as. Thou art _Swaha_, thou art _Swadha_, and thou
art the holiest of the holy, and art invoked in hymns and celebrated as
the six-flamed fire. Thou art the year, thou art the six seasons, thou
art the months, the (lunar) half months, the (solar) declinations, and
the cardinal points of space. Thou art lotus-eyed. Thou art possessed of
a lily-like face. Thou hast a thousand faces and a thousand arms. Thou
art the ruler of the universe, thou art the great Oblation, and thou art
the animating spirit of all the gods and the _Asuras_. Thou art the
great leader of armies. Thou art _Prachanda_ (furious), thou art the
Lord, and thou art the great master and the conqueror of thine enemies.
Thou art _Sahasrabhu_ (multiform), _Sahasratusti_ (a thousand times
content), _Sahasrabhuk_ (devourer of everything), and _Sahasrapad_ (of a
thousand legs), and thou art the earth itself. Thou art possessed of
infinite forms and thousand heads and great strength. According to thine
own inclinations thou hast appeared as the son of Ganga, Swaha, Mahi, or
Krittika. O six-faced god, thou dost play with the cock and assume
different forms according to thy will. Thou art Daksha, Soma, the
Maruta, Dharma, Vayu, the prince of mountains, and Indra, for all time.
Thou art mighty, the most eternal of all eternal things, and the lord of
all lords. Thou art the progenitor of Truth, the destroyer of Diti's
progeny (_Asuras_), and the great conqueror of the enemies of the
celestials. Thou art the personation of virtue and being thyself vast
and minute, thou art acquainted with the highest and lowest points of
virtuous acts, and the mysteries of _Brahma_. O foremost of all gods and
high-souled lord of the Universe, this whole creation is over-spread
with thy energy! I have thus prayed to thee according to the best of my
power. I salute thee who art possessed of twelve eyes and many hands.
Thy remaining attributes transcend my powers of comprehension!'

"'The Brahmana who with due attention readeth this story of the birth of
Skanda, or relateth it unto Brahmanas, or hears it narrated by
regenerate men, attaineth to wealth, long life, fame, children, as also
victory, prosperity and contentment, and the companionship of Skanda.'"

SECTION CCXXXI

(_Draupadi-Satyabhama Samvada_)

Vaisampayana said, "After those Brahmanas and the illustrious sons of
Pandu had taken their seats, Draupadi and Satyabhama entered the
hermitage. And with hearts full of joy the tw