Murugan - Q&A

The Vedas and Puranas have different interpretations about how Murugan came into being.However, what remains clear is the essence of his birth and subsequent endeavors leading to the common belief through the Hindu religion (Sanatana dharma) that anyone who prays to Murugan and fasts on specified days (specially Fridays) shall have all his wishes granted and sins pardoned.

Q: What are Puranas?
A:‘Purana’ means ‘ancient tales,’ and traditionally they were used to explain the Vedas to the common people. Ancient legends about sages, kings and heroes were recorded for the benefit of the commoner. Though most of the ancient Puranas are now extinct, the ones written by Sage Veda Vyasa are available to this day.

The Puranas explain the importance of compassion, charity, sacrifice, and virtuous deeds. They also explain the greatness of literature, music, dance and architecture in detail. Reading the Puranas also gives a glimpse of the everyday life of ancient India, allowing the culture, religion and ethics of the time to be understood as well.

The Puranas are revered and holy ancient religious texts full of tales and descriptions of great Hindu gods and goddesses. Each Purana highlights a specific deity and brings forth for the reader a wonderful meaning about the deity, their names, acts, virtues, and deeds.

The study of the Vedas (Sanskrit vid = ‘to know’) without the study of the Puranas is akin to studying the body without studying its essence. The Puranas are sometimes referred to as the ‘self’ or soul (in Sanskrit the atman‘’) of the Vedas and Upanishads. Hence, the study of the Vedas and Upanishads is incomplete without the study of the Puranas.

Any Purana is defined by five characteristics, which are: the creation of the universe, the cyclicity of nature and creation, the numerous aeons or eras, the solar and lunar dynasties, and their descendants.
The Puranas categories are based on the three qualities of the universe and the respective trinity gods which symbolize these: Sattvic, Rajasic and Tamasic. Puranas which glorify Vishnu (the preserver) are Sattvic, those which extoll Brahma (the creator) are Rajasic, and those which describe and worship Shiva (the destructor of ego in the Shaivite tradition) are Tamasic.

Q: What is The Skanda Purana?
A: The Skanda Purana is but one of the Eighteen Puranas.Skanda Purana falls under the Tamasic category. This should not be confused with the Skanda Upapurana (minor or supplementary) or Kanda Purana which is focused on Murugan and his ascent. The Skanda Purana was composed from various scattered or fragmented texts and, hence, does not exist as one complete body.

The Skanda Purana describes the story of Lord Shiva’s son, Skanda, who is also known as Karthikeyan, Subrahmanya, Shanmukha, Murugan, and many more names. The legendary poet Kalidasa composed the Kumarasambhava based on the Skanda Purana.

There are two variations of the origin of Skanda Purana. One school of thought believes that it was originally narrated by goddess Parvati to her son, Murugan, who later passed it to Nandi (attendant of Lord Shiva), and subsequently to Sage Atri.

The other explanation is that Murugan (incarnated as Skanda), himself narrated it to Sage Bhrigu, and it was then passed in succession by recital to sages such as Angira, Chyawana and Richika. Sage Veda Vyasa took these fragments and put them together to form the present-day Skanda Purana. 

Q:What is the story behind the birth of Murugan?

A:The purpose of Murugan’s birth is truly interesting because he was born to destroy evil and restore order.

In Tatpurusha Kalpa, Brahma’s son, Daksha Prajapati, had wedded his daughter, Dakshayani, to Shiva. However, Daksha Prajapati was not happy with Shiva, as he sought respect, which he did not get. So he started slandering Shiva. He arranged a sacrificial fire ceremony (Yagna), in which he invited all the sages and gods; however, he specifically did not invite his daughter and Shiva. When Dakshayani came to know about the Yagna, she pleaded with Shiva to attend. However, Shiva did not wish to go without an invitation and reluctantly agreed that Dakshayani go instead.

At the Yagna, a portion of the benefit of offerings is traditionally made in a highly respectful manner to Shiva; however, Daksha Prajapati again publicly slandered Shiva at this event. Dakshayani could not bear the abuse of Shiva, and immolated herself with the fire of Yagna. Shiva’s attendants, led by Virabhadra (the one with three eyes and a thousand arms) landed at the Yagna and destroyed everything. Sages like Bhrigu and Pusha were humiliated and most participants were slaughtered. Virabhadra beheaded Daksha and threw his head into fire.

Brahma pleaded and prayed to Shiva to intervene. In his infinite mercy, Shiva restored the Yagna; however, as Daksha’s head was already burnt and could not be restored, a goat’s head was planted on Daksha’s body and he was brought back to life by Shiva. Hereafter Daksha transformed and became a devotee of Lord Shiva.

The loss of Dakshayani caused Shiva severe grief, and he went into deep meditation for thousands of years. Shiva’s absence caused evil and demons to plague earth.

The purpose of Murugan’s birth is truly interesting because he was born to destroy evil and restore order. A damsel named Maya, from the clan of asuras. was very clever, cunning, and also knew many magical tricks. She once went to a great sage called Kashyapa and served him while he did his penance. The sage, out of gratitude, offered her a boon she wanted but Maya, being clever, tricked him and asked the sage to father her children.

Maya and the sage had three sons Surapadman, Simhamukhan, Tarakasuran and a daughter called Ajamukhi. Many other asuras were also born from the sweat of the three asuras. The asuras studied under their powerful guru Shukracharya who taught them many mantras while their mother taught them magical tricks. She also advised her sons to do intense penance to obtain Shiva’s blessings.

While Tarakasuran had a boon from Brahma, Surapadman did a rigorous penance that pleased Shiva and was granted a boon of life for 108 Yugas and to be a ruler of one thousand and eight kingdoms. Once Surapadman realized he was practically invincible, he and his brothers started to terrorize the devatas. They conquered Devaloka and made the devatas their servants. The devatas were petrified but nobody had the courage and strength to stand up against Surapadman and his army of asuras. The devatas knew that only the power of Shiva’s as-yet-unborn son could destroy Surapadman but were afraid to approach Shiva as Shiva was in deep penance after mourning the death of his first wide Shakti.

The devatas beseeched Brahma for a solution, to which he guided them. Following his direction, they then appealed to Mount Himalaya and his wife, Mena, who had a girl child called by various names such as Uma, Gouri and Parvati for a rescue. Parvati was a rebirth of Dakshayani. From the age of eight, she was taken by her father to a place where Shiva used to meditate. Parvati tried all possible means of praying to Shiva to win him as her husband; however, all her efforts were negated by Shiva.

The devatas then plotted and prayed to Kamadeva or Madana (the god who carries the bow and arrow of love, similar to Cupid) to intervene to make this union possible. Kamadeva intervened and showered his arrows on Shiva, and turned his hermitage into a beautiful garden with fragrant flowers. This disturbed Shiva’s meditation. When Shiva came out of his meditation, he was greeted with Parvati holding a garland and Kamadeva with his bow and arrow. Shiva was enraged and furious about the disruption, and fire came out from his third eye and burnt Kamadeva to ashes. He left the hermitage and Parvati was completely distraught. However, she did not give up, despite her parents forcing her to leave her dream of having Shiva as her husband.

Thereafter Parvati performed severe penance, so much so that she gave up drinking water and would not even eat a Parna (leaf). Hence, she came to be known as Aparna. Shiva was finally pleased with her penance, but he wanted to test Parvati in every possible way. He appeared to her in disguise and slandered Shiva. He would ask her, “What would such a young and beautiful girl like Parvati gain from marrying Shiva? Shiva is a wanderer, covered with ashes, wearing a garland of skulls and moving around with spirits and ghosts in cremation grounds and who could never keep her happy.” Parvati was angry with the criticism of Shiva and she asked this person to go away, saying there was no need for him to be talking nonsense about Shiva.

Shiva was finally pleased to reveal his true form to Parvati and agreed to a marriage. Shiva was married with pomp and ceremony to Parvati, and the married couple left for Mount Gandhamadana. Then, the couple was lost for thousands of years with Nandi (the bull on which Lord Shiva rides also represents virility and strength) guarding the doorway. With the continued absence of Shiva and Parvati, the devatas grew worried as they were expecting a child to be born who would kill the demon Tarakasuran.

Brahma, Vishnu and the devatas now plotted to spy on Shiva. They sent Agni (the god of fire) to find out what was happening. Agni contracted his body and tricked Nandi. He reached the inner confines of Shiva and Parvati’s chamber and was spotted spying by Shiva. Shiva was enraged and while incomplete in his union with Parvati, his third eye opened and six rays of fire leapt towards Agni. Only Agni could bear the heat of Shiva’s fire, though not for long, so he was forced to accept it. [As Skanda Purana has two significantly differing accounts of Murugan’s birth, the more commonly-accepted version is presented here]. The unbearable heat and strength of the rays from Shiva’s eyes were damaging to Agni. He prayed to Vishnu for deliverance, and Vishnu, in turn, advised him to pray to Shiva for mercy. Because of his pleading, Shiva asked Agni to use the intense blazing energy to relieve the cold from those who were suffering in winter. So Agni went to a lake and waited. At this lake the wives of the Saptarishis

(seven sages — the earliest sacred text Jaiminiya B rahmana lists the seven sages as Vashistha, Bharadwaja, Jamadagni, Gautama, Atri, Vishvamitra, and Agastya.) came for an early morning bath. As it was very cold, Agni offered them the warmth of the fire, which they gladly accepted, except for Arundhati (wife of Vashistha), who thought it to be improper. In offering the warmth of fire, Agni relieved himself of Shiva’s energy, as it had now entered the bodies of six wives of the rishis (‘seer’ to whom the Vedas were‘originally revealed’).

When the Saptarishis came to know about this, they cursed their wives to be born as stars. This paved the way for the wives to become krittikas (Pleiades). Before they became stars, however, they released the energy of Shiva on top of Mount Himalaya, and this scattered energy (Skanna) floated down the Ganges to a pond of reeds (shara) alongside the river.

From Skanna originates the name Skanda. In this pond of reeds (sharavana) was born a baby with six faces and twelve arms. This was Murugan. As he had six (shada) faces (anana), he was called Shadanana or Shanmukha. As he was born of the Ganges, he was named Gangeya. As he was born of the six krittikas (Pleiades), he was named Karthikeya by Sage Garga. Parvati felt in her heart that she had mothered a child, and Sage Narada brought the news of the birth of Murugan. Both Shiva and Parvati came to this pond, filled with joy, and Parvati lifted the six-faced child and pressed it to her bosom. At that precise moment, the six faces merged into a beautiful child. Murugan is thus said to be born of the bosoms of Parvati. Shiva took Murugan in his arms, and baby Murugan played with the snake around Shiva’s neck. The devatas were filled with joy at this event, as their savior was born.

In the second interpretation, which is similar to the one in Mahabharata, the birth of Murugan is from Agni and his wife Swaha. In this story, Agni is smitten by the beauty of the wives of Saptarishis, so his wife, Swaha, assumes the form of these wives and unites with Agni six times. Swaha then takes the energy generated during these unions and places them in a golden pit of reeds on six occasions. Swaha could not assume the form of Arundhati due to her devoutness and purity. Later, the boy Murugan is born in this golden pit of reeds on Mount Shweta.

Q: What are the highlights of the battle with Surapadman (Soorasamharam)?

A: After leading the celestial army to victory over the brothers (and many followers) of Surapadman, the chief of devatas and the chief of asuras meet for the final battle. It is said they travelled the three universes fighting each other for four days. Surapadman who learned many magical tricks from his mother Maya employed these illusions against his enemies. He awakened the dead asuras and also rode a magical chariot with the head of a lion. He also assumed various forms of birds and animals with the help of the mantras (sounds capable of creating transformation) that he had learned from his Guru Shukracharya. Shukracharya used the Sanjivani Vidya to bring back the dead asuras to life. But Murugan in his battle with Surapadman and Shukracharya’s tricks employed the special weapon given by his father for this very purpose—the Pashupatastra. With one swipe of the astra (weapon), Murugan sent all the awakened asuras back to the nether-land. He also used another weapon that brought the magical chariot of Surapadman to his own use. Surapadman then assumed the form of the huge bird Chaksavaham, but Murugan employed Indra as a peacock and cut the bird into two.

With the battle reaching its peak, and Surapadman deprived of his brothers, his army and his weapons, he cunningly assumed the form of a tree. Murugan threw his vel which split the tree into two. Thus Surapadman was cut into two and one half became Murugan’s vehicle, the peacock, and the other became a rooster, Murugan’s banner emblem.

Q: What is the significance of this story?

A: On the surface, the fight seems to be between good and evil but it has a deeper meaning. Surapadman and his brothers Simhamukhan and Tarakasuran were the sons of Maya. They represent the three gunas (characters or modes of Mother Nature) that one has to overcome to achieve union with the Supreme. They are Tamas, Rajas and Sattva gunas. The Jiva

(soul) is under the influence of these three gunas that prevent it from reaching the inner self (God). Murugan destroys these three to help an individual on its journey.

The mount of Murugan is the beautiful peacock which is the only bird that can reveal its joy by dancing. Murugan sitting on the peacock represents the conquest over glory and beauty of Maya. For a huge bird with slim legs, a peacock’s balance is perfect. It symbolizes the mental balance needed to attain contentment and happiness in life. The bird is perched on a snake, this represents that Murugan has control over serpents e.g., the malefic effects of the planet Rahu (son of Maya). Mental tranquility is important for gaining knowledge of life and the universe. The cock banner of Murugan has its own significance because it symbolizes the dawn of knowledge. A cock always proclaims the rising Sun early in the morning. This story shows that Murugan can liberate the soul from the clutches of illusion and free it from evil forces.