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Kartikeya

Gombak Selangor Batu-Caves-01
Gombak Selangor Batu-Caves-01 Image: Wikimedia Commons. CEphoto, Uwe Aranas / CC BY-SA 3.0

Overview

Kartikeya (IAST: Kārttikeya), also known as Skanda, Subrahmanya, Shanmukha and Muruga(n), is the Hindu god of war. He is generally described as the son of Shiva and Parvati, and the brother of Ganesha. He has been an important deity across the Indian subcontinent since ancient times, and is the principal deity of the Kaumaram tradition within Hinduism.

Key Facts

Name Kartikeya
Other Names Skanda, Subrahmanya, Shanmukha, Muruga(n), Mahasena, Kumara
Affiliation Hinduism; principal deity of Kaumaram
Parents Shiva and Parvati
Sibling Ganesha
Mount (vahana) Indian peafowl named Paravani
Weapon Vel (spear), given by Parvati
Emblem Rooster on his banner
Domain War; patron deity of the Tamil language

Background and Origins

Mentions of Skanda in Sanskrit literature date back to the fifth century BCE, and the mythology associated with Kartikeya became widespread in North India around the second century BCE. Archaeological evidence from the first century CE and earlier shows an association of his iconography with Agni, the Hindu god of fire, indicating that Kartikeya was a significant deity in early Hinduism.

Muruga is a tutelary deity mentioned in Tamil Sangam literature as the god of the Kurinji region. Scholars of religion hold that the Tamil deity Muruga coalesced with the Vedic deity Skanda Kartikeya over time, producing the composite figure venerated today.

Iconography

The iconography of Kartikeya varies significantly. He is typically represented as an ever-youthful man, riding or standing near a peafowl, and sometimes shown with a rooster on his banner. He wields the vel, a spear traditionally said to have been given to him by his mother Parvati. While most icons depict him with a single head, some show him with six heads (Shanmukha), reflecting legends in which he was fused from six boys or born of six conceptions.

Mythology

According to tradition, Kartikeya aged rapidly from childhood into a warrior, led the army of the devas, and is credited with the destruction of asuras including Tarakasura and Surapadma. He is also regarded in tradition as a philosopher who taught the pursuit of an ethical life.

Worship and Significance

Kaumaram is the Hindu denomination that primarily venerates Kartikeya. Significant Kaumaram worship and temples are found in South India, while in North and East India he is worshipped under the names Mahasena and Kumara. He is considered the patron deity of the Tamil language. Devotional Tamil works dedicated to Muruga include the Tirumurukāṟṟuppaṭai by Nakkīraṉãr and the Tiruppukal by Arunagirinathar.

References