Skandamata () is a form of the Hindu goddess Mahadevi, venerated as the mother of the war god Kartikeya, also called Skanda. She is the fifth of the Navadurga, and is worshipped on the fifth day of Navaratri.
Iconography
Skandamata is four-armed, three-eyed, and has a lion as her mount. One of her hands displays the fear-dispelling abhayamudra gesture, while the other is used to hold the infant form of her son Skanda on her lap. Her remaining two lower hands are typically shown holding lotus flowers. She is light-complexioned. As she is often pictured seated on a lotus, she is sometimes referred to as Padamasani.
Legend According to the Shiva Purana,
After wedding, Shiva and Parvati were enjoying conjugal happiness, lasting this a thousand years. During this period, the gods were disturbed by the peak- evil activities of asura Taraka. A Divine Delegation headed by Vishnu and Brahmaled by they travelled to Kailasa to meet Shiva
And in a hurry to meet delegation Shiva, 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.
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 embryo, which was deposited to the river Ganga which carried to the bushes of reed and there appeared a Boy of divine radiance.
Even while these events was happening, Parvati was extremely furious that Her privacy was disturbed and worse still Bhagavan’s Virya was being wasted and in that fit of anger cursed the wives of Devas who accompanied their husbands in the delegation to become barren!
The birth of Kartikeya on Kartika Nakshatra of Shashthi Tidhi of Suddha Paksha of Margasirsha month brought the greatest joy to Devi Parvati and Maha Deva, Parvati nourished the child by breastfeeding him, and the gods celebrated the birth. This nurturing and motherly aspect of Parvati came to be called Skandamata. She gifted divine weapon ‘Shakti’ to her son.
Kartikeya would fulfill his destiny of slaying Taraka, restoring order to the cosmos.
References
Dictionary of Hindu Lore and Legend () by Anna Dhallapiccola