Lord Kartikeya

Lord Kartikeya

Lord Kartikeya is the Hindu god. He is also known as Murugan, Skanda, Kumara and Subrahmanyama. He is the elder son of lord Shiva and goddess Parvati and brother of lord Ganesha. He is the god of war and victory. He is also leader of god’s force. He is particularly popular in the South India as Murugan. Kartikeya is the primary deity of the Tamil people.

Skanda shasthi is the festival of Lord Kartikeya. His animal vehicle is peacock. His weapon is vel.

The birth story of Lord Kartikeya:

According to the Skandapuran, lord Kartikeya was born to kill demon Tarakasura. Tarkasura had the boon of being killed only by lord Shiva’s son. Lord Shiva’s first wife Sati sacrificed herself into the fire because of insult of her husband in her father Daksha’s yagna ceremony. Lord Shiva was married with great difficulties first time, so the second marriage seems to be impossible. Taking advantage of this fact, demon Tarakasura got the boon of being killed only by lord Shiva’s son.

All gods send Kama, the god of love to awaken lord Shiva from his meditation and to remarry goddess Parvati. Lord Shiva burn Kama into ashes with his third eye because of interruption in his meditation.

Finally, lord Shiva married to goddess Parvati. They united their power and made a fire seed. To protect that fire seed from demons Agni took it, but unable to bear the heat. Agni gave it to Ganga who put it in a lake in a forest. It divided into six parts and then lord Kartikeya was born with six faces. He was cared by six sacred women named as Kritikas, so he got the name Kartikeya.

There are two wives of lord Kartikeya named as Devsena who is the daughter of Indra and Valli who is the daughter of a tribal hunter.

According to mythological story, one-day lord Kartikeya and his younger brother lord Ganesha had an argument that who is better. The matter goes to lord Shiva for final decision. Lord Shiva ordered them to get a tour of the whole world. One who come back first is the winner. Kartikeya suddenly flew off on his vehicle, the peacock. On other side, Ganesha thought that my whole world is my parents and he went around his parents. Lord Shiva and goddess Parvati became very happy with his thought and they announced Ganesha to be the winner.

Due to more love and affection to Ganesha by Lord Shiva and goddess Parvati, Katikeya decided to leave the mount Kailash and moved to South.

Kartikeya is very popular in South India. He is the protector of the South. He killed many demons in South and save the life of people. Lord Kartikeya is the supreme deity in the South India.