one of the peaks of the
White Mountain. And the White Mountain being thus pierced by him was
greatly afraid of him and dissociating himself from the earth fled with
the other mountains. And the earth was greatly afflicted and bereft of
her ornaments on all sides. And in this distress, she went over to Skanda
and once more shone with all her might. And the mountains too bowed down
to Skanda and came back and stuck into the earth. And all creatures then
celebrated the worship of Skanda on the fifth day of the lunar month.

SECTION CCXXV

"Markandeya continued, 'When that powerful, high-souled, and mighty being
was born, various kinds of fearful phenomena occurred. And the nature of
males and females, of heat and cold, and of such other pairs of
contraries, was reversed. And the planets, the cardinal points and the
firmaments became radiant with light and the earth began to rumble very
much. And the Rishis even, seeking the welfare of the world, while they
observed all these terrific prodigies on all sides, began with anxious
hearts to restore tranquillity in the universe. And those who used to
live in that Chitraratha forest said, This very miserable condition of
ours hath been brought about by Agni cohabiting with the six wives of the
seven Rishis.' Others again who had seen the goddess assume the disguise
of a bird said, 'This evil hath been brought about by a bird.' No one
ever imagined that Swaha was the authoress of that mischief. But having
heard that the (new born) male child was hers, she went to Skanda and
gradually revealed to him the fact that she was his mother. And those
seven Rishis, when they heard that a son of great power had been born (to
them), divorced their six wives with the exception of the adorable
Arundhati, because all the dwellers of that forest protested that those
six persons had been instrumental in bringing forth the child. Swaha too,
O king, said again and again to the seven Rishis, saying, 'Ye ascetics,
this child is mine, your wives are not his mother.'

The great Muni Viswamitra had, after the conclusion of the sacrifices of
the seven Rishis, followed unseen the god of fire, while the latter was
tortured with lust. He, therefore, knew everything as it happened and he
was the first to seek the protection of Mahasena. And he offered divine
prayers to Mahasena and all the thirteen auspicious rites appertaining to
childhood, such as the natal and other ceremonies, were all performed by