Kartikeya Aarti

By the BhaktiRas Editorial Team · Updated 14 July 2026

The Kartikeya Aarti is offered to Lord Kartikeya, the six-faced son of Shiva and Parvati who is worshipped across India as Murugan, Skanda and Subramanya. This popular version opens with Jai Jai Aarti Venu Gopala and moves through several divine forms before closing on Subramanya Kartikeya, the commander of the celestial armies who carries the sacred Vel spear.

Kartikeya Aarti Lyrics (English)

Meaning & Significance

This aarti is unusual because it does not name Kartikeya in every line. Instead it moves like a garland through Krishna, Vishnu of Tirupati, Shiva and Parvati, the Mother Goddess, Hanuman, Dattatreya and Ganesha, and then places Kartikeya at the very end as its true destination. The pattern reflects a widely held idea in devotion: that all divine names finally point to one presence, and here that presence is Subramanya Kartikeya.

Kartikeya is known by many names across India. In the north he is Kartikeya or Skanda; in Tamil Nadu and Kerala he is loved as Murugan and Subramanya. He rides a peacock and carries the Vel, a bright spear his mother Parvati gave him to destroy the demon Tarakasura. The Vel stands for focused knowledge that cuts through ignorance, which is why devotees call on him for clarity, discipline and the courage to face hard tasks.

How Do You Perform the Aarti?

1. Prepare the lamp — light a ghee or oil lamp on a clean plate, and keep flowers, a little water and, if possible, a small image of the Vel or a peacock near the picture of Kartikeya.
2. Face the deity — stand before the image of Murugan, fold your hands, and settle your mind with a short prayer before you begin singing.
3. Sing and circle the lamp — sing the verses steadily and move the lit lamp in slow clockwise circles in front of the deity, following the rhythm of the words.
4. Offer flowers and water — at the close, offer the flowers, sprinkle a few drops of the water, and bow with the final line to Subramanya Kartikeya.
5. Share the light — pass the flame among those present so each person can draw the warmth toward themselves, then distribute any prasad you have kept.

What Are the Benefits of Singing This Aarti?

Devotees sing the Kartikeya Aarti to invite courage, focus and protection into daily life.

• Courage in hardship: calling on Kartikeya, the warrior who defeated Tarakasura, is felt to steady the mind when a person faces fear or a difficult fight.
• Clear focus: the Vel he carries is a symbol of sharp knowledge, so many students and seekers sing this aarti to ask for concentration and clarity.
• Protection from harm: as the commander of the divine armies, Kartikeya is invoked as a guardian who shields his devotees and their families.
• A settled, devotional mind: moving through many divine names in one song brings a sense of calm and reminds the singer that the same presence answers under every name.
• Blessings on Skanda Shashti: reciting it during Skanda Shashti and Thaipusam is believed to deepen the fruit of fasting and worship on those days.

Who Wrote This Aarti?

This aarti is traditional and its author is not recorded. It has passed down through temple singing and home worship rather than a single named poet, which is why small differences appear between versions across regions. The form used here is the one most commonly published as the Kartikeya or Subramanya aarti, gathering many deities before it comes to rest on Kartikeya himself.

Frequently Asked Questions

॥ जय सुब्रह्मण्य कार्तिकेय ॥