Kārtikeya

deity sky India single tradition · 12

Kārtikeya is the god of war who probably plays both sides in any conflict if adversary combatants worship devas. He patronizes all wars in India. His wife's name is Sena, a goddess, commonly known as Deva-Sena, the personified armament of the gods.

↻ synthesized from 12 sources

When

First attested
500 BCE
Attested period
-500 – 2020
Historical notes
Mentions in Sanskrit literature date to fifth century BCE; mythology became widespread in North India around second century BCE; archaeological evidence from first century CE shows association with Agni.

Relationships

consort of
Sena, Deva-Sena
syncretized with
Muruga, Skanda, Kumara
allied with
Vasuki, Devasena, Naigamesha, Indra
served by
Virabahu, Parvani, Bhutamata
creator of
Bhutamata

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Sources

Source passages

“all wars in India are patronized by the god of war Kārtikeya who probably plays both sides in any conflict if adversary combatants worship devas. His wife's name is Sena, a goddess, commonly known as Deva-Sena, the personified armament of the gods.”

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