Rudra Charges Skanda and a Portent Appears

Then Mahadeva spoke words of great import to Mahasena. "Always, steadfastly, protect the seventh corps of the Maruts." Skanda replied, "O lord! I will protect the seventh corps of the Maruts. O god! Tell me quickly what else I should do." Rudra said, "O son! You will always see me in every task you undertake. By looking at me devotedly, you will ensure supreme welfare." Having said this, Maheshvara embraced him and gave him permission to leave. When Skanda was allowed to go, a great portent suddenly appeared. To bewilder all the gods, the firmament, with all its nakshatras (constellations), blazed. The earth trembled and groaned. The entire universe was enveloped in darkness. On witnessing this terror, Shankara was disturbed. So were the immensely fortunate Uma and the gods, together with the maharshis. While they stood around in bewilderment, a great army appeared. It was like a mass of mountains or rain clouds. It was terrible to see and had many weapons. This terrible army roared and uttered diverse sounds. It advanced toward the illustrious Shankara and the gods to do battle. They hurled showers of arrows on them, and mountains, shatagnis (hundred-killing weapons), javelins, clubs, and maces. From that great and terrible shower of weapons, the entire army of the gods was scattered in an instant and was seen to waver. Oppressed by the danavas, the army of the gods was mauled. The soldiers, the elephants, and the horses were sliced down. The weapons and the maharathas (great chariot-warriors) were shattered. They were killed by the asuras, like a grove by many fires. It fell down burnt, like a forest full of large trees. The gods were mowed down, heads severed from bodies. They were slaughtered in that great battle and were without a protector. On seeing the army destroyed, the god Purandara, the slayer of Bala, spoke comfortingly to the army that was oppressed by the danavas. "O fortunate ones! O brave ones! Discard your fear. Grasp your weapons. Set your minds on valour. Do not be disheartened. Vanquish the extremely evil danavas, terrible in form. O fortunate ones! Attack those great asuras with me." Having heard Shakra's words, the residents of heaven were comforted. Seeking refuge with Shakra, they attacked the danavas. Then all the thirty gods, the immensely strong Maruts, and the Sadhyas, together with the Vasus, returned the attack with great force. The weapons that they angrily unleashed on the armies in battle, and the arrows, drank up large quantities of blood from the daityas. The sharp arrows pierced their bodies, which could be seen to fall down, like serpents from a mountain. The bodies of the daityas were sliced by the arrows and fell down on the ground everywhere, like shredded clouds. In that battle, attacked by all the masses of gods with their diverse arrows, the army of the danavas was terrified and retreated. On seeing this, all the gods raised their weapons. There was great rejoicing and the sounding of many musical instruments. Thus an extremely terrible and fearful battle raged between the gods and the danavas, creating muck out of flesh and blood.