Markandeya said: - -
1. O sinless one, O descendant of Kuru, I have told you the history of the various branches of the Agni race. (Now) hear about the birth of the intelligent Kartikeya.
2. I shall (now) speak to you about the wonderful and famous and highly effulgent son of Adbhut, who was born of the wives of the Brahmanas.
3. In the days of yore, the Devas and the Danavas were always engaged in destroying one another. The fearful Danavas were always able to vanquish the Devas.
4. Findings his armies slaughtered by them and being eager to find out a Generalissimo for the celestials army Purandara (Indra) was filled with great anxiety.
5. (He thought), “I must find out a powerful person, who will be able to reorganize the celestials army, slaughtered as it is by the Danavas.”
6. He then went to the Mandara mountain. When he was deeply engaged in his own thought, he heard a piteous voice of a woman crying.
7. “May some one soon come to me. Let him point out to me a protector or become my protector himself.”
8. Purandara said to her, “Don’t be afraid; you have no fear.” When he said this he saw Keshin (an Asura) standing before him.
9. Like a hill of metals. He had a crown on his head and a mace in his hand, he held a lady by the hand. To him Vasava thus spoke,
10. “Why are you insolently behaving towards this lady? Know that I am the wielder of thunder. Stop from doing any violence to this lady.”
Keshin said: - -
11. O chastiser of Paka, leave her alone. I desire to possess her. Do you think that you will be able to return home with your life?
Markandeya said: - -
12. Having said this, Keshin hurled his mace to kill Indra. When falling Vasava cut it down with his thunderbolt.
13. Thereupon Keshin in great anger hurled upon Indra a large mass of rocks. Seeing that the mass of rocks was falling (upon him) Shatakratu.
14. O king, cut it down with his thunderbolt and it fell on the ground. Keshin himself was wounded by that falling mass of rocks.
15. Having been thus wounded, he fled away leaving the damsel behind. When the Asura was gone, Indra thus spoke to the lady, “Who and whose are you? O beautiful one, what has brought you here?”
Thus ends the two hundred and twenty-second chapter, birth of Skanda, in the Markandeya Samasya of the Vana Parva.