Skanda Marries Devasena as Destined by Brahma
After instating Skanda as general of the gods, Shakra remembers Devasena — the maiden he once freed — and recalls Brahma's prophecy that she was destined for Skanda. He brings her adorned in ornaments, and Skanda accepts her hand in marriage according to prescribed rites, with Brihaspati reciting the mantras.
Skanda was attired in a pair of red garments that had no dust. His blazing body shone like the sun dressed in red clouds. Agni had given him a cock, and that became his ornamental sign — perched on his chariot, it blazed like the red fire of destruction. His body was cased in armour he had been born with, always visible when the god went into battle.
With Skanda, power, dharma, energy, beauty, truthfulness, devotion to brahmanas, lack of delusion, protection of devotees, destruction of enemies, and protection of the worlds were also born. Having been instated by the masses of all the gods, he looked happy and satisfied, his visage as radiant as the full moon. The sounds of hymns from the Vedas, celestial music, the songs of the gods and the gandharvas, and all the masses of apsaras arose. He sported, surrounded by many who were happy, satisfied, and ornamented. Thousands of armies of the gods came to him from all directions and said that he was their lord.
Then Shakra remembered Devasena — the maiden he had once freed. Brahma himself must have destined that she would be Skanda's wife, he thought. So the slayer of Bala fetched Devasena, adorned in her ornaments, and brought her before Skanda.
"O supreme among gods! Even before you were born, the self-creating one destined this maiden to be your wife. Therefore, in accordance with the prescribed rites and to the chanting of mantras, accept her hand. The right hand of this goddess is like a lotus. Accept it."
Having been thus addressed, Skanda accepted her hand, in accordance with the prescribed rites. Brihaspati recited the prescribed mantras and offered oblations.
Thus, wise ones know Devasena to be Skanda's queen. The brahmanas know her by many names: Shashthi, Lakshmi, Asha, Sukhaprada, Sinivali, Kuhu, Sadvritti, and Aparajita. When Devasena obtained Skanda as her eternal husband, the goddess Lakshmi herself sought refuge with him, in embodied form. Since Skanda was united with Shri on the fifth lunar day, this is known as Shripanchami. He accomplished his objective on the sixth, and this is known as the great tithi of shashthi. Aranyaka Parva, Chapter 515