“Do not disregard contemptuously the state of being a small infant. Even an infant serpent causes distress and strain. Even the young (rising) sun is very difficult to look at directly. Even a small fire is very difficult to be touched. A Mantra consists of very few letters. But is it not found effective and fruitful, O Daitya?”

We had happened to see the above verse in the following exchange from the Skanda Purana, wherein a prominent and hitherto all-conquering demon lord [Tarakasur] finds himself faced upon the battlefield by what he … not entirely inaccurately … presumes to be a small child. And proceeds to dismiss Him quite insultingly as a result.

It goes about as well as you might expect.

And, come to think of it, it occurs to me that there’s quite a suite of this sort of thing happening in the mythology – c.f. a certain other cavalcade of demonic would-be world-emperors making similar presumptions about Skanda’s Mother (and related Aspects, Emanations, Forms, etc. of Same) not presenting a meaningful obstacle, upon the basis of Her Gender.

It goes about as well as you might expect.

There are no doubt other examples to be drawn from as well.

Anyway, the verse in context:

“Then approaching Kumāra playfully Tāraka spoke:

“O boy, you are indeed a very small infant. Why do you, at the instance of Devas, come to me for fighting like a moth falling into fire? What do I gain by killing you? O boy, you have been released by me. Go and drink milk. Take this ball. Play with it.”

On being told thus, the preceptor of the Yogins laughed and said to Tārāka:

“Do not disregard contemptuously the state of being a small infant. Even an infant serpent causes distress and strain. Even the young (rising) sun is very difficult to look at directly. Even a small fire is very difficult to be touched. A Mantra consists of very few letters. But is it not found effective and fruitful, O Daitya?”

After saying this he seized the ball hurled by the Daitya. He charged it with the Śakti missile and discharged it against the Daitya. On being hit with it his chariot was reduced to powder.

It was a chariot four Yojanas in extent and was equipped with many wonderful features. When the excellent chariot was shattered, the sons of Garuḍa became free. They flew up with great difficulty and entered another ocean. Thereupon the infuriated Tāraka hurled a mallet at Guha.

It appeared like the Vindhya mountain. Skanda caught hold of it and struck it against his broad chest. The mallet was then smashed to a hundred pieces.”

[Skanda Purana II 32, 69-78, Tagare translation]
[Art by Keshav61 , depicting the young Skanda with His Mother]