Skanda Purana: The Journey of Lord Karthikeya, the Commander and Hero of Heaven

The story of Karthikeya begins when the gods were having a big problem with the demon Tarakasura, who was endowed with great strength and was invincible to the other gods. Only the son of Lord Shiva could defeat him. However, the problem was that Lord Shiva did not have a child, because at that time he was in deep tapa (meditation) after the death of his wife, Sati. The gods were very worried, because only a son of Shiva could save the world from destruction.

 God Shiva married Parvati (source:PersonalCollection)

The gods, led by Lord Brahma and Lord Vishnu, begged Lord Shiva to remarry. Parvati, an incarnation of Sati, had been reborn and performed great tapasya (austerities) to get Lord Shiva as her husband. After much effort, Shiva finally awoke from his meditation and married Parvati.

From this union, a spark of divine energy was born that was so powerful that Goddess Parvati herself could not bear it. Therefore, the spark of energy was given to Lord Agni (the god of fire) and then deposited in the Ganges River. From this spark, Karthikeya was born. 

However, Karthikeya was not immediately nursed by Parvati. According to the Skanda Purana, after his birth, Karthikeya was carried by six stars known as Krittika (the Pleiades constellation). Because of being nursed by six stars, he is known to have six faces (Shanmukha), which allows him to nurse from all the Krittika mothers simultaneously. That is why he is called Karttikeya.

God Shiva gave Karthikeya the powerful spear, Vel. (source:PersonalCollection)

Since childhood, Karthikeya showed signs of extraordinary strength and wisdom. Lord Shiva gave Karthikeya special training, making him an expert in martial arts, war strategy, and science. He was also given a special weapon, the Vel, a sacred spear that became a symbol of his strength.

 In the Skanda Purana version, Karthikeya grows into a formidable, wise figure with powers equal to the major gods. He is then chosen as the warlord of the gods to face Tarakasura.

The Battle Against Tarakasura by Kartikeya Leading the Army of the Gods (source:PersonalCollection)

Once ready, Karthikeya led the army of the gods in a great battle against Tarakasura. Tarakasura was a very formidable enemy and possessed powers that were difficult to defeat. However, with his ingenuity and war skills, Karthikeya finally managed to defeat the giant with the spear Vel.

Karthikeya's victory over Tarakasura marked the return of peace and balance to the universe. After defeating Tarakasura, Karthikeya was revered by gods and humans as an invincible protector and god of war.

Kartikheya rides a peacock. (source:PersonalCollection)

Kartikheya's victory over Tarakasura became a legend. He was praised and given various titles such as Skanda, Shanmukha meaning six faces, Kumara meaning eternal youth, and Deva Senapati meaning commander of the army of the gods. He became a symbol of courage and strength, and a symbol of divine protection for those who seek courage and victory.

God Karthikeya with God Ganesha  (source: PersonalCollection)

The story begins with the creation of the universe. Lord Brahma created a very special fruit, called the "fruit of knowledge" (Jnana Phal). This fruit has the power to give infinite wisdom and knowledge. Brahma created this fruit with the intention of giving it to the most deserving being. Lord Shiva, who is the father of Kartikeya and Ganesha, was tasked with determining who was most deserving of this fruit.

The dispute between Lord Karthikeya and Lord Ganesha (source: PersonalCollection)

Kartikeya, the son of Shiva by Parvati, is the god of war who is brave and has extraordinary powers. He believes that he is most worthy of receiving the fruit of knowledge because of his strength and courage. Ganesha, the son of Shiva by his first wife, is the god of wisdom and knowledge. He believes that he is most worthy of receiving the fruit of knowledge because of his intelligence and ability to understand complex matters. The two argue fiercely about who is most worthy of receiving the fruit of knowledge. Their dispute escalates until they finally decide to race around the world.

God Karthikeya flies around the world with a peacock. (source:PersonalCollection)

Shiva sets the rules of the race: whoever circumnavigates the world and returns to where they started first will receive the fruit of knowledge. In the race, Karthikeya flies around the world at speed on his peacock mount.

Ganesha with his parents (source:PersonalCollection)

Ganesha, who did not have the speed of Kartikeya, decided to use his intelligence. He circled his parents, Shiva and Parvati, who were considered to represent the entire universe. Ganesha, with his intelligence, managed to circle his parents faster than Kartikeya could circle the world. Shiva, impressed by Ganesha's intelligence, decided to give Ganesha the fruit of knowledge.

Palani and Tiruchendur Temples (source:PersonalCollection)

In the Skanda Purana, Karthikeya is depicted not only as the god of war but also as the patron of wisdom. His followers worship him as a symbol of strength and wisdom. In South India, especially in the Tamil tradition, Karthikeya is known as Murugan, and his worship is very strong. Major temples such as the Palani and Tiruchendur temples are dedicated to him, where he is worshipped with great devotion. The story teaches that intelligence and wisdom are more important than strength and courage. The fruit of knowledge symbolizes the importance of knowledge and wisdom in life.