Kartikeya's birth is described through various intertwined mythological narratives in Hindu tradition, with some common elements across the stories:
- Kartikeya was born as the son of Shiva and Parvati to defeat the demon Tarakasura, who could only be killed by Shiva's offspring. Since Shiva was a yogi and not inclined to have children, the gods devised a plan to awaken his desire and enable the birth of a son
- During Shiva and Parvati's union, Shiva's potent semen (retas or energy) was emitted but could not be sustained by Agni (the fire god) or Ganga (the river goddess). Agni passed this energy to Ganga, who deposited it in the Himalayas or the Saravana lake, where it transformed into six babies
- These six babies were nurtured by the six Krittikas (six celestial mothers or stars), which is why Kartikeya is also called "Kartikeya" or "Skanda," meaning "born of the Krittikas" or "attacker"
- Parvati then merged these six infants into one being with six faces through her tantric powers, resulting in Kartikeya's characteristic six-headed form
- The six-faced Kartikeya was thus born as a divine warrior destined to lead the gods against the demon Tarakasura and restore cosmic order
In summary, Kartikeya's birth involved Shiva's divine energy being incubated by Agni and Ganga, nurtured by six celestial mothers, and unified by Parvati into a single six-headed divine child born to defeat a powerful demon and protect the gods
