कालनेमिमुखा दैत्याः संरम्भाद्भ्रान्तचेतसः स्वे स्वे स्वनीकेषु तदा त्वराविस्मितचेतसः योधा धावत गृहीत योजयध्वं वरूथिनीम्
The Daityas, led by Kālanemi, their minds agitated with rage, hurried in their own divisions, astonished and eager, shouting: 'Warriors, run! Seize him! Form the battle lines!'
कुमारं तारको दृष्ट्वा बभाषे भीषणाकृतिः किं बाल योद्धुकामो ऽसि क्रीड कन्दुकलीलया
Seeing the boy, Tāraka, terrifying in form, spoke: 'Child, do you wish to fight, or are you here to play with your ball in sport?'
त्वया न दानवा दृष्टा यत्सङ्गरविभीषकाः बालत्वादथ ते बुद्धिर् एवं स्वल्पार्थदर्शिनी
'You have not seen the Daityas, whose battles are dreadful; because you are a child, your understanding is limited and sees only small things.'
कुमारो ऽपि तमग्रस्थं बभाषे हर्षयन्सुरान् शृणु तारक शास्त्रार्थस् तव चैव निरूप्यते
But the boy, standing before him, gladdening the gods, replied: 'Listen, Tāraka, the meaning of the scriptures is now to be shown to you.'
शास्त्रैरर्था न दृश्यन्ते समरे निर्भयैर्भटैः शिशुत्वं मावमंस्था मे शिशुः कालभुजंगमः
'Meanings are not revealed by scriptures in battle, but by fearless warriors; do not look down on my childhood—sometimes even a child is the serpent of time.'
दुष्प्रेक्ष्यो भास्करो बालस् तथाहं दुर्जयः शिशुः अल्पाक्षरो न मन्त्रः किं सुस्फुरो दैत्य दृश्यते
'The sun, though young, is hard to gaze upon; so too am I, a child, unconquerable. A mantra may be short in syllables—yet, Daitya, see how clearly it shines.'
कुमारे प्रोक्तवत्येवं दैत्यश्चिक्षेप मुद्गरम् कुमारस्तं निरस्याथ वज्रेणामोघवर्चसा
When the boy had spoken thus, the Daitya hurled a mace; but the boy deflected it with his thunderbolt of unfailing brilliance.
ततश्चिक्षेप दैत्येन्द्रो भिन्दिपालमयोमयम् करेण तच्च जग्राह कार्तिकेयो ऽमरारिहा
Then the lord of the Daityas threw an iron club, but Kārtikeya, slayer of the foe of the gods, caught it in his hand.
गदां मुमोच दैत्याय षण्मुखः परमस्वनाम् तया हतस्ततो दैत्यश् चकम्पे ऽचलराडिव
Six-faced Kārtikeya hurled his mace at the Daitya, resounding mightily; struck by it, the Daitya trembled like the lord of mountains.
मेने च दुर्जयं दैत्यस् तदा षड्वदनं रणे चिन्तयामास बुद्ध्या वै प्राप्तः कालो न संशयः
Then the Daitya, seeing Six-faced in battle to be invincible, thought in his mind: 'Surely my time has come, there is no doubt.'
कुपितं तु तमालोक्य कालनेमिपुरोगमाः सर्वे दैत्येश्वरा जघ्नुः कुमारं रणदारुणम्
Seeing him enraged, all the Daitya lords, led by Kālanemi, attacked the boy in the fierce battle.
स तैः प्रहारैरस्पृष्टो वृथाक्लेशैर्महाद्युतिः रणशौण्डास्तु दैत्येन्द्राः पुनः प्रासैः शिलीमुखैः
Untouched by their blows, their efforts wasted, the radiant boy stood firm; but the Daitya lords, masters of war, again struck with spears and arrows.
कुमारं सामरं जघ्नुर् बलिनो देवकण्टकाः कुमारस्य व्यथा नाभूद् दैत्यास्त्रनिहतस्य तु
The powerful enemies of the gods, together with their armies, attacked the boy; yet Kārtikeya, though struck by Daitya weapons, felt no pain.
प्राणान्तकरणो जातो देवानां दानवाहवः देवान्निपीडितान्दृष्ट्वा कुमारः कोपमाविशत्
The battle with the Daityas became deadly for the gods; seeing the gods oppressed, the boy was seized by anger.
ततो ऽस्त्रैर्वारयामास दानवानामनीकिनीम् ततस्तैर् निष्प्रतीकरैस् ताडिताः सुरकण्टकाः
Then, with his weapons, he repelled the Daitya army; struck by him, the tormentors of the gods were left without defense.
कालनेमिमुखाः सर्वे रणादासन्पराङ्मुखाः विद्रुतेष्वथ दैत्येषु हतेषु च समन्ततः
All the Daityas, led by Kālanemi, turned their faces from the battle; as the Daityas fled and were slain on every side.
ततः क्रुद्धो महादैत्यस् तारको ऽसुरनायकः जग्राह च गदां दिव्यां हेमजालपरिष्कृताम्
Then, enraged, the great demon Tāraka, leader of the asuras, seized a divine mace adorned with golden filigree.
जघ्ने कुमारं गदया निष्टप्तकनकाङ्गदः शरैर्मयूरपत्रैश्च चकार विमुखान्सुरान्
Wearing armlets of refined gold, he struck Kumāra with the mace, and with peacock-feathered arrows he turned the gods away in flight.
तथा परैर्महाभल्लैर् मयूरं गुहवाहनम् बिभेद तारकः क्रुद्धः स सैन्ये ऽसुरनायकः
Likewise, with great barbed arrows, Tāraka, furious and chief of the asura army, pierced the peacock, Guha's mount.
दृष्ट्वा पराङ्मुखान्देवान् मुक्तरक्तं स्ववाहनम् जग्राह शक्तिं विमलां रणे कनकभूषणाम्
Seeing the gods turned away and his own mount bleeding, he took up a flawless spear in battle, adorned with golden ornaments.
बाहुना हेमकेयूररुचिरेण षडाननः ततो जवान्महासेनस् तारकं दानवाधिपम्
Then, with his arm shining with golden armlets, the six-faced Mahāsena swiftly approached Tāraka, lord of the Dānavas.
तिष्ठ तिष्ठ सुदुर्बुद्धे जीवलोकं विलोकय हतो ऽस्यद्य मया शक्त्या स्मर शस्त्रं सुशिक्षितम्
"Stand, stand, O most foolish one! Behold the world of the living. Today you shall be slain by me with my spear. Recall your well-learned weapons!"
इत्युक्त्वा च ततः शक्तिं मुमोच दितिजं प्रति सा कुमारभुजोत्सृष्टा तत्केयूररवानुगा बिभेद दैत्यहृदयं वज्रशैलेन्द्रकर्कशम्
Having spoken thus, he hurled the spear at the demon. Released by Kumāra's arm, accompanied by the sound of his armlets, it pierced the demon's heart, hard as diamond or a mountain peak.
गतासुः स पपातोर्व्यां प्रलये भूधरो यथा विकीर्णमुकुटोष्णीषो विस्रस्ताखिलभूषणः
His life departed, he fell to the earth like a mountain at the end of the world, his crown and turban scattered, all his ornaments cast off.
तस्मिन्विनिहते दैत्ये त्रिदशानां महोत्सवे नाभूत् कश्चित् तदा दुःखी नरकेष्वपि पापकृत्
With that demon slain, there was a great festival among the gods; at that time, not even the sinful in hell felt sorrow.
स्तुवन्तः षण्मुखं देवाः क्रीडन्तश्चाङ्गनायुताः जग्मुः स्वानेव भवनान् भूरिधामान उत्सुकाः
The gods, praising Ṣaṇmukha and sporting with thousands of women, eagerly returned to their own splendid abodes.
ददुश्चापि वरं सर्वे देवाः स्कन्दमुखं प्रति तुष्टाः सम्प्राप्तसर्वेच्छाः सह सिद्धैस्तपोधनैः
All the gods, their wishes fulfilled and pleased, together with the Siddhas and ascetics, granted a boon to Skanda.
यः पठेत्स्कन्दसम्बद्धां कथां मर्त्यो महामतिः शृणुयाच्छ्रावयेद्वापि स भवेत्कीर्तिमान्नरः
Whoever, being wise, recites, hears, or causes to be heard the story connected with Skanda, that man becomes renowned.
बह्वायुः सुभगः श्रीमान् कान्तिमाञ्छुभदर्शनः भूतेभ्यो निर्भयश्चापि सर्वदुःखविवर्जितः
He lives long, is fortunate, prosperous, radiant, of auspicious appearance, fearless of spirits, and free from all suffering.
संध्यामुपास्य यः पूर्वां स्कन्दस्य चरितं पठेत् स मुक्तः किल्बिषैः सर्वैर् महाधनपतिर्भवेत्
Whoever, after worshipping the early twilight, recites the deeds of Skanda, is freed from all sins and becomes a lord of great wealth.