Originally posted by: varaali
Shiva represents the Purusha aspect while Parvati represents the Prakriti. Any creation in this world requires the presence of both.Only then will the creation be stable, whole and positive. Now, no doubt both Shiva and Parvati had the capability to create living beings, independent of each other, but in order to uphold the laws of creation and abide by its principles, their joint presence was required to produce Kartikeya.
In the case of beings which were created by Shiva, independent of Parvati, ( Andhakasur and Planet Mars- OTOH), they were not complete beings. One was created blind with asuric tendencies while the other was dispatched to be a planet in the solar system.
Even in the case of Ganesh, whom Parvati created w/o Shiva's help (hence his name Vi- nayak), the end result was disastrous and only when Shiva got to play his role (i.e fixing Ganesh's head), did Parvati get her son back. So, it is only when the Male and Female energies, the yin and the yang, the Purusha and the Prakriti, come together can creation take place.
In case of Kartikeya, Parvati is Shiva's Shakti and hence embedded in him. The marriage of Mahadeva and Parvati itself symbolizes the merger of Shiva and Shakti. When their hands were joined in front of the fire, they became One. Hence they don't have to rely on any other physical action to create an offspring. If Shiva was able to create the sparks that ultimately produced Kartikeya, he could do so, because Parvati's Shakti was already within him.
And most importantly, it is Parvati who gives Kartikeya the Vel (Spear/ lance) with which he ultimately kills Surapadman. ( I know, the ACK has Shiva giving it, but the comic is wrong)
