Chapter 37

Bala Kanda - Book Of Youthful Majesties

VERSE 1

तप्यमाने तदा देवे स इन्द्राः स अग्नि पुरोगमाः
सेनापतिम् अभीप्सन्तः पितामहम् उपागमन्

tapyamāne tadā deve sa indrāḥ sa agni purogamāḥ
senāpatim abhīpsantaḥ pitāmaham upāgaman

SYNONYMS

deve tapyamāne: of god Shiva, while undertaking ascesis | tadā: then | [devāḥ: gods] | saḥ indrāḥ: with, Indra | senā patim abhīpsantaḥ: army, chief, desiring for | sa agni purogamāḥ = vith, Fire: god, keeping afore - as leader | pitāmaham upāgaman = tlovards Forefather: Brahma, arrived at the nearby of. |

TRANSLATION

"While god Shiva is undertaking ascesis thus, then the gods desiring an Army Chief for celestial forces have arrived in the audience of Forefather Brahma, along with Indra and keeping Fire-god at their fore." Sage Vishvamitra continued his narration to Rama. [1-37-1]

VERSE 2

ततो अब्रुवन् सुराः सर्वे भगवंतम् पितामहम्
प्रणिपत्य सुराः राम स इन्द्राः स अग्नि पुरोगमाः

tato abruvan surāḥ sarve bhagavaṃtam pitāmaham
praṇipatya surāḥ rāma sa indrāḥ sa agni purogamāḥ

SYNONYMS

rāma: oh, Rama | sa indrāḥ: with Indra | sa agni purogamāḥ: with Fire-god, keeping ahead of their delegation | surāḥ sarve: = celestials, all of them | bhagavantam pitāmaham: to the god [to Brahma,] Forefather | praṇipatya: on venerating | tataḥ: then | abruvan: spoke to. |

TRANSLATION

"On approaching the Forefather Brahma, oh, Rama, all of the celestials headed by Fire-god and along with Indra have venerated and then spoke this to him. [1-37-2]

VERSE 3

येन सेनापतिः देव दत्तो भगवता पुरा
स तपः परम् आस्थाय तप्यते स्म सह उमया

yena senāpatiḥ deva datto bhagavatā purā
sa tapaḥ param āsthāya tapyate sma saha umayā

SYNONYMS

deva = oh, god: Brahma | yena bhagavatā = by vhom, by god: Shiva | purā: earlier | [naḥ: to us] | senā patiḥ dattaḥ = army, cief, is given: in the form of Shiva's potence in a hypothetical way | saḥ = he: Shiva | umayā saha: Uma, along with | param tapaḥ āsthāya: supreme, ascesis, on undertaking | tapyate sma: he is practising ascesis, indeed. |

TRANSLATION

" 'Oh, god Brahma, he who has hypothetically given a Chief of Celestial Army in the form of his potence that god Shiva is undertaking a supreme ascesis, indeed along with Goddess Uma. [1-37-3]

PURPORT

The potence that is stirred from Shiva and given to earth as in last chapter has not yet materialised as Kaarthikeya.
VERSE 4

यत् अत्र अनंतरम् कार्यम् लोकानाम् हित कांयया
संविधत्स्व विधानज्ञ त्वम् हि नः परमा गतिः

yat atra anaṃtaram kāryam lokānām hita kāṃyayā
saṃvidhatsva vidhānajña tvam hi naḥ paramā gatiḥ

SYNONYMS

vidhāna jña = oh, procedure, knover: Brahma | lokānām hita kāmyayā = for vorlds, velfare, intent on: looking forward | atra: in this matter | anantaram yat kāryam = later, vhic, action: what next is to be done | sam vi dhatsva = fully, verily, order: let it be ordered clearly | tvam naḥ paramā gatiḥ hi: you alone, for us, ultimate, recourse. |

TRANSLATION

" 'Looking forward for the welfare of the worlds, oh, knower of the procedures, Brahma, you may order us clearly what is to be done next, as you alone are our ultimate recourse. [1-37-4]

VERSE 5

देवतानाम् वचः श्रुत्वा सर्व लोक पितामहः
सान्त्वयन् मधुरैः वाक्यैः त्रिदशान् इदम् अब्रवीत्

devatānām vacaḥ śrutvā sarva loka pitāmahaḥ
sāntvayan madhuraiḥ vākyaiḥ tridaśān idam abravīt

SYNONYMS

sarva loka pitāmahaḥ: all, worlds, Forefather Brahma | devatānām vacaḥ śrutvā: of gods, words, on listing | madhuraiḥ vākyaiḥ: with sweet, words | tridaśān sāntvayan: to gods, to sooth them | idam abravīt: this, spoke to. |

TRANSLATION

"On listening the words of gods, Brahma, the Forefather of all the worlds, soothingly spoke this to the celestials with sweet words. [1-37-5]

VERSE 6

शैल पुत्र्या यत् उक्तम् तत् न प्रजाः स्वासु पत्निषु
तस्या वचनम् अक्लिष्टम् सत्यम् एव न संशयः

śaila putryā yat uktam tat na prajāḥ svāsu patniṣu
tasyā vacanam akliṣṭam satyam eva na saṃśayaḥ

SYNONYMS

yat śaila putryā uktam = vhat, by mountain, daughter: Uma, is said | tat: by that reason | [vaḥ: you gods] | svāsu patniṣu: in your own, wives | na prajāḥ: no, posterity | [na prajāsyatha: you cannot generate progeny] | tasyāḥ vacanam a nkliṣṭam = her, sentence, not, to be put to śame: decried | satyam eva = true, only: her word | samśayaḥ na: ambiguity, not there. |

TRANSLATION

" 'What the Daughter of Mountain, namely Goddess Uma, has said that 'you shall have no posterity in your own wives' is true and it cannot be decried, and it is unambiguous too. [1-37-6]

VERSE 7

इयम् आकाश गंगा यस्याम् पुत्रम् हुताशनः
जनयिष्यति देवानाम् सेनापतिम् अरिंदमम्

iyam ākāśa gaṃgā yasyām putram hutāśanaḥ
janayiṣyati devānām senāpatim ariṃdamam

SYNONYMS

yasyām = in vhic, in vhom: Ganga | hutāśanaḥ: Fire-god | arindamam: one who ca destroy enemies | devānām senā patim putram: celestials', army, chief, son | janayiṣyati = vho can give birth to: Fire-god who can procreate | iyam ākāśa gangā = this, empyreal, ġanga: is there. |

TRANSLATION

" 'In whom the Fire-god can procreate an enemy-destroying Chief of Celestial Armies, such an empyreal Ganga is there. [1-37-7]

VERSE 8

ज्येष्ठा शैलेन्द्र दुहिता मानयिष्यति तम् सुतम्
उमायाः तत् बहुमतम् भविष्यति न संशयः

jyeṣṭhā śailendra duhitā mānayiṣyati tam sutam
umāyāḥ tat bahumatam bhaviṣyati na saṃśayaḥ

SYNONYMS

jyeṣṭhā śailendra duhitā: elder, mountain king, daughter [Ganga] | tam sutam: him, that [prospective] son | mānayiṣyati: will welcome graciously | tat = that: act of Ganga in welcoming boy | umāyāḥ bahu matam bhaviṣyati: to Uma, in many ways, pleasurable, it will be | samśayaḥ na: doubt, is not there. |

TRANSLATION

" 'The elder daughter King of Mountains, namely Ganga, will graciously welcome the offspring from Fire-god, and that act of Ganga in welcoming the offspring through Fire-god will also be pleasurable in many ways to the younger daughter of King of Mountains, namely Uma, no doubt about it.' So said Brahma to all the gods. [1-37-8]

VERSE 9

तत् श्रुत्वा वचनम् तस्य कृतार्था रघुनन्दन
प्रणिपत्य सुराः सर्वे पितामहम् अपूजयन्

tat śrutvā vacanam tasya kṛtārthā raghunandana
praṇipatya surāḥ sarve pitāmaham apūjayan

SYNONYMS

raghu nandana = oh, ṟaghu's delight: Rama | surāḥ sarve: gods, all of them | tasya tat vacanam śrutvā = his: Brahma's, that, sentence, on hearing | kṛta arthā = vith acieved, ends: at this bidding fair of Brahma | pitāmaham praṇipatya apūjayan: at Forefather, sang the praises, worshipped. |

TRANSLATION

"On hearing those words of Brahma, oh, Rama, the delight of Raghu's dynasty, all the gods have praisefully worshipped him, as their ends are achieved at the bidding fair of Brahma. [1-37-9]

VERSE 10

ते गत्वा परमम् राम कैलासम् धातु मण्डितम्
अग्निम् नियोजयामासुः पुत्रार्थम् सर्व देवताः

te gatvā paramam rāma kailāsam dhātu maṇḍitam
agnim niyojayāmāsuḥ putrārtham sarva devatāḥ

SYNONYMS

rāma: oh, Rama | te sarva devatāḥ: they, all of the, gods | dhātu maṇḍitam = vith ores, encompassed: heaped up | paramam kailāsam gatvā: to supreme, to Mt. Kailash, on going to | putra artham = son, purpose of: to father the son | agnim niyojayāmāsuḥ: Fire-god, started to assign. |

TRANSLATION

"On going to that supreme Mt. Kailash, oh, Rama, which is heaped up with many ores, all of those gods have assigned the Fire-god to father a son. [1-37-10]

VERSE 11

देव कार्यम् इदम् देव समाधत्स्व हुताशन
शैल पुत्र्याम् महातेजो गंगायाम् तेज उत्सृज

deva kāryam idam deva samādhatsva hutāśana
śaila putryām mahātejo gaṃgāyām teja utsṛja

SYNONYMS

deva: oh, god | huta aśana = oh, consumer of oblations: Fire-god | idam deva kāryam: this, god's, mission | samādhatsva: you coordinate | mahā tejaḥ = oh, great: resplendent one - Fire-god | tejaḥ = potence: of Shiva | śaila putryām gangāyām: Mountain's [Himalayas',] in daughter, in Ganga | utsṛja: release. |

TRANSLATION

" 'Oh, Fire-god, you please coordinate the mission of gods, oh, great-resplendent god of Fire, you may release the potence of Shiva, which you have contained so far, in the daughter of King of Mountains, namely River Ganga.' Thus, all gods have requested the Fire-god. [1-37-11]

VERSE 12

देवतानाम् प्रतिज्ञाय गंगाम् अभ्येत्य पावकः
गर्भम् धारय वै देवि देवतानाम् इदम् प्रियम्

devatānām pratijñāya gaṃgām abhyetya pāvakaḥ
garbham dhāraya vai devi devatānām idam priyam

SYNONYMS

pāvakaḥ = all: purifier - Fire-god | devatānām pratijñāya = to gods, on assuring: that he will do his best | gangām abhyetya: Ganga, having approached | devi: oh, goddess Ganga | garbham dhāraya vai: pregnancy, you bear, verily | idam devatānām priyam: this [act,] for gods, select [act, process.] |

TRANSLATION

"On assuring the gods that he will do his best, the Fire-god approached Ganga entreating, 'Oh, Goddess Ganga, you verily bear pregnancy with the potence of Shiva, since this is the select process of all the gods.' So said Fire-god to River Ganga. [1-37-12]

VERSE 13

इति एतत् वचनम् श्रुत्वा दिव्यम् रूपम् अधारयत्
स तस्या महिमाम् दृष्ट्वा समंतात् अवकीर्यत

iti etat vacanam śrutvā divyam rūpam adhārayat
sa tasyā mahimām dṛṣṭvā samaṃtāt avakīryata

SYNONYMS

iti etat vacanam śrutvā = thus, that, sentence: of Fire-god, on listening | divyam rūpam adhārayat: divine, form, [Ganga] adopted | saḥ = he: Fire-god | tasyā mahimām = her, glory: of mien | dṛṣṭvā: on seeing | samantāt avakīryata: all over, spread. |

TRANSLATION

"On listening that sentence of Fire-god, River Ganga adopted a celestial form readying herself, and on seeing her glorious mien the Fire-god seeped throughout her. [1-37-13]

VERSE 14

समंततः तदा देवीम् अभ्यषिंचत पावकः
सर्व स्रोतांसि पूर्णानि गंगाया रघुनन्दन

samaṃtataḥ tadā devīm abhyaṣiṃcata pāvakaḥ
sarva srotāṃsi pūrṇāni gaṃgāyā raghunandana

SYNONYMS

raghunandana: oh, of Raghu, delight | tadā: then | pāvakaḥ: Fire-god | devīm samantataḥ abhyaṣincata = ġoddess: Ganga, all over, drenched her with the potence of Shiva | gangāyāḥ: of Ganga | sarva srotāmsi pūrṇāni: every, channel [rill of Ganga,] replete with. |

TRANSLATION

"The Fire-god then drenched River Ganga from all over with the potence of Shiva which he contained so far, oh, Raghu's delight Rama, and every rill and channel of Ganga is replete with it. [1-37-14]

VERSE 15

तम् उवाच ततो गंगा सर्व देव पुरोगमम्
अशक्ता धारणे देव तेजः तव समुद्धतम्

tam uvāca tato gaṃgā sarva deva purogamam
aśaktā dhāraṇe deva tejaḥ tava samuddhatam

SYNONYMS

, 16a| tataḥ: then | gangā: Ganga | sarva deva purogamam = all, god, vho is in forefront of: Fire-god | tam uvāca = to him: Fire-god, spoke | deva = oh, ġod: Fire-god | sam uddhatam = upheaved: rampant | tava tejaḥ = your, intense heat: fervour compounded with that of Shiva | dhāraṇe: to bear up | a śaktā: I am not, capable | tena agninā dahyamānā: by that, fire [of the potence of Shiva,] while being burnt | sampravyathita [sam pra vyathita]: very, highly, tortured | cetanā = vith suc a heart: vitality. |

TRANSLATION

"River Ganga then spoke this to the Fire-god who is in the lead of all gods, 'oh, god, I am incapable to bear up the rampant fervour of yours, and while being burnt with the fire of god Shiva compounded with that of yours my life-force is very highly tortured.' [1-37-15, 16a]

VERSE 16

अथ अब्रवीत् इदम् गंगाम् सर्व देव हुताशनः

atha abravīt idam gaṃgām sarva deva hutāśanaḥ

SYNONYMS

b, 17a| atha: then | sarva deva huta aśanaḥ = all, god's, fire: oblations, consumer - consumer of fire oblations on behalf of all gods | gangām idam abravīt = to ġanga, this, said: on seeing her miserable plight | ayam garbhaḥ: that, embryo | iha haimavate pārśve [pāde]: here, at Himalayan Mountains, by the side of [at the foot of] | sam niveśyatām = verily, consign to: relocated at. |

TRANSLATION

"He who consumes fire-oblations on behalf of all the gods, that Fire-god seeing the miserable condition of River Ganga then spoke this to her, ''you may lay away that embryo here at the side of Himalayan Mountains.' So said Fire-god to River Ganga. [1-37-16b, 17a]

VERSE 17

श्रुत्वा तु अग्नि वचो गंगा तम् गर्भम् अतिभास्वरम्

śrutvā tu agni vaco gaṃgā tam garbham atibhāsvaram

SYNONYMS

b, 18a| mahā tejāḥ: oh, great-resplendent, Rama | anagha: oh, charming prince | agni vacaḥ śrutvā tu: Fire-god's, words, on hearing, on her part | gangā: Ganga | tadā: that way | ati bhāsvaram: highly, refulgent | tam garbham: that, embryo | srotobhyaḥ utsasarja hi: from her channels [and rills,] ejected, indeed. |

TRANSLATION

"Oh, great-resplendent Rama, on hearing the words of Fire-god, oh, charming prince Rama, River Ganga indeed ejected that great-radiant embryo of Shiva from all her rills and channels. [1-37-17b, 18a]

VERSE 18

यत् अस्या निर्गतम् तस्मात् तप्त जांबूनद प्रभम्

yat asyā nirgatam tasmāt tapta jāṃbūnada prabham

SYNONYMS

b, 19a| asyāḥ = from her: from Ganga | tapta jāmbūnada prabham: molten, gold, with a glitter of | yat: which | [tejaḥ: refulgent potence is there] | nir gatam = out, coming: emerged | dharaṇīm prāptam: earth, that which has reached | tasmāt: from that | hiraṇyam: silver | a tula prabham kāncanam = un, balanceable: matchless, in dazzle, gold | [abhavat: emerged.] |

TRANSLATION

"Which refulgent embryo with the glitter of molten gold has emerged from River Ganga is there that has reached earth, and from that the silver, and even the gold with its matchless dazzle have emerged. [1-37-18]

VERSE 19

ताम्रम् कार्ष्णायसम् चैव तैक्ष्ण्यात् एव अभिजायत

tāmram kārṣṇāyasam caiva taikṣṇyāt eva abhijāyata

SYNONYMS

b, 20| tatra = in that: process | taikṣṇyāt = from combustion: [kshaara = metallic alkali, element] | tāmram: copper | kārṣṇāyasam: iron | ca eva: also thus | abhijāyata: are generated | tasya = its: of the semen of Shiva | malam: from residua | trapu: tin | sīsakam eva ca: lead, also, thus | abhavat: became | tat etat = that, thus: such as it is - that potence of Shiva | dharaṇīm prāpya: earth, on reaching | nānā dhātuḥ avardhata: various, elements, evolved as. |

TRANSLATION

"In that process, copper and iron are also generated from that combustion of fires of Shiva and Fire-god, and the residua have become tin and lead, and thus that embryo on reaching the earth has evolved itself into various other elements also. [1-37-19b, 20]

VERSE 21

निक्षिप्त मात्रे गर्भे तु तेजोभिः अभिरंजितम्
सर्वम् पर्वत संनद्धम् सौवर्णम् अभवत् वनम्

nikṣipta mātre garbhe tu tejobhiḥ abhiraṃjitam
sarvam parvata saṃnaddham sauvarṇam abhavat vanam

SYNONYMS

garbhe nikṣipta mātre tu: embryo, is laid down, just when, but | sarvam: entire | parvata samnaddham = on ḥimalayan mountains, sprouted: uprisen | vanam = forest: reed-garden | tejobhiḥ abhiranjitam: with [embryo's] glitter, made brilliant | sauvarṇam abhavat: golden [reed-garden,] became. |

TRANSLATION

"But, just when that embryo is laid down on Himalayan mountains, entire reed-garden sprouted on that mountain is made brilliant by that glittering embryo and the reed-garden itself has become golden. [1-37-21]

VERSE 22

जातरूपम् इति ख्यातम् तदा प्रभृति राघव
सुवर्णम् पुरुषव्याघ्र हुताशन सम प्रभम्
तृण वृक्ष लता गुल्मम् सर्वम् भवति कांचनम्

jātarūpam iti khyātam tadā prabhṛti rāghava
suvarṇam puruṣavyāghra hutāśana sama prabham
tṛṇa vṛkṣa latā gulmam sarvam bhavati kāṃcanam

SYNONYMS

puruṣavyāghra: oh, tigerly-man, Rama | rāghava: oh, Raghava tadaa prabhR^iti = then | hutāśana sama prabham: Fire-god, equal, in its brilliance | suvarṇam: gold | jāta rūpam iti: birth-time, form, thus as | khyātam: renowned | sarvam: everything | tṛṇa vṛkśa latā gulmam: grass, tress, climbers, shrubs kaancanam bhavati = golden, they have become. |

TRANSLATION

"Oh, tigerly-man, from then onwards the gold with its brilliance equalling that of the Fire-god is renowned by the name of jaata ruupa , one that retains its birth-time form, and oh, Raghava, everything on the mountain, say grass, trees, climbers, and shrubs, all have become golden. [1-37-22]

PURPORT

The gold has the etymological name of jaata ruupa 'birth-time-form.' As and when Ganga's disgorged her womb there appeared a forest of fire like gold. So, the gold glowing like fire is called gold at many places in Ramayana. Pt. Satya Vrat.
VERSE 23

तम् कुमारम् ततो जातम् स इन्द्राः सह मरुद् गणाः
क्षीर संभावन अर्थाय कृत्तिकाः समयोजयन्

tam kumāram tato jātam sa indrāḥ saha marud gaṇāḥ
kṣīra saṃbhāvana arthāya kṛttikāḥ samayojayan

SYNONYMS

tataḥ: then | jātam tam kumāram = birthed, him, the son: from the embryo | sa indrāḥ marut gaṇāḥ: with, Indra, Wind-gods, assemblages of | saha = at a time: to suckle the baby simultaneously | kṣīra sambhāvana arthāya = milk, to nouriś vith, for the purpose of: to suckle and nourish | kṛttikāḥ samayojayan: Krittikaa stars, are arranged. |

TRANSLATION

"Then for the boy who took birth from the embryo deposited in Himalayas, the Wind-gods along with Indra have arranged Krittika stars to simultaneously suckle him. [1-37-23]

VERSE 24

ताः क्षीरम् जात मात्रस्य कृत्वा समयम् उत्तमम्
ददुः पुत्रो अयम् अस्माकम् सर्वासाम् इति निश्चिताः

tāḥ kṣīram jāta mātrasya kṛtvā samayam uttamam
daduḥ putro ayam asmākam sarvāsām iti niścitāḥ

SYNONYMS

tāḥ = those females: Krittika stars | niścitāḥ: deciding among themselves | ayam asmākam sarvāsām putraḥ = he is, our, all of us, let him be the son: let him be the son for all of us | iti: thus | uttamam samayam kṛtvā: best, resolve, on making jaata maatrasya = who is born, just then | kṣīram daduḥ: milk, they gave. |

TRANSLATION

"Those Krittika stars have decided among themselves that 'this boy shall be the son for all of us,' and on making such a best resolve they suckled the just born boy. [1-37-24]

VERSE 25

ततः तु देवताः सर्वाः कार्तिकेय इति ब्रुवन्
पुत्रः त्रैलोक्य विख्यातो भविष्यति न संशयः

tataḥ tu devatāḥ sarvāḥ kārtikeya iti bruvan
putraḥ trailokya vikhyāto bhaviṣyati na saṃśayaḥ

SYNONYMS

tataḥ: then | sarvāḥ devatāḥ: all, gods | putraḥ: this boy | kārtikeya iti: Kaartikeya [son of Krittika-s,] thus | trailokya vikhyātaḥ bhaviṣyati: in three worlds, renowned, he will be | samśayaḥ na: doubt, is not there | iti bruvan: thus, they said. |

TRANSLATION

"All the gods have then said, 'this boy will be renowned in all the three world as Kaarthikeya, as Krittika-stars have suckled him, with any doubt.' [1-37-25]

VERSE 26

तेषाम् तत् वचनम् श्रुत्वा स्कन्नम् गर्भ परिस्रवे
स्नापयन् परया लक्ष्ंया दीप्यमानम् यथा अनलम्

teṣām tat vacanam śrutvā skannam garbha parisrave
snāpayan parayā lakṣṃyā dīpyamānam yathā analam

SYNONYMS

teṣām tat vacanam śrutvā = their of gods, that, sentence, on hearing: on hearing gods blessings | garbha parisrave skannam: from womb of Ganga, secretion, who slid down | analam yathā: who fire, as with | parayā lakṣmyā dīpyamānam = ekṣcellently, aupicious, radiance: glowing with | snāpayan: to give a bath |

TRANSLATION

"On hearing that blessing of gods Krittika stars gave a wash to that excellently auspicious boy who is radiant like fire, and who slid down from the secretion of the womb of Ganga. [1-37-26]

VERSE 27

स्कंद इति अब्रुवन् देवाः स्कन्नम् गर्भ परिस्रवात्
कार्तिकेयम् महाबाहुम् काकुत्स्थ ज्वलन उपमम्

skaṃda iti abruvan devāḥ skannam garbha parisravāt
kārtikeyam mahābāhum kākutstha jvalana upamam

SYNONYMS

kākutstha: oh, Rama of Kakutstha | jvalana upamam = flare of fire, similar to: glow | mahā bāhum: ambidextrous | garbha parisravāt skannam: from womb's, secretions, who slid down | kārtikeyam = k͟hārtikeya: is called | devāḥ: gods | skanda iti abruvan = ṣkanda, thus, they called him: in its lexical meaning - to slid, who glissaded. |

TRANSLATION

"And gods called that boy, oh, Rama of Kakutstha, whose glow is like that of flaring fire and who is ambidextrous as 'Skanda' for he slid down from the secretions of a womb. [1-37-27]

VERSE 28

प्रादुर्भूतम् ततः क्षीरम् कृत्तिकानाम् अनुत्तमम्
षण्णाम् षड् आननो भूत्वा जग्राह स्तनजम् पयः

prādurbhūtam tataḥ kṣīram kṛttikānām anuttamam
ṣaṇṇām ṣaḍ ānano bhūtvā jagrāha stanajam payaḥ

SYNONYMS

tataḥ: then | kṛttikānām an uttamam kṣīram: = in Krittikaa-stars [breasts,] un, excelling, milk | prādurhbhūtam: instantly came forth | ṣaṇṇām: of six of them, the Krittika stars | stana jam payaḥ: breat, born, milk | ṣaḍānanaḥ: SaT aanana = six, faced one - the boy | bhūtvā = one becoming: six faced boy | [samam: at the same time] | jagrāha: drew out, sucked milk. |

TRANSLATION

"Then an unexcelled milk instantly came forth from the breasts of the six Krittika-stars, and becoming a six-faced one that boy too sucked that milk from the six Krittika-stars at the same time. [1-37-28]

PURPORT

It is said that each of the six Krittika-stars came forward to give her milk firstly to this boy. Observing their eagerness to feed him, Skanda / Kaartikeya made his one face into six and sucked all the milk of all the six stars and become an adolescent boy in day. Hence he looked like the one with six faces, by which he is called Shan mukha , six-faced deity. Later he argues with his father Shiva that he is superior to Shiva, because he has five-faces of Shiva, plus his own, totalling to a six, and he is a six-faced deity, superior to the five-faced god, namely Shiva. In another way, the boy by birth is dextrous and he sucked the milk of all the six mothers in split second with one face, but it appeared to all deities that the boy has been sucking milk with six faces, i.e., with rapid-face-movement. Thus on establishing his ambidextrous personality, the gods nominate him as the Chief of Celestial Army.
VERSE 29

गृहीत्वा क्षीरम् एक अह्ना सुकुमार वपुः तदा
अजयत् स्वेन वीर्येण दैत्य सैन्य गणान् विभुः

gṛhītvā kṣīram eka ahnā sukumāra vapuḥ tadā
ajayat svena vīryeṇa daitya sainya gaṇān vibhuḥ

SYNONYMS

vibhuḥ = capable one: taskmaster, that boy | eka ahnā: just in one, day | kṣīram gṛhītvā: milk, on taking | tadā: then | sukumāra vapuḥ: delicate, by body | svena vīryeṇa: by his own, vigour | daitya sainya gaṇān: demons, army, troops | ajayat: triumphed over. |

TRANSLATION

"On sipping the milk just for one day he became an adolescent boy on that day itself, and even though he is of delicate constitution as a boy, that taskmaster triumphed over the army troops of demons by his own vigour. [1-37-29]

VERSE 30

सुर सेना गण पतिम् अभ्यषिंचत् महाद्युतिम्
ततः तम् अमराः सर्वे समेत्य अग्नि पुरोगमाः

sura senā gaṇa patim abhyaṣiṃcat mahādyutim
tataḥ tam amarāḥ sarve sametya agni purogamāḥ

SYNONYMS

agni purogamāḥ: Fire god, keeping afore as leader | amarāḥ sarve: celestials, all of them | tataḥ: then | sametya: coming together | mahādyutim: highly resplendent boy is | sura senā gaṇa patim: god's, army, troops, as chief | abhyaṣincat: anointed him. |

TRANSLATION

"All of the celestial have then come together under the leadership of Fire-god and they anointed that highly resplendent boy, Skanda, or Kaarthikeya, as the Chief of Celestial Army troops. [1-37-30]

VERSE 31

एष ते राम गंगाया विस्तरो अभिहितो मया
कुमार संभवः चैव धन्यः पुण्यः तथैव च

eṣa te rāma gaṃgāyā vistaro abhihito mayā
kumāra saṃbhavaḥ caiva dhanyaḥ puṇyaḥ tathaiva ca

SYNONYMS

rāma: oh, Rama | maya te gangāyāḥ: by me, to you, of Ganga | eṣa vistaraḥ = this vay, vividly: told | tathā eva: like that | dhanyaḥ puṇyaḥ ca: Divine, Meritorious, also | kumāra sambhavaḥ caiva: Kumara's, emergence, also thus | abhihitaḥ: made known. |

TRANSLATION

"This way, I have vividly narrated the legend of Ganga to you, oh, Rama, like that the Divine and Meritorious legend of the emergence of Kumara, namely Skanda is also narrated. [1-37-31]

VERSE 32

इति वाल्मीकि रामायणे आदि काव्ये बाल काण्डे सप्त त्रिंशः सर्गः

iti vālmīki rāmāyaṇe ādi kāvye bāla kāṇḍe sapta triṃśaḥ sargaḥ

SYNONYMS

kākutstha: Oh, Kakutstha Rama | bhuvi yaḥ mānavaḥ: on earth, which, person | kārtikeye bhaktaḥ ca: of Kaartikeya, devotee, if he were to be | āyuṣmān: with longevity | putra pautraḥ ca: with sons, grandsons, also | skanda sālokyatām vrajate: of Skanda, in his abode [identical,] he goes, attains. |

TRANSLATION

"He who is a devotee of Kartikeyaa, oh, Rama of Kakutstha, he thrives with longevity, also with sons, grandsons on this humanly earth in his mortal life, and on its conclusion he becomes one with Skanda on journeying to Skanda's abode. [1-37-32]