Kumāra Abhisheka

The Kumāra Abhisheka is the installation of Kārttikeya as Senāpati, the commander of the armies of the devas. The Kumāra Khaṇḍa of the Śiva Purāṇa tells it in Chapter 5. Kārttikeya comes back to Kailāsa, meets Bhagavān Śiva and Pārvatī, is seated on a golden throne, and receives a gift from each great deva.

The return and the reunion

Nandīśvara brought word to Kārttikeya at the home of the Kṛttikā women. The divine child agreed to go back to Kailāsa. The Kṛttikā women, the devas and the great gaṇa retinues of Bhagavān Śiva went with him in the procession. When Kārttikeya reached Kailāsa, Bhagavān Śiva and Pārvatī saw their son. The reunion was joyful, and Pārvatī embraced her son.

Installation on the golden throne

Bhagavān Śiva himself performed the formal installation. Kārttikeya was seated on a great golden throne. With the whole assembly of devas as witnesses, Bhagavān Śiva declared Kārttikeya the Senāpati, the supreme commander of all the divine armies. He gave him the authority to lead the war against Tārakāsura.

The gifts of each deva

In the installation each great deva came forward and gave Kārttikeya a gift:

• Bhagavān Vishṇu gave the divine crown and his Sudarśana Cakra.
• Bhagavān Śiva gave the triśūla (śūla), the Pināka bow, his own śakti weapon, and the Pāśupata astra, the most terrible of all weapons.
• Brahmā gave the yajñasūtra (the sacred thread) and the Brahmāstra.
• Indra gave Airāvata, the divine elephant, for Kārttikeya to ride, and his own vajra.
• Varuṇa gave a white umbrella, the royal canopy of rule, and a ratnamālā, a garland of divine jewels.
• Sūrya gave a shining divine chariot.
• Yama gave the yamadaṇḍa, the rod of the authority of dharma.
• Candra gave the amṛtakalaśa, the vessel of the nectar of immortality.
• Agni gave a śakti weapon of fire.
• Kāmadeva gave the kāmāstra, the weapon of the force of desire.
• Pārvatī Devī gave Kārttikeya rule over all realms and the vara (boon) of immortality.

With these gifts Kārttikeya received the combined cosmic authority of all the great powers. (Chapter 5)

Viśvakarmā builds a city

After the installation, Viśvakarmā, the divine builder, built a great city and palace for Kārttikeya at Kailāsa. It was fit for the son of Bhagavān Śiva and the Senāpati of the armies of the devas.

The abhisheka in the Vāmana Purāṇa

The Vāmana Mahā Purāṇa places the abhisheka at Pṛthūdaka Tīrtha in Kurukshetra. There Bhagavān Vishṇu performs the svastivācana (the blessing recitation), and all the devas give gaṇas as gifts. In the Kumāra Khaṇḍa the installation takes place at Kailāsa itself, and the chief act is the giving of weapons by each deva.

Sources

• Śiva Purāṇa, Rudra Saṃhitā, Kumāra Khaṇḍa, Chapter 5
• Vāmana Mahā Purāṇa (the installation of Kārttikeya at Pṛthūdaka Tīrtha; chapter not given)