Divine Beings
Skanda
स्कन्द
Generalissimo of the Gods
Who was Skanda?
Skanda (स्कन्द): Generalissimo of the Gods, one of the divine beings in the Mahabharata. The child of Agni and Swaha, born on the White Mountain with six faces and twelve arms after the seed was cast six times into a golden lake, from which casting off he takes his name.
Quick Facts
| Sanskrit name | स्कन्द |
|---|---|
| Title / Epithet | Generalissimo of the Gods |
| Faction | Divine Beings |
| Key traits | Newborn, Terrible, Undefeated, Generous |
| Notable relationships | Father: Agni, Mother: Swaha, Wife: Devasena, Slain enemy: Taraka |
| Featured in | 9 stories |
About Skanda
The child of Agni and Swaha, born on the White Mountain with six faces and twelve arms after the seed was cast six times into a golden lake, from which casting off he takes his name. Indra rode out to kill him before he could be a rival, and when the thunderbolt tore his right side a second youth, Visakha, stepped out of the wound; the gods then made him their commander instead. On the Sarasvati at Samantapanchaka he was anointed generalissimo, divided himself into four to greet Shiva, Uma, Ganga and Agni at once, and afterwards killed the asura Taraka.
In Their Words
Strike me again, king of the gods, and see what else comes out of me.
Skanda
Traits
- Newborn
- Terrible
- Undefeated
- Generous
Story Appearances
Stories Featuring Skanda
7 further tales on this site name Skanda, in canonical reading order.
- Devasena and the Husband Not Yet BornA rescue on the Manasa hills and a promise the gods had to invent someone to keep
- Swaha and the Six DisguisesThe wives who were punished for a child that was never theirs
- The Hymn Before the ConchesKrishna sends Arjuna down from the chariot to praise the goddess
- The Fourth CommanderA nephew's water poured on an uncle's head at the foot of Himavat
- The Head That Followed IndraA treaty kept to the letter and broken in every other way
- The Being at the GateAshvatthama offers himself to Mahadeva
- The Day the Rod VanishedWhat happened to the world when Chastisement disappeared
Character Arc
- The Casting OffGrows to a child in four days beside the mountain lake
- The BoltIndra's weapon splits his side and Visakha steps out of it
- The AnointingEvery god in heaven brings him a weapon or a companion
Key Relationships
Places in Skanda's Story
Drawn from the stories Skanda appears in.
Related Characters
Others counted among the Divine Beings.