The brother of Gaṇeśa (see Gaṇeśa) and the son of Śiva (see Śiva) and Pārvatī (see Pārvatī), Kārttikeya—also known as Skanda—is essentially an opposite to his brother, as Śiva the ascetic is an opposite to Pārvatī, the Mountain Mother goddess. As Śiva and Pārvatī form a whole, so do Gaṇeśa and Kārttikeya. A popular myth about the two brothers has to do with the desire of their parents that they marry. As marriage is a question of the achievement of śakti (see śakti), or true inner energy personified by the wife, it is important to the parents to decide which of their sons should achieve this power first. A test is arranged by which the brothers are to enter a race around the earth. Kārttikeya takes the command literally and circles the earth itself. Gaṇeśa wins, however, by simply circling his parents seven times, following a Vedic (see Vedic entries) formula, or mantra (see Mantra) for the honoring of parents and symbolizing by this act that Śiva and Pārvatī in union are the world (see Murugan).
