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Murugan: The Kali Yuga Varadaby Dr. A Kanakaratnam, A.M.A.C.
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Shanmukha, the Six-Faced Lord, Whose eye of gnosis penetrated the six cardinal directions of three-dimensional space. His vehicle the peacock or phoenix signifies mastery over space, time and Death, represented by the poisonous cobra. Early 20th century painting from central India |
Skanda Senadhipati (Skanda as Generalissimo) leads His army of devas (Deva-sena) into battle against the titanic forces tyranising the world. |
Today we are astonished by the perfect correctness of their revelations which also neatly describe modern-day phenomena as accurately as any modern prediction. These sciences, which are only just emerging in the light of modern thought, strike us with wonder and admiration for the scientific capability of the ancients. We have such revelations in the Old Testament of the Bible as well and we find their fulfillment word for word right up to events in recent times.
Skanda Is Born And Comes Down to Earth
The devas and asuras were rivals and each had recourse to the subtle powers of the
planets as personified in mythology. Thus Jupiter and Venue quarreled by taking sides
with these rivals, and so we have reference to Jupiter being the king of the devas
while Venus was the kind of the asuras.
There were three asura brothers--Soorapadman, Tarakasuran and Simhasuran--who were the sons of a great rishi named Kashyapa. Their mother Maya was an asura lady who by her womanly wiles had won the heart of Kashyapa and begot these sons by him. When Kashyapa preferred to teach them the principles of dharma, ahimsa and ethics, his wife Maya countered and taught them the mantras or incantation for obtaining powers to conquer the devas and become rulers of the world.
Thus the asuras fought and subdued the devas and became the rulers of the world with the power of the planet Venus. Their tyranny over the conquered devas was such that the devas, with Vishnu and Indra at their head, went to appeal to God Siva. Siva who had already promised eternal life to Soorapadman, would not intervene but entered yogic trance (samadhi) instead.
However, when the cruelties of the asuras became unbearable, the devas again appealed to Siva. This time Siva opened his third eye and out of it came six rays of light. These were received by Agni and diverted into a marshy lake called Saravana or 'forest of reeds', where each ray turned out to be a child. Hence, we hear of the six syllables Saravana- bhava, 'born in the forest of reeds'.
This extraordinary event happened in the month of Karttika or November, and hence the child Murugan is called Karttikeya after the six Krittika maidens who found and nursed the six divine infants. Later, it is said, the mother-goddess Uma Devi gathered the six together as one so that their six heads shared one body. Because he has six faces, he is also called Shan-mukha, 'the six-faced one'. The six faces have their own significance, for each has its own purpose.
Being a god, the child Murugan could take up any form and do anything He pleased, anywhere and anytime. He happens to be a god of the afflicted; hence everyone looks up to Him. The Sapta Rishi or Seven Seers called him Kali Yuga Varada, the granter of boons in the present Dark Age of Quarrel. Approach to Him may done through prayers and supplication by those afflicted by disease, sorrow, or discontents.
Siva intended for His son Karttikeya to go South to put down the asuras. But first He sent His ambassador to advise Soorapadman to avoid war and release the devas. However, Soorapadman, who had already obtained the boon of eternal life from Siva through his very arduous penance, refused all advice.
Inter-Planetary War
So war was declared. As mythology has it, at that time many of the stars and planets
in the common were populated by titanic races of asuras. All of these powerful beings were
destroyed and yet Soorapadman couldn't be killed or captured. Murugan then prayed
to the Cosmic Mother, Shakti, and She sent Him the holy Vel or lance, the most advanced
weapon that could track Soorapadman and flush him our of from wherever he hid.
Soorapadman had fled the battlefield and was hiding in the deep sea in the form of an enchanted mango tree in order to escape his relentless pursuer. Lord Murugan finally hurled the vel which split the tree and broke the enchantment. Soorapadman surrendered to Murugan, acknowledged His Divine Majesty, and begged Him for His limitless mercy.
Accordingly, the Lord transformed the asura's one half into a peacock to serve as His vahana or vehicle, and his other half into the ensign of a cock as his vetri-kodi or victory pennant. Lord Murugan, as Subrahmanya the Radiator of Brilliance, hence granted such a wonderful boon even to His sworn enemy.
God of the South
Lord Subrahmanya, along with Agasthyar Rishi, came from the North but chose to
offer his service and mercy particularly to the people of the South. Thus, today He has many
friends and many great shrines in South India and Sri Lanka.
Of the greatest, six are in Tamil Nadu
while two are in Sri Lanka, namely Kataragama (Kathirkamam) and Nallur Kandaswami temple. Most
every worshiper at these temples has his or her prayers answered. In almost all of
these temples there is a samadhi or final resting place of a yogi or siddha over which is built
a shrine to Lord Murugan or Karttikeya or Subrahmanya or Skanda, the most popular of
the Lord's Thousand Names.
Each of these thousand names has a deep significance which invokes Him and His Power. Many of His names refer to the various boons that He has granted and His marvelous deeds. The names themselves are composed of syllables which, when uttered in unbroken sequence, fortify the worshipper's invocation so that the inner power of the Lord saturates the intended prayer or wish.
As many names as one learns to include in one's prayers, by that much do the prayers gain in strength. Most of the names are made up of short melodious syllables, e.g. Subrahmanya.
The recitation of the Sahasra Nama or 'Thousand Names' is further enhanced by the dropping of a flower at the feet of an image of the tender Lord to accompany each name recited. The rewarding effect of such worship was explained by Śrī Krishna to Arjuna on the battlefield of Kurukshetra. There it was revealed to Arjuna that it matters not if the prayer is accompanied by flowers, for if flowers are not available the worshipper may use even leaves, and if even these were not available to him it would suffice if the Lord was adored by name alone.
Speaking from more than half a century of personal experience. I can vouch for the efficacy of this playful god and His time-tested modes of worship. There is no truer companion or support than this one God of so many names.
Just try and you may also see all this for yourself.
Note: One week after this article appeared in The Isand (Colombo), a divine messenger appeared before Dr. Kanakaratnam (96) and informed him that his work on earth was "finished". Already he was fully prepared to die and had only been waiting for this message. Three days later he calmly informed his family that he was going to die on that very day. A few hours later, he passed away contentedly.