Who is Kartikeya in Hinduism?

Kartikeya (Sanskrit: कार्त्तिकेय, IAST: Kārttikeya), also known as Skanda, Kumara, Murugan, Mahasena, Shanmukha and Subrahmanya, is the Hindu god of war. He is a son of Parvati and Shiva, brother of Ganesha, and a god whose life story has many versions in Hinduism.

Why Murugan is called Karthikeyan?

Because He was carried by Ganga to Saravana Poigai, Muruga is called Gangeya. Because the spark from which Muruga emerged was deposited in Saravana Poigai, Muruga is also called Saravana. Because He was raised by the Krittikas, He is Kartikeya. Because He has six faces, He is Shanmukha.

Who is elder Lord Ganesha or Kartikeya?

Lord Shiva and his consort Parvati had two sons named Kartikeya (Kartika) and Ganesha (Vinayaka). The elder was Kartikeya and the younger Ganesha.

Who brought up Kartikeya?

Shiva, the god of destruction, and Parvati, Shiva’s wife, were the parents of Kartikeya, who created him by forming five separate children into one god with six heads.

Was kartikeya jealous of Ganesh?

Ganesha practices for the next day’s competition. Kartikeya goes and clarifies that he’s not envious of his little brother.

When did Kartikeya become popular in India?

According to Fred Clothey, the evidence suggests that Kartikeya mythology had become widespread sometime around 200 BCE or after in north India. The first clear evidence of Kartikeya’s importance emerges in the Hindu Epics such as the Ramayana and the Mahabharata where his story is recited.

What is the meaning of the name Kartikeya?

Kartikeya means “of the Krittikas”. This epithet is also linked to his birth. After he appears on the banks of the River Ganges, he is seen by the six of the seven brightest stars cluster in the night sky called Krittikas in Hindu texts (called Pleiades in Greek texts). These six mothers all want to take care of him and nurse baby Kartikeya.

What are the symbols of Lord Kartikeya?

Kartikeya symbols are based on the weapons – Vel, the Divine Spear or Lance that he carries and his mount the peacock. He is sometimes depicted with many weapons including: a sword, a javelin, a mace, a discus and a bow although more usually he is depicted wielding a sakti or spear. This symbolizes his purification of human ills.

What is the iconography of Kartikeya?

The iconography of Kartikeya varies significantly; he is typically represented as an ever-youthful man, riding or near an Indian Peacock, called Paravani, dressed with weapons sometimes with a rooster in the flag he holds. Most icons show him with one head, but some show him with six heads reflecting the legend surrounding his birth.