Chapter 264 - Tārakāsura Killed

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Brahmā said:

1. Kārttikeya, the most beloved of Pārvatī, greater than her own life, plays about nearby. He is engaged in different kinds of (playful) activities.

2. He is highly refulgent with a red lustre and wonderful in his exploits. The Six-faced One sings loudly at will at some place and dances as he pleases in some other place.

3. He looks at his mother and father and stands bowing down humbly. Somewhere, on the sandy banks of Gaṅgā, he is found smearing his body with sand particles.

4. Accompanied by the Gaṇas, he is found searching about different kinds of trees in the forest. Thus five days passed off even as he played about.

5. Thereafter, Mahendra and other Devas who had fled due to the fear of Tāraka desired to catch hold of Tāraka. So they all eulogized Śaṅkara.

6. Through their Gaṇas the Suras made Kumāra their commander-in-chief on the (bank of) river Gaṅgā. The musical instruments (war drums etc.) of the Devas were sounded and there was shower of flowers.

7-8. The Fire-god gave him his Śakti and Himavān offered a vehicle. He was surrounded by crores of the groups of all the Devas. Kārttikeya bowed down to the groups of sages and proceeded ahead for battle with the enemies. At the city of Tāmravatī, the valorous one blew his conchshell.

9. On hearing the sound of the conch, crores of the soldiers of the Dānava came out from his city overwhelmed with distress and fear.

10. All the Devas were emboldened and encouraged by the brilliance of Skanda. They rode their respective vehicles. They were proud due to their prowess, but they fought with self-control.

11. He (the Lord) moved down the armies of the Dānavas. Split by the discus of Viṣṇu, they fell on the ground in thousands.

12. Split and killed in hundreds, the Dānavas fell down everywhere, O sage. Rivers of blood of diverse forms began to flow.

13a. On seeing the army of Dānavas broken (routed), he fought in the battle (more vigorously).

13b-14a. The leader of Devas (i.e. Kārttikeya) immediately crushed the Daitya army with shower of arrows of various kinds.

14b. Gāṅgeya (Kārttikeya) fought with Tāraka. Directed by Kṛṣṇa he hurled his Śakti at Tāraka and reduced him to ashes along with his chariot and charioteer in a moment.

15. On seeing Tāraka killed, the remaining Dānavas went to Pātāla. Thereupon, all the groups of the Devas praised his valour.

16-17. The war-drums of the Devas were sounded. There was a shower of flowers. After attaining victory, all of them with Maheśvara at their head, crowned the Six-faced One as the Commander-in-chief of all the Devas. Choked with delight, Pārvatī embraced Skanda.

18. Sorrounded by her female companions, she performed all the benedictory and auspicious rites. In this manner the boy killed Tāraka on the seventh day.

19. He then went to mountain Mandara. Filled with excessive joy, he delighted his parents by telling them everything.

20. At the proper time, Śaṅkara thought about getting a wife for him (Skanda). With a happy mind he spoke to Gāṅgeya of unlimited lustre:

21-22a. “O powerful one, the time suitable for your marriage has arrived. Get a suitable wife. This is your commonly approved duty. Sport about with different kinds of pleasures with aerial chariots that can go as you please.”

22b. On hearing it, Lord Skanda spoke these words to his father:

23. “Everywhere, among all the Gaṇas, among the objects visible and invisible I am alone the person to be seen; what shall I accept? What shall I reject?

24. All the women in the world are on a par with Pārvatī for me. O Lord of Devas, I view all the men like you.

25. You are my preceptor. Save me from getting submerged in Naraka. I am one by whom this entire knowledge has been attained completely unmutilated, thanks to your grace.

26a. Let it not be that I submerge myself into the extremely terrible ocean of worldly existence.

26b-27a. A man holding light in his hand leaves it after seeing the desired object. Similarly, after attaining knowledge a Yogin leaves off the mundane existence.

27b-28a. O omniscient, supreme Lord, he is known as a Yogin whose activities recede after knowing the omnipresence of Brahman.

28b-31a. In the case of persons whose minds are covetous of sensual objects, they have attraction even while living in the forest. In the case of persons of equanimous vision indeed liberation is eternal even while staying at home. O Maheśāna, knowledge is very rare indeed, in the case of human beings.

By no means should a learned man lose the knowledge attained. Neither I am nor do I have a mother, a father or any kinsman. Having attained the knowledge I have realized separateness from the worlds.

31b-33. This attitude should be attained as a divine gift not as a result of your power.

It does not behove you to make a statement like this. Undoubtedly, I am desirous of salvation.

When the goddess was persistent and said so (about his marriage) repeatedly, he bowed down to his parents and went to the Krauñca mountain. There in a highly meritorious hermitage he performed the greatest austerity.

34. At the outset he brought all the sense-organs under his control by means of meditation. He performed the Japa of the greatest Brahman (i.e. Mantra) with the twelve syllables as the Bījas.

35-38. After echewing Mamatā (sense of possession) he attained Jñānayoga.

When the Siddhis beginning with Aṇimā (ability of becoming very minute) came to him unobstructedly he spoke these words angrily to the groups of those Siddhis:

“If you have approached me with wicked (evil) intention then (this is my assertion) that you will never afflict persons of quiescence on a par with us.”

Even Maheśa, knowing the great rise (manifestation) of spiritual knowledge (in Skanda) said: “Skanda has attained through Jñānayoga more Bhāva (emotional steadiness).” On knowing this Maheśa was overwhelmed with wonder in his heart. He narrated to Pārvatī (everything)

39. Pārvatī was overwhelmed with grief over her son. Hara told Umā in nectar-like auspicious words the greatness of Cāturmāsya as being destructive of all sins.

40. If Maheśvara or the Enemy of Kaiṭabha (Vìṣṇu) is retained in the heart by meditation, with the realization of non-difference and non-duality, he shall be the destroyer of the intense distress. Thereby, even an enemy shall become extremely affectionate.

Sūta said:

41. O Brāhmaṇas, thus the greatness resulting from (observances etc. in) Cāturmāsya has been narrated to you in detail. What other (topic) do you wish to hear?