Do Indra and Subrahmanya indicate the same divinity?

 

AGNI was mentioned as an epithet in Rig Veda 2.1, along with other epithets like Indra, VISHNU, VARUNA, Saraswati, Brihaspati, etc, to indicate all powerful, formless BRAHMAN.

Rig Veda 2.1.3

त्वमग्न इन्द्रो वृषभः सतामसि त्वं विष्णुरुरुगायो नमस्यः । त्वं ब्रह्मा रयिविद्ब्रह्मणस्पते त्वं विधर्तः सचसे पुरंध्या ॥
tvam agna indro vṛṣabhaḥ satām asi tvaṃ viṣṇur urugāyo namasyaḥ | tvam brahmā rayivid brahmaṇas pate tvaṃ vidhartaḥ sacase puraṃdhyā ||

English translation:

“You, Agni, are Indra, the showerer (of bounties) on the good; you are adorable Viṣṇu, the hymned of many; you Brahmaṇaspati, are Brahmā, the possessor of riches; you, the author of various (conditions) are associated with wisdom.”

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Kartikeya or Skanda was not mentioned in Rig Veda.

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1) However, Indra was mentioned as subrahmāṇa in Rig Veda . A

Rig Veda 10.47.3

सुब्रह्माणं देववन्तं बृहन्तमुरुं गभीरं पृथुबुध्नमिन्द्र । श्रुतऋषिमुग्रमभिमातिषाहमस्मभ्यं चित्रं वृषणं रयिं दाः ॥

subrahmāṇaṃ devavantam bṛhantam uruṃ gabhīram pṛthubudhnam indra | śrutaṛṣim ugram abhimātiṣāham asmabhyaṃ citraṃ vṛṣaṇaṃ rayiṃ dāḥ ||

subrahmāṇa = su + brahmaṇa,ie., good BRAHMAN

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2) In 3.3.4.17 Satapatha-brahmana (Subrahmanya litany) Indra was called as 'Subrahmanyôm! Subrahmanyôm! Subrahmanyôm!'. So Indra was called as Subrahmanya.

And, Skanda/Kartikeya is also called Subrahmanya

3) Rig Veda 7.20.3 mentions Indra as unconquerable even at his birth - śūraḥ satrāṣāḍ januṣem aṣāḻhaḥ, which is attributable to Skanda/Kartikeya also

4) Rig Veda 7.20.5 mentions Indra as Chief of army - which is quality of Skanda/Kartikeya also

5) Rig Veda 8.1.25 mentions Indra’s chariot have peacock tail - mayūraśepyā. Skanda/Kartikeya has Peacock as his vehicle.

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Thus, Rig Veda’s Indra, who was called subrahmāṇa, further continued to be mentioned as such in 3.3.4.17 Satapatha-brahmana (Subrahmanya litany) , might have been become Subrahmanya, the son of Shiva, in Ramayana, Mahabharata and Puranas.

• In Bala Kanda of Ramayana, the birth of Skanda/Kartikeya was mentioned.
• In Mahabharata, the birth of Skanda/Kartikeya was mentioned
• In Puranas, the birth of Skanda/Kartikeya was mentioned

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Thus, the Vedic Indra was subsequently became Subrahmanya/Skanda/Kartikeya.