The Skanda Purana is the largest of the eighteen Puranas of the Hindus. The Skanda Purana is named so because it was narrated by Skanda. This Purana mainly deals with the life and deeds of the Kartikeya also known as Skanda, the son of Shiva Parvati. Being the thematic discussion about the life of Kartikeya, the son of Siva, there is also found the descriptions of the Shaiva tradition of the Hemkuta region near Vijaynagar of Karnataka. The reason and the effects of the birth of Kartikeya constitute another important subject of discussion of the Skanda Purana. Kartikeya became the commander in chief of the God`s army and killed the demon Tarkasura. There is a great similarity between this Purana and the Kumarasambhava of Kalidasa. There are 81,000 verses in this Purana. It is considered to be auspicious if this book is given as a gift.

The largest of all the Puranas, the Skanda Puranas has seven parts-Maheshwar, Vaishnava, Brahma, Kashi, Avanti, Nagar and Prabhasa.

Maheshwar Khand contains a description of Daksh`s animosity towards lord Shiva, the significance of Sati rites, virtues of worshipping Lord shiva, Churning of Ocean, the emergence of Ambrosia, Lord Brahma`s boon to Tarkasura, Lord Shiva`s test of Parvati`s devotion, the arrival of saptarshis, birth of Kartikeya, Tarkasura killed by Kartikeya, virtues of performing fast on shivaratri, Kartikeya`s sorrow, killing of Pralamb, Kaalbhiti`s great penance, karandham`s Queries, significance of the Arunachal Shiva Linga and ultimately established Lord Shiva as the Sovereign creator.

Vaishnava Khand deals with the tales related to Lord Vishnu`s life and plays, his virtues, description of holy places of pilgrimage like Purshottam Tirth (Jagannath Puri), Badrikashrama, Heratkeshwar, Avantika Prabhasa, Dwarika, etc., significance of fasting, glorious effects of ritual bathing in Kartik, Margasheersh and Vaisakha months, description of subjects like knowledge, asceticism, devotion, moral conduct, cleanliness, Varnashram (four phases of life), Pativrat (abidance to the spouse), Yagya, donation, expiation, and Shraddha (offering to dead ancestors).

Apart from these two main parts the remaining khandas likewise deal with the glorious exploits of Lord Shiva, Vishnu and Brahma.