Kartikeya-Vrittanta

Kartikeya-Vrittanta — 10 chapters, 100 questions. From several texts and traditions.

Kartikeya is not one god but a meeting of two traditions — the ancient Tamil hill-god Murugan of the south (Sangam poetry, the vel, the rooster banner) and the northern Puranic war-god Skanda (son of the Krittikas, killer of Taraka). Both streams are given here separately and as equals; it neither says "he was always one god" nor "the north stole a Tamil god". Each chapter says which text it comes from. Where the texts collide — six days or seven, the vel from Agni/Indra or from Parvati, the many mothers, Surapadman versus Taraka — both sides are recorded and nothing is adjudicated. Where a thing rests only on later Tamil tradition or temple story, that is said plainly.

Two streams — One god, two traditions — a northern war-god, and the most beloved deity in the south, who is older still
Taraka's boon — A demon asked for a death that could never come — at the hands of a seven-day-old son of Shiva, when Shiva had neither wife nor son
Kama and the wedding — The gods needed a son, so they sent Kama to break Shiva's trance — and Kama was burnt to ash
Agni and Ganga — Shiva's seed was too fierce for any womb — Agni could not hold it, and neither could the Ganga
Six Krittikas — Six sparks, six Krittikas — six stars in the sky — and from them one child with six faces
The six-day-old general — At six days old he was made commander of the army of the gods
The Taraka war — The impossible son now existed, and was exactly the age the boon had fixed
The peacock and the rooster — The vel split Surapadman in two — one half became the peacock he rides, the other the rooster on his banner
Valli and Devasena — One wife was the daughter of the king of the gods, the other of a hill hunter
Tamil Kadavul — In the north Kartikeya's solo worship shrank hard; in the Tamil south Murugan is one of the great living gods