Skandamata is the fifth form of Goddess Durga.

Her name runs as follows: Skanda

is another for Kartikeya and Mata is the name of mother. Her worship takes place
on the fifth day of Navaratri (nine nights of Navadurga). She awards us devotee
s with salvation, power, prosperity and treasures. She can grant oceans of wisdo
m even to most illiterate person, if he happens to worship her. Skandmata who po
ssesses the brilliance of the sun fulfills all the desires of her devotees. He w
ho is selflessly devoted to her, attains all the achievements and treasures of l
ife. The worship of Skandmata purifies the heart of a devotee. While worshiping
her, he devotee should have absolute control over his senses and mind. He should
free himself from worldly bondage and worship her with a single-pointed devotio
n. Her worship is twice blessed. When the devotee worships her, Lord Skand, her
son in her lap, is automatically worshipped. Thus the devotee happens to enjoy t
he grace of Skandmata along with the grace of Lord Skand. If a devotee worships
her devoid of selfishness, the Mother blesses them with power and prosperity. Th
e devotees who worship Skandmata shine with divine splendor. Her worship is ulti
mately conducive to salvation. She is regularly known as "The Goddess of Fire".
Symbolism
Skandamata is four-armed and rides on a lion. She carries a lotus, a water mater
ial and a bell. Her one hand is in blessing posture. Lord Skanda can be seen in
her lap. She possesses four arms out of which two often hold the lotus flowers.
One of her hands is always in the boon-conferring gesture and with the other she
holds her son Skanda in her lap. Her complexion is white and she is seated on t
he lotus. So, she is also called the Goddess with a lotus-seat. The Lion also is
her vehicle.
Skandamata is four-armed and rides on a lion. She carries a lotus, a water mater
ial and a bell. Her one hand is in blessing posture. Lord Skanda can be seen in
her lap. She possesses four arms out of which two often hold the lotus flowers.
One of her hands is always in the boon-conferring gesture and with the other she
holds her son Skanda in her lap. Her complexion is white and she is seated on t
he lotus. So, she is also called the Goddess with a lotus-seat. The Lion also is
her vehicle.
Story
Shiva and Parvati's energy combines into their own forms of nature when meditati
ng. Indra came to know all this and assigns Lord Agni (Fire) to kidnap the ball
of energy and keep it for safety from Demon Tarakasur. Agni snuck in the cave an
d took the energy by deceit and lies in his hands, after meditation, Parvati rea
lizes that Lord Agni took the divine energy and chased after him. Lord Agni vani
shed with the divine energy and ran to Goddess Ganga. Meanwhile, Parvati came ou
t of the cave and asked the Gods that why Lord Agni stole the divine energy, the
Gods answered her that they have to keep it safe from Demon Tarakasur. Parvati
gets angry and attains the form of Goddess Durga, cursed the Gods that their wiv
es will never be able to enjoy the happiness with their children and with that,
curses Lord Agni that he will be an all-burner, unable to differentiate the diff
erences between right and wrong and his food will have impurities, he will alway
s be surrounded by black smoke and also curses that in anyone touches him in one
of the three worlds, they will get reduced to ashes. Meanwhile, Shiva came out
of the cave placated her by telling her to calm down. Later, Shiva's son Kartike
ya or Murugan or Skand had taken birth from the six Krittikas (Mothers) and not
Parvati. Still, the Goddess had accepted him as her own child, setting an exampl
e of a great mother before the world. She took back Kartikeya, from Kritika Lok
(Krittika world) to Kailash, while she was in her Durga form, riding this Lion.
As he grew, he had learned about the boon the boon of Tarakasur given by Lord Br
ahma, as he can be killed by Kartikeya, Gods gave him special powers and weapons
, to bless Kartikeya, Shiva and Parvati has encouraged him to kill Tarakasur in
the battlefield. Before going, Parvati transformed herself as Goddess Durga agai
n for blessing Kartikeya. With Parvati's (Goddess Durga) blessings, he managed t
o kill Tarakasur's army and Tarakasur. He was made by the Gods as their commande

r-in-chief.