 The south @-@ Indian manuscripts of the Sanskrit scripture Skanda Purana mentions Devasena and Valli as daughters of the god Vishnu in a previous life . Thus , Kartikeya is regarded as the son @-@ in @-@ law of Vishnu as their husband . An interpolation in the southern recensions of the scripture as well as the Kanda Purana ( the Tamil version of the Sanskrit Skanda Purana ) narrate the story of the marriage of the two maidens to Kartikeya . The two maidens are fated to be married to the god . The elder sister Devasena is born as <unk> . She follows the path of traditional Hindu rituals and practices to gain her husband . <unk> by her penance , Indra adopts her as his daughter and marries her to Kartikeya in an arranged marriage , following custom , after Kartikeya triumphs over the demons . The Kanda Purana describes Devayanai ( Devasena ) as the daughter of Indra , without any mention of adoption . The couple is described as taking their abode in the hills of <unk> , where one of Murugan 's chief temples , Thiruthani Murugan Temple , stands . Another version describes the couple as residing in heaven , the abode of the gods . Meanwhile , Valli is born as <unk> . She is adopted by a tribal chieftain and grows up as a huntress . Murugan wins Valli 's hand and takes her to <unk> . The god is worshipped at the Thiruthani temple , flanked by Devasena on his left and Valli on his right . In the end , the trio settles in the abode of the gods and lives in harmony thereafter . An alternate ending found in Sri Lankan lore describes Murugan as staying on in the forest with Valli after their wedding at Kataragama , where his temple stands . Devayanai tries in vain to compel the god to return to the abode of the gods , but finally joins Kartikeya and Valli to reside in Kataragama . 
