The Krittikas Become Skanda's Mothers
Six goddesses, abandoned by their husbands the saptarshis after a false rumor that they gave birth to Skanda, come to the god of war seeking refuge. Skanda accepts them as his mothers, but the celestial disruption caused by their displacement must be resolved by Brahma himself.
When Mahasena — Skanda, the god of war — was united with Shri and became the general of the gods, six goddesses came to him. They were the wives of the saptarshis, the seven great sages, and they had been abandoned by their husbands. The rishis had driven them away in anger, though the goddesses were devoted to dharma and great in their vows, because someone had reported a falsehood: that these six had given birth to Skanda.
They went swiftly to the lord who was the general of the gods and said: "O son! Without any reason and driven by anger, our divine husbands have abandoned us. We have been dislodged from our pure positions. You should save us. Through your favours, we should attain eternal heaven. We wish that you should be our son. When you do this, you will be freed from your debt."
Skanda replied: "O unblemished ones! You are truly my mothers and I am your son. You will obtain everything that you have asked for."
Then he turned to Shakra — Indra, king of the gods — and asked: "What should be done?"
Shakra answered: "Abhijit is Rohini's younger sister, but is proud. The goddess wishes to be the eldest and has gone to the forest to perform austerities. O fortunate one! I am bewildered, because a nakshatra (lunar mansion) has been dislodged from the sky. O Skanda! Consult with Brahma about that excellent time."
Brahma determined the new time for Dhanishtha and the other nakshatras. Rohini had been the first, and their number used to be complete. Now the celestial order had to be rearranged.
Having been thus addressed by Shakra, the Krittikas — the six goddesses — went to heaven. The nakshatra they became is presided over by the god of fire and shines in the form of a cart. Aranyaka Parva, Chapter 516