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Tarakasura, a nearly invincible demon, took over the heavens, prompting the gods to unite Lord Shiva and Parvati to produce their son, Kartikeya. Trained as a powerful warrior, Kartikeya defeated Tarakasura using his mighty Vel spear, restoring harmony and becoming a celebrated figure in the festival of Skanda Shasti.
Characters in the story:
Tarakasura: Tarakasura is a demon king who was slain by Lord Kartikeya, the son of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati.
Lord Brahma: Lord Brahma holds a significant position in Hinduism as the divine creator of the universe and all living beings. He is commonly portrayed with four heads, symbolizing his association with the four Vedas.
Lord Vishnu: Lord Vishnu is one of the three major deities in Hinduism, known as the preserver of the universe and the protector of dharma (righteousness). He is often depicted with four arms holding a conch shell, a discus, a mace, and a lotus flower.
Lord Shiva: Lord Shiva, an eminent figure in Hinduism, holds a prominent position as the deity responsible for annihilating evil and facilitating the transformation of the universe. In depictions, he is frequently portrayed as a meditative ascetic or as the master of dance, adorned with a third eye, a serpent adorning his neck, and a trident grasped firmly in his hand.
Goddess Paraviti: Goddess Parvati is a prominent deity in Hinduism, known as the divine mother and the consort of Lord Shiva. She represents feminine power, fertility, love, and devotion, and is worshiped for her nurturing and compassionate nature.
Kamadev: Kamadev is the Hindu god of love and desire, who wields a bow of sugarcane and shoots flower-tipped arrows to inspire feelings of love and attraction in beings.
Agni: Lord Agni is the Hindu god of fire and a messenger between the gods and humans. He is depicted as a radiant deity with multiple arms and is revered for his purifying and transformative powers.
Tarakasura performed severe penance and pleased Lord Brahma, who granted him a boon that made him nearly invincible. The boon gave him immense strength, the ability to change his form at will, and a near-immortal life span.
The boon also made Tarakasura nearly invulnerable, as he could only be killed by a child of Lord Shiva and Parvati. This condition was added to the boon by Lord Brahma to prevent Tarakasura from becoming too powerful and wreaking havoc in the universe.
Tarakasura, knowing this, had become arrogant and had taken over the heavens, driving away the gods from their abode.
The gods, unable to defeat Tarakasura themselves, went to Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati, who were then in a state of deep meditation. The gods knew that only a son born from Lord Shiva’s union with Parvati would be able to defeat Tarakasura. So they devised a plan to bring them together.
The gods sent Kama, the god of love, to awaken Lord Shiva’s desire for Parvati. However, Lord Shiva was lost in meditation and did not appreciate the interruption. He opened his third eye in anger, which burned Kama to ashes.
Despite Lord Shiva’s fury, the gods’ plan continued. They sent Agni, the god of fire, to carry Shiva’s seed from his sweat to Ganga, the river goddess. Ganga carried the seed to a forest where it was received by six Krittikas, the six stars of the Pleiades. They nurtured the seed and gave birth to Kartikeya, who was then raised by six nymphs.
Kartikeya grew up to be a powerful warrior and was trained by the gods themselves. He was given a spear called the Vel, which had the power to defeat even the most powerful demons. Kartikeya set out to fight Tarakasura, who had heard of the prophecy that he would be killed by Lord Shiva’s son.
Upon reaching the battlefield, Veerbhadra, the commander of Shiva’s Gana warriors, instructed Kartikeya to stay at the rear while he personally confronted Tarakasura. Veerbhadra, known as the fiercest warrior in Shiva’s army, unleashed his strongest weapons upon Tarakasura, but they proved ineffective due to a boon bestowed by Bramha. According to the boon, Tarakasura could only be slain by Shiva’s own son. Veerbhadra soon succumbed to unconsciousness after receiving a powerful blow from Tarakasura’s trident.
At this critical moment, Kartikeya joined the battle. Observing the seven-year-old son of Shiva, Tarakasura began to ridicule the gods, accusing them of cowardice for hiding behind a mere child. However, the first strike delivered by Kartikeya made Tarakasura realize that this was no ordinary boy. His weapons and shields proved useless against the mighty Vel wielded by Kartikeya, and ultimately, Tarakasura met his demise.
The gods rejoiced, knowing they could finally reclaim Swarga, their land that had been seized by the demons. The gods were overjoyed at the defeat of Tarakasura and welcomed Kartikeya as their savior. Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati were proud of their son’s victory and blessed him with eternal youth and invincibility.
The defeat of Tarakasura by Lord Kartikeya is celebrated every year during the festival of Skanda Shasti, which falls in the Tamil month of Aippasi (October-November). The festival celebrates the victory of good over evil and is celebrated with great fervor in South India.
