Lord Murugan – The Ever Merciful Hindu God

Lord Murugan, the son of Shiva and Parvati, is a much revered deity of Hindus especially in South India. He is known by various names like Murugan, Shanmukha (Shanmuga), Subramanian, Shadanana, Guha, Senthil, Saravana, Kumaraswamy and Skanda ( Refer 108 Names of Lord Murugan). Murugan is quintessentially brave, intelligent, and perfection personified because of which he is worshiped as the god of war and victory. He is also the brave leader of god’s forces and was created to destroy demons, symbolizing negative tendencies of human beings. In North of India, Murugan, also called Kartikeya, is believed to be the elder son of Shiva and Parvati but his devotees in South believe him to be the younger son with Ganesha being the elder offspring of Shiva and Parvati.

Murugans’s weapon is Vel (spear) in one hand, which is also called as Shakti since his mother Parvati has given all the power to the spear, and he blesses his devotees with the other. The god of war mounts a peacock symbolizing piety and subjugation of all sexual desires and destruction of bad habits and negative influences symbolized by the serpent that is clutched in the peacock’s claws. Murugan represents power and strength and worshiping him can get rid of woes and give the worshiper strength. Murugan destroyed the demon Tarakasur on the seventh day of his birth. He is known to be the most masculine and fierce among Hindu gods. Known for his valor and as the protector of dharma, Murugan has slained several demons like Krauncha, Banasura and Pralamba. He is also always youthful, which gives him the name Kumara (Sanskrit for youth). As Shadanan, Murugan has six heads, each standing for the five senses and the mind. The six heads also help him keep an eye in all directions so that he can combat problems coming from any direction. As war god with six faces, Murugan also teaches his devotees to battle through life fighting off bad people who could lead you to the wrong path of lobha(greed), kaama (sex), krodh (anger), moha (passion), mada (ego), and matsarya (jealousy).

Iconography of Lord Murugan

The three integral elements of Murugan’s personality are spear (Vel) in His hand, peacock as His mount and cock adorning His banner. Vel signifies jñanasakti (power of wisdom); this was given to Murugan by His Divine Mother, Parvati wishing Him victory over asuras (titans) led by the tyrannous Surapadma. The glittering spear of Murugan is venerated by devotees as Sakti Vel or Veera Vel signifying its extraordinary power and strength. Cock and peacock represent Nada and Bindu. The peacock displays the divine shape of Omkara when it spreads its magnificent plumes into a full-blown circular form, while the cock proclaims loudly the Pranava sound OM or Aum. Murugan shines as the very essence of the Vedas and mantras.

Muruku in Tamil denotes divinity, handsomeness, youthfulness, happiness, fragrance and sweetness. The Lord is the very manifestation of handsomeness, robust youthfulness, masculinity, fragrance and unmatched valor and the abode of happiness. One would be endowed with everlasting youthfulness only when he or she is not getting old. Human beings take birth in this earth, pass through different stages such as childhood, adolescence, adulthood and old age and ultimately met with the inevitable death. They are again born in this world not necessarily in the same form as they were in their previous births. This process goes on endlessly. Murugan, on the other hand, has neither a beginning nor an end; He is not born nor dead.  Age does not wither Him away. This explains His evergreen youthfulness. The sun is not visible to us temporarily at night; for this reason one cannot conclude that the sun has ceased to exist, for when darkness engulfs a part of the globe, the sun is shining bright somewhere else. We come to know of its existence when it rises again in the morning. Murugan’s ‘appearance’ on this planet is analogous to this eternal phenomenon.

Birth of Lord Murugan

According to the Skanda Purana, Shiva’s first wife Sati angrily immolated herself after she felt insulted by her father Daksha when he didn’t invite Lord Shiva for a Yagna Ceremony and further insulted Him. An irate Lord Shiva then destroyed the Yagna with the help of ganas. An ascetic Shiva was married with great difficulty the first time around and a second marriage was nearly impossible. Taking advantage of this fact the demons ­Tarakasur and Surapadma thought the boon of being killed only by Lord Shiva’s son would make him invincible.

Skanda Purana, vividly narrates the circumstances which led to the divine ‘appearance’ of Murugan, His glory and heroic achievements. He ‘rose’ to protect gods who were subject to extreme tormentation and cruelty by demon Surapadma. They all appealed collectively to Lord Siva to come to their rescue. Moved by their plight, Shiva willed to bring forth a powerful divine personality, an element of Himself, but yet distinct from Him, Who would have unparalleled bravery and who alone would be able to slay Surapadma and his clan.

The extremely powerful spark which emanated from His third eye was carried by the Fire God (Agni) and was deposited in Saravana (‘stand of reeds’) Lake; there arose six cute tiny tots who were looked after by six Kritika maidens; the six forms later united to become a single Six-Faced Child with resplendent beauty. Added to Shiva’s five faces Sadhyojata, Vamadeva, Aghora, Tatpurusa and Ishanawas Adhomurka; thus He became Shanmukha. He is known as Saravanabhava as He emerged out of Saravana Lake, and Murugan since six Kritika maidens took the six babies in their arms and showered affection on them.

Brahma, the Creator, happened to slight the young Murugan during one of his visits to Kailasa. Murugan wished to teach a lesson to the Creator for his act of imprudence. He asked the four-faced Creator the meaning of the Pranava. When he could not explain satisfactorily, Murugan taunted Brahma and not content with that imprisoned him too. He concluded that Brahma was not fit to perform the assigned job. He then assumed the role of the Creator! Murugan freed Brahma from prison when Shiva, Lord Vishnu and Indra prayed at His lotus Feet and requested for the release of the Creator.

Murugan turned a guru or teacher when He explained the essence of Pranava to His Father who received the Upadesa in all humility as a disciple. He thus came to be known as Swaminatha.

Murugan and Ganesha

Another interesting anecdote links Murugan’s taking a full round of the universe mounted on His mighty peacock. The legend has it that sage Narada once visited Kailasa, the abode of Shiva, and presented Him with a divine pomegranate fruit. As is usually the case with fathers, Shiva wanted to give it to His children Ganesha and Murugan rather than consuming it Himself. In this process, He hatched a plot as a prelude to an eventful drama. He would not allow the fruit to be shared by two brothers. Instead, He announced that the fruit would be given to either of the two who returned first after taking a round of the universe.

No sooner had Shiva said this than young Murugan started off riding on the back of His peacock. His elder brother Ganesha acted in a different manner. To Him, His eternal Parents Shiva and Goddess Parvati represented the world and circumambulating them would be equivalent to circling the world. With this well-reasoned thought fixed in His mind, He took a round of His Parents and instantly annexed the prized fruit. Murugan, on return from His whirlwind trip around the universe, learnt that His elder brother had already won the competition.

A disappointed Murugan left Kailasa and proceeded straight to Palani Hill in South India. The name Palani is in fact the derivative of Pazahm Nee as addressed by His Parents who rushed to Palani to soothe the enraged Murugan.

Lord Murugan and His Consorts

Murugan’s consorts are Valli and Devasena. They represent Inch Sakti and Krill Sakti. They were in reality Sundaravalli and Amudavalli, who were born out of the tears of joy of Narayana when He incarnated as Trivikramah. Both the celestial’s damsels did intense penance with the object of attaining the exalted status as Murugan’s consorts. Pleased with their prayers, Murugan appeared before them and ordained that Amudavalli would be born in Devaloka as Indra’s daughter, while Sundaravalli would take birth on the earth in a hunter tribe. The Lord promised to marry both Valli and Devayanai.

The marriage of Murugan and Devayanai took place at Tirupparankundram attendant with full Vedic rites. Devayanai was in fact gifted to Murugan by Devendra in grateful acknowledgment of heroism and valour displayed by Murugan as the Supreme Commander of divine forces and His triumph over the deadly race of titans. Deva Senapati (General of the Gods) thus became Deva Senapati (Husband of Devasena).

Murugan’s wedding with Valli is replete with many interesting interludes. Murugan chose to engage in a few frolics before accepting Valli as His Consort. King Nambi Rajah of Chittoor, the head of the hunter tribe, had seven sons and he was aspiring to have a daughter. He was deeply devoted to Murugan. The sage Sivamuni, who was doing Tapasya in the forest, chanced to see a female deer and his mere sight resulted in the animal becoming pregnant. The animal delivered a beautiful baby girl and left the place. King Nambi, who had gone to the forest with his sons to hunt, saw the bewitching babe and brought it home and began to foster the child as his own daughter. As the girl was found among Valli creepers, she was named Valli.

Valli ceaselessly nurtured the thought of Murugan even from her tender age and was determined to have Him as her Husband and none else. When she became of marriageable age, Nambi Rajah, in tune with the hunter tribe custom, sent her to ‘tinaippunam’. She was to keep vigil perched on a high rise rostrum and protect the crop from wandering birds until the crop was ready to harvest.

It was at this time that Valli got guru diksha from sage Narada who met her and said to her that Murugan would be the ideal match for her. The words of the sage pleased Valli highly. She was in fact having this very thought for years! Narada went to nearby Tiruttani where the Lord was. The sage reminded Murugan about His assurance to marry the two maidens and told that one girl remaining to be wed, Valli, was yearning intensely and persistently for Him.

Murugan’s leela began now. He first appeared as a hunter and did not find any positive response from Valli to His clever approaches. He turned into a giant venkai tree when Valli’s father suddenly appeared on the scene. Thereafter, He took the form of a trembling old man and ate millet flour and honey mixture offered by Valli feigning that He was feeling very hungry. He proposed to wed her, much to the chagrin of Valli. Finally, Murugan invoked the blessings of His elder brother Ganesha for success of His mission. On the fervent appeal of His younger brother, Lord Ganesha appeared as a wild elephant in the forest and began to chase Valli. Terrified by the mighty pachyderm’s menacing advance, Valli ran for protection and came straight into the arms of Murugan.