Dr. S. S. Rana
Skanda-Kartikeya is one of the few minor deities dominating the Indian religious scene for centuries as a pan India god. Apart from his plausible presence in the Indus Valley Culture, we find seeds of the various elements of the Skanda-myth in the Rigveda. The later vedic literature amply demonstrates the emergence of Skanda cult. The Epics and the Puranas extensively deal with the theme of Skanda-Kartikeya and his admittance to the Aryam pantheon as fulluy accomplished. The main theme of Skanda as a god of youth and valour, the characteristics of a war god, is permeating the works of Classical Sanskrit literature as also the Tamil literature starting from Sangam period. Skanda has figured on the coins of some early north Indian dynasties and old sculptures depicting him in various aspects are found all over India and abroad. The iconographical texts have also devoted the deserved attention to description of the various forms of Skanda-Karttikeya. The present work, in its seven chapters, deals with these topics in a critical and analytical manner.