A Note on Sanmukha Karttikeya

Summary

Lalit Kumar offers a concise exploration of the six‑faced god Kārttikeya, also called Sanmukha or Skanda, the commander of the gods’ army and son of Śiva and Pārvatī. The article recounts the myth of his birth from the sparks of Śiva’s seed, nurtured by the Kṛttikā stars, and his subsequent role in slaying the demon Tāraka. Kumar surveys the earliest literary references in the Mahābhārata and Kālidāsa’s Kumārasaṃbhava, noting variations in the iconography and names of the deity. He then traces the development of Kārttikeya’s worship in South India, where he is revered as Subrahmaṇya and Skanda, and describes iconographic features such as the spear (śakti), the peacock mount and the depiction with six heads representing omniscience. The article also touches upon archaeological finds and sculptural representations from Gupta and post‑Gupta periods. By synthesising textual and art‑historical evidence, Kumar provides readers with a brief yet informative overview of this complex deity’s evolution and significance.