Hinduism

"The Hindus are not polytheistic. Hinduism speaks of one God that is the supreme Self in all, Atman, Brahman. The different gods and goddesses of the Hindu pantheon are mere representatives of the powers and functions of the one supreme God in the manifested world.
(...)
The Hindu philosophical and spiritual truths conveyed through the Upanisads and Puranic literature have also been ingeniously presented to the masses in the form of symbols. A symbol ia a known idol representing the unknown ideal. The art of god-symbolism helps both the literate and the illiterate Hindus. The illiterate derive at least some idea of the supreme Truth through the symbols which help them to maintain their ancient culture and heritage. As for the literate the understanding of the inner significance of the symbols establish a greater conviction of the Truth that they represent.
(...)
The art of symbolism is not peculiar to Hinduism. (...) But no other religion has ever developed this art to the extent Hinduism has done. Hinduism has perfected this art."

A. PARTHASARATHY (2005), The symbolism of hindu gods and rituals, A. Parthasarathy , Mumbai





Kartikeya= Subramanya, segundo filho de Shiva.
Outra forma assumida por Subramanya é Sanmukha, de seis cabecas
Deuses da Trindade: Brahma, criacao, Visnu, manutencao, Shiva, destruicao.
Interessante saber que Shiva se casou com Prakriti ou Uma, matéria perecível. Dessa uniao resultaram Ganesa, deus de cabeca de elefante e Subramanya. Ambos atingiram o estado de perfeicao a consciencia de Deus neles próprios