Indian mythology · deity · the sacred river, purification
The river Ganges as a goddess, brought down from heaven by King Bhagiratha's penance, her fall broken by Shiva's matted hair. Mother of Bhishma, and purifier of the living and the dead.
Only a son of Shiva can kill the demon Taraka, and Shiva has been in meditation since Kamadeva burned for interrupting him. Parvati's austerity finally wins the god; the child's unbearable seed passes through Agni and Ganga to be born as six-faced Kartikeya, who takes command of heaven's armies and ends Taraka.