The young Skanda (Balaskandha)

Skanda, the Hindu god of war, is the oldest son of Shiva and Parvati. He is often depicted as a child, as seen here. He holds his divine spear (ver) that embodies the power of his mother, who is in turn an expression of the divine feminine essence Shakti. The god tenderly clasps the neck of his mount, a peacock; its radiant tail feathers frame him, nimbus-like. Agility and aggression, characteristics of the peacock, complement his role as the god of war. Variants of this print were produced for devotees visiting the many sites sacred to Skanda in south India, one of which is depicted in the background. Already by the fifth century, the Tamil people named Skanda as a favored god, a popularity he retains to this day.