he went on to become the chief of Deva army and won many battles and wars for them. Thus he was brought up by Lord Shiva and Parvati. Lord Shiva took him and the baby Muruga played with the snakes in Shivas neck.

Uma took the child and embraced him and fed him. Lord Shiva and Uma who came to know this rushed to see their child. Since he is born in the banks of river Ganges he is called Gangeya. since he has 6 faces, he is called Arumugan. Since he is born to the Krittikas, he is called Karthikeya. From these 6 wombs was born Lord Muruga with 6 faces (signifying each of his mother) in the banks of Ganges. Before becoming the stars, they left heir womb in the banks of ganges. These 6 stars form the Krittika constellation. Hearing this, their husbands cursed them to become the stars. The rays of Shiva (which had his energy) entered the 6 women. Except for Arundhati other 6 accepted it. They were shivering in cold and Agni offered them the heat. Agni went to a lake where the wives of Saptarishis came to bath. Lord Shiva advised Agni to use this heat to relieve people from cold weather and there by get rid of the heat. Lord Vishnu asked Agni to go and plead to Lord Shiva who alone can help him. Even Agni could not bear the rays and the heat that emanated and he ran for help to Lord Vishnu. Shiva caught agni spying on them and opened his third eye. Agni cheated the Nandi and entered Shivas chamber when Shiva and Uma were making love. Meantime, Brahma was very anxious about Shiva and he was expecting them to have a child soon who would kill Tarakasuran. Lord Shiva took his bride to Mount Meru and they made love to each otherr. Shiva too agreed for the marriage and both of them got married. Brahma explained to Shiva that Uma is the reincarnation of Parvaty. However now Uma went into a deep penance, not even drinking water. Meena advised her daughter to forget Shiva. Uma got disappointed on this and the fact that shiva did not fall in love with her even after Kamadevas intervention. Shiva who became furious at this, burnt kama deva to ashes. Kamadevas arrows created a beautiful garden, fragrance and disturbed Shivas meditation. Brahma knowing this sent Kamadeva to create love in Shivas heart. She is the reincarnation of the Parvati and again she wants to marry Lord Shiva. In the mean time, the daughter of Mount Himalaya and Meena, Uma was in deep penance to marry Lord Shiva. Brahma and Vishnu got concerned about this and wanted to make Shiva fall in love again and get married. With this boon, Tarakasuran became more powerful and he defeated the devas and wreaked havoc across the world. He hoped that Shiva would never come back from meditation and he wont get married again.

In the mean time, Tarakasuran through his penance got a boon from Lord Brahma that he can only die in the hands of the Son of Lord Shiva. He went into a deep meditation for thousands of years. Lord Shiva was mourning the death of his wife in Dakshas yaga. On this auspicious day of Karthigai Deepam (Krittika nakshatra in Kartika Month), i will give the most commonly accepted version of Lord Murugas (Subrahmanya / Karthikeya) birth as given in Skanda purana. I had written about the virtues and the benefits of praying Lord Murugan in.

Prayer to lord muruga