Shloka 18
नक्षत्रेषु श्राद्धफलविधानम् (Śrāddha Outcomes According to Nakṣatras)
तदनन्तर तैंतीस देवता
tadanantaraṃ trayastriṃśad devatā daśo diśaḥ dikpālā rudrā dhātā viṣṇur yamaḥ pūṣā aryamā bhaga aṃśo mitraḥ sādhyā vasavo vāsava (indraḥ) aśvinīkumārau jalaṃ (varuṇaḥ) vāyur ākāśaś candramā nakṣatrāṇi grahagaṇā raviś ca tathā nānāvidhāni bhūtāni ye devatāśritāḥ sarve te ’dbhutaṃ agniputraṃ “kumāraṃ” draṣṭuṃ tatra samāgaman || ṛṣayas tuṣṭuvuś caiva gandharvāś ca jagus tathā | ṣaḍānanaḥ kumāras tu dviṣaḍakṣaṃ dvijapriyaḥ sthūlaskandho ’gnisūryasamaprabhāsaḥ śarastambanikuñje supta āsīt | taṃ dṛṣṭvā devā ṛṣibhiḥ saha paramānandaṃ lebhire tarakāsuravadhe niścayaṃ ca jagmuḥ | tataḥ sarve devāḥ priyāṇi priyadānāni tasmai pradaduḥ ||
Sesudah itu datanglah para dewa Tiga Puluh Tiga, bersama sepuluh penjuru dan para penjaganya—Rudra, Dhātṛ, Viṣṇu, Yama, Pūṣan, Aryaman, Bhaga, Aṁśa, Mitra, para Sādhya, para Vasu, Vāsava (Indra), kedua Aśvin, Varuṇa penguasa air, Vāyu, langit, Bulan, gugus bintang, rombongan planet, Matahari, serta makhluk-makhluk lain yang bergantung pada para dewa—semuanya tiba di sana untuk menyaksikan Kumāra, putra Api, yang menakjubkan. Para resi memujinya, dan para Gandharwa melantunkan kemasyhurannya. Kumāra itu—kekasih kaum dwija—berwajah enam, bermata dua belas dan berlengan dua belas, bertubuh bidang, bercahaya laksana api dan matahari. Ia terlelap di tengah rimbun belukar ilalang. Melihatnya, para dewa bersama para resi dipenuhi sukacita dan yakin bahwa Tārakāsura kini akan terbunuh. Lalu semua dewa mulai mempersembahkan kepadanya anugerah-anugerah yang mereka kasihi.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
When a righteous protector arises, the community of the good (devas and sages) responds with reverence, support, and offerings. The passage emphasizes confidence grounded in dharma: the appearance of a divinely empowered leader restores moral order and dispels fear, not through panic but through collective alignment with what is right.
The gods, sages, and celestial beings gather to see the fire-born Kumāra (Skanda/Kārttikeya). Sages praise him and Gandharvas sing. His extraordinary form—six faces and blazing radiance—is described as he sleeps in a reed thicket. Seeing him, the assembly becomes certain that the demon Tārakāsura will be slain, and the gods begin offering him cherished gifts.