After the Kraunca mountain had been pierced and after the son of Canda had been slain, drums were beaten, O king, and conchs were blown.  The celestial ladies rained floral showers in succession upon that divine lord of yogis.  Auspicious breezes began to blow, bearing celestial perfumes.  The gandharvas hymned his praises, as also great rishis always engaged in the performance of sacrifices.  Some speak of him as the puissant son of the Grandsire, Sanat-kumara, the eldest of all the sons of Brahma.  Some speak of him as the son of Maheshvara, and some as that of Agni.  Some again describe him as the son of Uma or of the Krittikas or of Ganga.  Hundreds and thousands of people speak of that Lord of yogis of blazing form and great might, as the son of one of those, or of either of two of those, or of any one of four of those.

I have thus told thee, O king, everything about the installation of Kartikeya.  Listen now to the history of the sacredness of that foremost of tirthas on the Sarasvati.  That foremost of tirthas, O monarch, after the enemies of the gods had been slain, became a second heaven.  The puissant son of Agni gave unto each of the foremost ones among the celestials diverse kinds of dominion and affluence and at last the sovereignty of the three worlds.  Even thus, O monarch, was that adorable exterminator of the daityas installed by the gods as their generalissimo.  That other tirtha, O bull of Bharata’s race, where in days of yore Varuna the lord of waters had been installed by the celestials, is known by the name of Taijasa.  Having bathed in that tirtha and adored Skanda, Rama gave unto the brahmanas gold and clothes and ornaments and other things.  Passing one night there, that slayer of hostile heroes, Madhava, praising that foremost of tirthas and touching its water, became cheerful and happy.  I have now told thee everything about which thou hadst enquired, how the divine Skanda was installed by the assembled gods!”

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Janamejaya said, “This history, O regenerate one, that I have heard from thee is exceedingly wonderful, this narration, in detail, of the installation, according to due rites, of Skanda.  O thou possessed of wealth of asceticism, I deem myself cleansed by having listened to this account.  My hair stands on end and my mind hath become cheerful.  Having heard the history of the installation of Kumara and the destruction of the Daityas, great hath been my joy.  I feel a curiosity, however, in respect of another matter.  How was the Lord of the waters installed by the celestials in that tirtha in days of yore?  O best of men, tell me that, for thou art possessed of great wisdom and art skilled in narration!”