Kartika, Shiva and Shivaa

Brahma said

Seeing Taraka dead, the gods, Vishnu at their head, praised Shankara's son devotedly, their faces glad. They bowed to the one whose form brings good, to the benefactor and friend of the universe, its maker; to the divinity who took Banasura's life and killed that noble danava; to Pralamba's destroyer, pure of form; to Shankara's son. They told him he was creator, preserver and destroyer; born of the Purifier, he should favour them; the visible universe was his image; as Shambhu's son and the friend of the afflicted and protector of the gods he should always guard them, giving them life again and again. He had killed the daitya Taraka and his followers and freed all the gods from fear and calamity. So the gods, Vishnu foremost, praised the lord Kumara, and, sage, he gave each of them in turn new boons. Girisha's son saw the mountains praising him too and, much pleased, gave them boons.

Skanda said

All you mountains will be worshipped by ascetics and served by followers of karma and of knowledge. You will take special forms, the forms of Shambhu's lingam. Mountains, what I have said will certainly happen. Himalaya, supreme among mountains, is my mother's father, and from now on that fortunate one will give fruits to ascetics.

Brahma said

The gods answered: "By these boons and by killing Taraka, lord of asuras, you have made us all, moving and still, happy. Now, in great joy, go to Kailasa, Girisha's home, and see your mother and father, Shivaa and Shambhu." So Vishnu and the other gods told him, and having his leave they arranged great festivities and left for that mountain with Kumara.

The lord Kumara went toward Kailasa, Shankara's abode, with excellent auspicious signs and cries of "Victory." He rode a splendid vimana, beautiful and adorned all over, brighter than everything else. Sage, I and Vishnu, attentive and glad, held whisks over Guha's head, and Indra and the other immortals served him, gathering round him from the four quarters as was fitting. Shouting "Victory to Shambhu" they reached Shambhu's mountain and went in amid auspicious chanting. Vishnu and the others saw Shiva and Shivaa, joined their hands at once, lowered their heads and bowed devotedly to Shankara. Humble in his atman, Kumara got down from the vimana and bowed gladly to Shambhu and Shivaa as they sat on a throne. They saw their son Kumara, whom they loved more than their own lives. Narada, the divine couple were delighted. The great lord raised him up and set him on his lap, and rejoicing, breathed the scent of his head and touched him lovingly. In great joy and love, Shambhu kissed the face of Kumara, the great lord and Taraka's enemy. Shivaa rose too and took him on her lap, and lovingly kissed his head and lotus face. Narada, the couple's joy grew. Son, Shiva and Shivaa kept to worldly custom. There were festivities of many kinds in Shiva's abode, with cries of "Victory" and "We bow to you" on every side. Sage, all the gods, Vishnu and the others, and the sages gladly bowed to Shambhu and praised Shiva. In their hymn the gods hailed him as bestower of fearlessness on devotees, whose great pastimes are extraordinary, who bears the Ganga's waters, who holds the gunas in his atman, bull-bannered Mahesha, lord of ganas, Sarveshvara, lord of the three worlds, destroyer of the universe and all in it, the creator and preserver, lord of the three gunas, eternal and detached, Paresha, Shiva the paramatman beyond the visible world, pure, supreme, imperishable, staff-bearer, Kala, noose-bearer, foremost in the mantras of the Vedas, the hundred-tongued. Everything past, present and future, moving and still, they said, came out of his body. They asked him to save them always, called themselves ever his refuge, and bowed to Rudra, the blue-throated, the form of svaha, formless and with form and having the universe as form, Nilakantha who smears his limbs with pyre ashes, eternal, blue-locked, fair-throated. All embodied beings, they said, bow to him, as do all who control themselves; he is Mahadeva Sharva, whose feet all worship. Among gods he is Brahma, among Rudras Nilalohita, the atman among beings, Purusha in samkhya, Sumeru among mountains, Chandra among nakshatras, Vasishtha among rishis, Vasava among gods, Aumkara among Vedas. They begged him to be their saviour and nourisher for the welfare of the worlds, witness of good and bad deeds, whose words they obey, and to make them flourish, since his forms number thousands and hundreds of crores and they could not reach his limits. So the gods, Vishnu and the rest, came before the lord, put Skanda at their head and bowed again and again. Sarveshvara Shiva, ruler of himself, heard the praise, was greatly pleased and, full of compassion, smiled. Pleased, he spoke to Vishnu and the other excellent gods. Paramesha Shankara is the friend of the distressed and the goal of the virtuous.

Shiva said

Hari, Vidhatri, gods, listen lovingly. I save the virtuous in every way. I am an ocean of compassion and will save the gods. I slay the wicked. I am lord of the three worlds, Shankara, kind to my devotees, creator, preserver and destroyer of everything, yet without change. Excellent gods, whenever you face misery, worship me and you will find happiness.

Brahma said

Spoken to so, Vishnu, the other gods and the lords among sages were filled with joy. They bowed to Shiva, Shivaa and Kumara, and, sage, delighted, went to their own dwellings chanting the charming fame of Shiva, Shivaa and Shankara's son. With Shivaa, the ganas and Kumara, Parameshvara Shiva lived happily on that mountain, full of joy. Sage, I have told you everything about Kumara's conduct. It is divine and delights Shiva's devotees. What else would you like to hear?