बालकांड
सप्त त्रिंशस्सर्गः
( कुमारस्वामि कथ)

तप्यमाने तपो देवे देवास्सर्षिगणाः पुरा ।
सेनापतिं अभीस्संतः पितामहमुपागमन् ॥

In those old times when Mahadeva was performing penance, Devas and other Rishis approached Brahma with the object of obtaining a leader for all the forces Devas .

ततो ब्रुवन् सुरास्सर्वे भगवंतं पितामहम् ।
प्रणिपत्य सुरास्सर्वे सेंद्रास्याग्नि पुरोगमाः ॥
यो न स्सेनापतिर्देव दत्तो भगवता पुरा ।
ततः परममास्थाय तप्यते स्म सहोमया ॥
यदत्रानंतरं कार्यं लोकानां हितकाम्यया ।
संविधत्स्व विधानज्ञ त्वं हि नः परमागतिः ॥

All Devas with Indra and Agni leading them bowed to Brahma and told him as follows. " O Deva ! In the times before Parameswar, the one whom you appointed as leader, is now immersed in penance along with his wife. For the benefit of the worlds you must think of further steps. You are the one who knows all the ways".

देवतानां वचः श्रुत्वा सर्वलोकपितामहः ।
सांत्वयन् मधुरैर्वाक्यैः त्रिदशानिदमब्रवीत् ॥
शैलपुत्य्रा यदुक्तं तत् न प्रजा स्संतु पत्निषु ।
तस्या वचनमक्लिष्टं सत्यमेतन्नसंशयः ॥
इयमाकाशगा गंगा यस्यां पुत्त्रं हुताशनः ।
जनयिष्यति देवानां सेनापतिमरिंदमम् ॥
ज्येष्ठा शैलेंद्र दुहिता मानयिष्यति तत्सुतम् ।
उमाया स्तद्बहुमतं भविष्यति न संशयः ॥

'Hearing those words of Devas, Brahma consoling them with sweet soothing words spoke as follows." As stated by the daughter of the King of mountains you will not have sons through your wives. Her words are difficult and cannot be overcome. They are also true. Through this Ganga flowing through the skies Agni can obtain a son. He will be the one to lead Devas. Ganga will take care of him . He will be favored by Uma too ! There will be no doubt about that" .

तच्छ्रुत्वा वचनं तस्य कृतार्था रघुनंदन ।
प्रणिपत्य सुरास्सर्वे पितामहमपूजयन् ॥
तेगत्वा पर्वतं राम कैलासं धातुमंडितम् ।
अग्निं नियोजयामासुः पुत्रार्थं सर्व देवताः ॥
देवकार्यमिदं देव संविधत्स्वहुताशन ।
शैलपुत्र्यां महातेजो गंगायां तेज उत्सृज ॥

' Oh Raghunandana ! Hearing those words of Brahma the Devas felt that they achieved their objective and then bowed down to Brahma. There after they went to Kailasa and appointed Agni for task of obtaining a son. They said " O Agni , this is the work for benefit of Devas. Keep that great Tejas ( of Siva) in Ganga".

देवतानां प्रतिज्ञाय गंगामभ्येत पावकः ।
गर्भं धारय वै देवी देवतानां इदं प्रियम् ॥
तस्य तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा दिव्यं रूपमधारयत् ।
दृष्ट्वा तन्महिमानं स समंता दवकीर्यत ॥
समंततस्तदा देवीम् अभ्यषिंचत पावकः ।
सर्वस्रोतांसि पूर्णानि गंगया रघुनंदन ॥

Having said yes to Devas, Agni went to Ganga and spoke to her. " O Devi ! , Please bear this Tejas. This is an action to benefit the Devas". Hearing those words of Agni , Ganga then bore a celestial form. Seeing the celestial form the Tejas of Siva spread all over her. O Raghunandana ! because of that Tejas Ganga became full.'

तमुवाच ततो गंगा सर्वदेव पुरोहितम् ।
अशक्ता धारणे देव तव तेजस्समुद्धतम् ।
दह्यमानाs ग्निना तेन संप्रव्यधित चेतना ॥

'Then the Ganga unable to bear the power of that Tejas spoke to Agni, the high priest of all Devas. " Oh Agni Deva I am unable to bear this ever growing Tejas ".

अथाब्रवीदिदं गंगां सर्व देव हुताशनः ।
इह हैमवते पादे गर्बोsयं सन्निवेश्यतां ॥
श्रुत्वा त्वग्निवचो गंगा तं गर्भमति भास्वरम् ।
उत्ससर्ज महातेजः स्रोतोभ्यो हि तदानघ ॥

'Then Agni who carries all the offerings of Devas spoke to Ganga. " Leave the foetus at the foot of the Hymavati mountain". Oh Anagha! Hearing those words of Agni Ganga left the foetus at that place.'

यदस्या निर्गतं तस्मात् तप्तजांबूनद प्रभं ।
कांचनं धरणीं प्राप्तं हिरण्य ममलं शुभम् ।
ताम्रं कार्ष्णायसं चैव तैक्ष्ण्यादेवाभ्यजायत ॥
मलं तस्याभवत् तत्र त्रपुसीसकमेवच ।
तदेतद्धरणीं प्राप्य नानाधातुरवर्धत ॥

The foetus so left was bright like gold. The place it was left became imbued with gold. Because of the brilliance of the foetus iron and brass were born. The urine became another material. So the brilliance of that foetus made the earth into variety of materials'.

निक्षिप्तमात्रे गर्भे तु तेजोभिरभिरंजितम् ।
सर्वं पर्वतसन्नद्धं सौवर्णमभवद्वनम् ॥
जातरूपमिति ख्यातं तदा प्रभृति राघव ।
सुवर्णं पुरुषव्याघ्र हुताशन समप्रभम् ।
तृण वृक्ष लता गुल्मं सर्वं भवति कांचनम् ॥

As soon as that foetus was left there , because of its brilliance all the forests on that mountain became golden. From that time the gold which has brilliance equalling fire is called " Jatarupa" . All the grass, trees , creepers , and forests became golden'`

तं कुमारं ततो जातं सेंद्रा स्सहमरुद्गणाः ।
क्षीरसंभावनार्थाय कृत्तिका स्समयोजयन् ॥
ताः क्षीरं जातमात्रस्य कृत्या समयमुत्तमम् ।
ददुः पुत्त्रोsयमस्माकं सर्वासामिति निश्चिताः ॥
ततस्तु देवतास्सर्वाः कार्तिकेय इतिब्रुवन् ।
पुत्त्रस्त्रैलोक्य विख्यातो भविष्यति न संशयः ॥

Indra and other celestials deployed Krittikas to give milk to that child who was born there. Those Krittikas too decided with Devas that the child belongs to them all and started giving milk to that just born child. All the Devas said "Without doubt this boy will be well known all over the three worlds and will be known by the name of Kartikeya".

तेषां तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा स्कन्नं गर्भपरिस्रवे ।
स्नापयन् परया लक्ष्म्या दीप्यमानं यथाsनलम् ॥
स्कंध इत्यब्रुवन् देवाः स्कन्नं गर्भपरिस्रवात् ।
कार्तिकेयं महाभागं काकुत् स्थ ज्वलवोपमम् ॥

Following the words of Devas Krittikas bathed that child born of the Tejas of Siva and burning with the the brilliance of the fire. Since he was moved from the body of Ganga in the form of the foetus, he was known as "Skandha". Since he was brought up by Krittikas he was known as "Kartikeya"!

प्रादुर्भूतं ततः क्षीरं कृत्तिकानाममुत्तमम् ।
षण्णां षडाननो भूत्वा जग्राह स्तनजं पयः ॥
गृहीत्वा क्षीरमेकाह्ना सुकुमारवपुस्तदा ।
अजयत् स्वेन वीर्येण दैत्यसैन्यगणान् विभुः ॥
सुरसेनागणपतिं ततस्तमतुलद्युतिम् ।
अभ्यषिंचन् सुरगणाः समेत्याग्निपुरोगमाः ॥

The six Krittikas were full with milk for the child. From those six Krittikas the child drank milk with his six faces. That baby having been fed only once, defeated all the Rakshasa armies with his strength . Then Devas who came along with Agni anointed the child with unmatched power as the leader of the Deva's armies.

एष ते राम गंगाया विस्तरोsभिहितो मया ।
कुमारसंभवश्चैव धन्यः पुण्यस्तथैव च ॥

'O Rama ! I have told you the story of Ganga and the story of the birth of the child too. Who ever hears this story will have fulfilled the purpose of their life'.

भक्तश्च यः कार्तिकेये काकुत् स्थ भुवि मानवः ।
आयुष्मान् पुत्त्रपौत्रैश्च स्कंदसालोक्यतां व्रजेत् ॥

O Rama ! Anybody who prays to Kumaraswami will have long life and live happily with is progeny. He will also attain the world of Skandha too !!

इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीये आदिकाव्ये
बालकांडे सप्तत्रिंश स्सर्गः ॥
समाप्तं ॥

||Thus the thirty seventh Sarga of Balakanda in Valmiki Ramayan comes to an end ||
|| om tat sat ||

|| Om tat sat ||