Skandapurana 1.3.26: adhyāyaḥ 28

Lomaśa said: / Placing Kumāra upon his lap, the lord of the universe, / Rudra, the glorious Bharga, then spoke to the gods along with Indra:

"O gods, tell what Kumāra is now to do for me." / Thereupon all of them together said to the god Paśupati:

"O all-pervading lord, fear has arisen from Tāraka for all the worlds. / You are the protector, the lord of the worlds; therefore, grant protection!

O lord, Tāraka must be slain this very day by Kumāra; / therefore we shall go this very day, resolved to slay Tāraka."

Thinking, "So be it," the gods then quickly departed, / having placed Kārttikeya, the very son of Śaṃkara, at their head.

All united together in haste, led by Brahmā and Viṣṇu. / Hearing of the gods' preparation, the mighty Tāraka too,

with a vast army indeed, marched against the gods to fight. / The gods saw the vast force of Tāraka advancing.

Then a voice from the sky spoke, consoling them: / "All of you have set forth, placing Śiva's son at your head;

having conquered the daityas in battle, you will indeed be victorious."

Hearing the celestial voice, all the gods were eager, / and placing Kumāra at their head, they were all freed from fear.

While the gods were desirous of battle, then all came together; / to choose Kumāra [as husband], the irresistible daughter of Death [approached].

Having been prompted earlier by Brahmā, she had undertaken supreme austerity. / By that great austerity, toward Kumāra then / the daughter of Death came, an incomparable beauty named Senā.

Seeing her, they all said to the god Paśupati: / "An exceedingly beautiful maiden has come for the sake of this Kumāra."

And by the command of Brahmā, she was then chosen by Kumāra. / Then Kumāra, the son of Śaṃkara, became the commander of the army (Senāpati).

Then conches, drums, paṭahas, ānakas, and gomukhas, / as well as kettledrums and loud mṛdaṅgas resounded.

The vault of heaven was filled with that great sound. / Then Gaurī, Gaṅgā, the Kṛttikās, and the Mothers / spoke to one another: "He is my son! He is mine!"

When all of them, the Mothers and the rest, had thus fallen into dispute, / they were restrained by Nārada, saying, "Do not act foolishly!

He was born of Śaṃkara in Pārvatī for the accomplishment of the purpose of the gods." / Then the Kṛttikās along with the Mothers all fell silent.

The wives of the sages, the Kṛttikās, were then all told by Guha: / "Residing in the lunar mansions, may you remain [there] for a long time."

Likewise, the group of Mothers was established in heaven by the Lord. / And taking the daughter of Death, Kārttikeya, full of haste,

the blessed Kumāra, the son of Śaṃkara, spoke to Indra: / "Go to heaven along with the gods and rule continually."

Kumāra was indeed addressed by Indra: "Afflicted by Tāraka, / all of us, driven out from heaven, have fled in the ten directions.

Why do you ask about us, O highly fortunate one, who are fallen from our station?" / Having been addressed thus by the thunderbolt-wielder, the son of Śaṃkara, / smiling at Indra, gave [him] fearlessness, saying, "Do not fear!"

While the high-souled son of Śaṃkara was speaking, / Rudra having gone to Kailāsa with Pārvatī and the pramathas,

the great daitya arrived, surrounded by daitya armies. / The battle drums, dread as the dissolution of the world, sounded there,

as well as battle-harsh trumpets, wondrous ḍiṇḍimas, / gomukhas, shrill horns, and numerous kāhalas.

Various musical instruments were sounded in that gathering of daityas, / while the warriors roared alongside Tāraka.

Nārada spoke words to Tāraka, the thorn of the gods:

Nārada said: / "Formerly, an effort was made by the gods for your slaying; there is no doubt in this. / It was for yours alone, O best of asuras; what I have said cannot be otherwise.

And this Kumāra of Śarva has been brought forth on your account. / Knowing this, O mighty-armed one, make your effort with concentrated mind."

Hearing what was said by Nārada, Tāraka, as if laughing, / the intelligent one, spoke words: "Go to Puraṃdara.

O great seer, speak my words to him quickly and truly: / 'Do you wish to fight with me, having placed Kumāra at your head?

Having resorted to foolishness, you wish to act, and not otherwise! / Relying on a single human named Mucukunda,

by his power you remained in Amarāvatī, and not otherwise. / Relying on the strength of a child (Kumāra), do you stand before me?

I shall surely slay you, dull-witted one, along with the guardians of the world!' / Speak thus to the lord of the gods, O divine seer; do not say otherwise."

Thinking, "So be it," the blessed Nārada went to the gods with Śakra at their head; / the wise one reported everything spoken by the lord of asuras, along with the mockery.

Nārada said: / "O gods, listen to my words, which are not otherwise; / may what was spoken by Tāraka along with his followers be attended to:

Tāraka said: / 'I will slay you, O fool! My words are not otherwise.

Having approached Mucukunda, and worshipped by the guardians of the world, / I will not fight with you, a coward, who, though a god, have taken refuge in a man.'"

Hearing his words, all the gods with Indra, / placing Kumāra at their head, spoke to Nārada, the best of seers.

"You indeed know, O celestial seer, the strength and weakness of Kumāra.
Why have you, acting like an ignorant fool, spoken such words in my presence?"

Laughing, Nārada spoke these words in his presence:
"I too addressed Tāraka with words of ridicule.

Know, all you immortal gods, that Kumāra will be victorious.
My word will surely come to pass here; there should be no doubt in this matter."

Hearing Nārada's words, all the gods were filled with joy,
and they rose up in unison, eager to fight Tāraka.

Mounting Kumāra upon an elephant, the lord of gods went before him,
surrounded by the great host of gods and the world-protectors.

Then kettledrums, large drums, and numerous trumpets sounded,
along with lutes, flutes, mṛdaṅga drums, and songs of the gandharvas.

Having given the elephant to the great Indra, Kumāra mounted a vehicle
bedecked with many jewels, accompanied by various marvels,
variegated and wonderful, exceedingly vast, and endowed with wonders.

Mounting the aerial chariot, the renowned son of Śaṅkara, accompanied by all his hosts,
endowed with supreme splendor, shone greatly as he was fanned by brilliantly shining chowries.

An umbrella belonging to Varuṇa, shining with great jewels, adorned with many gems,
was then held over Kumāra's head, beautifully illuminated like the rays of the moon.

Then all the gods, led by Indra, assembled,
advancing with their respective forces, mighty and eager to fight.

Yama was present with his hosts, the Wind-god with the Maruts,
Varuṇa with the waters, Kubera with the guhyakas,
Īśa with the pramathas, and Nirṛti with diseases.

Thus those eight world-protectors, eager to fight, all united to slay Tāraka,
placing in front the son of Śaṅkara, worshipped by the universe, the general of the army and the foremost of those who know the Self.

Thus, eager to fight, they descended to the surface of the earth
and stationed themselves in the Antarvedi, between the Gaṅgā and the Yamunā.

From Pātāla also came the dependents of Tāraka;
endowed with the fourfold army, they advanced, eager to slay the gods in battle.

Tāraka arrived, shining in an aerial chariot,
exceedingly majestic, with an umbrella held over his head.

Being fanned with chowries, the king of daityas shone resplendent in person.

Thus both the gods and the daityas stationed themselves in the Antarvedi,
forming their battle arrays separately there with their vast armies.

Placing the elephants on one side, and likewise various kinds of horses,
as well as marvelous chariots adorned with diverse gems,

there were many foot soldiers adorned with javelins, spears, and battle-axes,
swords, iron clubs, iron arrows, nooses, and mallets.

Those two armies of the gods and the daityas shone against one another,
eager to kill, as they were praised by their kinsmen.

Thus ends the twenty-eighth chapter, named 'Description of the Battle between the Armies of the Gods and Daityas in the Battle of Tārakāsura with the Gods', in the Śiva-śāstra of the Kedārakhaṇḍa, in the first section, the Māheśvarakhaṇḍa, of the glorious Skanda Mahāpurāṇa consisting of eighty-one thousand verses.