Devasena
Devasena (Sanskrit: देवसेना, romanized: Devasenā, lit. 'Army of the devas', Tamil: தேவசேனா, romanized: Tēvacēṉā) is a Hindu goddess of aspiration, and the consort of the war god Kartikeya (Murugan). She is also known as Devayanai, Deivanai, and Deivayanai in Tamil texts. Her name is also spelled as Teyvanai or Tevayanai (Teyvāṉai).
| Devasena | |
|---|---|
A lithograph on Kartikeya with Devasena seated on his lap | |
| Other names | Devayanai, Amritavalli, Shashti |
| Affiliation | Devi, Kaumari, Shashthi |
| Mount | Elephant Cat (As Shashthi) |
| Parents | Indra and Shachi or Daksha (according to the Mahabharata) or Vishnu (according to South Indian traditions) |
| Consort | Kartikeya |
Devasena is described as the daughter of the Prajapati Daksha in the Mahabharata, while some Sanskrit scriptures consider her as the daughter of Indra, the king of the devas (gods), and his wife Shachi. In the Tamil iteration of the Skanda Purana, she is portrayed as the daughter of the god Vishnu, who is later adopted by Indra. She is betrothed to Kartikeya by Indra, when he becomes the commander-in-chief of the devas. In Tamil accounts, Devasena is generally depicted as an antithesis of Valli, her sister-wife; together they complete the deity. Devasena is generally depicted with Murugan, and is often also accompanied by Valli.
In Tamil Nadu, Devasena does not enjoy independent worship, but is venerated as Murugan's consort in most of his temples. She plays a greater role in the Tirupparankunram Murugan Temple, believed to be the site of her marriage. In East India, Devasena is worshipped in the form of Shashthi, where she is usually worshipped independently.