Ancient slokas like the Vishnu Sahasranama refers to Lord Skanda.
‘Skandas Skandataro Guhano Vaayuvaahana:’
The mantra of Lord Gannesha refers to Ganesha as he elder brother of Muruga.
‘Skanda Poorvaja:
The worship of Skanda was considered as important and Adi Shankaracharya, while classifying the Vedic Gods and Worship into the Systems, Shanmathas,calls the worship of Muruga as Kaumaram.
The etymology is very interesting.
Kaumara means of Youth, from Kumara.
Here Kumara indicates the son, the son of the One who is eternal and Unborn, that is Shiva,
The word indicates that Kumara is young and never ages.
Beauty is associated with Youth.
Therefore the name Murugan in Tamil .
Murugan means ‘exquisite Beauty’.
It is possible that while denoting the Skanda The Tamils took into consideration of the word Kumara and had it traslated as Beauty, ‘Murugan’
Another fact is that, after Viswamitras sons were banished by Viswamitra to Dravida,which the earlier Santana Dharma considered, wrongly as
undeveloped,they found the Tamil Culture to be more developed if not on par with Sanatana Dharma in terms of Culture.
The Tamils had, designated Gods for each land mass, Muruga being assigned the land mass of Hilly Terrain(Kurinji).
This finds a reference in the early Tamil work Tholkappiyam and Agathiyam, about 5000 years old.
The word to designate Muruga was ‘Seyon;, The Son, a clear allusion to being the son of Shiva.
The word Muruga was a later attribute to this Seyon.
Hence the worship of Skanda, Muruga is as old as the Sanatana Dharma and Tamil Literature.
Tamils language is represented as the personification of Muruga.
The Moola mantra of Muruga , Sarvabhava’ is Shadakshra, six letters , half of Visnhu’s Dwadasa nama, Om Namo Bhagavathe Vasudevaya’ and one letter
more than the Panchakshara od Shiva, Namasivaya.
Hence the Mantra is a combination of protection and Knowledge.
At the Cosmic level, the Mantra and Yantra represent the Cyclic theory of time, enunciated in Hinduism.
This is proved by the Indus Scripts and Signs.
The six pointed hexagram stands for the six faced God Murukan and it expresses the structure of the ritual space in geometrical terms and regulates the yearly chronometry inherent in temple festivals.
The hexagram with the mantram “om saravanabava” inscribed in it serves as a yantram of the deity Murukan and when the mantram is recited, the yantram as a finite hologram of the infinite embodies the primordial sacrifice of prajapati who re-enacts the cosmic order to bring harmony into the world.
The God Murukan of six faces with twelve eyes, twelve arms regulates the sacred architecture with spiritual art and mythic imagery. The cock, which decorates the ceremonial flag of the deity Murukan also refers to the sun. The cock signals the sunrise with its “Kozhi Koovuthal” which refers to an auspicious beginning in the daily religious life of the Tamils of southern India.
The Six Pointed Hexagram: The Symbol of God Muruga.
This contains the ‘Va’, Vashatkaara of Viishnu, ‘Viswam Visnur vashat Kaaaro’ Vishnu Sahasranama.
‘Sa’ the Universal Brahman Attribute, Hamsa Soham.
‘Ba’ of Bhairava.
The symbolization of the six-pointed hexagram is a zodiacal representation with the astronomical intent (K.V.Ramakrishna Rao, 2002). The concept of the hexagon is linked to a circle and the circle is a polygon with infinite sides. Geometrically the six faces of Murukan parallels the hexagon and the geometry is related to arithmetic and numbers. All these concepts are related to the theory of squaring a circle and circling the square and may compose many mathematical functions and operations. The number six expresses the fullness of the cosmos. The six directions; North, South, East, West, up, and down are considered to be surrounded by the God’s six faces. 4.1
All the festivals that are celebrated for the God Murukan fall on full moon or new moon coinciding with the respective stars. This way the common people are made aware to keep in mind the importance of nakshatras, weekdays, fortnight, month, six months, year etc. in a systematic way by observing the festivities for Murukan from ancient times. The astronomical interpretation of this deity has a powerful association with Indian Tantras, Yantras, Mantras and the five elements (Ether, Wind, Fire, Water, Earth) and God Murukan permeates the sixth, the whole thus the six faces of the deity are represented. 4.2
The mantram “om saravanabava” is geometrically expressed in the hexagonal structure and is very important in the sacred temple rituals prepared for Murukan. The hexagram symbolizes the six pilgrimage centers of Murukan and the purpose of the pilgrimages to these temples work at several levels (Fred W. Clothey, 1983). 4.3
The Egoscape (The inward pilgrimage of an individual)
The Socioscape (The communal association & transformation of an individual)
The Ecoscape (The hills, the terrains, the rivers, the routes and the geographical association of the pilgrimage)
The Metascape (The metaphysical realization of an individual)
Sign No: 342, The Sky, read as ‘VAN’.. Sign No: 8, The Lord of space and time, read as “MU”.
The difference between Buddhism and Santana Dharma(Vedic Hinduism) is so great that Buddhism is regarded as Nastika System since Buddhism does not accept the authority of the Vedas as a Pramana, source of Knowledge .
However excepting this point and Sunya Vada,many similar and in some areas identical views concurring with the Vedas are found in the Buddhism.
And Buddhism is profoundly influenced by Hindu Purana.
Wei Tuo Pú-sà (bodhisattva Skanda)is recognized as one of the eight divine protectors in Chinese Buddhism. Iconographically, he appears as a majestic general in his armor.
Before entering Nirvana, Buddha ordered the general, who remained in this world, to protect the Buddha Dharma. After the death of Buddha, the relics were robbed by evil demons. The bodhisattva Wei Tuo managed to overcome the demons and recovered the relics of Buddha.
Wei Tuo Pú Sà is regarded as a devoted guardian of Buddhist monasteries who guards faithfully the Buddhist treasures and the objects of the Dharma.
Baima (White Horse Monastery in Luoyang, Henan province) is the earliest monastery established in China with a long history of more than 1,000 years. According to legend a white horse carried Buddhist scripture here, and so it got the name.
Followers of Buddhism have always acknowledged Baima Monastery as their ‘ancestral temple’ and the ‘source of Buddhism’ in China. Two life-sized statues of Wei Tuo Pú sà (Bodhisattva Skanda, at left) are also among the deities represented at Baima Monastery.
Skanda is referred to in the Vedas and the Mahabharata.
Subrahmanya, Skanda.Skanda As BodhiSathva.
Popular conception is that Skanda is another name for Muruga or Subrahmanya.
However Mahabharata says Skanda is the son of Agni,possibly because Agni carried the Tejas of Shiva before he let if off in Saravana Poigai;the Tejas
became Skanda, Muruga,Subrahmanya.
However the narration in Mahabharata is different.
Skanda Upanishad , one of the 108 Upanishads,deals with Shiva Vishnu Identity.
It exhorts that Both Shiva and Vishnu are the same.
The text is devised as being addressed by Skanda.
One may find in the beginning of the Upanishad ‘He is confused’ etc.
Subrahmanya,the best of Brahmins is definitely not confused.
As a Self Enuiry, the Text is narrated.
We have Somaskanda which is not to be confused with Skanda.
It is a form of Siva worshiped by Vishnu.
Skanda is worshiped as A Deity in Chinese Buddhism as Bodhisattva.
‘
Another Story of Skanda’s Birth. Skanda not Muruga?
The Purānas relate many a stories of the birth of Kārtikeya or Skanda, the younger son of Rudra-Shankara and Umā-Pārvati, brother of Ganapati. In the Āranyaka Parva of Mahābhārata, Ŗshi Mārkandeya tells the forest-dwellingPāndavas, the story of the birth of Skanda. The most intriguing part of this story is that the father of Skanda is Agninamed as Adbhut(Fantastic) and Skanda is born in a weird manner and in the course of deception. The story goes like this:
‘In a yadnya performed by the seven great Sages,Indraand other Gods were present for Soma drinking. AnAgni called ‘Adbhut’, (which literally means ‘fantastic’) from the heavens arrived there without uttering a word. While returning from the yadnya, after giving the offering to the respective Gods; Adbhut eyed the wives of the Seven Sages. This made Adbhut extremely passionate and he developed a carnal desire for the seven ladies. Thinking that he will not be able to see them if he goes back to the heavens, he entered the ‘GārhapatyaAgni’, which is the Agni of the house. He could watch the ladies closely by staying there. In spite of his lust he was unable to woo the chaste matrons. In frustration, he went to the forest.
The daughter of Daksha was amorously attracted to Adbhut. She decided to impersonate the wives of the sages and have intercourse with Adbhut. First she impersonated ‘Shivā’, the wife of sage Angirā, and went to the forest. She told Adbhut that she had a discussion with her other six friends, the wives of the sages, who were all enamoured with him. Then she had intercourse with Adbhut. In order to keep her secret, she transformed herself into a female eagle and went to Mount Shaila on ‘Shwetaparvata’ and poured the sperm of Adbhut in a golden tank. She repeated this act six times (in one day?) by impersonating the wives of the sages one by one. However, she failed to impersonate Arundhati, the wife of sage Vasishtha.
From the sperm of Adbhut, ejaculated six times, a strange child with six heads, twelve eyes-ears and arms, but a single throat and abdomen was born. The ejaculation of the sperm took place on Day I (a day of new moon), the infant appeared on Day II, he showed himself as a child on Day III and on Day IV, he was in his full glory. At that time he resembled the Sun engulfed in a red cloud. He picked up the bow of Shankara and uttered a terrifying roar. The entire world almost fainted by his roar. The two elephants, ‘Chitra’ and ‘Airāvata’ who rushed to the scene upon hearing his roar, were picked like toys by him. At this time the child looked like the Sun.
The child, Skanda, stood on the Mount Mahāshwetā and started gazing in all directions with his six pairs of eyes. Then he started shooting arrows with his bow. The son of Himālaya, the mountain Krauncha, fell down with a great shriek as he was mutilated by the arrows. Other mountains also started shrieking. When a mountain top of Shwetagiri was cut off by one of the arrows; that frightened mountain flew away with other mountains from that region. This caused a lot of distress to the earth and it was torn on all sides. All this happened on Day V. Since then, on Day V of every month, people started worship of Skanda.
After the birth of Skanda, fearsome disasters of different kinds started occurring. The natures of men and women changed. The duality of heat and cold also changed. The sky and the planets looked as if on fire. The earth too started roaring loudly.’
In this story, the parenthood of Skanda has been given to a celestial Agni (Fire) called Adbhut and Swāhā, who represents through impersonation, the six wives of six sages. At the time of offering havi in Agni, the word ‘Swāhā’ is chanted. So this union of Agni and Swāhā has been depicted as the cause of Skanda’s birth.
The sage Mārkandeya narrates this story in the Mahābhārata. He describes the efforts made by the wives of the sages to prove their innocence. Of their husbands, only Vishwāmitra accepts their innocence and surrenders toSkanda. After noting these details the story turns to Indra.
‘On hearing of Skanda’s birth, his power and valour; all the Gods rushed to Indra and said, ‘O King of Gods, this power of Skanda has become unbearable. Destroy him quickly without any delay. O Mighty Indra, if you do not destroy him now; he will become the King of Gods by overpowering all of us and even you.’ ThenIndra said to all the Gods, ‘O Gods, this child is extremely powerful. He can even beat Brahmā the Creator in battle. Hence, I do not have the courage to fight him.’
On hearing this, the Gods said, ‘You are uttering such words because you do not have any power and valour left in you.’
Seeing that Indra has backed out, the Gods sent Matŗkas (Mother Goddesses) to destroy Skanda. But on seeing Skanda’s power and glory, the Mātŗkās started lactating. They wished that Skanda should suck milk from their breasts and Skanda fulfilled their wish. Thus, these Mātŗkās became the mothers of Skanda and stood with him for his defense. From the ire of these Mātŗkās a woman was created, holding a Trident in her hand. Her food was blood and she was cruel like the Red Sea. Goat-headed Agni as described in the Vedas stood alongside her to defend Skanda.’
Battle between Skanda and Indra
Now Indra himself attacked Skanda and his celestial army. Mahābhārata describes, ‘the celestial army of Skandaincluded Mātŗkās, Ŗshis, Grahas, fire-spitting ‘Pārshadas’ and other fierce-looking heavenly individuals. All of them surrounded Skanda in his defense.
Indra, surrounded by Gods, was proceeding with great speed with his Vajra in his hand; intending to destroy Skanda.’
The story further describes the two opposing forces and their battle cries in a poetic manner. Then the story continues as follows, ‘Skanda, the son of Agni, beheld the Gods come together with the intent to destroy him and was furious. He started spitting fire and burning the celestial army of Indra. The Gods then deserted Indra and surrendered to Skanda. After the Gods deserted Indra, he hurled his Vajra on Skanda. The Vajra woundedSkanda on his right hip and a part of it was broken. From that broken part another warrior emerged. This warrior was known as Vishākha. Indra was terrified on seeing another warrior resplendent like an infernalAgni (Fire). He surrendered to Skanda with folded hands. Then Skanda granted amnesty to Indra along with his forces. All the Gods were pleased by this and started playing musical instruments.’
The story further describes the male and female evil ‘Grahas’, formed out of Skanda’s body and concludes, ‘In this manner, on Day V several ‘Pārshadas’ having different shapes were formed. On Day VI, there was a great battle.’
The first half of this story ends with the surrender of Indra in his battle with the newly born Skanda. This story is a great challenge for someone trying to interpret Vedic literature. In this story Rudra-Mahādeva and Umā-Pārvati are nowhere mentioned as the parents of Skanda. Even their existence goes unnoticed except one mention of Skanda picking the bow of Shankara in his hand.
Skanda was born of a celestial Agni named Adbhut on Day I. He grew rapidly till Day IV. On Day V, fierce and fire-spitting ‘Pārshadas’ were formed and on Day VI there was a great battle between Skanda and Indra. This battle was fierce and although Indra lost, Skanda too was broken into two pieces by Indra’s Vajra. One piece continued to be called Skanda and the other was named as Vishākha. The destruction in the battle is related to mountains and rocks. The only human factor is Swāhā and that too because she impersonated the wives of the Sages.
One can either ignore this story as a figment of imagination or accept it as a metaphoric representation of some astronomical event. Before going further, we would like to narrate and comment on the second half of this story fromMahābhārata.
A part of the second half deals with the description of the reconciliation between Indra and Skanda, Skanda’s appointment as the General of the celestial army of Gods, his marriage with the daughter of Indra, acceptance ofSkanda as their son by the couple Shankara–Pārvati, and the destruction of Mahishāsura by Skanda as a representative of Gods. It can be taken as an attempt to reconcile an ancient legend with the prevalent and accepted ideas. However, the references to some astronomical events and concepts of deities from this story have an important bearing on the hypothesis propounded in this book.
Om ! May He protect us both together; may He nourish us both together; May we work conjointly with great energy, May our study be vigorous and effective; May we not mutually dispute (or may we not hate any).
Om ! Let there be Peace in me ! Let there be Peace in my environment ! Let there be Peace in the forces that act on me !
1-5. (Skanda says): Great god ! Owing to an iota of your compassion I am the lapseless being (not lapsing from the identity). I am a mass of knowledge ! I am also the Good – what more (can I need) ?
Owing to the waxing of the Internal organ, what is not spiritual appears as such; by its warning, this is nothing but pure knowledge or Hari.
I am knowledge alone, unborn – what more ? All that is other (than) It is inert and perishes like a dream.
He who discerns the consciousness as distinct from the inert is the unswerving mass of knowledge. Only he is Shiva, Hari, luminary of luminaries, the supreme god, the Brahman – I am that Brahman surely.
6-7. Jiva is Shiva and Shiva is Jiva; when bound by husk it is paddy, unbound of is rice. Thus the bound one is Jiva, released from karma he is eternal Shiva. Bound by ropes, he is Jiva, unbound, Shiva.
8-9. (I bow) to Shiva of the form of Vishnu and Vishnu who is Shiva; Vishnu is Shiva’s heart and Shiva, Vishnu’s. Just as Vishnu is full of Shiva, so is Shiva full of Vishnu. As I see no difference, I am well all my life.
10-15. The body is said to be the temple, the deity Shiva is Jiva; one should throw away the flowers after worship and worship with the sense of identity. Perception of non-difference is knowledge, meditation the objectless mind. The bath is removal of mental impurity; cleanliness is control of the senses. One should drink the nectar of Brahma, take alms for sustenance, live by oneself devoid of duality. Such a person of wisdom will get liberation.
I bow to the supreme, sacred seat of power, to secure well-being and long life. They know themselves to be Brahman, Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva, beyond thought, unmanifest, endless, undecaying, by your grace, Nrisimha.
That high place of Vishnu the wise ones always behold like an eye extended in heaven. The sages, praising and awake exalt that supreme status of Vishnu.
This is the doctrine of liberation according to the Vedas.
Om ! May He protect us both together; may He nourish us both together; May we work conjointly with great energy, May our study be vigorous and effective; May we not mutually dispute (or may we not hate any).
Om ! Let there be Peace in me ! Let there be Peace in my environment ! Let there be Peace in the forces that act on me !
Here ends the Skandopanishad belonging to the Krishna-Yajur-Veda.
Translated by Dr. A. G. Krishna Warrier
Published by The Theosophical Publishing House, Chennai.
Text of Skanda Upanishad.
yatraasaMbhavataa.n yaati svaatiriktabhidaatatiH . .
sa.nvinmaatraM paraM brahma tatsvamaatra.n vijR^imbhate ..
AUM saha naavavatu . saha nau bhunaktu . saha viirya.n karavaavahai .
tejasvi naavadhiitamastu maa vidvishhaavahai ..
AUM shaantiH shaantiH shaantiH ..
achyuto.asmi mahaadeva tava kaaruNyaleshataH .
vij~naanaghana evaasmi shivo.asmi kimataH param.h .. 1..
na nija.n nijavadbhaati antaHkaraNajR^imbhaNaat.h .
antaHkaraNanaashena sa.nvinmaatrasthito hariH .. 2..
sa.nvinmaatrasthitashchaahamajo.asmi kimataH param.h .
vyatirikta.n jaDa.n sarva.n svapnavachcha vinashyati .. 3..
chijjaDaanaa.n tu yo drashhTaa so.achyuto j~naanavigrahaH .
sa eva hi mahaadevaH sa eva hi mahaahariH .. 4..
sa eva hi jyotishhaa.n jyotiH sa eva parameshvaraH .
sa eva hi paraM brahma tadbrahmaaha.n na sa.nshayaH .. 5..
jiivaH shivaH shivo jiivaH sa jiivaH kevalaH shivaH .
tushheNa baddho vriihiH syaattushhaabhaavena taNDulaH .. 6..
evaM baddhastathaa jiivaH karmanaashe sadaashivaH .
paashabaddhastathaa jiivaH paashamuktaH sadaashivaH .. 7..
shivaaya vishhNuruupaaya shivaruupaaya vishhNave .
shivasya hR^idaya.n vishhNuH vishhNoshcha hR^idaya.n shivaH .. 8..
yathaa shivamayo vishhNureva.n vishhNumayaH shivaH .
yathaantara.n na pashyaami tathaa me svastiraayushhi .. 9..
yathaantara.n na bhedaaH syuH shivakeshavayostathaa .
deho devaalayaH proktaH sa jiivaH kevalaH shivaH .. 10..
tyajedaj~naananirmaalya.n so.ahaMbhaavena puujayet.h .
abhedadarshana.n j~naana.n dhyaana.n nirvishhayaM manaH .
snaanaM manomalatyaagaH shauchamindriyanigrahaH .. 11..
brahmaamR^itaM pibedbhaikshyamaachareddeharakshaNe .
vasedekaantiko bhuutvaa chaikaante dvaitavarjite .
ityevamaachareddhiimaansa evaM muktimaapnuyaat.h .. 12..
shriiparamadhaamne svasti chiraayushhyonnama iti .
viri~nchinaaraayaNasha~Nkaraatmaka.n nR^isi.nha devesha tava
prasaadataH .
achintyamavyaktamanantamavyaya.n vedaatmakaM brahma nija.n vijaanate.. 13..
tadvishhNoH paramaM pada.n sadaa pashyanti suurayaH .
diviiva chakshuraatatam.h .. 14..
tadvipraaso vipanyavo jaagR^ivaa.nsaH samindhate . vishhNoryatparamaM padam.h .
ityetannirvaaNaanushaasanamiti vedaanushaasanamiti
vedaanushaasanamityupanishhat.h .. 15..
.. iti kR^ishhNayajurvediiya skandopanishhatsamaaptaa
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