A Classical Dictionary of Hindu Mythology and Religion, Geography, History, and Literature c5.824

c5.824

The god of war and the planet Mars, also called Skanda. He is said in the Mahā-bhārata and Rāmāyana to be the son of Siva or Rudra, and to have been produced without the intervention of a woman. Siva cast his seed into fire, and it was afterwards received by the Ganges: Kārttikeya was the result; hence he is called Agni-bhū and Gangā-ja. He was fostered by the Pleiades (Krittikā), and hence he has six heads and the name Kārttikeya. His paternity is sometimes assigned to Agni (fire); Gangā (the Ganges) and Pārvati are variously represented to be his mother. He was born for the purpose of destroying Tāraka, a Daitya whose austerities had made him formidable to the gods. He is represented riding on a peacock called Paravāni, holding a bow in one hand and an arrow in the other. His wife is Kaumārī or Senā. He has many titles: as a warrior he is called Mahā-sena, Senā-pati; Siddha-sena, ‘leader of the Siddhas;’ and Yudha-ranga; also Kumāra, the boy; Guha, ‘the mysterious one;’ Sakti-dhara, ‘spear-holder;’ and in the south he is called Su-brahmanya. He is Gangā-putra, ‘son of the Ganges;’ Sara-bhū, ‘born in the thicket;’ Tāraka-jit, ‘vanquisher of Tāraka;’ Dwādasa-kara and Dwādasāksha, ‘twelve-handed’ and ‘twelve-eyed;’ Riju-kāya, ‘straight-bodied.’ See Krauncha.