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Kartikeya

May 03, 2024

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

Kartikeya (Sanskrit: कार्तिकेय, IAST: Kārtikeya), also known as Skanda, Subrahmanya, Shanmukha and Murugan (Tamil: முருகன்), is the Hindu god of war. He is the son of Shiva and Parvati and the brother of Ganesha.

Kartikeya
God of Victory and War
Commander of the Gods[1]
Statue of Kartikeya at Batu Caves, Malaysia
Other namesMurugan, Subrahmanya, Kumara, Skanda, Saravana, Arumugan, Devasenapati, Shanmukha, Kathirvelan, Guha, Swaminatha, Velayuda, Vēļ[2][3]
AffiliationDeva, Siddhar
AbodeĀṟupadai veedu (Six Abodes of Murugan)
Palani Hills
Mount Kailash
PlanetMangala, Mars
MantraOm Saravana Bhava
Vetrivel Muruganukku Arohara
WeaponVel
SymbolRooster
DayTuesday
MountPeacock
GenderMale
Festivals
Personal information
Parents
SiblingsGanesha (brother)
Consort

Kartikeya has been an important deity in the Indian subcontinent since ancient times. It has been postulated that the Tamil deity of Murugan was syncretized with the Vedic deity of Skanda following the Sangam era. He is regarded as the "God of the Tamil people" and is hailed as the lord of Palani hills, the tutelary deity of the Kurinji region whose cult gained immense popularity. Tamil Sangam literature has several works attributed to Murugan such as Tirumurukāṟṟuppaṭai by Nakkīraṉãr and Tiruppukal by Arunagirinathar. Archaeological evidence from the 1st-century CE and earlier indicate his iconography associated with Agni, the Hindu god of fire, suggesting he was a significant deity in early Hinduism.

The iconography of Kartikeya varies significantly; he is typically represented as an ever-youthful man, riding or near an Indian peafowl, called Paravani and sometimes with an emblem of a rooster upon his banner. He wields a spear weapon called vel, supposedly given to him by his mother Parvati. While most icons represent him with only one head, some have six heads which reflect the legend surrounding his birth wherein he was born as six boys who were later united into one by Parvati. He is described to have aged quickly from childhood, becoming a warrior, leading the army of the Devas and credited with destroying rakshasas such as Tarakasura and Surapadma. He is regarded as a philosopher who taught the pursuit of an ethical life and the theology of Shaiva Siddhanta.

Kaumaram is the denomination that primarily venerates Kartikeya. Apart from significant Kaumaram worship and temples in South India, he is worshiped as Mahasena and Kumara in North and East India. He is also worshiped in Sri Lanka, South East Asia notably in Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Indonesia, other countries with significant people of Tamil origin like Fiji, Mauritius, South Africa and Canada, Caribbean countries including Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana and Suriname, countries with significant Indian migrants including the United States and Australia.

Etymology and nomenclature

Kartikeya means "of the Krittikas" and the epithet is linked to the circumstances surrounding his birth.[6] According to Skanda Purana, six divine sparks emerged from Shiva which developed into separate baby boys in the Ganges, aided by Vayu and Agni. They were raised by handmaidens known as the Krittikas and were later fused into one by Parvati.[7][8]

While he has 108 names according to existing Hindu literature, he is known by more given names.[9] Most common amongst these include Skanda (from skand-, "to leap or to attack"), Murugan (handsome), Kumara (youthful), Subrahmanya (transparent), Senthil (victorious), Vēlaṇ (wielder of Vel), Swaminatha (ruler of gods), Saravaṇabhava (born amongst the reeds), Arumugha or Shanmukha (six faced), Dhanadapani (wielder of mace) and Kandha (cloud).[10][11][12]

On ancient coins where the inscription has survived along with his images, his names appear as Kumara, Brahmanya, or Brahmanyadeva.[13] On some ancient Indo-Scythian coins, his names appear in Greek script as Skanda, Kumara, and Vishaka.[14][15]

Birth and family

Various Indian literature recite numerous different stories surrounding the birth of Kartikeya. In Valmiki's Ramayana, he is described as the child of deities Rudra and Parvati, whose birth is aided by Agni and Ganga.[16] The Shalya Parva and the Anushasana Parva of Mahabharata presents Skanda's legend as the son of Maheshvara (Shiva) and Parvati.[17] As Shiva and Parvati were making love, they are disturbed, and Shiva inadvertently spills his semen which incubates in Ganges, preserved by the heat of god Agni, and this fetus is born as baby Kartikeya.[6][18]

 
Murugan seated on a peacock, 12th-century CE

According to the Skanda Purana, the asuras Śūrāpadma, Tārakāsura, and Simhamukha performed austerities to propitiate Shiva. Shiva granted them various boons, which gave them the ability to conquer the three worlds and near immortality.[4] They subsequently oppressed other celestial beings including the devas, and started a reign of tyranny in their respective realms. When the devas pleaded Shiva for his assistance, he manifested five additional heads, and a divine spark emerged from each of them.[8] Initially, the wind-god Vayu carried the sparks, with the fire-god Agni taking over later because of the unbearable heat. Agni deposited the sparks in the Ganga river. The water in the Ganga started evaporating due to intense heat. Ganga took them to Saravana lake, where the sparks developed into six baby boys.[8] The six boys were raised by handmaidens known as the Krittikas, and they were later fused into one by Parvati. Thus, the six-headed Kartikeya was born.[7]

In the Vana Parva of the Mahabharata, he is mentioned as the son of Agni and Svaha. It is recited that Agni goes to meet the wives of the Saptarshi (seven great sages) and while none of them reciprocate his feelings, Svaha is present there and is attracted to Agni. Svaha takes the form of six of the wives, one by one, and sleeps with Agni. She is unable to take the form of Arundhati, Vasishtha's wife, because of Arundhati's extraordinary virtuous powers. Svaha deposits the semen of Agni into the reeds of Ganges river, where it develops and is born as the six-headed Skanda.[19]

He is considered as the younger brother of Ganesha, while some texts regard that he is the elder.[20] In the northern and western Indian traditions, Kartikeya is regarded as a celibate bachelor, though few Sanskrit texts mention Devasena, the daughter of Indra, as his wife.[4][5] As per Tamil literature, he has two consorts, Devayanai (identified with Devasena) and Valli.[4][5]

Literature

Vedic text and epics

There are ancient references which can be interpreted to be Kartikeya in the Vedic texts. For example, the term Kumara appears in hymn 5,2 of the Rig Veda.[21][note 2] The verses depict a bright-colored boy hurling weapons and other motifs that have been associated with Skanda.[22] The Skanda-like motifs found in Rig Veda are found in other Vedic texts, such as section 6.1-3 of the Shatapatha Brahmana.[23] 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.[21] 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.[17] 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.[24][25][note 3] 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.[6][18]

Sanskrit literature

 
Skanda from Kannauj, 8th century CE

Mentions of Skanda are found in the works of Pāṇini (~500 BCE), in Patanjali's Mahabhasya and Kautilya's Arthashastra.[27] Kalidasa's epic poem the Kumārasambhava features the life and story of Kartikeya.[28] Kartikeya is mentioned in the Skanda Purana, the largest Mahāpurāṇa, a genre of eighteen Hindu religious texts.[29] The text contains over 81,000 verses, and is part of Shaivite literature.[30] 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.[31] The text has been an important historical record and influence on the Hindu traditions related to war-god Skanda.[31][32] The earliest text titled Skanda Purana likely existed by the 6th-century CE, but the Skanda Purana that has survived into the modern era exists in many versions.[33][34][35]

Tamil literature

Tolkāppiyam, one of the ancient texts in Tamil, mentions Cēyōṉ ("the red one"), identified with Murugan, whose name is mentioned as Murukaṉ ("the youth").[36] 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."[37] Korravai is often identified as the mother of Murugan.[38] In Tirumurukāṟṟuppaṭai, an ancient Tamil epic dedicated to Murugan, 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.[39] The ancient Tamil lexicon Pinkalandai identifies the name Vēļ with the slayer of Taraka.[note 4] Sangam literature Paripatal refers to Murugan as Sevvēļ ("red spear") and as Neduvēļ ("tall spear").[40][41][42]

Buddhist

In Mahayana Buddhism, the Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra mentions Kumāra as one of the eighty gods worshipped by the common people. The Ārya Kaṇikrodhavajrakumārabodhisattava Sādhanāvidhi Sūtra (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 clarifies that Kumāra is the son of Iśvara.[43] The 16th-century Siamese text Jinakalamali mentions him as a guardian god.[44]

Iconography and depictions

 
The six-headed Kartikeya with his two consorts on a peacock, painting by Raja Ravi Varma (1848–1906)

Ancient Yaudheya and Kushan period coins dated to 1st and 2nd century CE, show Kartikeya with either one or six heads with depictions of single head more common.[45] Similarly, sculptures show him with either one or six heads with the six head iconography dated to post-Gupta Empire era.[46] Artwork found in Gandhara and Mathura, dated to the Kushan period, show him with one head, dressed in a dhoti (a cloth wrapped at waist, covering the legs) and wearing armour wielding a spear in his right hand with a rooster on his left.[47][48] Artwork from Gandhara show him in a Scythian dress, likely reflecting the local dress culture prevalent during the time with a rooster like bird that may be a Parthian influence that symbolizes Kartikeya's agility and maneuverability as a warrior god.[49] Kartikeya's iconography shows him as a youthful god, dressed as a warrior with attributes of a hunter and a philosopher.[50]

He wields a divine spear known as the vel, granted to him by Parvati and signifies his power or shakti.[51] The Vel symbolism is associated with valor, bravery and righteousness.[9] He is sometimes depicted with other weapons including a sword, a javelin, a mace, a discus and a bow.[52][53] His vahana or mount is depicted as a peacock, known as Paravani.[54][55] While he was depicted with an elephant mount in early iconography, his iconography of a six faced lord on a peacock mount got firmly entrenched after sixth century CE along with the increasing transformation of his role from a warrior to a philosopher teacher and his increasing role in the Shaivite cannon.[56] According to Skanda Purana, when he faced asura Surapadman, he turned into a mango tree, which was split in half by Kartikeya using his Vel. One half of the tree became his mount, the peacock while the other half became the rooster entrenched on his flag.[9]

Theology and historical development

Guha (Muruga)

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]

Kantaranuputi 51, Arunagirinathar
(Translator: Kamil Zvelebil), [57]

Regardless of the variance among the legends, his birth is in difficult circumstances, he is born through a surrogate and is raised by a host of mothers, later reuniting with his biological family. According to Fred Clothey, Muruga thus symbolizes a union of polarities.[58] He is considered a uniter, championing the attributes of both Shaivism and Vaishnavism.[59] His theology is most developed in the Tamil texts and in the Shaiva Siddhanta tradition.[6][60] 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).[61] According to Fred Clothey, as Murugan, he embodies the "cultural and religious whole that comprises South Indian Shaivism".[58] He is the philosopher and exponent of Shaiva Siddhanta theology, as well as the patron deity of the Tamil language.[62][63]

Originally, Murugan was not worshipped as a god, but rather as an exalted ancestor, heroic warrior and accomplished Siddhar born in the Kurinji landscape. In that role he was seen as a custodian who consistently defended the Tamils against foreign invasions with the stories of his astonishing and miraculous deeds increasing his stature in the community, who began to view him as god.[64] Many of the major events in Murugan's life take place during his youth which encouraged the worship of Murugan as a child-God.[16]

 
Kartikeya from Kushan era, 2nd century CE
 
Coins of the Yaudheyas featuring Kartikeya

According to Raman Varadara, Murugan, originally regarded as a Tamil deity, underwent a process of adoption and incorporation into the pantheon of North Indian deities.[5] 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.[65] 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.[65][66] 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.[67]

According to Fred Clothey, the evidence suggests that Kartikeya mythology had become widespread sometime around 200 BCE or after in north India.[68] 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.[69] During the Kushan era, that included rule over the northwest Indian subcontinent, more coins featuring Kartikeya were minted.[69] He is also found on ancient Indo-Scythian coins, where his various names are minted in Greek script.[70][note 5]

Skanda was regarded as a philosopher in his role as Subramanhya while similarly Murugan was regarded as the teacher of Tamil literature and poetry. In the late Chola period from sixth to thirteenth centuries CE, Murugan was firmly established in the role of a teacher and philosopher while his militaristic depictions receded.[56] Despite the changes, his potrayal was multi-faceted with significant differences between Skanda and Murugan till the late Vijayanagara period, when he was accepted as a single deity diverse facets.[56]

Other religions

 
Skanda Bodhisattva is the Dharma protector in Mahayana Buddhism[72] Above: Skanda's statue in Anhui province, China

In Mahayana Buddhism, he is described as a manifestation of Mahābrahmārāja with five hair coils, a handsome face emanating purple-golden light that surpasses the light of the other devas. In Chinese Buddhism, Skanda (also sometimes known as Kumāra) is known as Weituo, a young heavenly general, the guardian deity of local monasteries and the protector of Buddhist dhamma.[73][74] According to Henrik Sørensen, this representation became common after the Tang period, and became well established in the late Song period.[75] 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.[76] Skanda was also adopted by Korean Buddhism, and he appears in its woodblock prints and paintings.[75]

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.[44] In Sri Lanka, Skanda as Kataragama deviyo, is a popular 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.[77]

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.[78]

Worship

India

 
Palani Murugan Temple, one of the Six Abodes of Murugan
South India

Murugan being known as the God of the Tamils, has many temples dedicated to him across Tamil Nadu. Most renowned of them are the Six Abodes of Murugan, a set of six temples at Thiruparankundram Murugan temple, Tiruchendur Murugan Temple, Palani Murugan Temple, Swamimalai Swaminathaswamy Temple, Tiruttani Subramaniya Swamy Temple, and Pazhamudircholai which are mentioned in Sangam literature.[79] Other major temples dedicated to Murugan include Kuzhanthai Velappar Temple, Sikkal Singaravelan Temple, Marudamalai Subramanya Swamy Temple, Kumarakkottam Subramanya Swamy Temple, Valliyur Subramanya Swamy Temple, Vallakottai Subramaniyaswami temple, Thiruporur Kandaswamy temple, Vayalur Murugan Temple, Viralimalai Murugan temple, Vadapalani Andavar Temple, Thindal Murugan Temple, Pachaimalai Subramanya Swamy Temple, Balasubramaniyaswamy Temple, Kolanjiappar temple, Uthanda Velayudhaswamy temple and Siruvapuri Sri Balasubrahmanyam temple.

Places of worship dedicated to Subramanya in Kerala include temples at Haripad, Neendoor, Kidangoor and Kodumbu.[80][81] In Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, he is worshipped as Subrahmanya, Kumara Swamy or Skanda with major temples at Mopidevi,[82] Biccavolu,[83] Skandagiri,[84][85] Mallam,[86][87] and Indrakeeladri, Vijayawada.[88] In Karnataka, the deity that is worshipped as Subrahmanya where he is regarded as the lord of the serpents in Kukke Subramanya Temple and Ghati Subramanya.[89][90]

Other parts of India

In West Bengal, Kartikeya is associated with the birth of children and is worshiped on the last day of the month of Kartik wherein a 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 worshipped the next day in the evening and is offered toys.[91] The deity is also worshipped during the Durga Puja festival wherein Kartikeya is 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.[91] Temples also exist in the rest of India in Pehowa in Haryana, in Manali and Chamba in Himachal Pradesh.[92] and Rudraprayag in Uttarakhand.[93][94][95]

Outside India

Kartikeya is worshiped as Kumar in Nepal. Sithi Nakha (Kumar Shashthi) is celebrated on the 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 and offering a feast.[96]

 
Nallur Kandaswamy temple at Jaffna is dedicated to Murugan.

In Sri Lanka, Murugan is predominantly worshiped by Tamil people as Murugan and by the Sinhalese as Kataragama deviyo , a guardian deity. Numerous Murugan temples exist throughout the island including Kataragama temple, Nallur Kandaswamy temple and Maviddapuram Kandaswamy Temple.[97][98]

Murugan is revered in countries with significant population of Tamil people and people of Tamil origin including South East Asia notably in Malaysia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Indonesia and Myanmar, other countries with significant people of Tamil origin like Fiji, Mauritius, Seychelles, Reunion, South Africa and Canada, Caribbean countries including Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana and Suriname, countries with significant Indian migrants including the United States and Australia.[99] 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, one of the largest Murugan statues in the world.[100][101] There are some other temples in Malaysia such as Balathandayuthapani Temple and Nattukkottai Chettiar Temple, Marathandavar Temple and Kandaswamy Kovil.[102][103][104][105] Sri Thendayuthapani Temple is a major Hindu temple in Singapore.[106] Murugan temples also exist in several western countries like United States of America,[107][108] Canada,[109] United Kingdom,[110][111][112][113][114] Australia,[115][116][117] New Zealand,[118][119] Germany[120][121] and Switzerland.[122]

Festivals

 
Thaipusam procession

Festivals pertaining to Murugan are:

  • Thaipusam is celebrated on the full moon day in the Tamil month of Thai on the confluence of star Pusam.[123] The festival is celebrated to commemorate the victory of Murugan over the asuras and includes ritualistic practices of Kavadi Aattam, a ceremonial act of sacrifice carrying a physical burden as a means of balancing a spiritual debt. Worshipers often carry a pot of cow milk as an offering and also do mortification of the flesh by piercing the skin, tongue or cheeks with vel skewers.[99]
  • Panguni Uthiram occurs on the purnima of the month of Panguni on the confluence of the star Uttiram.[124] The festival marks the celebration of Murugan's marriage to Devasena.[125]
  • Karthika Deepam, a festival of lights celebrated on the full moon day of the Kartika.[126]
  • Vaikasi Visakam, celebrates the birth anniversary of Murugan and occurs during the confluence of star Visakam in the month of Vaisakha.[127]
  • Kanda Sashti falls in the month of either Aippasi or Kartikai of the Tamil calendar and commemorates the victory of Murugan over the demon Surapadman.[128]

Explanatory notes

  1. ^ Karthikeya's marital status varies across regions. In South Indian traditions, he has two wives — Deivanai (identified with Devasena) and Valli whereas some Sanskrit scriptures only mention Devasena (also known as Shashthi) as his wife. He is also considered celibate in parts of North India.[4][5]
  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.[26]
  4. ^ 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]
  5. ^ 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.[71]

References

Citations

  1. ^ Zvelebil, Kamil (1991). Tamil Traditions on Subrahmaṇya-Murugan. Institute of Asian Studies.
  2. ^ a b Kumar 2008, p. 179.
  3. ^ a b Pillai 2004, p. 17.
  4. ^ a b c d Dalal 2010.
  5. ^ a b c d Varadara 1993, pp. 113–114.
  6. ^ a b c d Lochtefeld 2002, pp. 655–656.
  7. ^ a b T.K.R, Sridharan (2022). God and Science. Notion Press. ISBN 979-8-8870-4354-8.
  8. ^ a b c Civarāman̲, Akilā (2006). Sri Kandha Puranam. Giri Trading. p. 55. ISBN 978-8-1795-0397-3.
  9. ^ a b c Kozlowski, Frances; Jackson, Chris (2013). Driven by the Divine: A Seven Year Journey with Shivalinga Swamy and Vinnuacharya. Author Solutions. p. 140. ISBN 978-1-4525-7892-7.
  10. ^ "Skanda | Hindu deity". Encyclopædia Britannica. from the original on 3 December 2018. Retrieved 18 April 2019.
  11. ^ Clothey 1978, pp. 1, 22–25, 35–39, 49–58, 214–216.
  12. ^ Gopal, Madan (1990). K.S. Gautam (ed.). India through the ages. Publication Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India. p. 80.
  13. ^ Mann 2011, pp. 104–106.
  14. ^ Thomas, Edward (1877). Jainism: Or, The Early Faith of Aṣoka. Trübner & Company. pp. 60, 62.
  15. ^ Mann 2011, pp. 123–124.
  16. ^ a b Clothey 1978, p. 51.
  17. ^ a b Clothey 1978, pp. 50–51.
  18. ^ a b Clothey 1978, pp. 49, 54–55.
  19. ^ Clothey 1978, pp. 51–52.
  20. ^ Clothey 1978, pp. 54–56.
  21. ^ a b Clothey 1978, pp. 49–51.
  22. ^ Clothey 1978, pp. 46–51.
  23. ^ Clothey 1978, pp. 48–50.
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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.
  • Kumar, Raj (2008). Encyclopaedia Of Untouchables : Ancient Medieval And Modern. Gyan Publishing House. ISBN 978-81-7835-664-8.
  • 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 978-34-470-2522-5.
  • 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-Kuṣāṇa 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.
  • Zvelebil, Kamil (1973). The Smile of Murugan: On Tamil Literature of South India. BRILL. ISBN 90-04-03591-5.

External links

 
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Murugan.
  • Muruga in Sangam literature

May 03, 2024
kartikeya, muruga, redirects, here, 2007, film, muruga, film, murugan, redirects, here, people, with, name, murugan, surname, given, names, karthikeyan, karthik, kartik, karthika, disambiguation, bodhisattva, idaten, sanskrit, iast, kārtikeya, also, known, ska. Muruga redirects here For the 2007 film see Muruga film Murugan redirects here For the people with the name see Murugan surname For the given names see Karthikeyan Karthik Kartik or see Karthika disambiguation For the bodhisattva see Idaten Kartikeya Sanskrit क र त क य IAST Kartikeya also known as Skanda Subrahmanya Shanmukha and Murugan Tamil ம ர கன is the Hindu god of war He is the son of Shiva and Parvati and the brother of Ganesha KartikeyaGod of Victory and WarCommander of the Gods 1 Statue of Kartikeya at Batu Caves MalaysiaOther namesMurugan Subrahmanya Kumara Skanda Saravana Arumugan Devasenapati Shanmukha Kathirvelan Guha Swaminatha Velayuda Vel 2 3 AffiliationDeva SiddharAbodeAṟupadai veedu Six Abodes of Murugan Palani Hills Mount KailashPlanetMangala MarsMantraOm Saravana Bhava Vetrivel Muruganukku AroharaWeaponVelSymbolRoosterDayTuesdayMountPeacockGenderMaleFestivalsSurasamharam or Kanda ShashtiThaipusamKarthikai DeepamPanguni UthiramVaikasi VisakamKartik PurnimaPersonal informationParentsShiva father Parvati mother SiblingsGanesha brother ConsortDevasena and or Valli or celibate note 1 Kartikeya has been an important deity in the Indian subcontinent since ancient times It has been postulated that the Tamil deity of Murugan was syncretized with the Vedic deity of Skanda following the Sangam era He is regarded as the God of the Tamil people and is hailed as the lord of Palani hills the tutelary deity of the Kurinji region whose cult gained immense popularity Tamil Sangam literature has several works attributed to Murugan such as Tirumurukaṟṟuppaṭai by Nakkiraṉar and Tiruppukal by Arunagirinathar Archaeological evidence from the 1st century CE and earlier indicate his iconography associated with Agni the Hindu god of fire suggesting he was a significant deity in early Hinduism The iconography of Kartikeya varies significantly he is typically represented as an ever youthful man riding or near an Indian peafowl called Paravani and sometimes with an emblem of a rooster upon his banner He wields a spear weapon called vel supposedly given to him by his mother Parvati While most icons represent him with only one head some have six heads which reflect the legend surrounding his birth wherein he was born as six boys who were later united into one by Parvati He is described to have aged quickly from childhood becoming a warrior leading the army of the Devas and credited with destroying rakshasas such as Tarakasura and Surapadma He is regarded as a philosopher who taught the pursuit of an ethical life and the theology of Shaiva Siddhanta Kaumaram is the denomination that primarily venerates Kartikeya Apart from significant Kaumaram worship and temples in South India he is worshiped as Mahasena and Kumara in North and East India He is also worshiped in Sri Lanka South East Asia notably in Malaysia Singapore Thailand and Indonesia other countries with significant people of Tamil origin like Fiji Mauritius South Africa and Canada Caribbean countries including Trinidad and Tobago Guyana and Suriname countries with significant Indian migrants including the United States and Australia Contents 1 Etymology and nomenclature 2 Birth and family 3 Literature 3 1 Vedic text and epics 3 2 Sanskrit literature 3 3 Tamil literature 3 4 Buddhist 4 Iconography and depictions 5 Theology and historical development 5 1 Other religions 6 Worship 6 1 India 6 2 Outside India 6 3 Festivals 7 Explanatory notes 8 References 8 1 Citations 8 2 General bibliography 9 External linksEtymology and nomenclatureKartikeya means of the Krittikas and the epithet is linked to the circumstances surrounding his birth 6 According to Skanda Purana six divine sparks emerged from Shiva which developed into separate baby boys in the Ganges aided by Vayu and Agni They were raised by handmaidens known as the Krittikas and were later fused into one by Parvati 7 8 While he has 108 names according to existing Hindu literature he is known by more given names 9 Most common amongst these include Skanda from skand to leap or to attack Murugan handsome Kumara youthful Subrahmanya transparent Senthil victorious Velaṇ wielder of Vel Swaminatha ruler of gods Saravaṇabhava born amongst the reeds Arumugha or Shanmukha six faced Dhanadapani wielder of mace and Kandha cloud 10 11 12 On ancient coins where the inscription has survived along with his images his names appear as Kumara Brahmanya or Brahmanyadeva 13 On some ancient Indo Scythian coins his names appear in Greek script as Skanda Kumara and Vishaka 14 15 Birth and familyVarious Indian literature recite numerous different stories surrounding the birth of Kartikeya In Valmiki s Ramayana he is described as the child of deities Rudra and Parvati whose birth is aided by Agni and Ganga 16 The Shalya Parva and the Anushasana Parva of Mahabharata presents Skanda s legend as the son of Maheshvara Shiva and Parvati 17 As Shiva and Parvati were making love they are disturbed and Shiva inadvertently spills his semen which incubates in Ganges preserved by the heat of god Agni and this fetus is born as baby Kartikeya 6 18 nbsp Murugan seated on a peacock 12th century CE According to the Skanda Purana the asuras Surapadma Tarakasura and Simhamukha performed austerities to propitiate Shiva Shiva granted them various boons which gave them the ability to conquer the three worlds and near immortality 4 They subsequently oppressed other celestial beings including the devas and started a reign of tyranny in their respective realms When the devas pleaded Shiva for his assistance he manifested five additional heads and a divine spark emerged from each of them 8 Initially the wind god Vayu carried the sparks with the fire god Agni taking over later because of the unbearable heat Agni deposited the sparks in the Ganga river The water in the Ganga started evaporating due to intense heat Ganga took them to Saravana lake where the sparks developed into six baby boys 8 The six boys were raised by handmaidens known as the Krittikas and they were later fused into one by Parvati Thus the six headed Kartikeya was born 7 In the Vana Parva of the Mahabharata he is mentioned as the son of Agni and Svaha It is recited that Agni goes to meet the wives of the Saptarshi seven great sages and while none of them reciprocate his feelings Svaha is present there and is attracted to Agni Svaha takes the form of six of the wives one by one and sleeps with Agni She is unable to take the form of Arundhati Vasishtha s wife because of Arundhati s extraordinary virtuous powers Svaha deposits the semen of Agni into the reeds of Ganges river where it develops and is born as the six headed Skanda 19 He is considered as the younger brother of Ganesha while some texts regard that he is the elder 20 In the northern and western Indian traditions Kartikeya is regarded as a celibate bachelor though few Sanskrit texts mention Devasena the daughter of Indra as his wife 4 5 As per Tamil literature he has two consorts Devayanai identified with Devasena and Valli 4 5 LiteratureVedic text and epics There are ancient references which can be interpreted to be Kartikeya in the Vedic texts For example the term Kumara appears in hymn 5 2 of the Rig Veda 21 note 2 The verses depict a bright colored boy hurling weapons and other motifs that have been associated with Skanda 22 The Skanda like motifs found in Rig Veda are found in other Vedic texts such as section 6 1 3 of the Shatapatha Brahmana 23 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 21 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 17 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 24 25 note 3 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 6 18 Sanskrit literature nbsp Skanda from Kannauj 8th century CE Mentions of Skanda are found in the works of Paṇini 500 BCE in Patanjali s Mahabhasya and Kautilya s Arthashastra 27 Kalidasa s epic poem the Kumarasambhava features the life and story of Kartikeya 28 Kartikeya is mentioned in the Skanda Purana the largest Mahapuraṇa a genre of eighteen Hindu religious texts 29 The text contains over 81 000 verses and is part of Shaivite literature 30 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 31 The text has been an important historical record and influence on the Hindu traditions related to war god Skanda 31 32 The earliest text titled Skanda Purana likely existed by the 6th century CE but the Skanda Purana that has survived into the modern era exists in many versions 33 34 35 Tamil literature Tolkappiyam one of the ancient texts in Tamil mentions Ceyōṉ the red one identified with Murugan whose name is mentioned as Murukaṉ the youth 36 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 37 Korravai is often identified as the mother of Murugan 38 In Tirumurukaṟṟuppaṭai an ancient Tamil epic dedicated to Murugan 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 39 The ancient Tamil lexicon Pinkalandai identifies the name Vel with the slayer of Taraka note 4 Sangam literature Paripatal refers to Murugan as Sevvel red spear and as Neduvel tall spear 40 41 42 Buddhist In Mahayana Buddhism the Mahaparinirvaṇa Sutra mentions Kumara as one of the eighty gods worshipped by the common people The Arya Kaṇikrodhavajrakumarabodhisattava Sadhanavidhi Sutra 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 clarifies that Kumara is the son of Isvara 43 The 16th century Siamese text Jinakalamali mentions him as a guardian god 44 Iconography and depictions nbsp The six headed Kartikeya with his two consorts on a peacock painting by Raja Ravi Varma 1848 1906 Ancient Yaudheya and Kushan period coins dated to 1st and 2nd century CE show Kartikeya with either one or six heads with depictions of single head more common 45 Similarly sculptures show him with either one or six heads with the six head iconography dated to post Gupta Empire era 46 Artwork found in Gandhara and Mathura dated to the Kushan period show him with one head dressed in a dhoti a cloth wrapped at waist covering the legs and wearing armour wielding a spear in his right hand with a rooster on his left 47 48 Artwork from Gandhara show him in a Scythian dress likely reflecting the local dress culture prevalent during the time with a rooster like bird that may be a Parthian influence that symbolizes Kartikeya s agility and maneuverability as a warrior god 49 Kartikeya s iconography shows him as a youthful god dressed as a warrior with attributes of a hunter and a philosopher 50 He wields a divine spear known as the vel granted to him by Parvati and signifies his power or shakti 51 The Vel symbolism is associated with valor bravery and righteousness 9 He is sometimes depicted with other weapons including a sword a javelin a mace a discus and a bow 52 53 His vahana or mount is depicted as a peacock known as Paravani 54 55 While he was depicted with an elephant mount in early iconography his iconography of a six faced lord on a peacock mount got firmly entrenched after sixth century CE along with the increasing transformation of his role from a warrior to a philosopher teacher and his increasing role in the Shaivite cannon 56 According to Skanda Purana when he faced asura Surapadman he turned into a mango tree which was split in half by Kartikeya using his Vel One half of the tree became his mount the peacock while the other half became the rooster entrenched on his flag 9 Theology and historical developmentGuha Muruga 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 Kantaranuputi 51 Arunagirinathar Translator Kamil Zvelebil 57 Regardless of the variance among the legends his birth is in difficult circumstances he is born through a surrogate and is raised by a host of mothers later reuniting with his biological family According to Fred Clothey Muruga thus symbolizes a union of polarities 58 He is considered a uniter championing the attributes of both Shaivism and Vaishnavism 59 His theology is most developed in the Tamil texts and in the Shaiva Siddhanta tradition 6 60 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 61 According to Fred Clothey as Murugan he embodies the cultural and religious whole that comprises South Indian Shaivism 58 He is the philosopher and exponent of Shaiva Siddhanta theology as well as the patron deity of the Tamil language 62 63 Originally Murugan was not worshipped as a god but rather as an exalted ancestor heroic warrior and accomplished Siddhar born in the Kurinji landscape In that role he was seen as a custodian who consistently defended the Tamils against foreign invasions with the stories of his astonishing and miraculous deeds increasing his stature in the community who began to view him as god 64 Many of the major events in Murugan s life take place during his youth which encouraged the worship of Murugan as a child God 16 nbsp Kartikeya from Kushan era 2nd century CE nbsp Coins of the Yaudheyas featuring Kartikeya According to Raman Varadara Murugan originally regarded as a Tamil deity underwent a process of adoption and incorporation into the pantheon of North Indian deities 5 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 65 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 65 66 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 67 According to Fred Clothey the evidence suggests that Kartikeya mythology had become widespread sometime around 200 BCE or after in north India 68 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 69 During the Kushan era that included rule over the northwest Indian subcontinent more coins featuring Kartikeya were minted 69 He is also found on ancient Indo Scythian coins where his various names are minted in Greek script 70 note 5 Skanda was regarded as a philosopher in his role as Subramanhya while similarly Murugan was regarded as the teacher of Tamil literature and poetry In the late Chola period from sixth to thirteenth centuries CE Murugan was firmly established in the role of a teacher and philosopher while his militaristic depictions receded 56 Despite the changes his potrayal was multi faceted with significant differences between Skanda and Murugan till the late Vijayanagara period when he was accepted as a single deity diverse facets 56 Other religions nbsp Skanda Bodhisattva is the Dharma protector in Mahayana Buddhism 72 Above Skanda s statue in Anhui province China In Mahayana Buddhism he is described as a manifestation of Mahabrahmaraja with five hair coils a handsome face emanating purple golden light that surpasses the light of the other devas In Chinese Buddhism Skanda also sometimes known as Kumara is known as Weituo a young heavenly general the guardian deity of local monasteries and the protector of Buddhist dhamma 73 74 According to Henrik Sorensen this representation became common after the Tang period and became well established in the late Song period 75 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 76 Skanda was also adopted by Korean Buddhism and he appears in its woodblock prints and paintings 75 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 44 In Sri Lanka Skanda as Kataragama deviyo is a popular 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 77 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 78 WorshipIndia nbsp Palani Murugan Temple one of the Six Abodes of Murugan South India Murugan being known as the God of the Tamils has many temples dedicated to him across Tamil Nadu Most renowned of them are the Six Abodes of Murugan a set of six temples at Thiruparankundram Murugan temple Tiruchendur Murugan Temple Palani Murugan Temple Swamimalai Swaminathaswamy Temple Tiruttani Subramaniya Swamy Temple and Pazhamudircholai which are mentioned in Sangam literature 79 Other major temples dedicated to Murugan include Kuzhanthai Velappar Temple Sikkal Singaravelan Temple Marudamalai Subramanya Swamy Temple Kumarakkottam Subramanya Swamy Temple Valliyur Subramanya Swamy Temple Vallakottai Subramaniyaswami temple Thiruporur Kandaswamy temple Vayalur Murugan Temple Viralimalai Murugan temple Vadapalani Andavar Temple Thindal Murugan Temple Pachaimalai Subramanya Swamy Temple Balasubramaniyaswamy Temple Kolanjiappar temple Uthanda Velayudhaswamy temple and Siruvapuri Sri Balasubrahmanyam temple Places of worship dedicated to Subramanya in Kerala include temples at Haripad Neendoor Kidangoor and Kodumbu 80 81 In Andhra Pradesh and Telangana he is worshipped as Subrahmanya Kumara Swamy or Skanda with major temples at Mopidevi 82 Biccavolu 83 Skandagiri 84 85 Mallam 86 87 and Indrakeeladri Vijayawada 88 In Karnataka the deity that is worshipped as Subrahmanya where he is regarded as the lord of the serpents in Kukke Subramanya Temple and Ghati Subramanya 89 90 Other parts of India In West Bengal Kartikeya is associated with the birth of children and is worshiped on the last day of the month of Kartik wherein a 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 worshipped the next day in the evening and is offered toys 91 The deity is also worshipped during the Durga Puja festival wherein Kartikeya is 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 91 Temples also exist in the rest of India in Pehowa in Haryana in Manali and Chamba in Himachal Pradesh 92 and Rudraprayag in Uttarakhand 93 94 95 Outside India Kartikeya is worshiped as Kumar in Nepal Sithi Nakha Kumar Shashthi is celebrated on the 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 and offering a feast 96 nbsp Nallur Kandaswamy temple at Jaffna is dedicated to Murugan In Sri Lanka Murugan is predominantly worshiped by Tamil people as Murugan and by the Sinhalese as Kataragama deviyo a guardian deity Numerous Murugan temples exist throughout the island including Kataragama temple Nallur Kandaswamy temple and Maviddapuram Kandaswamy Temple 97 98 Murugan is revered in countries with significant population of Tamil people and people of Tamil origin including South East Asia notably in Malaysia Singapore Sri Lanka Thailand Indonesia and Myanmar other countries with significant people of Tamil origin like Fiji Mauritius Seychelles Reunion South Africa and Canada Caribbean countries including Trinidad and Tobago Guyana and Suriname countries with significant Indian migrants including the United States and Australia 99 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 one of the largest Murugan statues in the world 100 101 There are some other temples in Malaysia such as Balathandayuthapani Temple and Nattukkottai Chettiar Temple Marathandavar Temple and Kandaswamy Kovil 102 103 104 105 Sri Thendayuthapani Temple is a major Hindu temple in Singapore 106 Murugan temples also exist in several western countries like United States of America 107 108 Canada 109 United Kingdom 110 111 112 113 114 Australia 115 116 117 New Zealand 118 119 Germany 120 121 and Switzerland 122 Festivals nbsp Thaipusam procession Festivals pertaining to Murugan are Thaipusam is celebrated on the full moon day in the Tamil month of Thai on the confluence of star Pusam 123 The festival is celebrated to commemorate the victory of Murugan over the asuras and includes ritualistic practices of Kavadi Aattam a ceremonial act of sacrifice carrying a physical burden as a means of balancing a spiritual debt Worshipers often carry a pot of cow milk as an offering and also do mortification of the flesh by piercing the skin tongue or cheeks with vel skewers 99 Panguni Uthiram occurs on the purnima of the month of Panguni on the confluence of the star Uttiram 124 The festival marks the celebration of Murugan s marriage to Devasena 125 Karthika Deepam a festival of lights celebrated on the full moon day of the Kartika 126 Vaikasi Visakam celebrates the birth anniversary of Murugan and occurs during the confluence of star Visakam in the month of Vaisakha 127 Kanda Sashti falls in the month of either Aippasi or Kartikai of the Tamil calendar and commemorates the victory of Murugan over the demon Surapadman 128 Explanatory notes Karthikeya s marital status varies across regions In South Indian traditions he has two wives Deivanai identified with Devasena and Valli whereas some Sanskrit scriptures only mention Devasena also known as Shashthi as his wife He is also considered celibate in parts of North India 4 5 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 26 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 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 71 ReferencesCitations Zvelebil Kamil 1991 Tamil Traditions on Subrahmaṇya Murugan Institute of Asian Studies a b Kumar 2008 p 179 a b Pillai 2004 p 17 a b c d Dalal 2010 a b c d Varadara 1993 pp 113 114 a b c d Lochtefeld 2002 pp 655 656 a b T K R 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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 Kumar Raj 2008 Encyclopaedia Of Untouchables Ancient Medieval And Modern Gyan Publishing House ISBN 978 81 7835 664 8 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 34 470 2522 5 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 Zvelebil Kamil 1973 The Smile of Murugan On Tamil Literature of South India BRILL ISBN 90 04 03591 5 External links nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Murugan Muruga in Sangam literature Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Kartikeya amp oldid 1221822452, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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