Kartikeya vs Parvati

The god of war and commander of the gods' army, son of Shiva, born to destroy the demon Taraka. Raised by the six Krittikas (the Pleiades), he is often shown with six faces; in the Tamil south he is worshipped as Murugan, one of the most beloved gods of the region.

Born to end the demon Taraka, Kartikeya arose from the seed of Shiva, carried by Agni and the river Ganga, and was nursed by the six Krittikas. Parvati accepted him as her son, and the gods made him general of their army.

The gods, oppressed by the demon Taraka, learned that only a son of Shiva could destroy him. Tellings of the birth vary widely across the *Mahabharata*, the *Ramayana*, the Puranas, and Kalidasa's poem *Kumarasambhava*: Shiva's fiery seed passes through Agni and the river Ganga before the child is born in a bed of reeds and nursed by the six Krittikas, the stars of the Pleiades. From them he takes the name Kartikeya, and from nursing all six at once, his six faces.

Goddess of power, fertility, love, and devotion. Consort of Shiva and mother of Ganesha and Kartikeya. Represents Shakti, the divine feminine creative power.

Parvati is the reincarnation of Sati, who immolated herself when her father insulted Shiva. Born as the daughter of the mountain king Himavan, she performed severe penance to win Shiva's love.

Parvati is the goddess of **power**, fertility, love, and devotion. She is the consort of **Shiva** and mother of **Ganesha** and **Kartikeya**. As the embodiment of **Shakti** (divine feminine energy), she represents the active, creative power of the universe.