the knowledge of Samkhya. Kapila approached
him as he was performing sacrifices (as he had
been doing for thousands of years). Asuri would
not listen. Only after being approached two more
times did he relent and become Kapila’s student.
Some sources say Kapila is the son of Svambhu-
va’s daughter, MANU, and PRAJAPATI’S son, Kardama.
Other sources say that he may be an incarnation
of VISHNU who learned his wisdom directly from
SHIVA; as such he would then be known as HIRANYA-
GARBHA, or lord of the world. There are numerous
references to Kapila in the epics and later texts,
which give him various powers and statuses.
Further reading: John Davies, Hindu Philosophy: An
Exposition of the System of Kapila (New Delhi: Cosmo,
1981).
karma
In ancient VEDIC tradition karma (action) simply
referred to the Vedic rites. Indian philosophy often
contrasts the karma kanda (action aspect) of tradi-
tion with its jnana kanda (knowledge aspect). Later,
the term karma came to refer to the “law of action.”
According to this ethical concept, the actions or
karmas of individuals in their current births shape
their lives in their next births. Finally, in the con-
text of the BHAGAVAD GITA, karma yoga refers to
a YOGA of action in the world without regard to
its fruits. Mohandas Karamchand GANDHI made
the term karma yoga well known, as his political
actions were all undertaken under this name. The
Indian traditions of Hinduism, JAINISM, Buddhism,
and SIKHISM all accept the notion of karma.
Further reading: C. F. Keyes and E. Valentine Daniel,
Karma: An Anthropological Inquiry (Berkeley: University
of California Press, 1983); Wendy Doniger O’Flaherty,
ed., Karma and Rebirth in Classical Indian Traditions
(Berkeley: University of California Press, 1980).
karmendriyas See SAMKHYA.
Karttikeya
Karttikeya is the younger son of SHIVA and PARVATI;
GANESHA is the elder son. There are many versions
of his life story, as is usual in Hindu tradition. In
the best known version, from the PURANAS, Shiva
accidentally spills his semen into fire (AGNI). The
fire is distressed because of the semen’s incred-
ible power and asks the GANGES River for help.
She agrees and the semen is thrown into her cool
waters.
The Ganges waits 5,000 years for the seed to
gestate and produce a child, but none comes forth.
She goes to BRAHMA to ask for advice. He tells
her to leave the seed in a vast grove of reeds for
10,000 more years. After that long period a child
is indeed born in the reeds. As he cries out, the
six krittika goddesses (the Pleides) vie with each
other to be the first to nurse him. Because of their
quarreling he develops six faces around his head
to look at all of them at once. As he is reared by
these six goddesses, he receives the name Kart-
tikeya, from their names.
Once the word spreads that this child is born,
the god of fire suddenly renews his interest and
wants to claim him. The Ganges also wants
him. They go to Shiva and Parvati to settle the
dispute, but this only creates complications, as
the couple also want the child. They all agree
to ask the child and to accept his choice. The
boy, loving them all, becomes four versions of
himself. The one named Karttikeya became son
of Shiva, the one named Kumara becomes son of
the Ganges, the one named Skanda becomes son
of Parvati, and the one named Guha becomes the
son of fire.
Karttikeya is depicted iconographically with
a peacock vehicle, some sort of weapon in his
hand, and a rooster on his banner. At times he
is considered unmarried, while other stories give
him a wife named Devasena; in South India he has
a second wife, Valli. Karttikeya is very popular in
South India, where he takes the name Murugan
along with his other traditional names.K 228 karma