Illustrator: C.M.Vitankar

ISBN: 81-7508-126-0

Vol. No: 529

Karttikeya, the commander in chief of the celestial army, is also known as Subrahmanya, Skanda, Guha and Kumara. In South India, Subrahmanya is a popular deity. Among the Tamil-speaking people he is known as Murukan or Murugan while he is practically unknown in the North. Karttikeya is worshipped in the East, especially in Bengal where women pray to him for worthy sons. Like Ganesha, he was miraculously born to Shiva and Parvati. If Parvati created Ganesha, Karttikeya was the creation of Shiva, nurtured by Agni, Ganga and Krittikas in turn. 

The six-headed, twelve-armed Kartikkeya seated on his peacock vahana (vehicle), is the symbol of youth, beauty and valour. In the South he also symbolises supreme wisdom. This is because, according to legend, he taught his father and hence earned the title of Svaminatha. 

Though usually depicted as a bachelor, Karttikeya is shown to have two wives - Valli and Devasena. 

The story of Karttikeya is found in the Mahabharata, in the Shiva, Skanda and Brahmanda Puranas, and in the Ramayana. Our story is based on the Tamil version of Skanda-Purana-Samhita.