The six Kritikas named Siva, Sambhuti, Priti, Sannati, Anasuya and Kṣama were roaming a little outside their lok.

"Woh dekho !" Siva said pointing at the lake.

The rest of the Kritikas gathered around and saw six babies in the lotus flowers. They went towards the babies and picked them up.

"Ishwar ki kripa hai hum par !" Sambhuti said.

"Aakhir hume matritwa ka sukh prapt ho hi gaya." Priti said.

"Woh sabhi balak hume dedo !" Tarkasur said coming toward them.

The Kritikas looked at him and realised that he was not her for the right reasons.

"Kadapi nahi ! Yeh humari santaan hai !" Sannati said.

"Laut jao. Hum apni santaano ko tumhe nahi denge." Anasuya said.

"ASURO ! LE KE AAO UNHE !" Tarkasur ordered.

"Bhago !" Ksama said.

The Kritika ran inside their Kritika lok, but Asurs failed to come inside, no matter how much they try they could enter Kritika lok.

On the other side at Kailash tears were not stopping from the eyes of Mata Parvati. Suddenly Amarsri and Srinav came there.

"Mata ?" Srinav called.

"Srinav, mera putra janme se poorv hi mujhse vilagh ho gaya." Mata Parvati said.

"Mata, aapke putra aapse dur nahi huye hai. Hume pata hai woh sab kaha hai." Amarsri said.

"Satya ? Kaha hai woh ? Batao mujhe." Mata Parvati asked.

"Kritika lok mei hai woh." Amarsri said.

"Toh chalo, shigreh." Mata Parvati said.

The three quickly made way to Kritika lok and heard crying noises of babies outside a palace.

"Mere putra..." Mata Parvati smiled.

She hurriedly went inside as Amarsri and Srinav followed her. Reaching inside they saw six babies in six cradles.

Mata Parvati chuckled seeing her sons, she picked them up and calmed them down one by one. Soon they all fell asleep as the Kritikas entered.

"Arrey ! Yeh sab toh shaant ho gaye." Siva said.

"Yeh kaisi Maya hai devi ? Humse toh yeh shaant hi nahi hote." Sambhuti said.

"Yeh Maya nahi hai. Matritva ki shakti hai. Mere putro ka rakshan karne hetu aapka dhanyawaad." Mata Parvati said.

"Aapke putra ? Nahi-nahi devi, aapko koi bhram huya hai. Yeh humare putra hai." Anasuya said.

Srinav and Amarsri looked at each other, sensing that something is about to come.

"Mata ko bhram nahi hota, yeh meri santaane hai. Inka Srijan maine kiya hai. Aur mai ab inhe lene aayi hu." Mata Parvati said.

"Bas devi !" Priti said.

"Hum aapka sammaan kar rahe hai iska yeh arth nahi ki aap humse humare praan lejaye." Sannati said.

"Yeh humari santane hai, hum inhe nahi lejane denge." Ksama said.

"Kritikao, yeh baat satya hai ki yeh santaan Mata Parvati ki hai." Amarsri said.

"Mata Parvati ?" The Kritikas gasped.

"Ha, yeh hai Mata Parvati. Aur yeh santaan inki aur Mahadev ki santaan hai. Devtao ke bhul ke karan inke putra ka urja punj 6 bhago mei khandit ho kar bat gaya." Srinav said.

"Kya ?" The Kritikas muttered.

Suddenly Narayan and Mahadev appeared there, the Kritikas bowed to them.

"Yeh satya hai Kritikao ki yeh santaan meri aur Parvati ki hai." Mahadev said.

"Inka jeevan udeshya atyant bada hai, inhe Parvati se dur kar tum sab sansaar ko bade khatre mei daal dogi." Narayan said.

"Apne putra-moh mei hum andhe ho gaye the. Hume kshama kare. Devi Parvati aap inhe le jayiye." The Kritikas agreed with heavy heart.

"Mata, inn sabhi balako ko punah ek kardijiye." Amarsri said.

Mata Parvati smiled as she combined all the six babies back to one. The baby kept smiling in her arms.

"Mata, aapki santaan ab astitwa mei aachuki hai. Iska naam karan ka isse accha samaye nahi hoga." Srinav said.

"Satya vachan." Mata Parvati smiled.

"Yadi meri behen ki anumati ko toh mai ek naam rakhu ?" Narayan asked.

"Awashya." Mata Parvati chuckled.

"Jo Ganga ke dhara mei Skandit huya aur Bata, mei uska naam Skand rakhta hu." Narayan said.

Everyone smiled at that, the eyes of Mata Parvati fell on Kritikas who were hiding their sadness behind their smile.

"Janm Parvati ne diya hai, kintu palan 6 Kritikao ne kiya hai. Iss liye iska naam hoga Kartikeya." Mata Parvati said.

Kritikas looked at her and smiled, how kind was she to name her son after them.

"Aapka dhanyawaad devi." The Kritikas said.

"Jagat-mata hu mai, kisi dusre maa ko uske matritwa se kaise vanchit rakh sakti hu ? Iss liye mera nirnaye hai ki Kartikeya, baalpan Kritika lok mei hi vyatit karega. Kyuki janm dene wale se bada paalne wala hota hai." Mata Parvati said.

The Kritikas were in complete bliss and joy listening to her. Mata Parvati went towards them and handed over Katikeya.

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A/N

BOLO SKAND-MATA KI JAI !

Mata aap mahan hai, aap udaar hai.
Aisi mamta-mayi Mata ko sahastra baar naman.