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Home > Temples of Kerala >Muruga Temples in Kerala Muruga Temples in Kerala
Subrahmanya is said to have been born of Siva from Parvati, to destroy the demon Tarakasura. Before conceiving him, even these parents of the world had to perform severe Tapas or austerities. This teaches the world, of the great need for Tapas on the part of the parents desirous of excellence of offspring. He is stated to have been born in a forest of arrow like grass (hence the name Saravanabhava) and reared by the six divine mothers of the constellation Krttika (Pleiades). Hence the names Karttikeya and Sanmatura. It seems he assumed six faces to suckle the milk of the six mothers and so got the appellation Sadanana or Sanmukha. He was appointed the commander in chief of the gods and thus became Devasenapati. With his matchless weapon, the Sakti or lance, shining brilliantly like fire, he easily destroyed Tarakasura, thus becoming Saktidhara and Tarakari. Being very young and virile he is Kumara or Sanatkumara. A forceful attacker in war, he is known as Skanda. Skanda also means one who has accumulated the power of chastity. He likes holy people (Brahmanas) and is always good to them. Hence he is Subrahmanya. Once he broke down the Kraunca parvata (a mountain), earning the name Krauncabhetta. At another time he exposed Brahma’s ignorance of the Vedas and hence got the name Brahma Sasta. His other names are Guha (the secret one), Gangeya (son of Ganga), and svami natha (the preceptor of his own father). In icons, he is shown as a boy either with one head and two arms or with six heads and twelve arms. His lance and his peacock are also prominently displayed. A fowl adorns his banner. Subrahmanya, the son of Siva and Sakti, represents the highest state to which a spiritual aspirant can evolve. Etymologically the word Subrahmanya means one who tends the spiritual growth of the aspirants. It is only he who has reached the summit of spiritual perfection in this life, that is capable of tending the spiritual growth of others. My theology describes him as the son of God begotten to save the world from the tyranny of the fiend Tarakasura. This is more true in the spiritual sense. Subrahmanya, the Sanmukha, is depicted with six heads and twelve hands, all of them being attached to one trunk resting on two feet. Of course, even a boy knows that biologically this is impossible even as an angel with wings is. But a concept like this can be conceded if it fits into useful philosophical postulations, his six heads represent the five sense organs and the mind, which co ordinates their activities. When these are controlled, refined and sublimated, man becomes a superman. This is the implication of the symbology. According to Yoga psychology, there are six centres of psychic energy, of consciousness, in the human body, designated as Chakras. They are; Muladhara (at the anus), Svadhisthana (at the root of the sex organ), manipura (at the naval), Anahata (at the region of the heart), Visuddha (at the throat) Ajna (between the eyebrows) and Sahasrara at the top of the head which is the destination for this energy. When the Yogi successfully raises his psychic energy to this topmost centre he has a vision of Siva Sakti. Though it is the same energy that flows through all the six centers, in the case of an ordinary being it is concentrated in the three lowest centers. In a perfect being the flow is so refined and uniform, that practically all the centers have been elevated to the highest level. Subrahmanya represents this perfected state of spiritual consciousness. Man has only two hands, but his superior intellect has enabled him to invent so many tools and instruments through which he can accomplish manual tasks, even simultaneously. Subrahmanya with his twelve hands, symbolically represents this power and capacity of man. The combination of the six heads and twelve hands teaches us that the ideal of humanity is the perfected being who is not only a great yogi buy also a great worker. Subrahmanya has two consorts: Valli and Devasena. The former is the daughter of a humble chieftain of a race given to agriculture and woodcraft. The latter is the daughter of Indra, the king of gods. This is just to show that God does not make any distinction between the humble folk and the elite. He loves both equally. Alternatively, this can also mean that the true leader of a society will espouse agriculture and industry on the one hand, and the armed forces on the other, in order to develop the society as also to protect it. The lance of dazzling brightness, is the weapon with which this Devasenapati vanquished many an enemy. It actually stands for knowledge and wisdom with which all the ugly demons of ignorance can be destroyed. The peacock is his mount. It is shown as belabouring a snake with one of its legs. The snake stands for time. The peacock that kills it stands for what is opposed to it. By riding the peacock he is showing that he is beyond what is within time and outside it. He is beyond all dualities. If the snake represents lust, as it often does in the symbology of psychology, the peacock signifies the power of celibacy. As skanda, he is the very personification of the powers of chastity and hence is shown as riding on the peacock. Article courtsey : Sri Ramakrishna Math Mylapore, Chennai.
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If Ganapati is universally revered by almost all the Hindus, Buddhists and jains, and has even succeeded in going abroad to many countries of south east asia, china, japan and Afghanistan, Subrahmanya his brother, has somehow remained confined to South India. Historically speaking, he is a much older deity, being mentioned in stone inscriptions and shown on coins (1st cent to 5the cent A.D), and was well known in North India. The sixth day of a lunar month (sasthi) is considered sacred to him (as with serpent deities). He is said to have been married to a forest maid Valli amma. The peacock is his carrier mount. His temples are usually found on hill tops. All these factors may indicate that he was a sylvan deity connected with serpent worship and treeworship, and hence was more popular among the people of lower strata in the society. Now, however, all sections of Hinduism have accepted him and they venerate him..jpg){kind=icon}
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