Skanda-nāmastotram — Mahābhārate Vana-parvaṇi (3.233)

This is Mahābhārata, Vana Parva (Araṇya Parva), Adhyāya 233 of Kumbhakonam Edition, where Yudhiṣṭhira seeks to know the divine names and attributes of Bhagavān Skanda (Kārtikeya) from Mārkaṇḍeya Ṛṣi.

Here is a succinct summary for devotional or Skanda Ṣaṣṭi reflection

Adhyāya 233 of the Vana Parva, known as the Skanda-nāma-stotra, opens with Yudhiṣṭhira asking the sage Mārkaṇḍeya to reveal the divine names by which the mahātmā bhagavan Skanda is known across the three lokas. Mārkaṇḍeya first lists a series of epithets describing bhagavan  Skanda’s valor, purity, compassion, and cosmic presence (verses 3–9). Then, beginning with “stoṣyāmi devair ṛṣibhiś ca juṣṭam,” he transitions into a hymn of praise (verses 10–19), portraying Skanda as the essence of Brahman, the embodiment of time, seasons, directions, and the sustaining power of the universe. The chapter concludes with a phalaśruti (verses 20–21), promising that whoever recites or listens to these names with devotion will gain wealth, longevity, fame, progeny, victory, and finally attain Skanda-sālokya, oneness with bhagavan Skanda’s divine realm.

yudhiṣṭhira uvāca:
bhagavan śrotum icchāmi nāmāni ca mahātmanaḥ |
triṣu lokeṣu yāny asya vikhyātāni dvijottama ||

vaishampāyana uvāca:
ity uktaḥ pāṇḍaveyena mahātmā ṛṣisannidhau |
uvāca bhagavāṃs tatra mārkaṇḍeyo mahātapāḥ ||

Summary (Rendering for Skanda Ṣaṣṭi Mananam)

In this sacred utterance that ensued, when Yudhiṣṭhira inquires about the divine names of Bhagavān Skanda, Sage Mārkaṇḍeya extols Him as Agneya, the son of Fire; Skanda, the cast-off one; Mayūradhvaja, the peacock-bannered; Dharmātmā, the virtuous-souled; Mahīśārdana, the slayer of Mahisha; Śaṣṭhīpriya, beloved of Goddess Śaṣṭhī; Devasenāpati, commander of the gods; and Guha, the indwelling Lord hidden within all beings.

He is Brahmachārī yet compassionate, childlike yet omniscient, the embodiment of energy and purity. The sage proclaims Him the very essence of Time, the Seasons, the Directions, and the Flame of Life. Skanda is the protector of all beings, the conqueror of evil, the radiant six-faced Lord — Ṣaṇmukha, ever adored by devas and ṛṣis alike.

Mārkaṇḍeya concludes: Whoever with devotion reads, hears, or narrates this account of Skanda’s birth and His thousand epithets, attains long life, fame, prosperity, victory, progeny, and ultimately Skanda’s own divine abode.

Skanda-nāmastotram — Mahābhārate Vana-parvaṇi (3.233)

Full Rendering below largely based on Sri Kisari Mohan Ganguli’s translation (with Sanskritized modifications in translation as appropriate to make the rendering"feel " as close to the original śloka as possible). 

yudhiṣṭhira uvāca

bhagavan śrotum icchāmi nāmāni ca mahātmanaḥ
triṣu lokeṣu yāny asya vikhyātāni dvijottama 3.233.1 (Kumbhakonam Edition)

Yudhiṣṭhira said — O bhagavan, I desire to hear the nāmāni of that mahātmanaḥ, the names by which he is known and praised in the three lokas, O dvijottama.

vaiśaṃpāyana uvāca
ity uktaḥ pāṇḍaveyena mahātmā ṛṣi-sannidhau
uvāca bhagavāṃs tatra mārkaṇḍeyo mahātapaḥ

Vaiśaṃpāyana said — Thus spoken to by the son of Pāṇḍu in the presence of ṛṣis, the great tapasvī, bhagavān Mārkaṇḍeya, replied.

āgneyas caiva skandaś ca dīptakīrtir anāmayaḥ
mayūraketur dharmātmā bhūteśo mahiṣārdanaḥ

He is Āgneya, born of Agni; Skanda, the cast-off one; Dīptakīrti, of blazing fame; Anāmaya, ever free from illness; Mayūraketu, the one with the peacock-banner; Dharmātmā, the virtuous-souled; Bhūteśa, lord of beings; and Mahiṣārdana, destroyer of Mahiṣa.

kāmajit kāmadaḥ kāntaḥ satyavāk bhuvaneśvaraḥ
śiśuḥ śīghraḥ śuciś caṇḍo dīptavarṇaḥ śubhānanaḥ

He is Kāmajit, the conqueror of desire; Kāmada, the fulfiller of desire; Kānta, the handsome one; Satyavāk, truthful in speech; Bhuvaneśvara, lord of the worlds; Śiśu, ever-youthful; Śīghra, swift; Śuci, pure; Caṇḍa, fierce; Dīptavarṇa, radiant; and Śubhānana, of auspicious countenance.

amoghas tv anagho raudraḥ priyaś candrānanas tathā
dīptaśaktiḥ praśāntātmā nadrakukkuṭamohanaḥ

He is Amogha, whose acts are never in vain; Anagha, sinless; Raudra, born of Rudra’s might; Priya, beloved; Candrānana, with a moonlike face; Dīptaśakti, wielder of the shining spear; Praśāntātmā, of tranquil heart; and Nadrakukkuṭamohana, charming to men and roosters alike.

ṣaṣṭhipriyaś ca dharmātmā pavitro mātṛvatsalaḥ
kanyābhartā vibhaktaś ca svāheyo revatīsutaḥ

He is Ṣaṣṭhipriya, dear to the goddess Ṣaṣṭhī; Dharmātmā, steadfast in righteousness; Pavitro, pure; Mātṛvatsala, devoted to his mother; Kanyābhartā, protector of maidens; Vibhakta, diffused through all existence; Svāheya, son of Svāhā; and Revatīsuta, child of Revati.

prabhur netā viśākhaś ca naigameyaḥ suduścaraḥ
suvrato lalitaś caiva bālakrīḍanaka-priyaḥ

He is Prabhu, sovereign; Netā, leader; Viśākha, reared by the star Viśākha; Naigameya, born of the Veda; Suduścara, difficult to propitiate; Suvrata, firm in vow; Lalita, graceful; and fond of bālakrīḍanaka, the playthings of a child.

khacārī brahmacārī ca śūraḥ śaravaṇodbhavaḥ
viśvāmitra-priyaś caiva devasenāpriyas tathā
vāsudeva-priyaś caiva priyaḥ priyakṛd eva tu

He moves through the sky as Khacārī; is ever-chaste as Brahmacārī; is Śūra, the valiant; Śaravaṇodbhava, born in the reeds; Viśvāmitrapriya, dear to the sage Viśvāmitra; Devasenāpriya, beloved of Devasenā; Vāsudevapriya, dear to Vāsudeva; Priya, the lovable; and Priyakṛt, the doer of what is dear.

nāmāny etāni divyāni kārtikeyasya yaḥ paṭhet
svargaṃ kīrtiṃ dhanaṃ caiva sa labhen nātra saṃśayaḥ

Whoever recites these divine names of Kārttikeya with devotion shall obtain svarga, fame, and wealth—there is no doubt of it.

mārkaṇḍeya uvāca
stoṣyāmi devair ṛṣibhiś ca juṣṭaṃ
śaktyā guhannāmabhir aprameyam
ṣaḍānanaṃ śaktidharaṃ suvīraṃ
nibodha caitāni kurupravīra

Mārkaṇḍeya said — I shall now praise that Guha, beloved of the devas and ṛṣis, by his innumerable names. Listen, O noble Kuru, to the hymn of the six-faced, mighty-armed, wielder of the Śakti.

brahmaṇyo vai brahmajo brahmavij ca
brahmeśayo brahmavatāṃ variṣṭhaḥ
brahmapriyo brāhmaṇa-sarva-mantrī
tvaṃ brahmaṇāṃ brāhmaṇānāṃ ca netā

Thou art Brahmaṇya, friend of the Vedas; Brahmaja, born of Brahma; Brahmavit, knower of Brahman; Brahmeśaya, abiding in Brahman; foremost among the Brahmavids; dear to those who know the sacred word; the chief among Brāhmaṇas and their guide.

svāhā svadhā tvaṃ paramaṃ pavitraṃ
mantra-stutas tvaṃ prathitaḥ ṣaḍarchiḥ
saṃvatsaras tvaṃ ṛtavaś ca ṣaḍ vai
māsārdhamāsāś ca dinaṃ diśaś ca

Thou art Svāhā and Svadhā, the supreme purifier; praised in mantras, the six-flamed one. Thou art the year, the six seasons, the months and fortnights, the day and the quarters of space.

tvaṃ puṣkarākṣas tvaṃ aravinda-vakraḥ
sahasra-cakṣoṣi sahasra-bāhuḥ
tvaṃ loka-pālaḥ paramaṃ haviś ca
tvaṃ bhāvanaḥ sarva-surāsurāṇām

Thou art lotus-eyed and lotus-faced, with a thousand eyes and a thousand arms. Thou art the guardian of all lokas, the supreme oblation, the source and sustainer of all devas and asuras.

tvam eva senādhipatiḥ pracaṇḍaḥ
prabhur vibhuś cāpy atha śakra-jetā
sahasrapāt tvaṃ dharaṇī tvam eva
sahasra-tuṣṭiś ca sahasra-bhuk ca

Thou art the commander of the divine armies, mighty and fierce, the great and all-pervading, conqueror of Indra himself. Thou art the earth, with a thousand feet, a thousand satisfactions, and a thousand forms of sustenance.

sahasra-śīrṣas tvam ananta-rūpaḥ
sahasra-pād tvaṃ daśa-śakti-dhārī
gaṅgā-sutas tvaṃ svamatena deva
svāhā mahī kṛttikānāṃ tathaiva

Thou art thousand-headed and of infinite form, bearer of ten śaktis. Thou art Gāṅgeya, son of Gaṅgā; Svāheya, son of Svāhā; and also the son of the Kṛttikās.

tvaṃ krīḍase ṣaṇmukha kukkuṭena
yatheṣṭa-nānā-vidha-kāma-rūpī
dīkṣā ’si somo marutaḥ sadaiva
dharmo ’si vāyur acalendra indraḥ

O Ṣaṇmukha, thou playest with the cock, assuming forms according to thy will. Thou art initiation itself, the moon, the Maruts, dharma, Vāyu, the mountain-king, and Indra.

sanātanānām api śāśvatas tvaṃ
prabhuḥ prabhūṇām api cogra-dhanvā
ṛtasya kartā ditijāntakas tvaṃ
jatā ripūṇāṃ pravaraḥ surāṇām

Eternal among the eternal, the master of masters, wielder of the mighty bow. Thou art the creator of ṛta, destroyer of dānavas, foremost among the devas and vanquisher of foes.

sūkṣmaṃ tapas tat paramam tvam eva
parāvara-jño ’si parāvaras tvam
dharmasya kāmasya parasya caiva
tvat-tejasā kṛtsnam idaṃ mahātman

Thou art the essence of tapas, knowing the higher and lower, pervading all. By thy tejas, O mahātman, the whole universe is sustained—dharmic, desirous, and transcendent alike.

vyāptaṃ jagat sarva sura-pravīra
śaktyā mayā saṃstuta loka-nātha
namas tu te dvādaśa-netra-bāho
ataḥ paraṃ vedmi gatiṃ na te ’ham

O loka-nātha, hero among the devas, the universe is filled with thy śakti. O twelve-eyed, mighty-armed one, my prostrations to thee; beyond this, I know not thy extent.

skandasya ya idaṃ vipraḥ paṭhed janma samāhitaḥ
śrāvayed brāhmaṇebhyo yaḥ śṛṇuyād vā dvijeritam
dhanam āyur yaśo dīptaṃ putrāñ śatru-jayaṃ tathā
sa puṣṭi-tuṣṭi-saṃprāpya skanda-sālokyam āpnuyāt

Whoever, with faith, recites or listens to this account of Skanda’s divine names, or causes it to be heard among Brāhmaṇas, gains wealth, long life, radiance, sons, victory over enemies, fullness, joy, and finally attains Skanda-sālokya—the divine realm of Skanda.