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Kartikeya

May 04, 2023

"Muruga" redirects here. For the 2007 film, see Muruga (film).
"Murugan" redirects here. For the people with the name, see Murugan (surname).
For given names see Karthikeyan, Karthik, Kartik or, see Karthika (disambiguation).

Kartikeya (Sanskrit: कार्त्तिकेय, romanized: Kārttikeya), also known as Skanda,[8] Subrahmanya, Shanmukha (IAST: Ṣaṇmukha), and Murugan (Tamil: முருகன்), is the Hindu god of war.[9][10][11] He is the son of Parvati and Shiva, the brother of Ganesha and a god whose legends have many versions in Hinduism.[12] Kartikeya has been an important deity in the Indian subcontinent since ancient times, worshipped as Mahasena and Kumara in North India and is predominantly worshipped in the state of Tamil Nadu and other parts of South India, Sri Lanka, Singapore, Malaysia and Mauritius as Murugan.

Kartikeya
God of Victory and War
Commander of the Devas[1]
Large statue of Murugan in Batu Caves temple
Other namesMurugan, Mahasena, Subramanya, Kumara, Skanda, Saravana, Arumugan, Devasenapati, Shanmukha, Kathirvelan, Guha, Swaminatha, Velayuda, Vēļ[2][3]
AffiliationBrahman (Kaumaram), Deva, Siddhar
AbodeĀṟupadai veedu (Six Abodes of Murugan), Palani Hills, Mount Kailash
PlanetMangala, Mars
MantraOm Saravana Bhava [4]
Vetrivel Muruganukku Arohara [5]
WeaponVel
SymbolRooster
DayTuesday
MountPeacock
GenderMale
Festivals
Personal information
Parents
SiblingsGanesha (brother)
Ashokasundari (sister)
Consort

Murugan is widely regarded as the "God of the Tamil people".[13][14] It has been postulated that the Tamil deity of Murugan was syncretised with the Vedic deity of Subrahmanya following the Sangam era. Both Muruga and Subrahmanya refer to Kartikeya.[9][10][12][15]

The iconography of Kartikeya varies significantly; he is typically represented as an ever-youthful man, riding or near an Indian peafowl, called Paravani,[16] bearing a vel and sometimes with an emblem of a rooster upon his banner. Most icons show him with only one head, but some show him with six heads which reflect the legend surrounding his birth.[9][10][12] He is described to have aged quickly from childhood, becoming a philosopher-warrior, destroyed the demons Tarakasura, Simhamukha and Surapadma, and taught the pursuit of an ethical life and the theology of Shaiva Siddhanta.[10][11] He has inspired many poet-saints, such as the aforementioned Arunagirinathar.[11][17]

Murugan is an ancient god, traceable to the Vedic period. He was hailed as 'Palaniappa' (Father of Palani), the tutelary deity of the Kurinji region whose cult gained immense popularity in the south. Sangam literature has several works on Murugan such as Tirumurukāṟṟuppaṭai by Nakkirar and Thirupugal by poet-saint Arunagirinathar. Archaeological evidence from the 1st-century CE and earlier,[18] where he is found with the Hindu god Agni (fire), suggests that he was a significant deity in early Hinduism.[9] He is found in many medieval temples all over India, such as the Ellora Caves and Elephanta Caves.[19]

Murugan is found as a primary deity in temples wherever communities of the Tamil people live worldwide, particularly in the Tamil Nadu state of India, Sri Lanka, Mauritius, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, South Africa, Canada, and Réunion. The Aru Padai Veedu are the six temples of Tamil Nadu that are dedicated to him.[11] The Kataragama temple dedicated to him in Sri Lanka attracts Tamils, Sinhalese people and Vedda people.[18] He is also found in other parts of India, sometimes as Skanda, but in a secondary role along with Ganesha, Parvati and Shiva.[10]

Etymology and nomenclature

 
Sculpture of the god Skanda, from Kannauj, North India, circa 8th century.

Kartikeya means "of the Krittikas".[10] This epithet is linked to his birth. According to Hindu legends, when Kartikeya appears on the banks of the River Ganga, he is seen by the six of the seven brightest stars of Kṛttikā nakshatra (Pleiades). These stars, personified as his mothers, all wanted to take care of him and nurse the baby Kartikeya. Kartikeya ended the dispute by growing five more heads in order to have a total of six heads so that he could look at all six mothers and let them each nurse one aspect of him.[10][20]

He has 108 names according to Tamil and Sanskrit folklore.[21][22]

Kartikeya is known by many names in ancient and medieval texts. Most common amongst these are Murugan, Kumara, Skanda, and Subrahmanya. Others include Aaiyyan, Cheyyon, Senthil, Vēlaṇ, Swaminatha ("ruler of the gods", from -natha king), śaravaṇabhava ("born amongst the reeds"), Arumugam or ṣaṇmukha ("six-faced"),[23] Dandapani ("wielder of the mace", from -pani hand), Guha (cave, secret) or Guruguha (cave-teacher), Kadhirvelan, Kathiresan, Kandhan, Vishakha, and Mahasena.[24] On ancient coins where the inscription has survived along with his images, his names appear as Kumara, Brahmanya, or Brahmanyadeva.[25] On some ancient Indo-Scythian coins, his names appear in Greek script as Skanda, Kumara, and Vishaka.[26] In ancient statues, he appears as Mahasena, Skanda, and Vishakha.[27]

Skanda is derived from skand-, which means "to leap or to attack".[28] In Kalidasa's epic poem Kumarasambhava ("The Birth of the War God"; 5th century CE), as in most versions of the story, the gods wished for Skanda to be born in order to destroy the demons Taraka, Simhamukha, and Surapadma, in which the brothers had been granted a boon that he could be killed only by Shiva's power (Skanda was purely born of Shiva). They sent Parvati to induce Shiva to marry her. Shiva, however, was lost in meditation and was not attracted to Parvati until he was struck by an arrow from the bow of Kamadeva, the god of love, whom he immediately burned to ashes. After many years of abstinence, Shiva's seed became so powerful that the gods, fearing the result, sent Agni, the god of fire, to interrupt Shiva's amorous play with Parvati. Agni received the seed and dropped it into the Ganges from which Skanda was born.[29]

Textual references

Ancient

There are ancient references which can be interpreted to be Kartikeya in the Vedic texts, in the works of Pāṇini (~500 BCE), in the Mahabhasya of Patanjali and in Kautilya's Arthashastra.[30] For example, the term Kumara appears in hymn 5,2 of the Rig Veda.[31][note 2] The Kumara of verse 5.2.1 can be interpreted as Skanda, or just any "boy". However, the rest of the verses depict the "boy" as bright-colored, hurling weapons and other motifs that later have been associated with Skanda. The difficulty with interpreting these to be Skanda is that Indra, Agni and Rudra are also depicted in similar terms and as warriors.[32]

 
Kartikeya with a Kushan devotee, 2nd century CE.

The Skanda-like motifs found in Rig Veda are found in other Vedic texts, such as section 6.1-3 of the Shatapatha Brahmana.[33] In these, the mythology is very different for Kumara, as Agni is described to be the Kumara whose mother is Ushas (goddess Dawn) and whose father is Purusha.[31] The section 10.1 of the Taittiriya Aranyaka mentions Sanmukha (six faced one), while the Baudhayana Dharmasutra mentions a householder's rite of passage that involves prayers to Skanda with his brother Ganapati (Ganesha) together.[34] The chapter 7 of the Chandogya Upanishad (~800–600 BCE) equates Sanat-Kumara (eternal son) and Skanda, as he teaches sage Narada to discover his own Atman (soul, self) as a means to the ultimate knowledge, true peace and liberation.[35][36][note 3]

 
Coins of the Yaudheyas feature Kartikeya, and these are dated to 1st century CE Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh.[38]

According to Fred Clothey, the evidence suggests that Kartikeya mythology had become widespread sometime around 200 BCE or after in north India.[39] The first clear evidence of Kartikeya's importance emerges in the Hindu Epics such as the Ramayana and the Mahabharata where his story is recited. In addition to textual evidence, his importance is affirmed by the archeological, the epigraphical and the numismatic evidence of this period. For example, he is found in numismatic evidence linked to the Yaudheyas, a confederation of warriors in north India who are mentioned by ancient Pāṇini.[40] They ruled an area consisting of modern era Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh (extending into Garhwal region, Uttarakhand).[40] They struck coins bearing the image of Skanda, and these coins are dated to be from before Kushan Empire era started.[40] During the Kushan dynasty era, that included much of northwest Indian subcontinent, more coins featuring Kartikeya were minted.[40] He is also found on ancient Indo-Scythian coins, where his various names are minted in Greek script.[26][note 4]

Kartikeya was revered in major cultural centers of ancient India. For example, he was a major god for the Ikshvakus, an Andhra dynasty, as well as for the Gupta Empire.[42] In south India, eight of the early Pallava dynasty rulers (300-550 CE) were named after Skanda or Kumara, suggesting the significance of Kartikeya by then.[43] Kalidasa's epic poem the Kumārasambhava features Kartikeya.

Puranas

Kartikeya is mentioned in Shaiva Puranas. Of these, the Skanda Purana is the largest Mahāpurāṇa, a genre of eighteen Hindu religious texts.[44] The text contains over 81,000 verses, and is part of Shaivite literature,[45] While the text is named after Skanda (Kartikeya), he does not feature either more or less prominently in this text than in other Shiva-related Puranas.[46] The text has been an important historical record and influence on the Hindu traditions related to war-god Skanda.[46][47] The earliest text titled Skanda Purana likely existed by the 6th-century CE,[48][49] but the Skanda Purana that has survived into the modern era exists in many versions.[50]

Buddhism

 
Skanda Bodhisattva is the Dharma protector in Mahayana Buddhism.[51] Above: Skanda's statue in Anhui province, China.

The earliest mention of Kartikeya in Buddhist texts may be found in the Janavasabha Sutta of the Pali Canon, where he is referred to as Sanankumāra. Here he is introduced as a deva of the rank of Mahābrahmā and a disciple of the Buddha. The Chinese translation of the Dīrgha Āgama features the same deity with the title Brahmā[sanan]kumāra (梵童子). He is described as a manifestation of Mahābrahmārāja. He has five hair coils (頭五角髻), a handsome face (顏貌端正) and emanates purple-golden light (紫金色) that surpasses the light of the other devas. In Chinese Buddhism, Skanda (also sometimes known as Kumāra (鳩摩羅天)) is known as Weituo (韋陀 or 韋馱), a young heavenly general, the guardian deity of local monasteries and the protector of Buddhist dhamma.[52][53] According to Henrik Sørensen, this representation became common after the Tang period, and became well established in the late Song period.[54] He is also regarded as one of the twenty-four celestial guardian deities, who are a grouping of originally Hindu and Taoist deities adopted into Chinese Buddhism as dharmapalas.[55] Skanda was also adopted by Korean Buddhism, and he appears in its woodblock prints and paintings.[54]

According to Richard Gombrich, Skanda has been an important deity in Theravada Buddhism pantheon, in countries such as Sri Lanka and Thailand. The Nikaya Samgraha describes Skanda Kumara as a guardian deity of the land, along with Upulvan (Vishnu), Saman and Vibhisana.[56] Similarly, the 16th-century Siamese text Jinakalamali mentions him as a guardian god.

In Sri Lanka, Skanda as Kataragama deviyo (whose major shrine is at Kataragma), is a popular object of devotion among both Tamil Hindus and Sinhalese Buddhists. While many regard him as a bodhisattva, he is also associated with sensuality and retribution. Anthropologist Gananath Obeyesekere has suggested that the deity's popularity among Buddhists is due to his power to grant emotional gratification, which is in stark contrast to sensual restraint that characterizes Buddhist practice in Sri Lanka.[57] There are Buddhist Sinhala shrines such as at Kataragama dedicated to Skanda which have historically been officiated by Hindu priests, which attracted Buddhist devotees and enjoyed royal support.[56] Since the 1950s, states Brian Morris, the Kataragama shrine of Skanda has attracted over half a million devotional pilgrims every year, most being Buddhists.[58][59]

In Mahayana Buddhism, the Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra mentions Kumāra as one of the eighty gods (八十神) worshiped by the common people. The Ārya Kaṇikrodhavajrakumārabodhisattava Sādhanāvidhi Sūtra (聖迦抳忿怒金剛童子菩薩成就儀軌經) (T 1796) features a section for the recitation of a mantra dedicated to the deity, where he is also paired with Iśvara. Yi Xing's Commentary of the Mahāvairocana Tantra (大毘盧遮那成佛經疏) clarifies that Kumāra is the son of Iśvara.[60]

Jainism

According to Asko Parpola, the Jain deity Naigamesa, who is also referred to as Hari-Naigamesin, is depicted in early Jain texts as riding the peacock and as the leader of the divine army, both symbols of Kartikeya.[9]

Iconography

Ancient coins of the Yaudheyas, dated to 1st and 2nd century CE, show Kartikeya as a warrior with either one or six heads. Kushan coins show him with one head. In general, single head is far more common regardless of which dynasty minted them.[61] The earliest statues discovered in Punjab and Kashmir show him with either one or six heads. The oldest sculptures such as those found in Mathura show him with one head, while six head iconography is dated to post-Gupta Empire era.[62] All Kushan Empire era artwork show him with one head, even though there are Kushan deities such as a goddess who is shown with multiple heads.[20]

The Kushan Empire era statues of Kartikeya, dated to 1st and 2nd-century CE, have been found at various sites in the Indian subcontinent, particularly at Mathura and Gandhara. They show him as a warrior dressed in dhoti (sheet wrapped at waist, covering the legs), armour like a warrior, spear in his right hand and a bird (rooster) in his left.[63][64] There is some difference between his ancient iconography in Mathura and Gandhara artwork. The Gandhara arts show him in more a Scythian dress, likely reflecting the local dress culture prevalent in those times. Further, it is in the oldest Gandharan statues where he is shown with a bird that looks like a chicken or cock.[65] According to Richard Mann, the bird may symbolize Kartikeya's agility and maneuverability as a warrior god, and may be a Parthian influence.[65] His iconography symbolizes his attributes as a hunter, warrior and philosopher.[66]

Kartikeya iconography shows him as a youthful god, dressed as a warrior, carrying the weapon called Vel. It is a divine spear, often called shakti, signifying the Kundalini shakti.[67] He is sometimes depicted with many weapons including: a sword, a javelin, a mace, a discus and a bow although more usually he is depicted wielding the shakti or spear. His vahana (vehicle, mount) is a peacock. He has either one head or six, depending on the region or artist.[68][69]

Legends

 
Skanda statues are found in Southeast Asia. Above: 6th–8th century Skanda from Prey Veng Province, Cambodia.[70]

The Epic era literature of ancient India recite numerous legends of Kartikeya, often with his other names such as Skanda. For example, the Vana Parva of the Mahabharata dedicates chapters 223 to 232 to the legends of Skanda, but depicts him as the son of Agni and Svaha.[34] Similarly, Valmiki's Ramayana dedicates chapters 36 and 37 to Skanda, but describes him as the child of deities Rudra (Shiva) and Parvati, whose birth is aided by Agni and Ganga.[71][72]

The legends of Kartikeya vary significantly, sometimes within the same text. For example, while the Vana Parva of the Mahabharata describes Skanda as the son of Agni, the Shalya Parva and the Anushasana Parva of the same text presents Skanda's legend as the son of Maheshvara (Shiva) and Parvati.[34]

In Vana Parva, the circumstances behind Kartikeya's birth legend do not involve Shiva and Parvati.[73] Rather it is deity Agni who goes to a hermitage of seven married Rishis (sages) and meets their seven wives. He is sexually attracted to all seven, but none reciprocate. Svaha is present there and she is attracted to Agni, but Agni is not. According to the legend, Svaha takes the form of six of the wives, one by one, and sleeps with Agni.[73] She does not take the form of Arundhati, Vasistha's wife, because of Arundhati's extraordinary virtuous powers. Svaha deposits the semen of Agni into the reeds of River Ganges, where it develops and then is born as six headed Skanda.[73]

A totally different legend in the later books of the Mahabharata make Shiva and Parvati as the parents. They were making love, but they are disturbed, and Shiva inadvertently spills his semen on the ground.[10] Shiva's semen incubates in River Ganges, preserved by the heat of god Agni, and this fetus is born as baby Kartikeya on the banks of Ganges.[10][28]

Some legend state that he was the elder son of Shiva, others make him the younger brother of Ganesha. This is implied by another legend connected to his birth. Devas have been beaten up by Asuras led by Taraka, because Taraka had a boon from ascetic celibate yogi Shiva that only Shiva's son can kill him. Devas learn about this boon, and plan how to get Shiva into a relationship. So, they bring Parvati into the picture, have her seduce yogi Shiva, and wed Parvati so that Skanda can be born to kill Taraka.[74]

Kartikeya's legends vary by region. For example, in the northern and western Indian traditions Kartikeya or Skanda is the perpetual celibate bachelor, though Sanskrit texts mention Devasena as his wife.[6][7] Kartikeya's youth, beauty and bravery was much celebrated in Sanskrit works like the Kathasaritsagara. Kalidasa made the birth of Kumara the subject of a lyrical epic, the Kumārasambhava.[71][75]

Worship

West Bengal

 
Worship of Kartikeya in West Bengal, with toys (right side of image)

In West Bengal, Kartikeya is associated with the birth of children. He is worshipped on the last day of the Month of Kartik (October–November). It has become a trend in Bengal that the clay model of the deity is kept at night before the day of worship (usually by friends) for the newly married couple before the door of their house. The deity is worshiped the next day in the evening and is offered toys.[76]

The deity is also worshipped during the Durga Puja festival in Bengal. Goddess Durga is accompanied by her four children Lakshmi, Saraswati, Ganesha, and Kartikeya. Kartikeya is the youngest of them visualized as a young man, riding a peacock and wielding a bow and arrows. He is stated to be Kumara, that is, a bachelor as he is unmarried. While Ganesha is paired with the rich Lakshmi, Kartikeya is paired with the learned Saraswati.[77]

Rest of India

Temples also exist in the rest of India in Pehowa in Haryana[78] and Rudraprayag in Uttarakhand,[79] with Kartik swami temples in Manali and Chamba in Himachal Pradesh.[80][81]

Nepal

Kartikeya is worshipped as Kumar in Nepal both by Hindu and Buddhist Communities.[citation needed] The Newah community celebrates Sithi Nakha: Festival dedicated to Sithi Kumar. Sithi Nakha (Kumar Shashthi) is celebrated on this sixth day of the waxing moon, according to the lunar calendar, in the Lunar month of Jestha. The festival is celebrated by cleaning water sources like wells, ponds and stone spouts and ending it with a grand Newah feast of six different varieties of Newarhi food including Wo or Waa (fried lintel bread) and Chatamari (Newah pizza). The Festival is traditional Environment day as houses, courtyards, streets and allies are cleaned during this day. It is believed that cleaning such water sources will bring in rain for good cultivation of crops. It is also celebrated to welcome monsoon as this was the ideal time to set up rice seedbeds. The most of Newah communities also mark the festival as the end of Dewaali, to worship their family deities.

Andra Pradesh

In Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, he is worshipped as Subrahmanya, Kumara Swamy, Skanda, Subba Rayudu or depending on the place. Important temples include Mopidevi,[82] Biccavolu,[83] Skandagiri, Secunderabad[84][85] and Mallam[86][87] and as Bala Subrahmanya on Indrakeeladri, Vijayawada.[88][89]

Karnataka

In Karnataka, the deity that is worshipped as Subrahmanya where he is regarded as Lord of the serpents in temples like Kukke Subramanya Temple,[90][91] and Ghati Subramanya.

Murugan

 
The six-headed Murugan riding a peacock with his consorts Valli and Devasena, The peacock is seen trampling a snake by Raja Ravi Varma.

Murugan is an ancient god, traceable to the Vedic period. He was hailed as 'Palaniappa' (Father of Palani), the tutelary deity of the Kurinji region whose cult gained immense popularity in the south. Sangam literature has several works on Murugan such as Tirumugratrupadai by Nakkirar and Thirupugal by poet-saint Arunagirinathar. Archaeological evidence from the 1st-century CE and earlier,[18] where he is found with the Hindu god Agni (fire), suggests that he was a significant deity in early Hinduism.[9] He is found in many medieval temples all over India, such as the Kumaraswamy Temple Sandur [92] Ellora Caves and Elephanta Caves[19]

Murugan is found as a primary deity in temples wherever communities of the Tamil people live worldwide, particularly in the Tamil Nadu state of India, Sri Lanka, Mauritius, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, South Africa, Canada, and Réunion. The Aru Padai Veedu are the six temples of Tamil Nadu that are dedicated to him.[11] The Kataragama temple dedicated to him in Sri Lanka attracts Tamils, Sinhalese people and Vedda people.[18]

Textual references

The Tolkāppiyam, one of the most ancient texts of the Tamil literature, mentions cēyōṉ "the red one", who is identified with Murugan, whose name is literally Murukaṉ "the youth"; the other gods referred to in the Tolkāppiyam are Māyōṉ "the dark one" (identified with Vishnu), Vēntaṉ "the sovereign" (identified with Indra) and Korravai "the victorious" (identified with Kali) and Varunan "the sea god".[93] Extant Sangam literature works, dated between the third century BCE and the fifth century CE glorified Murugan, "the red god seated on the blue peacock, who is ever young and resplendent," as "the favoured god of the Tamils."[94] Korravai is often identified as the mother of Murugan.[95]

In the Tirumurukāṟtruuppaṭai, he is called Murugu and described as a god of beauty and youth, with phrases such as "his body glows like the sun rising from the emerald sea". It describes him with six faces each with a function, twelve arms, his victory over evil, and the temples dedicated to him in the hilly regions.[96]

The ancient Tamil lexicon Pinkalandai identifies the name Vēļ(வேள்) with the slayer of Taraka, that is Murugan among other things.[note 5] Sangam literature (Paripatal) refers to Murugan as Sevvēļ (செவ்வேள் meaning the red Vēļ) and as Neduvēļ (நெடுவேள் meaning the tall Vēļ).[97][98][99] In Tamil, the word Murukku means to kill or slay as in to destroy evil or Asuras.[100]

Theology

Guha (Muruga)

உருவாய் அருவாய் உலதாய் இலதாய்
மருவாய் மலராய் மணியாய் ஒளியாய்
கருவாய் உயிராய்க் கதியாய் விதியாய்
குருவாய் வருவாய் அருள்வாய் குகனே!!

You who has form and who is formless,
you who are both being and non-being,
who are the fragrance and the blossom,
who are the jewel and its lustre,
who are the seed of life and life itself,
who are the means and the existence itself,
who are the supreme guru, come
and bestow your grace, O Guha [Murugan]

கந்தர் அநுபூதி 51, —Kantaranuputi 51, Arunagirinathar
(Translator: Kamil Zvelebil)[101]

There is extensive Hindu symbolism and theology associated with Muruga. Regardless of the variance among the legends, his birth is in difficult circumstances, he is born through a surrogate after being left near a river. He is raised not by his natural mother but a host of mothers, but later he is a part of his biological family. Muruga symbolizes a union of polarities.[102] He is handsome warrior and described as a celibate yogi. He uses his creative martial abilities to lead an army against Taraka and other demons, and described as a philosopher-warrior.[10][11] He is a uniter, championing the attributes of both Shaivism and Vaishnavism.[103]

His theology is most developed in the Tamil texts,[17] and in the Shaiva Siddhanta tradition.[10][11] He is described as dheivam (abstract neuter divinity, nirguna Brahman), as kadavul (divinity in nature, in everything), as Devan (masculine deity), and as iraivativam (concrete manifestation of the sacred, saguna Brahman).[104]

According to Fred Clothey, as Murugan (also referred to as Murugan, Cheyyon), he embodies the "cultural and religious whole that comprises South Indian Shaivism".[102] He is the philosopher and exponent of Shaiva Siddhanta theology, as well as the patron deity of the Tamil language.[66][105][106]

Legends

 
Basalt Murugan seated on a peacock from 12th-century Andhra Pradesh.

According to Raman Varadara, Murugan was originally a Tamil deity, who was adopted by north Indians.[7] He was the god of war and knowledge in the Dravidian legends, and became so elsewhere in the Indian subcontinent too.[7] In contrast, G. S. Ghurye states that according to the archeological and epigraphical evidence, the contemporary Murugan, Subrahmanya and Kartikeya is a composite of two influences, one from south and one from north in the form of Skanda and Mahasena.[107] He as the warrior-philosopher god was the patron deity for many ancient northern and western Hindu kingdoms, and of the Gupta Empire, according to Ghurye. After the 7th-century, Skanda's importance diminished while his brother Ganesha's importance rose in the west and north, while in the south the legends of Murugan continued to grow.[107][108] According to Norman Cutler, Kartikeya-Murugan-Skanda of South and North India coalesced over time, but some aspects of the South Indian iconography and mythology for Murugan have remained unique to Tamil Nadu.[109]

In the Tamil legends he has two consorts, Devayanai (identified with Devasena) and Valli.[6][7] Many of the major events in Murugan's life take place during his youth, and legends surrounding his birth are popular in Tamil Nadu. This has encouraged the worship of Murugan as a child-God, very similar to the worship of the child Krishna in north India.[71][75]

Worship

Southern India

 
Murugan with Valli (on left of image) and Devayanai (on right of image).

Murugan is a major deity among the Hindus of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.

Murugan is considered the god of Tamil language and he is mentioned a lot in Sangam literature.[94] The six abodes of Murugan, together referred to as Arupadai Veedu (Tamil: ஆறுபடை வீடு, lit. 'The Six Abodes of Lord Muruga'), that are mentioned in Thirumurugatrupadai, written by Nakkeerar and in Thirupugal, written by Arunagirinathar.[110][111] Each of these temples, all in Tamil Nadu, has a unique history and different reason to worship Murugan:[112]

Temples in Kerala dedicated to Subrahmanya (as Kartikeya is known in the region) include Haripad, Neendoor, Kidangoor, Kodumbu, Panmana[113] and Payyanur.[114] The temple to him in Udayanapuram is historically connected to the temple to his deity father, Shiva, in Vaikom.

Festivals pertaining to Murugan are:

  • Thai Poosam during January – February month is celebrated as a 6-day festival. According to Hindu mythology, it is said that Vel is given to him on this day by his mother, Parvati. and came in front of everyone with his vahana, his peacock.[115] On Thai Poosam day, Kavadis and Palkudams are taken by devotees in procession around Chhedanagar. Special Abhishekams are performed to the Moolavar and Utsavar. Annadhanam is provided to all devotees participating in the functions. In the night, Murugan is taken in procession accompanied by Nadaswaram, Veda Parayanam around Chhedanagar.
  • Vaikasi Visakam day, (during May –June month), Kavadis and Palkudams are taken by devotees in procession around Chhedanagar.
  • Skanda Sashti during October–November month is celebrated as a 6-day festival. Spiritual discourses by learned scholars and/or music concerts by popular artists from South or from Mumbai are organized.

Malaysia

 
Thaipusam festivities near the Batu Caves, Malaysia

Murugan is revered by the Tamil people in Malaysia and other South-East Asian countries such as Singapore and Indonesia. Thaipusam is one of the important festivals celebrated. Sri Subramanyar Temple at Batu Caves temple complex in Malaysia is dedicated to Murugan, which has a 42.7-m-high statue of Murugan at the entrance, the largest Murugan statue in the world.[116][117] There are some other temples in Malaysia such as:

Sri Lanka

In Sri Lanka Muruga is worshipped by Sri Lankan Tamils as Murugan and also by the Sinhalese as Kataragama deviyo , a guardian deity of Sri Lanka. Numerous temples exist throughout the island. He is a favourite deity of the common folk everywhere and it is said he never hesitates to come to the aid of a devotee when called upon. In the deeply Sinhalese south of Sri Lanka, he is worshipped at the Kataragama temple, where he is known as Kathiravel or Kataragama deviyo. Local legend holds that Murugan alighted in Kataragama and was smitten by Valli, one of the local girls. After a courtship, they were married. This event is taken to signify that Murugan is accessible to all who worship and love him, regardless of their birth or heritage. The Nallur Kandaswamy temple, the Maviddapuram Kandaswamy Temple and the Sella Channithy Temple near Valvettiturai are the three foremost Murugan temples in Jaffna. The Chitravelayutha temple in Verukal on the border between Trincomalee and Batticaloa is also noteworthy as is the Mandur Kandaswamy temple in Batticaloa. The late medieval-era temple of the tooth in Kandy, dedicated to the tooth relic of the Buddha, has a Kataragama deiyo shrine adjacent to it dedicated to the veneration of Skanda in the Sinhalese tradition. Almost all Buddhist temples house a shrine room for Kataragama deviyo reflecting the significance of Murugan in Sinhala Buddhism.

 
The Sri Lankan Nallur Kandaswamy temple (Jaffna) is dedicated to Murugan.

By the 16th century, the Kataragama temple had become synonymous with the worship of Skanda-Kumara who was a guardian deity of Sinhala Buddhism.[122] The town was popular as a place of pilgrimage for Hindus from India and Sri Lanka by the 15th century. The popularity of the deity at the Kataragama temple was also recorded by the Pali chronicles of Thailand such as Jinkalmali in the 16th century. There are a number of legends both Buddhist and Hindu that attribute supernatural events to this very locality.[122] Scholars such as Paul Younger and Heinz Bechert speculate that the rituals practiced by the native priests of Kataragama temple indicate Vedda ideals of propitiation. Hence, they believe that the area was important in Vedda culture and was later taken over by Buddhists and Hindus in the medieval period.[123]

United Kingdom

 
A Murugan Temple known as London Sri Murugan Temple located at Manor Park, London.

There are a lot of Murugan Temples in the United Kingdom that are built by British Tamils. Sri Murugan Temple at Manor Park in London and Murugan Temple in Highgate Hill, London to name a few.[124][125] Throughout the year Tamils in United Kingdom, celebrate Murugan Festivals like Thaipusam, Skanda Shasti, Karthikai Deepam, Vaikasi Visakam, Mahasivarathri in grand fashion.[126]

Tamil devotees of Murugan take part in Kavadi possession on Thaipusam day every year and this practice is followed by Tamils in Europe and North America as well.[127][128] It's worth to take note of the temple chariot (Ther) procession every year organized by the London Sri Murugan Temple. It was estimated that more than 15000 people attended during the annual event in 2022.[126]

The Highgate Hill Murugan Temple also known as Archway Murugan Temple located in London is a famous temple with the main deity as Murugan. In 1966, Hindu British Tamils formed the Hindu Association of Great Britain to foster the tamil Saiva Siddhanta religion and its form of worship and be a unifying force among Tamils from various parts of the world.[129] In 1973, a Thiruchendur Murugan vigraham (statue) was specially made from Kumbakonam was installed with special rites in October 1973. The advent of the Murugan vigraham and the regular abhishekams and poojas further intensified religious fervour. Subsequently, to meet the spiritual needs of the devotees of Murugan, a Temple was built in 1979. The Prana Prathishtha for Murugan at this temple was held on the auspicious day of Vaikasi Visakam in May 1982. The temple celebrates all Murugan festivals along with an annual temple chariot festival.[130]

Other countries

Sri Thendayuthapani Temple is a major Hindu temple in Singapore.[131] Murugan temples also exist in several western countries like United States of America,[132][133] Canada,[134] United Kingdom,[135][136][137][138][139] Australia,[140][141][142] New Zealand,[143][144] Germany[145][146] and Switzerland.[147]

Explanatory notes

  1. ^ Kartikeya's marital status varies from region to region. In Northern India, he is generally considered celibate. The Sanskrit scriptures only mention Devasena (also known as Shashthi) as his wife, while in South Indian traditions, he has two wives — Devayanai (identified with Devasena) and Valli.[6][7]
  2. ^ कुमारं माता युवतिः समुब्धं गुहा बिभर्ति न ददाति पित्रे । अनीकमस्य न मिनज्जनासः पुरः पश्यन्ति निहितमरतौ ॥१॥ कमेतं त्वं युवते कुमारं पेषी बिभर्षि महिषी जजान । पूर्वीर्हि गर्भः शरदो ववर्धापश्यं जातं यदसूत माता ॥२॥ हिरण्यदन्तं शुचिवर्णमारात्क्षेत्रादपश्यमायुधा मिमानम् । ददानो अस्मा अमृतं विपृक्वत्किं मामनिन्द्राः कृणवन्ननुक्थाः ॥३॥ क्षेत्रादपश्यं सनुतश्चरन्तं सुमद्यूथं न पुरु शोभमानम् । न ता अगृभ्रन्नजनिष्ट हि षः पलिक्नीरिद्युवतयो भवन्ति ॥४॥ (...) Hymn 5.2, Wikisource;
    English: "The youthful Mother keeps the Boy in secret pressed to her close, nor yields him to the Father. But, when he lies upon the arm, the people see his unfading countenance before them. [5.2.1] What child is this thou carriest as handmaid, O Youthful One? The Consort-Queen hath bome him. The Babe unborn increased through many autumns. I saw him born what time his Mother bare him. [5.2.2] I saw him from afar gold-toothed, bright-coloured, hurling his weapons from his habitation, What time I gave him Amrta free from mixture. How can the Indraless, the hymnless harm me? [5.2.3] I saw him moving from the place he dwells in, even as with a herd, brilliantly shining. These seized him not: he had been born already. They who were grey with age again grow youthful. [5.2.4]
    – Translated by Ralph T.H. Griffith, Wikisource
  3. ^ Verse 7.26.2 states Kumara is Skanda, but there are stylistic differences between this verse and the rest of the chapter. This may be because this verse was interpolated into the text at a later date.[37]
  4. ^ Richard Mann states that Skanda-Kumara may be composite deity linked to Greek deities pair called Dioscuri (Castor and Pollux), given the numismatic overlap in their iconography and similar warrior-god mythologies.[41]
  5. ^ Not only are king of Chalukyas defined as "Velpularasar" in the Tamil lexicons but the name Vel is expressly stated to have belonged to them as stated in the following passage of Pinkalandai:Vēļ means either the slayer of Taraka, the king of Chalukyas or the god of love.[2][3]

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General bibliography

  • Bakker, Hans (2014). The World of the Skandapurāṇa. BRILL Academic. ISBN 978-90-04-27714-4.
  • Clothey, Fred W. (1978). The Many Faces of Murukan̲: The History and Meaning of a South Indian God. Walter de Gruyter. ISBN 978-90-279-7632-1.
  • Dalal, Roshen (2010). The Religions of India: A Concise Guide to Nine Major Faiths. Penguin Books India. ISBN 978-0-14-341517-6.
  • Doniger, Wendy, ed. (1993). Purāṇa Perennis: Reciprocity and Transformation in Hindu and Jaina Texts. Albany, New York: State University of New York. ISBN 0-7914-1382-9.
  • Jones, Constance; Ryan, James D. (2006). Encyclopedia of Hinduism. Infobase Publishing. ISBN 978-0-8160-7564-5.
  • Mann, Richard D. (2011). The Rise of Mahāsena: The Transformation of Skanda-Kārttikeya in North India from the Kuṣāṇa to Gupta Empires. BRILL. ISBN 978-90-04-21886-4.
  • Parpola, Asko (2015). The Roots of Hinduism: The Early Aryans and the Indus Civilization. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-022691-6.
  • Gopinatha Rao, T. A. (1993). Elements of Hindu iconography. Motilal Banarsidass. ISBN 978-81-208-0878-2.
  • Lal, Mohan (1992). Encyclopaedia of Indian Literature. Sahitya Akademi. ISBN 978-81-260-1221-3.
  • Lochtefeld, James G. (2002). The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Hinduism: N-Z. The Rosen Publishing Group. ISBN 978-0-8239-3180-4.
  • Rocher, Ludo (1986). The Puranas. Otto Harrassowitz Verlag. ISBN 978-3447025225.
  • Mani, Vettam. Puranic Encyclopedia. 1st English ed. New Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass, 1975.
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External links

 
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May 04, 2023
kartikeya, muruga, redirects, here, 2007, film, muruga, film, murugan, redirects, here, people, with, name, murugan, surname, given, names, karthikeyan, karthik, kartik, karthika, disambiguation, sanskrit, romanized, kārttikeya, also, known, skanda, subrahmany. Muruga redirects here For the 2007 film see Muruga film Murugan redirects here For the people with the name see Murugan surname For given names see Karthikeyan Karthik Kartik or see Karthika disambiguation Kartikeya Sanskrit क र त त क य romanized Karttikeya also known as Skanda 8 Subrahmanya Shanmukha IAST Ṣaṇmukha and Murugan Tamil ம ர கன is the Hindu god of war 9 10 11 He is the son of Parvati and Shiva the brother of Ganesha and a god whose legends have many versions in Hinduism 12 Kartikeya has been an important deity in the Indian subcontinent since ancient times worshipped as Mahasena and Kumara in North India and is predominantly worshipped in the state of Tamil Nadu and other parts of South India Sri Lanka Singapore Malaysia and Mauritius as Murugan KartikeyaGod of Victory and WarCommander of the Devas 1 Large statue of Murugan in Batu Caves templeOther namesMurugan Mahasena Subramanya Kumara Skanda Saravana Arumugan Devasenapati Shanmukha Kathirvelan Guha Swaminatha Velayuda Vel 2 3 AffiliationBrahman Kaumaram Deva SiddharAbodeAṟupadai veedu Six Abodes of Murugan Palani Hills Mount KailashPlanetMangala MarsMantraOm Saravana Bhava 4 Vetrivel Muruganukku Arohara 5 WeaponVelSymbolRoosterDayTuesdayMountPeacockGenderMaleFestivalsSkanda Sashti or ShashthiThaipusamKarthikai DeepamPanguni UthiramVaikaasi VisakamKartik PurnimaMahashivarathriPersonal informationParentsShiva father Parvati mother SiblingsGanesha brother Ashokasundari sister ConsortDevasenaValli note 1 Murugan is widely regarded as the God of the Tamil people 13 14 It has been postulated that the Tamil deity of Murugan was syncretised with the Vedic deity of Subrahmanya following the Sangam era Both Muruga and Subrahmanya refer to Kartikeya 9 10 12 15 The iconography of Kartikeya varies significantly he is typically represented as an ever youthful man riding or near an Indian peafowl called Paravani 16 bearing a vel and sometimes with an emblem of a rooster upon his banner Most icons show him with only one head but some show him with six heads which reflect the legend surrounding his birth 9 10 12 He is described to have aged quickly from childhood becoming a philosopher warrior destroyed the demons Tarakasura Simhamukha and Surapadma and taught the pursuit of an ethical life and the theology of Shaiva Siddhanta 10 11 He has inspired many poet saints such as the aforementioned Arunagirinathar 11 17 Murugan is an ancient god traceable to the Vedic period He was hailed as Palaniappa Father of Palani the tutelary deity of the Kurinji region whose cult gained immense popularity in the south Sangam literature has several works on Murugan such as Tirumurukaṟṟuppaṭai by Nakkirar and Thirupugal by poet saint Arunagirinathar Archaeological evidence from the 1st century CE and earlier 18 where he is found with the Hindu god Agni fire suggests that he was a significant deity in early Hinduism 9 He is found in many medieval temples all over India such as the Ellora Caves and Elephanta Caves 19 Murugan is found as a primary deity in temples wherever communities of the Tamil people live worldwide particularly in the Tamil Nadu state of India Sri Lanka Mauritius Indonesia Malaysia Singapore South Africa Canada and Reunion The Aru Padai Veedu are the six temples of Tamil Nadu that are dedicated to him 11 The Kataragama temple dedicated to him in Sri Lanka attracts Tamils Sinhalese people and Vedda people 18 He is also found in other parts of India sometimes as Skanda but in a secondary role along with Ganesha Parvati and Shiva 10 Contents 1 Etymology and nomenclature 2 Textual references 2 1 Ancient 2 2 Puranas 2 3 Buddhism 2 4 Jainism 3 Iconography 4 Legends 5 Worship 5 1 West Bengal 5 2 Rest of India 5 3 Nepal 5 4 Andra Pradesh 5 5 Karnataka 6 Murugan 6 1 Textual references 6 2 Theology 6 3 Legends 6 4 Worship 6 4 1 Southern India 6 4 2 Malaysia 6 4 3 Sri Lanka 6 4 4 United Kingdom 6 5 Other countries 7 Explanatory notes 8 References 8 1 Citations 8 2 General bibliography 9 External linksEtymology and nomenclature Edit Sculpture of the god Skanda from Kannauj North India circa 8th century Kartikeya means of the Krittikas 10 This epithet is linked to his birth According to Hindu legends when Kartikeya appears on the banks of the River Ganga he is seen by the six of the seven brightest stars of Kṛttika nakshatra Pleiades These stars personified as his mothers all wanted to take care of him and nurse the baby Kartikeya Kartikeya ended the dispute by growing five more heads in order to have a total of six heads so that he could look at all six mothers and let them each nurse one aspect of him 10 20 He has 108 names according to Tamil and Sanskrit folklore 21 22 Kartikeya is known by many names in ancient and medieval texts Most common amongst these are Murugan Kumara Skanda and Subrahmanya Others include Aaiyyan Cheyyon Senthil Velaṇ Swaminatha ruler of the gods from natha king saravaṇabhava born amongst the reeds Arumugam or ṣaṇmukha six faced 23 Dandapani wielder of the mace from pani hand Guha cave secret or Guruguha cave teacher Kadhirvelan Kathiresan Kandhan Vishakha and Mahasena 24 On ancient coins where the inscription has survived along with his images his names appear as Kumara Brahmanya or Brahmanyadeva 25 On some ancient Indo Scythian coins his names appear in Greek script as Skanda Kumara and Vishaka 26 In ancient statues he appears as Mahasena Skanda and Vishakha 27 Skanda is derived from skand which means to leap or to attack 28 In Kalidasa s epic poem Kumarasambhava The Birth of the War God 5th century CE as in most versions of the story the gods wished for Skanda to be born in order to destroy the demons Taraka Simhamukha and Surapadma in which the brothers had been granted a boon that he could be killed only by Shiva s power Skanda was purely born of Shiva They sent Parvati to induce Shiva to marry her Shiva however was lost in meditation and was not attracted to Parvati until he was struck by an arrow from the bow of Kamadeva the god of love whom he immediately burned to ashes After many years of abstinence Shiva s seed became so powerful that the gods fearing the result sent Agni the god of fire to interrupt Shiva s amorous play with Parvati Agni received the seed and dropped it into the Ganges from which Skanda was born 29 Textual references EditAncient Edit There are ancient references which can be interpreted to be Kartikeya in the Vedic texts in the works of Paṇini 500 BCE in the Mahabhasya of Patanjali and in Kautilya s Arthashastra 30 For example the term Kumara appears in hymn 5 2 of the Rig Veda 31 note 2 The Kumara of verse 5 2 1 can be interpreted as Skanda or just any boy However the rest of the verses depict the boy as bright colored hurling weapons and other motifs that later have been associated with Skanda The difficulty with interpreting these to be Skanda is that Indra Agni and Rudra are also depicted in similar terms and as warriors 32 Kartikeya with a Kushan devotee 2nd century CE The Skanda like motifs found in Rig Veda are found in other Vedic texts such as section 6 1 3 of the Shatapatha Brahmana 33 In these the mythology is very different for Kumara as Agni is described to be the Kumara whose mother is Ushas goddess Dawn and whose father is Purusha 31 The section 10 1 of the Taittiriya Aranyaka mentions Sanmukha six faced one while the Baudhayana Dharmasutra mentions a householder s rite of passage that involves prayers to Skanda with his brother Ganapati Ganesha together 34 The chapter 7 of the Chandogya Upanishad 800 600 BCE equates Sanat Kumara eternal son and Skanda as he teaches sage Narada to discover his own Atman soul self as a means to the ultimate knowledge true peace and liberation 35 36 note 3 Coins of the Yaudheyas feature Kartikeya and these are dated to 1st century CE Haryana Punjab Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh 38 According to Fred Clothey the evidence suggests that Kartikeya mythology had become widespread sometime around 200 BCE or after in north India 39 The first clear evidence of Kartikeya s importance emerges in the Hindu Epics such as the Ramayana and the Mahabharata where his story is recited In addition to textual evidence his importance is affirmed by the archeological the epigraphical and the numismatic evidence of this period For example he is found in numismatic evidence linked to the Yaudheyas a confederation of warriors in north India who are mentioned by ancient Paṇini 40 They ruled an area consisting of modern era Haryana Punjab Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh extending into Garhwal region Uttarakhand 40 They struck coins bearing the image of Skanda and these coins are dated to be from before Kushan Empire era started 40 During the Kushan dynasty era that included much of northwest Indian subcontinent more coins featuring Kartikeya were minted 40 He is also found on ancient Indo Scythian coins where his various names are minted in Greek script 26 note 4 Kartikeya was revered in major cultural centers of ancient India For example he was a major god for the Ikshvakus an Andhra dynasty as well as for the Gupta Empire 42 In south India eight of the early Pallava dynasty rulers 300 550 CE were named after Skanda or Kumara suggesting the significance of Kartikeya by then 43 Kalidasa s epic poem the Kumarasambhava features Kartikeya Puranas Edit Kartikeya is mentioned in Shaiva Puranas Of these the Skanda Purana is the largest Mahapuraṇa a genre of eighteen Hindu religious texts 44 The text contains over 81 000 verses and is part of Shaivite literature 45 While the text is named after Skanda Kartikeya he does not feature either more or less prominently in this text than in other Shiva related Puranas 46 The text has been an important historical record and influence on the Hindu traditions related to war god Skanda 46 47 The earliest text titled Skanda Purana likely existed by the 6th century CE 48 49 but the Skanda Purana that has survived into the modern era exists in many versions 50 Buddhism Edit Skanda Bodhisattva is the Dharma protector in Mahayana Buddhism 51 Above Skanda s statue in Anhui province China The earliest mention of Kartikeya in Buddhist texts may be found in the Janavasabha Sutta of the Pali Canon where he is referred to as Sanankumara Here he is introduced as a deva of the rank of Mahabrahma and a disciple of the Buddha The Chinese translation of the Dirgha Agama features the same deity with the title Brahma sanan kumara 梵童子 He is described as a manifestation of Mahabrahmaraja He has five hair coils 頭五角髻 a handsome face 顏貌端正 and emanates purple golden light 紫金色 that surpasses the light of the other devas In Chinese Buddhism Skanda also sometimes known as Kumara 鳩摩羅天 is known as Weituo 韋陀 or 韋馱 a young heavenly general the guardian deity of local monasteries and the protector of Buddhist dhamma 52 53 According to Henrik Sorensen this representation became common after the Tang period and became well established in the late Song period 54 He is also regarded as one of the twenty four celestial guardian deities who are a grouping of originally Hindu and Taoist deities adopted into Chinese Buddhism as dharmapalas 55 Skanda was also adopted by Korean Buddhism and he appears in its woodblock prints and paintings 54 According to Richard Gombrich Skanda has been an important deity in Theravada Buddhism pantheon in countries such as Sri Lanka and Thailand The Nikaya Samgraha describes Skanda Kumara as a guardian deity of the land along with Upulvan Vishnu Saman and Vibhisana 56 Similarly the 16th century Siamese text Jinakalamali mentions him as a guardian god In Sri Lanka Skanda as Kataragama deviyo whose major shrine is at Kataragma is a popular object of devotion among both Tamil Hindus and Sinhalese Buddhists While many regard him as a bodhisattva he is also associated with sensuality and retribution Anthropologist Gananath Obeyesekere has suggested that the deity s popularity among Buddhists is due to his power to grant emotional gratification which is in stark contrast to sensual restraint that characterizes Buddhist practice in Sri Lanka 57 There are Buddhist Sinhala shrines such as at Kataragama dedicated to Skanda which have historically been officiated by Hindu priests which attracted Buddhist devotees and enjoyed royal support 56 Since the 1950s states Brian Morris the Kataragama shrine of Skanda has attracted over half a million devotional pilgrims every year most being Buddhists 58 59 In Mahayana Buddhism the Mahaparinirvaṇa Sutra mentions Kumara as one of the eighty gods 八十神 worshiped by the common people The Arya Kaṇikrodhavajrakumarabodhisattava Sadhanavidhi Sutra 聖迦抳忿怒金剛童子菩薩成就儀軌經 T 1796 features a section for the recitation of a mantra dedicated to the deity where he is also paired with Isvara Yi Xing s Commentary of the Mahavairocana Tantra 大毘盧遮那成佛經疏 clarifies that Kumara is the son of Isvara 60 Jainism Edit According to Asko Parpola the Jain deity Naigamesa who is also referred to as Hari Naigamesin is depicted in early Jain texts as riding the peacock and as the leader of the divine army both symbols of Kartikeya 9 Iconography EditAncient coins of the Yaudheyas dated to 1st and 2nd century CE show Kartikeya as a warrior with either one or six heads Kushan coins show him with one head In general single head is far more common regardless of which dynasty minted them 61 The earliest statues discovered in Punjab and Kashmir show him with either one or six heads The oldest sculptures such as those found in Mathura show him with one head while six head iconography is dated to post Gupta Empire era 62 All Kushan Empire era artwork show him with one head even though there are Kushan deities such as a goddess who is shown with multiple heads 20 The Kushan Empire era statues of Kartikeya dated to 1st and 2nd century CE have been found at various sites in the Indian subcontinent particularly at Mathura and Gandhara They show him as a warrior dressed in dhoti sheet wrapped at waist covering the legs armour like a warrior spear in his right hand and a bird rooster in his left 63 64 There is some difference between his ancient iconography in Mathura and Gandhara artwork The Gandhara arts show him in more a Scythian dress likely reflecting the local dress culture prevalent in those times Further it is in the oldest Gandharan statues where he is shown with a bird that looks like a chicken or cock 65 According to Richard Mann the bird may symbolize Kartikeya s agility and maneuverability as a warrior god and may be a Parthian influence 65 His iconography symbolizes his attributes as a hunter warrior and philosopher 66 Kartikeya iconography shows him as a youthful god dressed as a warrior carrying the weapon called Vel It is a divine spear often called shakti signifying the Kundalini shakti 67 He is sometimes depicted with many weapons including a sword a javelin a mace a discus and a bow although more usually he is depicted wielding the shakti or spear His vahana vehicle mount is a peacock He has either one head or six depending on the region or artist 68 69 Legends Edit Skanda statues are found in Southeast Asia Above 6th 8th century Skanda from Prey Veng Province Cambodia 70 The Epic era literature of ancient India recite numerous legends of Kartikeya often with his other names such as Skanda For example the Vana Parva of the Mahabharata dedicates chapters 223 to 232 to the legends of Skanda but depicts him as the son of Agni and Svaha 34 Similarly Valmiki s Ramayana dedicates chapters 36 and 37 to Skanda but describes him as the child of deities Rudra Shiva and Parvati whose birth is aided by Agni and Ganga 71 72 The legends of Kartikeya vary significantly sometimes within the same text For example while the Vana Parva of the Mahabharata describes Skanda as the son of Agni the Shalya Parva and the Anushasana Parva of the same text presents Skanda s legend as the son of Maheshvara Shiva and Parvati 34 In Vana Parva the circumstances behind Kartikeya s birth legend do not involve Shiva and Parvati 73 Rather it is deity Agni who goes to a hermitage of seven married Rishis sages and meets their seven wives He is sexually attracted to all seven but none reciprocate Svaha is present there and she is attracted to Agni but Agni is not According to the legend Svaha takes the form of six of the wives one by one and sleeps with Agni 73 She does not take the form of Arundhati Vasistha s wife because of Arundhati s extraordinary virtuous powers Svaha deposits the semen of Agni into the reeds of River Ganges where it develops and then is born as six headed Skanda 73 A totally different legend in the later books of the Mahabharata make Shiva and Parvati as the parents They were making love but they are disturbed and Shiva inadvertently spills his semen on the ground 10 Shiva s semen incubates in River Ganges preserved by the heat of god Agni and this fetus is born as baby Kartikeya on the banks of Ganges 10 28 Some legend state that he was the elder son of Shiva others make him the younger brother of Ganesha This is implied by another legend connected to his birth Devas have been beaten up by Asuras led by Taraka because Taraka had a boon from ascetic celibate yogi Shiva that only Shiva s son can kill him Devas learn about this boon and plan how to get Shiva into a relationship So they bring Parvati into the picture have her seduce yogi Shiva and wed Parvati so that Skanda can be born to kill Taraka 74 Kartikeya s legends vary by region For example in the northern and western Indian traditions Kartikeya or Skanda is the perpetual celibate bachelor though Sanskrit texts mention Devasena as his wife 6 7 Kartikeya s youth beauty and bravery was much celebrated in Sanskrit works like the Kathasaritsagara Kalidasa made the birth of Kumara the subject of a lyrical epic the Kumarasambhava 71 75 Worship EditWest Bengal Edit Worship of Kartikeya in West Bengal with toys right side of image In West Bengal Kartikeya is associated with the birth of children He is worshipped on the last day of the Month of Kartik October November It has become a trend in Bengal that the clay model of the deity is kept at night before the day of worship usually by friends for the newly married couple before the door of their house The deity is worshiped the next day in the evening and is offered toys 76 The deity is also worshipped during the Durga Puja festival in Bengal Goddess Durga is accompanied by her four children Lakshmi Saraswati Ganesha and Kartikeya Kartikeya is the youngest of them visualized as a young man riding a peacock and wielding a bow and arrows He is stated to be Kumara that is a bachelor as he is unmarried While Ganesha is paired with the rich Lakshmi Kartikeya is paired with the learned Saraswati 77 Rest of India Edit Temples also exist in the rest of India in Pehowa in Haryana 78 and Rudraprayag in Uttarakhand 79 with Kartik swami temples in Manali and Chamba in Himachal Pradesh 80 81 Nepal Edit Kartikeya is worshipped as Kumar in Nepal both by Hindu and Buddhist Communities citation needed The Newah community celebrates Sithi Nakha Festival dedicated to Sithi Kumar Sithi Nakha Kumar Shashthi is celebrated on this sixth day of the waxing moon according to the lunar calendar in the Lunar month of Jestha The festival is celebrated by cleaning water sources like wells ponds and stone spouts and ending it with a grand Newah feast of six different varieties of Newarhi food including Wo or Waa fried lintel bread and Chatamari Newah pizza The Festival is traditional Environment day as houses courtyards streets and allies are cleaned during this day It is believed that cleaning such water sources will bring in rain for good cultivation of crops It is also celebrated to welcome monsoon as this was the ideal time to set up rice seedbeds The most of Newah communities also mark the festival as the end of Dewaali to worship their family deities Andra Pradesh Edit In Andhra Pradesh and Telangana he is worshipped as Subrahmanya Kumara Swamy Skanda Subba Rayudu or depending on the place Important temples include Mopidevi 82 Biccavolu 83 Skandagiri Secunderabad 84 85 and Mallam 86 87 and as Bala Subrahmanya on Indrakeeladri Vijayawada 88 89 Karnataka Edit In Karnataka the deity that is worshipped as Subrahmanya where he is regarded as Lord of the serpents in temples like Kukke Subramanya Temple 90 91 and Ghati Subramanya Murugan Edit The six headed Murugan riding a peacock with his consorts Valli and Devasena The peacock is seen trampling a snake by Raja Ravi Varma Murugan is an ancient god traceable to the Vedic period He was hailed as Palaniappa Father of Palani the tutelary deity of the Kurinji region whose cult gained immense popularity in the south Sangam literature has several works on Murugan such as Tirumugratrupadai by Nakkirar and Thirupugal by poet saint Arunagirinathar Archaeological evidence from the 1st century CE and earlier 18 where he is found with the Hindu god Agni fire suggests that he was a significant deity in early Hinduism 9 He is found in many medieval temples all over India such as the Kumaraswamy Temple Sandur 92 Ellora Caves and Elephanta Caves 19 Murugan is found as a primary deity in temples wherever communities of the Tamil people live worldwide particularly in the Tamil Nadu state of India Sri Lanka Mauritius Indonesia Malaysia Singapore South Africa Canada and Reunion The Aru Padai Veedu are the six temples of Tamil Nadu that are dedicated to him 11 The Kataragama temple dedicated to him in Sri Lanka attracts Tamils Sinhalese people and Vedda people 18 Textual references Edit The Tolkappiyam one of the most ancient texts of the Tamil literature mentions ceyōṉ the red one who is identified with Murugan whose name is literally Murukaṉ the youth the other gods referred to in the Tolkappiyam are Mayōṉ the dark one identified with Vishnu Ventaṉ the sovereign identified with Indra and Korravai the victorious identified with Kali and Varunan the sea god 93 Extant Sangam literature works dated between the third century BCE and the fifth century CE glorified Murugan the red god seated on the blue peacock who is ever young and resplendent as the favoured god of the Tamils 94 Korravai is often identified as the mother of Murugan 95 In the Tirumurukaṟtruuppaṭai he is called Murugu and described as a god of beauty and youth with phrases such as his body glows like the sun rising from the emerald sea It describes him with six faces each with a function twelve arms his victory over evil and the temples dedicated to him in the hilly regions 96 The ancient Tamil lexicon Pinkalandai identifies the name Vel வ ள with the slayer of Taraka that is Murugan among other things note 5 Sangam literature Paripatal refers to Murugan as Sevvel ச வ வ ள meaning the red Vel and as Neduvel ந ட வ ள meaning the tall Vel 97 98 99 In Tamil the word Murukku means to kill or slay as in to destroy evil or Asuras 100 Theology Edit Guha Muruga உர வ ய அர வ ய உலத ய இலத ய மர வ ய மலர ய மண ய ய ஒள ய ய கர வ ய உய ர ய க கத ய ய வ த ய ய க ர வ ய வர வ ய அர ள வ ய க கன You who has form and who is formless you who are both being and non being who are the fragrance and the blossom who are the jewel and its lustre who are the seed of life and life itself who are the means and the existence itself who are the supreme guru come and bestow your grace O Guha Murugan கந தர அந ப த 51 Kantaranuputi 51 Arunagirinathar Translator Kamil Zvelebil 101 There is extensive Hindu symbolism and theology associated with Muruga Regardless of the variance among the legends his birth is in difficult circumstances he is born through a surrogate after being left near a river He is raised not by his natural mother but a host of mothers but later he is a part of his biological family Muruga symbolizes a union of polarities 102 He is handsome warrior and described as a celibate yogi He uses his creative martial abilities to lead an army against Taraka and other demons and described as a philosopher warrior 10 11 He is a uniter championing the attributes of both Shaivism and Vaishnavism 103 His theology is most developed in the Tamil texts 17 and in the Shaiva Siddhanta tradition 10 11 He is described as dheivam abstract neuter divinity nirguna Brahman as kadavul divinity in nature in everything as Devan masculine deity and as iraivativam concrete manifestation of the sacred saguna Brahman 104 According to Fred Clothey as Murugan also referred to as Murugan Cheyyon he embodies the cultural and religious whole that comprises South Indian Shaivism 102 He is the philosopher and exponent of Shaiva Siddhanta theology as well as the patron deity of the Tamil language 66 105 106 Legends Edit Basalt Murugan seated on a peacock from 12th century Andhra Pradesh According to Raman Varadara Murugan was originally a Tamil deity who was adopted by north Indians 7 He was the god of war and knowledge in the Dravidian legends and became so elsewhere in the Indian subcontinent too 7 In contrast G S Ghurye states that according to the archeological and epigraphical evidence the contemporary Murugan Subrahmanya and Kartikeya is a composite of two influences one from south and one from north in the form of Skanda and Mahasena 107 He as the warrior philosopher god was the patron deity for many ancient northern and western Hindu kingdoms and of the Gupta Empire according to Ghurye After the 7th century Skanda s importance diminished while his brother Ganesha s importance rose in the west and north while in the south the legends of Murugan continued to grow 107 108 According to Norman Cutler Kartikeya Murugan Skanda of South and North India coalesced over time but some aspects of the South Indian iconography and mythology for Murugan have remained unique to Tamil Nadu 109 In the Tamil legends he has two consorts Devayanai identified with Devasena and Valli 6 7 Many of the major events in Murugan s life take place during his youth and legends surrounding his birth are popular in Tamil Nadu This has encouraged the worship of Murugan as a child God very similar to the worship of the child Krishna in north India 71 75 Worship Edit Southern India Edit Murugan with Valli on left of image and Devayanai on right of image Murugan is a major deity among the Hindus of Tamil Nadu Kerala Karnataka Andhra Pradesh and Telangana Murugan is considered the god of Tamil language and he is mentioned a lot in Sangam literature 94 The six abodes of Murugan together referred to as Arupadai Veedu Tamil ஆற பட வ ட lit The Six Abodes of Lord Muruga that are mentioned in Thirumurugatrupadai written by Nakkeerar and in Thirupugal written by Arunagirinathar 110 111 Each of these temples all in Tamil Nadu has a unique history and different reason to worship Murugan 112 Palani Murugan Temple Swamimalai Murugan Temple Thiruchendur Murugan Temple Thirupparamkunram Murugan Temple Thiruthani Murugan Temple Pazhamudircholai Murugan Temple Rajagopuram of Thiruchendur Murugan Temple Tamil Nadu Temples in Kerala dedicated to Subrahmanya as Kartikeya is known in the region include Haripad Neendoor Kidangoor Kodumbu Panmana 113 and Payyanur 114 The temple to him in Udayanapuram is historically connected to the temple to his deity father Shiva in Vaikom Festivals pertaining to Murugan are Thai Poosam during January February month is celebrated as a 6 day festival According to Hindu mythology it is said that Vel is given to him on this day by his mother Parvati and came in front of everyone with his vahana his peacock 115 On Thai Poosam day Kavadis and Palkudams are taken by devotees in procession around Chhedanagar Special Abhishekams are performed to the Moolavar and Utsavar Annadhanam is provided to all devotees participating in the functions In the night Murugan is taken in procession accompanied by Nadaswaram Veda Parayanam around Chhedanagar Vaikasi Visakam day during May June month Kavadis and Palkudams are taken by devotees in procession around Chhedanagar Skanda Sashti during October November month is celebrated as a 6 day festival Spiritual discourses by learned scholars and or music concerts by popular artists from South or from Mumbai are organized Malaysia Edit Thaipusam festivities near the Batu Caves Malaysia Murugan is revered by the Tamil people in Malaysia and other South East Asian countries such as Singapore and Indonesia Thaipusam is one of the important festivals celebrated Sri Subramanyar Temple at Batu Caves temple complex in Malaysia is dedicated to Murugan which has a 42 7 m high statue of Murugan at the entrance the largest Murugan statue in the world 116 117 There are some other temples in Malaysia such as Kallumalai Temple in Ipoh 118 119 120 Arulmigu Balathandayuthapani Temple Penang and Nattukkottai Chettiar Temple Penang Sannayasi Andavar Temple in Cheng Malacca 118 121 Sri Marathandavar Bala Dhandayuthapani Alayam Maran Pahang Sri Kandaswamy Kovil Brickfields Kuala LumpurSri Lanka Edit In Sri Lanka Muruga is worshipped by Sri Lankan Tamils as Murugan and also by the Sinhalese as Kataragama deviyo a guardian deity of Sri Lanka Numerous temples exist throughout the island He is a favourite deity of the common folk everywhere and it is said he never hesitates to come to the aid of a devotee when called upon In the deeply Sinhalese south of Sri Lanka he is worshipped at the Kataragama temple where he is known as Kathiravel or Kataragama deviyo Local legend holds that Murugan alighted in Kataragama and was smitten by Valli one of the local girls After a courtship they were married This event is taken to signify that Murugan is accessible to all who worship and love him regardless of their birth or heritage The Nallur Kandaswamy temple the Maviddapuram Kandaswamy Temple and the Sella Channithy Temple near Valvettiturai are the three foremost Murugan temples in Jaffna The Chitravelayutha temple in Verukal on the border between Trincomalee and Batticaloa is also noteworthy as is the Mandur Kandaswamy temple in Batticaloa The late medieval era temple of the tooth in Kandy dedicated to the tooth relic of the Buddha has a Kataragama deiyo shrine adjacent to it dedicated to the veneration of Skanda in the Sinhalese tradition Almost all Buddhist temples house a shrine room for Kataragama deviyo reflecting the significance of Murugan in Sinhala Buddhism The Sri Lankan Nallur Kandaswamy temple Jaffna is dedicated to Murugan By the 16th century the Kataragama temple had become synonymous with the worship of Skanda Kumara who was a guardian deity of Sinhala Buddhism 122 The town was popular as a place of pilgrimage for Hindus from India and Sri Lanka by the 15th century The popularity of the deity at the Kataragama temple was also recorded by the Pali chronicles of Thailand such as Jinkalmali in the 16th century There are a number of legends both Buddhist and Hindu that attribute supernatural events to this very locality 122 Scholars such as Paul Younger and Heinz Bechert speculate that the rituals practiced by the native priests of Kataragama temple indicate Vedda ideals of propitiation Hence they believe that the area was important in Vedda culture and was later taken over by Buddhists and Hindus in the medieval period 123 United Kingdom Edit A Murugan Temple known as London Sri Murugan Temple located at Manor Park London There are a lot of Murugan Temples in the United Kingdom that are built by British Tamils Sri Murugan Temple at Manor Park in London and Murugan Temple in Highgate Hill London to name a few 124 125 Throughout the year Tamils in United Kingdom celebrate Murugan Festivals like Thaipusam Skanda Shasti Karthikai Deepam Vaikasi Visakam Mahasivarathri in grand fashion 126 Tamil devotees of Murugan take part in Kavadi possession on Thaipusam day every year and this practice is followed by Tamils in Europe and North America as well 127 128 It s worth to take note of the temple chariot Ther procession every year organized by the London Sri Murugan Temple It was estimated that more than 15000 people attended during the annual event in 2022 126 The Highgate Hill Murugan Temple also known as Archway Murugan Temple located in London is a famous temple with the main deity as Murugan In 1966 Hindu British Tamils formed the Hindu Association of Great Britain to foster the tamil Saiva Siddhanta religion and its form of worship and be a unifying force among Tamils from various parts of the world 129 In 1973 a Thiruchendur Murugan vigraham statue was specially made from Kumbakonam was installed with special rites in October 1973 The advent of the Murugan vigraham and the regular abhishekams and poojas further intensified religious fervour Subsequently to meet the spiritual needs of the devotees of Murugan a Temple was built in 1979 The Prana Prathishtha for Murugan at this temple was held on the auspicious day of Vaikasi Visakam in May 1982 The temple celebrates all Murugan festivals along with an annual temple chariot festival 130 Other countries Edit Sri Thendayuthapani Temple is a major Hindu temple in Singapore 131 Murugan temples also exist in several western countries like United States of America 132 133 Canada 134 United Kingdom 135 136 137 138 139 Australia 140 141 142 New Zealand 143 144 Germany 145 146 and Switzerland 147 Explanatory notes Edit Kartikeya s marital status varies from region to region In Northern India he is generally considered celibate The Sanskrit scriptures only mention Devasena also known as Shashthi as his wife while in South Indian traditions he has two wives Devayanai identified with Devasena and Valli 6 7 क म र म त य वत सम ब ध ग ह ब भर त न दद त प त र अन कमस य न म नज जन स प र पश यन त न ह तमरत १ कम त त व य वत क म र प ष ब भर ष मह ष जज न प र व र ह गर भ शरद ववर ध पश य ज त यदस त म त २ ह रण यदन त श च वर णम र त क ष त र दपश यम य ध म म नम दद न अस म अम त व प क वत क म मन न द र क णवन नन क थ ३ क ष त र दपश य सन तश चरन त स मद य थ न प र श भम नम न त अग भ रन नजन ष ट ह ष पल क न र द य वतय भवन त ४ Hymn 5 2 Wikisource English The youthful Mother keeps the Boy in secret pressed to her close nor yields him to the Father But when he lies upon the arm the people see his unfading countenance before them 5 2 1 What child is this thou carriest as handmaid O Youthful One The Consort Queen hath bome him The Babe unborn increased through many autumns I saw him born what time his Mother bare him 5 2 2 I saw him from afar gold toothed bright coloured hurling his weapons from his habitation What time I gave him Amrta free from mixture How can the Indraless the hymnless harm me 5 2 3 I saw him moving from the place he dwells in even as with a herd brilliantly shining These seized him not he had been born already They who were grey with age again grow youthful 5 2 4 Translated by Ralph T H Griffith Wikisource Verse 7 26 2 states Kumara is Skanda but there are stylistic differences between this verse and the rest of the chapter This may be because this verse was interpolated into the text at a later date 37 Richard Mann states that Skanda Kumara may be composite deity linked to Greek deities pair called Dioscuri Castor and Pollux given the numismatic overlap in their iconography and similar warrior god mythologies 41 Not only are king of Chalukyas defined as Velpularasar in the Tamil lexicons but the name Vel is expressly stated to have belonged to them as stated in the following passage of Pinkalandai Vel means either the slayer of Taraka the king of Chalukyas or the god of love 2 3 References EditCitations Edit Zvelebil Kamil 5 February 2007 Tamil Traditions on Subrahmaṇya Murugan Kamil Zvelebil Google Books Retrieved 4 October 2022 a b Kumar 2008 p 179 sfn error no target CITEREFKumar2008 help a b Pillai 2004 p 17 Lord Kartikeya Birth of Lord Kartikeya Lord Murugan Story of Lord Kartikeya Rudraksha Ratna Archived from the original on 17 November 2017 Retrieved 9 June 2018 The meaning of arohara Archived from the original on 11 September 2019 Retrieved 24 April 2019 a b c Dalal 2010 a b c d e Varadara 1993 pp 113 114 Lochtefeld 2002 p 377 a b c d e f Parpola 2015 p 285 a b c d e f g h i j k Lochtefeld 2002 pp 655 656 a b c d e f g Clothey 1978 pp 1 2 a b c Jones amp Ryan 2006 p 228 Murugan Tamil deity Britannica www britannica com Retrieved 10 May 2022 Tracing the roots of the Tamil God The Hindu 22 January 2015 ISSN 0971 751X Retrieved 10 May 2022 Murukan Temples in Singapore murugan org Retrieved 19 October 2021 ENVIS ecoheritage cpreec org Retrieved 19 June 2021 a b Lal 1992 p 4339 a b c d Obeyesekere G 2004 Jacob Kẹhinde Olupona ed Beyond Primitivism Indigenous Religious Traditions and Modernity Routledge pp 272 274 ISBN 978 0 415 27319 0 a b Gopinatha Rao 1993 p 40 a b Srinivasan 1997 pp 302 303 333 334 108 Murugar Names Tamil 108 ம ர கர ப ற ற Aanmeegam 26 October 2017 Retrieved 19 October 2021 ச ப ப ரமண ய 108 ப ற ற ப டல வர கள Samayam Tamil in Tamil Retrieved 19 October 2021 Gopal Madan 1990 K S Gautam ed India through the ages Publication Division Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Government of India p 80 Clothey 1978 pp 1 22 25 35 39 49 58 214 216 Mann 2011 pp 104 106 with footnotes a b Thomas Edward 1877 Jainism Or The Early Faith of Aṣoka Trubner amp Company pp 60 62 see e g coin 11 Archived from the original on 10 June 2017 Retrieved 28 January 2020 Mann 2011 pp 123 124 a b Clothey 1978 pp 49 54 55 Skanda Hindu deity Encyclopaedia Britannica Archived from the original on 3 December 2018 Retrieved 18 April 2019 Clothey 1978 pp 49 53 a b Clothey 1978 pp 49 51 Clothey 1978 pp 46 51 Clothey 1978 pp 48 50 a b c Clothey 1978 pp 50 51 Clothey 1978 pp 49 50 The Thirteen Principal Upanishads Archived 25 May 2017 at the Wayback Machine Robert Hume Oxford University Press pages 250 262 The Thirteen Principal Upanishads Archived 25 May 2017 at the Wayback Machine Robert Hume Oxford University Press page 262 with footnote 3 Mann 2011 pp 101 103 Clothey 1978 pp 45 46 a b c d Mann 2011 pp 101 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Brian 2006 Religion and Anthropology A Critical Introduction Cambridge University Press pp 68 69 ISBN 978 0 521 85241 8 Archived from the original on 20 April 2017 Retrieved 19 April 2017 Trainor Kevin 2004 Buddhism The Illustrated Guide Oxford University Press pp 123 124 ISBN 978 0 19 517398 7 Archived from the original on 20 April 2017 Retrieved 19 April 2017 Chia Siang Kim 2016 鳩摩羅天 Digital Dictionary of Buddhism Retrieved 5 November 2019 Mann 2011 pp 111 114 Mann 2011 pp 113 114 122 126 Mann 2011 pp 122 126 Srinivasan 2007 pp 333 335 a b Mann 2011 pp 124 126 a b S Xavier Alphonse 1997 Kanthapura to Malgudi Cultural Values and Assumptions in Selected South Indian Novelists in English Prestige p 167 ISBN 978 81 7551 030 2 Archived from the original on 20 April 2017 Retrieved 19 April 2017 Quote He Skanda has been hunter warrior philosopher He is the teacher and inspiration of literature and arts He is the eternal child as old as time itself yet as young as every new beginning He is the handsome hero and lover the wise Primordial One Significance of Lord Kartikeya and a story from Skanda Purana Wisdom by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar 13 November 2016 Retrieved 19 June 2021 Mann 2011 pp 123 126 with footnotes Srinivasan 2007 pp 333 336 515 516 Guy John 2014 Lost Kingdoms Hindu Buddhist Sculpture of Early Southeast Asia Metropolitan Museum of Art pp 176 178 ISBN 978 1 58839 524 5 Archived from the original on 23 December 2016 Retrieved 19 April 2017 a b c Clothey 1978 p 51 Clothey 1978 p 54 a b c Clothey 1978 pp 51 52 Clothey 1978 pp 54 56 a b Kalidasa C R Devadhar Translator 1985 Kumara Sambhava of Kalidasa Motilal Banarsidass pp iii viii ISBN 978 81 208 0012 0 Archived from the original on 20 April 2017 Retrieved 19 April 2017 a href Template Cite book html title Template Cite book cite book a author2 has generic name help 7 Secrets of the Goddess by Devdutt Pattanaik 7 Secrets of the Goddess by Devdutt Pattanaik ISBN 9789386224033 Durga and Saraswati s Secret Chapter 4 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International Association of Tamil Research Archived from the original on 25 September 2010 HIGHGATEHILL MURUGAN TEMPLE www highgatehillmurugan org Retrieved 8 August 2022 Home The London Sri Murugan Temple Retrieved 8 August 2022 a b More than 15 000 people attend London Sri Murugan Temple chariot festival EasternEye 27 July 2022 Retrieved 8 August 2022 Kavadi Tamil and Vedas Retrieved 8 August 2022 Hooked On Faith Discovering Kaavadi Aattam In Quebec TamilCulture com Retrieved 8 August 2022 Welcome to Highgatehill Murugan Temple www highgatehillmurugan org Retrieved 10 August 2022 HIGHGATEHILL MURUGAN TEMPLE www highgatehillmurugan org Retrieved 10 August 2022 Home Page of Sri Thendayuthapani Temple Official website of temple Archived from the original on 6 July 2015 Retrieved 15 August 2018 Shiva Murugan Temple Shiva Murugan Temple Archived from the original on 14 April 2008 Retrieved 15 August 2018 Hindu temple headed for banks of Deep River The Chatham News Record Retrieved 22 April 2019 Explanation of Deities Official website of temple Archived from the original on 22 August 2018 Retrieved 15 August 2018 HIGHGATEHILL MURUGAN TEMPLE Official website of temple Archived from the original on 9 August 2018 Retrieved 16 August 2018 The London Sri Murugan Official website of temple Archived from the original on 9 August 2018 Retrieved 16 August 2018 Leicester Shri Murugan Hindu Temple Registered charities in England Archived from the original on 16 August 2018 Retrieved 16 August 2018 Sri Murugan Temple Official visitor website for Leicestershire Archived from the original on 17 August 2018 Retrieved 16 August 2018 Lord Murugan Temple Official website of temple Archived from the original on 16 August 2018 Retrieved 16 August 2018 Sydeny Murugan Temple Official website of temple Archived from the original on 16 August 2018 Retrieved 16 August 2018 Perth Bala Murugan Official website of temple Archived from the original on 16 August 2018 Retrieved 16 August 2018 Kundrathu Kumaran Temple Official website of temple Archived from the original on 16 August 2018 Retrieved 16 August 2018 New Zealand Thirumurugan Temple Official website of temple Archived from the original on 15 August 2018 Retrieved 16 August 2018 Reeves Peter 7 March 2014 The Encyclopedia of the Sri Lankan Diaspora Didier Millet ISBN 978 9814260831 Retrieved 16 August 2018 Architectural History Sri Mayurapathy Murugan Temple Berlin in German Retrieved 9 August 2022 Unusual sightseeing in Berlin a Hindu temple beside a highway www secretcitytravel com Retrieved 9 August 2022 Hinduismus Religionen in der Schweiz Religions en Suissse Universitat Luzern 2 June 2009 Archived from the original on 15 February 2015 General bibliography Edit Bakker Hans 2014 The World of the Skandapuraṇa BRILL Academic ISBN 978 90 04 27714 4 Clothey Fred W 1978 The Many Faces of Murukan The History and Meaning of a South Indian God Walter de Gruyter ISBN 978 90 279 7632 1 Dalal Roshen 2010 The Religions of India A Concise Guide to Nine Major Faiths Penguin Books India ISBN 978 0 14 341517 6 Doniger Wendy ed 1993 Puraṇa Perennis Reciprocity and Transformation in Hindu and Jaina Texts Albany New York State University of New York ISBN 0 7914 1382 9 Jones Constance Ryan James D 2006 Encyclopedia of Hinduism Infobase Publishing ISBN 978 0 8160 7564 5 Mann Richard D 2011 The Rise of Mahasena The Transformation of Skanda Karttikeya in North India from the Kuṣaṇa to Gupta Empires BRILL ISBN 978 90 04 21886 4 Parpola Asko 2015 The Roots of Hinduism The Early Aryans and the Indus Civilization Oxford University Press ISBN 978 0 19 022691 6 Gopinatha Rao T A 1993 Elements of Hindu iconography Motilal Banarsidass ISBN 978 81 208 0878 2 Lal Mohan 1992 Encyclopaedia of Indian Literature Sahitya Akademi ISBN 978 81 260 1221 3 Lochtefeld James G 2002 The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Hinduism N Z The Rosen Publishing Group ISBN 978 0 8239 3180 4 Rocher Ludo 1986 The Puranas Otto Harrassowitz Verlag ISBN 978 3447025225 Mani Vettam Puranic Encyclopedia 1st English ed New Delhi Motilal Banarsidass 1975 G V Tagare Dr The Skanda Purana 23 Vols Motilal Banarsidass 2007 Kaur Jagdish 1979 Bibliographical Sources for Himalayan Pilgrimages and Tourism Studies Uttarakhand Tourism Recreation Research 4 1 13 16 doi 10 1080 02508281 1979 11014968 Srinivasan Doris 2007 On the Cusp of an Era Art in the Pre Kuṣaṇa World BRILL Academic ISBN 978 90 04 15451 3 Srinivasan Doris 1997 Many Heads Arms and Eyes Origin Meaning and Form of Multiplicity in Indian Art BRILL Academic ISBN 90 04 10758 4 Varadara Raman 1993 Glimpses of Indian Heritage Popular Prakashan ISBN 978 81 7154 758 6 Pillai V J Thamby 2004 Origin on the Tamil Vellalas T A Vol 1 Pt 10 Asian Educational Services Ramanujan S R 2014 The Lord of Vengadam A Historical Perspective Partridge Publishing Meenakshi K 1997 Tolkappiyam and Astadhyayi International Institute of Tamil Studies Balasubrahmanyam S R 1966 Early Chola Art Part 1 New Asia Publishing House Subramanian A ed 1978 New Dimensions in the Study of Tamil Culture External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Murugan Inuvil kanthan Temple Muruga in Sangam literature Mailam a Muruga Temple in the Cross Roads Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Kartikeya amp oldid 1148349701, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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