The epithet Kartikeya is linked to the circumstances surrounding the deity's birth. According to the Skanda Purana, six divine sparks emerged from Shiva, forming six separate baby boys. These boys were raised by See more

Ancient Yaudheya and Kushan period coins dated to the first and second centuries CE show Kartikeya with either one or six heads, with one-headed depictions being more common. Similarly, sculptures show him with either one or six heads, with the six … See more

Practices
Kavadi Aattam is a ceremonial act of sacrifice and offering to Murugan practiced by his devotees. Its origin has been linked to a mythic anecdote … See more

Birth
Various Indian literary works recount different stories surrounding the birth of Kartikeya. In Valmiki's Ramayana (seventh to fourth … See more

Vedic text and epics
There are references in the ancient Vedas to "Skanda", which can be interpreted to refer to Kartikeya. For example, the term Kumara appears in … See more

Consistent elements of Kartikeya's narrative across the diverse corpus of legends relating to him include his birth by a surrogate in difficult circumstances, his upbringing by a host of mothers, and his later reunion with his biological family. According to Fred … See more

• Muruga in Sangam literature See more