Kartikeya
Indian mythology · deity · war, victory
The six-faced war god, son of Shiva born to destroy the demon Taraka, commander of the armies of heaven. Worshipped in Tamil tradition as Murugan, where he remains one of the most beloved of all gods.
Stories
The Race Around the World
Offered a prize for whichever son first circles the world, Kartikeya launches himself around the oceans on his peacock. Ganesha walks a slow circle around Shiva and Parvati and sits down: his parents are the world. The wit wins, and Narada, who proposed the contest, enjoys it immensely.
The Birth of Kartikeya
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.