About Skanda Mata
The fifth form of Goddess Durga is known as Skandamata — the mother of Skanda, another name for Kartikeya, the son of Shiva and Parvati. In the war between the gods and the demons, Skanda served as commander of the divine armies and slew the demon Tarakasura. The name Skandamata is formed from two words — Skanda and mata (mother) — the Mother of Skanda, or Kartikeya.
As the legend goes, the demon Tarakasura had, through harsh penance directed at Brahma, obtained the boon that he could be slain only by a son of Shiva — a condition that seemed impossible, since Shiva, grieving Sati's death, remained withdrawn in endless meditation even after her rebirth as Parvati, daughter of the Himalaya. Tarakasura's tyranny drove the gods from the heavens and left the three worlds afflicted. Eventually, through Parvati's own intense penance, Shiva was moved to abandon his ascetic withdrawal, and their union brought forth their son, Kumara Kartikeya. At the age of seven, Kartikeya slew the demon Tarakasura, and has since been revered as commander of the celestial forces.
In this form, the Goddess is depicted with Kumara Kartikeya seated upon her lap, and with four arms — bearing lotus flowers in two hands, and a crescent moon adorning her head. She is seated upon a lotus, though her vehicle is traditionally the lion. She is worshipped on the fifth day of Navratri, and her devotees are believed to attain the fulfilment of their desires, ultimate peace, and even the path to liberation — worship of Skandamata being, in essence, worship of Kartikeya himself.