Skanda, also known as Kartikeya, Kumara, or Murugan, the son of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati, is a popular yet lesser-understood Hindu god. Mounted on a peacock, adorned with six faces and numerous arms, Skanda blesses his devotees with valor and wisdom. His legendary battle with the demon Tarakasura is one of the most famous legends of the god. However, there are many aspects of the powerful Hindu god that remain to be discovered. In this blog, we will look at the history of Skanda’s reverence, his iconography, stories of Kartikeya (Skanda) in Hindu texts, and popular temples of the god, and will answer some of the most common questions related to the Hindu god of war.
According to Hindu scriptures, Skanda, often referred to as Kartikeya, is the child of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. He is regarded as the deity of battle and is portrayed as a young man on a peacock with many faces and arms. Skanda was instrumental in dispelling Tarakasura's evil influence and bringing about harmony. Skanda worship promotes spiritual development, battle success, protection, and bravery.
Skanda stands for self-control, determination, and the search for morality. Also known as Kumara, Subrahmanya, and Murukan, Skanda “has been hunter, warrior, philosopher… He is teacher… He is the eternal child as old as time itself”. Obeyesekere writes that Skanda is viewed as possessed of having six faces, twelve arms, and riding a peacock.
Throughout Skanda’s history, he has been worshipped for several different reasons. He has been worshipped “as a god of the hill and hunt… and avenger of ananku and cur, malevolent spirits of the hills”. During the Cankami period of Tamil India, “Murukan was known … as the lord of the hunt”.
According to Clothey, he has also been worshiped in South India as the son of Shiva. Through this several other deities related to vegetation and hunting embodied the name Murukan. Clothey also writes that the name Murukan has become commercialized with an array of different industries using his name, for songs and films.
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The most popular icons of Skanda depict him as a Six-headed (Shan-mukha) god, standing or sitting, accompanied by his peacock mount. The Lord is always youthful (Kumara) which signifies his potency and divinity. Due to his association with Lord Shiva, Skanda is adorned with a Tripunda mark on his forehead and also carries the Vel, a weapon given by his mother Parvati. In some of his icons, Kartikeya or Skanda is also one-headed and multiple-armed, or six-headed with many arms, a depiction of his role as the divine warrior.
Sometimes, Skanda is also shown as a young ascetic, a manifestation of his quest for supreme knowledge and his austerities (tapasya) done in honor of Shiva. In other instances, Skanda is accompanied by his wives Devasena and Valli, who are worshipped as his Kriya and Iccha Shakti, with Karttikeya himself revered as the embodiment of Gyana (wisdom).
Skanda’s origin comes from several different epics, most prominently from the Mahabharata and the Ramayana.
The story of Skanda in the Mahabharata is quite long and can be summarized as follows. Indra, God of lightning and thunder and general of the devas, rescued a damsel named Devasena, who wanted a husband that could protect her. Indra felt the Agni, God of fire, had the ability to generate a son suitable to be Devasena’s husband. Agni went to Brahma, the creator god, for his help.
While with Brahma and through the aid of seven rsis, seers, thought to compose the Vedas, Agni fell in love with the rsis wives. Svaha, a nymph, loved Agni. She tricked him by assuming the form of six of the rsis wives. After each session of intercourse with Agni, Svaha turned into a garuda bird and carried his semen to Mt. Sveta, where she deposited it into a golden pot, in a place covered with sara reeds.
Kumara (Skanda) was born and was strong enough for battle within six days. The gods fearing Kumara would become more powerful than Indra, enticed Indra to slay him. Indra, trying to slay Kumara with his vajra [thunderbolt], managed to only cut off a portion of Kumara’s right side.
Through this side of Kumara, Visakha was born bearing a sakti (lance), which causes Indra to surrender. The gods are pleased with how fearless Kumara was. Through the same piece of Kumara that Visakha was born, several more children were then born coming forth to serve Skanda’s army.
Kumara-Karttikeya, Of Eternal Adolescence
Clothey writes that “Skanda thus comes to be known as a father, and persons wishing children are exhorted to worship him”. The story continues with Skanda declaring Svaha to be his mother, and with Brahma’s advice, identifies Rudra “the howler” as his father. Rudra along with Indra, Varuna, the god of the heavens and water, and Yama, the god of death, come to welcome Kumara in a procession.
As Kumara is leaving a Deva – Asura, god and demon, battle begins. Mahisa, the chief of the Asuras was causing the Devas to flee, and is about to crush Rudra’s chariot when Kumara comes to his aid and kills Mahisa with his sakti. This story also shows events in a span of Skanda’s life. He is conceived on the first day, visible on the second day, takes form of a child on third day, grows limbs and becomes the general of the army on the fourth day.
He bears Siva’s bow, and is regarded by the devas as the one to save their cosmos on the fourth day, and he takes his emblems of war on the sixth day. This is one account of the origin of Skanda. The author Vyasa, is represented to be the composer of the Mahabharata.
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Another foundation of Skanda’s beginning comes from Valmiki’s Ramayana. Valmiki tells the story to Rama and Laksmana, two young princes. His telling of the story encourages the young princes to heroic aspirations. The summary of the story is as follows. Rudra marries Uma, daughter of Mt. Himavat. One hundred years pass and no son is born to them.
The devas like it this way, and fearing that a son born to Rudra would be more powerful than them, they plead with Rudra to not have a son. Rudra’s seed however remains on the ground. Dhara, the earth, can bear his sons. Because of this, the devas ask Agni and Vayu, the wind god, to enter Rudra’s seed. Through Rudra’s seed Mt. Sveta is created, and on Mt. Sveta, in the forest, Kumara is born.
A variation to the story above, also in the Ramayana, begins with Rudra retiring as the general of the army. With no one left to lead, Brahma asks Agni to give his seed, along with the waters of the Ganga River to Uma to bear a son. Unable to contain the power of the waters a flood of golden seed escapes from Uma. This golden flood turns everything in its path into gold. In a golden forest Kumara is born.
The Ramayana epic also tells how those who worship Skanda will “attain long life, happiness in the family, and ultimate union with the god”. How Skanda received some of his names is also recorded in this epic. One of his names Gangeya was given to him because he came from the Ganges water. He gets the name Karttikeya because he was raised by the Krttikas.
One of the books of the Mahabharata depicts who Skanda would embrace as a father. Vyasa writes that Rudra, Parvati, she of the mountain, Agni, and Ganga each claim to be Skanda’s parent. In order to embrace all these gods Skanda assumes four forms: Sakha, Visakha, Naigamaya and Skanda. Sakha embraces Ganga, Naigamaya to Agni, Visakha to Parvati, and Skanda to Rudra. The devas give Skanda gifts.
He receives a dart and banner from Indra, an army of 30,000 warriors from Siva, a cloth from Uma, a garland from Visnu, along with several other gifts from other gods. These accounts of Skanda in the epics are but a few of the rich and varied myths telling of Skanda origins.
Skanda Shasti Kavacham (Tamil)
According to Hindu Puranas such as Skanda Purana and Shiva Purana, Skanda was born to annihilate the demon Tarakasura, who was troubling the gods for a long time. The story of Skanda (Kartikeya) and Tarakasura is one of valor, divine strategy, and cosmic balance. Tarakasura, a powerful demon blessed with a boon that only the son of Lord Shiva could defeat him, wreaked havoc across the universe.
He attacked Swarga and imprisoned all the gods, taking away the throne from Indra. The devas sought Shiva’s help, but he was deep in meditation. Brahma, Vishnu, and other gods along with Kamadeva intervene,d and finally with Devi Parvati’s penance, Shiva and goddess Uma-Parvati were married and Skanda was born. Soon, he was crowned as the commander-in-chief or “Senapati” of Indra’s army.
Skanda led the devas to victory, slaying Tarakasura with his Vel (spear), a weapon gifted by Parvati. Since then, Skanda has been worshipped as a warrior god, the leader of gods, and the bestower of strength and wisdom. His powerful weapon Vel, is revered by the devotees as a symbol of his eternal protection.
Among the many names of Skanda is “Swaminathaswami”- he who is the master of the Lord of all beings or Shiva. This name is associated with the legend of Skanda revealing the meaning of Om (the cosmic syllable) to Shiva, during a discourse. Now Shiva himself is the manifestation, origin, and end of the cosmos, from whom Om originates. However, this divine episode takes place to highlight the supreme wisdom of Skanda.
The Skanda Upanishad, one of the 108 Upanishads is narrated by Murugan himself, who is described as the supreme being or supreme truth of the universe. The Pragyavardhana Storam is chanted in honor of Karttikeya, who is worshipped as the bestow of Pragya (glorious wisdom or aptitude), especially in students and creatives.
The worshipers of Skanda in Tamil India celebrate a festival in October or November called Skanda-Sasti. It is celebrated for seven days re-enacting the six-day cycle of the god’s vocation. Sasti is the sixth day of the lunar cycle, representing the sixth day of the god. Sasti is also important because according to the myth of Skanda, he is born on the night of a new moon.
Sasti is also the name of Skanda’s wife. She is known “as the giver of lingering (yapya) disease”. Clothey writes that the event takes place through “rhythmical patterns”. Some of these patterns are repeated daily. Priests preside over each ritual on each day of worship. One such ritual is the lighting of oil lamps. These lamps represent the “the emergence of the god and the cosmos from primordial darkness”.
Another daily ritual is the reciting of Skanda’s 1,008 different names. Reciting his names re-enacts the words that were uttered at the beginning, thus bringing the divinity of Skanda into current time. One of the high points in the festival is the ornamenting the sacred symbol of Skanda. This is known as vastram. The next step is adorning the symbol. This can be done through offerings of song, holy ash or vermillion.
These rhythmical steps occur once to twice a day during the Skanda-Sasti festival. Skanda is the most popular deity in Tamil Nadu, a state in South India. “Three of the six busiest and wealthiest temples in Tamil Nadu are dedicated to Murukan”. Gananath Obeyesekere conducted research in Tamil Nadu which shows that the Skanda deity is the most popular in that area.
He found that a total of 1,956 of 2,670 worshipers went to the Skanda shrines over the next three most popular shrines. Obeyesekere’s research also shows that “for every one person visiting the Visnu and Pattini shrines there are five and six persons respectively, visiting the Skanda shrine” in Tamil India. His research shows that the popularity of Skanda has been on the rise, and continues to rise.
Popular temples of Lord Skanda are located in the southern part of India, with a few exceptions. Here is a list of some of the most famous temples of Karttikeya (Skanda)-
This is one of the 6 sacred abodes of Murugan, also known as Aurpadai Veedu. Located on the Palani hills the temple houses a powerful statue of Lord Murugan, which is made with nine kinds of herbs (Navapashanam), by the revered sage Bhogar. The Thaipusam festival is an annual celebration of this temple in honor of Murugan, where devotees from all over the globe come to worship their deity.
Located near the historic Kumbakonam town, the Swamimalai temple of Murugan is also one of the Arupadai Veedu. Skanda here is worshipped as Swaminatha, the guru or master of Bhagawan Shiva, signifying the supreme wisdom of the deity. The 60 steps leading to this temple are symbols of the Tamil year, which take the visitor to their Lord residing in the sanctum. Another temple of Murugan called the Kandhanathaswamy temple is located nearby, which is an ancient temple, older than the Swamimalai sanctum.
This temple is positioned on the naturally beautiful landscape of the Bay of Bengal and is a rare shrine of Murugan near the sea since he is worshipped in Tamil culture as the god of hills. This is a sacred spot worshipped as the place where Skanda defeated the asura Surpadaman. The grand Soorasamaharam festival is celebrated in the temple complex, where devotees relive the moments of Murugan’s victory over the demon.
Also known as the Arulmigu Murugan temple, this shrine commemorates the marriage between Devayani and Murugan. Devayani or Devasena is the daughter of Devaraja Indra, who is also seen as an embodiment of the army of Indra, whose Swami or commander was Skanda. The Kanda or Kantha Shashti festival is celebrated in this temple, paying respect to Murgan as the Lord and protector of the people.
The sacred home of Murugan’s wife, Valli, Pazahamudircholai temple is the only sanctum where Skanda is accompanied by both his Shakti or wives- Devasena and Valli. It is among the six revered abodes of Murugan visited by his devotees across the year and is mentioned in some of the most ancient Tamil texts such as Silapadikaram and Pattupattu.
Sounded by the legendary lush greenery of the Western Ghats, this temple is dedicated to Lord Subramanya or Skanda, who is revered as the protector of serpent-related doshas (Sarpa or Naaga Dosha). The Ashlesha Bali and Sarpa Sanskaara rituals of the temple are popular among the devotees, who perform them to remove ancestral curses and get the blessings of Lord Murugan. The sanctum icon is Murugan seated on his peacock with the king of serpents Vasuki and Shesha in the foreground, a symbol of Skanda’s ability to rid the devotees of any troubles caused by Sarpas.
The Uttara Swami Malai Mandir is a rare and popular temple of Skanda in North India. The architecture of this temple is inspired by ancient Chola complexes, with the central shrine dedicated to Murugan, and additional temples of Sundareshwara Shiva, Vinayaka (Ganesha), and goddess Meenakshi (Parvati), bringing the grandeur of Southern India to the heart of modern, urban Delhi.
Though outside India, the Batu Caves in Malaysia is a globally recognized temple dedicated to Lord Murugan. It features a gigantic golden statue of the deity and a temple complex inside limestone caves, which makes it a natural and man-made marvel, dedicated to Bhagwan Skanda. The 141-foot-high statue of Murugan is one of the largest statues of the god in the world and a symbol of a historic exchange between Tamil Nadu and Malaysia in ancient times when the worship of Murugan traveled from India to this neighboring country.
Though primarily a Shiva temple, Lord Murugan is also worshipped here. The temple is noted for its mural art, which depicts scenes from Hindu mythology, including those of Kartikeya.
Who is God Skanda?
Skanda, also known as Murugan, Karttikeya, Kumara, and Subramanyam is the Hindu god of war and wisdom, the son of Shiva and Parvati, and the brother of Lord Ganesha.
What does Skanda mean?
The name "Skanda" comes from the Sanskrit root "skand," which means "to leap" or "to attack." This signifies his role as a warrior who actively jumps or leaps into battle to protect dharma. Skanda also translates to "emitter of power" or "one who has spilled" (referring to his divine birth from Shiva's essence).
Why is Skanda the god of war?
Skanda is often referred to as the “Hindu god of war” because one of the reasons for his birth was to lead the army of the gods and fight a battle to end the terror of Tarakasura.
Who is the wife of the od Kartikeya?
Devayani and Valli are the two wives of the god Kartikeya. Devayani or Devasena is the daughter of Lord Indra and Valli is a princess from the tribal region, both revered as the Shakti (energies) of Kartikeya.
Are Skanda and Ayappa the same?
No, Skanda and Ayappa are different Hindu gods. Both are the sons of Shiva, but Skanda is the son of Shiva and Parvati while Ayappa is worshipped as the son of Shiva and Mohini avatar of Vishnu.
Bhagwan Skanda in Hindu tradition is the lord of both war and knowledge. He is worshipped as an ascetic who practices Brahmacharya but also as a married deity, whose rituals are incomplete without the worship of his wives- Devasena and Valli. Both the goddesses themselves come from different regions- Devasena from the paradisiacal abode of Indra and Valli from the forests of Tamil country. In short, the legends of Lord Skanda or Kartikeya are diverse and complex, but for his devotees, he is the supreme being, the Param Brahman, who guards their material and spiritual lives with the benevolence of a divine protector.
· Clothey, Fred (1969) Skanda-Sasti: A Festival in Tamil India. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press.
· Obeyesekere, Gananath (1977) Social Change and the Deities: Rise of the Kataragama Cult in Modern Sri Lanka. London: Royal Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland.
· Clothey, Fred (1987 and 2005a) Murukan. Detroit, Macmillan Reference USA
· Clothey, Fred (2005b) The Many Faces of Murukan. New Delhi: Munshiram Manoharlal Publishers.
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