Maa skandamata story

Ma Skandamata is the fifth avatar of Durga and is worshipped on the fifth day of Navratri. Skanda is another name for Lord Kartikeya (Ma Parvati’s son and Lord Ganesha’s brother). Mata means mother and thus Skandamata means mother of Skanda or Kartikeya. As is clear from the name, she is another form of Ma Parvati.

In this form, Durga has four arms. She holds Kartikeya (Skanda) in one hand, holds a lotus in the second and the third hand and blesses her devotees with the fourth hand. She rides a lion and sits on a lotus (due to which she is also called Padmasana). Kartikeya is also known as Lord Murugan in South India. He is the commander-in-chief of the of the army of gods.

The birth of Kartikeya is an interesting story. After Sati immolated herself, Shiva became detached from the worldly affairs and started practicing austere penance as an ascetic. At the same time, the gods (devas) were under an attack from demons (asuras) who were being led by Surapadman and Tarakasura.

Also Read: Ma Kushmanda – The Goddess Worshipped on the Fourth Day of Navratri

They had a boon that only Shiva or his offspring could kill them. Fearing that Shiva may never have an offspring, the gods rush to Lord Vishnu for help but Vishnu tells that the gods themselves are responsible for the situation. Had they not attended Daksha Prajapati’s yagna without Lord Shiva, Sati would have never immolated herself. He then tells them about Parvati, who is an incarnation of Adi Shakti and destined to be Shiva’s consort.

Kartikeya was to be taught by Brahma but on the first day he asked Brahma the meaning of Om. Brahma explained him the meaning in twelve thousand verses, but he was not satisfied. He asked the same question to Shiva who explained him the meaning in twelve lakh verses. Still unsatisfied, he himself explained the meaning of Om in twelve crore verses.

Also Read: Ma Chandraghanta – The Goddess Worshipped on the Third Day of Navaratri

As the commander-in-chief of the army of gods, he is blessed by all the gods and given special weapons for the war against Tarakasura and Surapadman. He, later, kills Tarakasura in a fiercely fought battle.

Thus, Ma Skandamata is worshipped as the mother of a supremely gifted child. When a devotee worships Skandamata, Lord Kartikeya is automatically worshipped as he is sitting in her mother’s lap. Her worship leads to peace, prosperity and salvation.

According to the Shiva Purana,[5] after his wedding to Parvati, Shiva retired to his abode of Kailasha and engaged in prolonged dalliance with her, lasting a thousand years. During this period, the gods became concerned that no son had yet been born who could fulfill their task of slaying the asura Taraka. Though reluctant to interrupt Shiva, led by Vishnu and Brahma, they travelled to his abode to seek an audience with him.

Shiva, heeding their pleas, allowed his semen to fall to the ground. Urged by the gods, Agni assumed the form of a dove and swallowed it to prevent its loss, but was afflicted by a burning sensation. Parvati, displeased by the intrusion, scolded the gods, accusing them of selfishness and stating that their actions had disrupted her union with her husband. Following Shiva’s instructions, Agni deposited the semen in the morning baths of six of the seven sages’ wives. The wives became pregnant and, unable to bear the effects, expelled the semen as a foetus, which was deposited by the river Ganga. From this foetus, Kartikeya was born on the sixth day of the bright half of Margashirsha. Parvati nourished the child by breastfeeding him, and the gods celebrated the birth.[6] This nurturing and motherly aspect of Parvati came to be called Skandamata. Kartikeya would fulfill his destiny of slaying Taraka, restoring order to the cosmos.[7]

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