Shloka 6
द्वन्द्वयुद्धवर्णनम् / Description of the Duel-Combats
असुरोऽपि निशुंभाख्यो महावीरोऽतिवीर्यवान् । जघान कार्तिकेयं तं गर्जंतं स्वेषुणा रणे
asuro'pi niśuṃbhākhyo mahāvīro'tivīryavān | jaghāna kārtikeyaṃ taṃ garjaṃtaṃ sveṣuṇā raṇe
Then the asura named Niśumbha—an exceedingly mighty and heroic warrior—struck Kārtikeya, who was roaring on the battlefield, with his own arrow in the midst of combat.
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pashu
Shiva Form: Bhairava
FAQs
It portrays the testing of even divine commanders like Kartikeya within cosmic conflict, reminding devotees (in a Shaiva Siddhanta lens) that true victory is ultimately by the grace of Pati (Shiva), not merely by individual valor.
Kartikeya is part of Shiva’s saguna order (parivāra) that protects dharma; the battle scene underscores why devotees take refuge in Shiva-Linga worship—seeking the Lord’s sustaining power behind all divine agencies.
A practical takeaway is to cultivate śaraṇāgati (refuge) through daily japa of the Panchakshara—“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—and, where customary, wear Rudrākṣa and apply Tripuṇḍra as reminders that strength is steadied by Shiva’s grace.