original_query: What role does Parvati play in Karttikeya's parentage?
query: What role does Parvati play in Karttikeya's parentage?
answer: In some versions of Karttikeya's birth story, Parvati is credited as his mother, although his conception involves only male input (semen from Agni, Shiva, or a combination of the two).  Other versions attribute different mothers, including Ganga.