nurture with milk that boy who had been born, the gods with Indra and the host of Maruts appointed the Kṛttikās (Pleiades). **1.36.24** tāḥ kṣīraṃ jātamātrasya kṛtvā samayam uttamam daduḥ putro 'yam asmākaṃ sarvāsām iti niścitāḥ Having made a solemn compact, they gave milk to the newborn, resolved: “This is the son of all of us.” **1.36.25** tatas tu devatāḥ sarvāḥ kārtikeya iti bruvan putras trailokya vikhyāto bhaviṣyati na saṃśayaḥ Then all the deities said, “Kārtikeya!” — “This son will be renowned throughout the three worlds, no doubt.” **1.36.26** teṣāṃ tad vacanaṃ śrutvā skannaṃ garbhaparisrave snāpayan parayā lakṣmyā dīpyamānam ivānalam Hearing that speech of theirs, (they beheld the child) fallen amid the birth-flow, bathed in supreme splendour, blazing like fire. **1.36.27** skanda ity abruvan devāḥ skannaṃ garbhaparisravāt kārtikeyaṃ mahābhāgaṃ kākutsthajvalanopamam “Skanda!” the gods called him — the illustrious Kārtikeya, O Kākutstha, who resembled fire — because he had oozed forth (skanna) from the birth-flow. **1.36.28** prādurbhūtaṃ tataḥ kṣīraṃ kṛttikānām anuttamam ṣaṇṇāṃ ṣaḍānano bhūtvā jagrāha stanajaṃ payaḥ Then the surpassing milk of the Kṛttikās appeared; and becoming six-faced, he drank the milk flowing from the breasts of the six. **1.36.29** gṛhītvā kṣīram ekāhnā sukumāra vapus tadā ajayat svena vīryeṇa daityasainyagaṇān vibhuḥ Having drunk the milk in a single day, the lord, tender of body, then by his own valour conquered the hosts of the Daitya army. **1.36.30** surasenāgaṇapatiṃ tatas tam amaladyutim abhyaṣiñcan suragaṇāḥ sametyāgnipurogamāḥ Then the hosts of gods, assembling with Agni at their head, consecrated him, of spotless radiance, as the lord of the army-hosts of the gods. **1.36.31** eṣa te rāma gaṅgāyā vistaro 'bhihito mayā kumārasaṃbhavaś caiva dhanyaḥ puṇyas tathaiva ca This, O Rāma, is the full account of Gaṅgā that I have related to you, and likewise the birth of Kumāra — blessed and holy alike.