"This court epic describes events leading up to but not including the birth of Kumara (also known as Skanda or Karttikeya), the war god destined to defeat the demon Taraka." "The gods attempt to deploy Kama, the Indian Cupid, to set the ascetic supreme deity Shiva on fire with love for Uma (also known as Parvati), the daughter of the god of the Himalayan mountain range. Kama's mission fails, and Shiva, roused from his meditative trance, turns his flaming third eye on the love god, burning him to ashes. Next, Parvati herself turns to intense asceticism in order to win spiritual power and thereby the husband for whom she longs. She succeeds, and the climax of the poem is Shiva and Parvati's marriage and cosmic lovemaking, and Kumara's divine conception."--Jacket.