Kartikeya's Birth and the Defeat of Tarakasur

Tarakasur's cruelty kept growing, and the devas waited for Shiv's son. The Shiv Puran says Shiv's divine energy was so intense that no one could bear it. First Agni, the fire god, held it, but even he was overwhelmed by its heat.

Agni passed that energy to Ganga. Ganga placed it in a forest of reeds called Sharavan. There a radiant child was born, shining like the sun. At that moment the six Krittikas, the star-maidens, came to bathe, saw the child and began to nurse him.

To drink from all six mothers, the child took six faces. So he was called Shadanan, the six-faced one, and because of the Krittikas he was named Kartikeya. He is also called Skanda and Kumar. Later Shiv and Parvati lovingly brought him to Kailash.

The devas made the young Kartikeya their commander. Shiv blessed him, and riding his peacock, holding the spear called Shakti, he led the army of the devas. Tarakasur laughed when he saw the boy: this child will fight me?

But once the battle began, his laughter vanished. After a fierce fight, Kartikeya ended Tarakasur with his spear. The devas regained heaven and peace returned to the three worlds. In South India, Kartikeya is still worshipped with great devotion as Murugan.