Chapter 226

“Markandeya continued, The planets with their satellites, the Rishis andthe Mothers, Agni and numerous other blazing courtiers and many otherdwellers of heaven of terrible mien, waited on Mahasena along with theMothers. And the illustrious sovereign of the gods, desirous of victorybut believing success to be doubtful mounted his elephant Airavata andattended by the other gods advanced towards Skanda. That mighty beingfollowed by all the celestials was armed with his thunderbolt. And withthe object of slaying Mahasena, he marched with terrible celestial armyof great-splendour, sounding their shrill war-cry and furnished withvarious sorts of standards, with warriors encased in various armour andarmed with numerous bows and riding on various animals. When Mahasenabeheld the gloriously decked Sakra, attired in his best clothes,advancing with the determination of slaying him, he (too on his part)advanced to meet that chief of the celestials. O Partha, the mightyVasava, the lord of the celestials, then uttered a loud shout, toencourage his warriors and marching rapidly with the view of killing’Agnis’ son and praised by Tridasas[75] and great Rishis, he at lengthreached the abode of Kartikeya. And then he shouted out with other gods;and Guha too in response to this, uttered a fearful war-cry resemblingthe roaring of the sea. On hearing that noise, the celestial army behavedlike an agitated sea, and was stunned and fixed to the spot. And that sonof Pavaka (the Fire-god) beholding the gods come near to him with theobject of killing him, was filled with wrath, and gave out rising flameof fire from within his mouth. And these flames destroyed the celestialforces struggling on the ground. Their heads, their bodies, their armsand riding animals were all burnt in that conflagration and they appearedall on a sudden like stars displaced from their proper spheres. Thusafflicted, the god renounced all allegiance to the thunder bolt, andsought the protection of Pavaka’s son; and thus peace was again secured.When he was thus forsaken by the gods, Sakra hurled his thunder-bolt atSkanda. It pierced him on the right side; and, O great king, it passedthrough the body of that high-souled being. And from being struck withthe thunder-bolt, there arose from Skanda’s body another being–a youthwith a club in hand, and adorned with a celestial amulet. And because hewas born on account of the piercing of the thunder-bolt, he was namedVisakha. And Indra, when he beheld that another person looking like thefierce destroying Fire-god had come into being was frightened out of hiswits and besought the protection of Skanda, with the palms of his handsjoined together (as a mark of respect). And that excellent being Skanda,bade him renounce all fear, with his arm. The gods were then transportedwith joy, and their hands too struck up.”