llowed by numerous children began to
gratify that child of his with toys in that mountain abode of his."

SECTION CCXXVI

"Markandeya continued, The planets with their satellites, the Rishis and
the Mothers, Agni and numerous other blazing courtiers and many other
dwellers of heaven of terrible mien, waited on Mahasena along with the
Mothers. And the illustrious sovereign of the gods, desirous of victory
but believing success to be doubtful mounted his elephant Airavata and
attended by the other gods advanced towards Skanda. That mighty being
followed by all the celestials was armed with his thunderbolt. And with
the object of slaying Mahasena, he marched with terrible celestial army
of great-splendour, sounding their shrill war-cry and furnished with
various sorts of standards, with warriors encased in various armour and
armed with numerous bows and riding on various animals. When Mahasena
beheld 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 mighty
Vasava, the lord of the celestials, then uttered a loud shout, to
encourage his warriors and marching rapidly with the view of killing
'Agnis' son and praised by Tridasas[75] and great Rishis, he at length
reached the abode of Kartikeya. And then he shouted out with other gods;
and Guha too in response to this, uttered a fearful war-cry resembling
the roaring of the sea. On hearing that noise, the celestial army behaved
like an agitated sea, and was stunned and fixed to the spot. And that son
of Pavaka (the Fire-god) beholding the gods come near to him with the
object of killing him, was filled with wrath, and gave out rising flame
of fire from within his mouth. And these flames destroyed the celestial
forces struggling on the ground. Their heads, their bodies, their arms
and riding animals were all burnt in that conflagration and they appeared
all on a sudden like stars displaced from their proper spheres. Thus
afflicted, the god renounced all allegiance to the thunder bolt, and
sought 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 at
Skanda. It pierced him on the right side; and, O great king, it passed
through the body of that high-souled being. And from being struck with
the thunder-bolt, there arose from Skanda's body another being--a yout