Deivathin Kural Series - 135

Om Namah Sivaya.
Deivathin Kural # 135 of 13 Jan 2007.
1. To-day's title is 'Veda Neriyai Vazhvippavan', ie., 'The One who Maintains Veda Traditions', occuring in pages 603 to 608, in Volume 1 of Deivathin Kural, Tamil version, published by Vanady Padippagam, Chennai.
2. Skanda Maha Puranam is the biggest of the 18 Puranas. It has slokas numbering approximately 1 & 1/2 lacs. In the whole world, it is the biggest epic. In addition to Skandam, Valmiki's Ramayana and Kalidasa's Kumara Sambhavam, talk about Subrahmanya, in glowing tribute. Many of the old Kings of India, used to add 'Kumara' as a prefix or suffix, to their names, which over the years, got corrupted to, 'Kunwar' or 'Kanwar'. In many of the old gold coins, Kumara Swami is seen etched, seated on a Peacock. In North West Frontier Province, that is now in Pakisthan, The coins of Kushaner Dynasty have Kumaraswami's imprint. Many kingly families used to have, 'Brhmanya Kumara' as the Diety of their lineage. This was because, Kumara was revered as the Deva Senapathy or Military Leader of Devas.
3. In Tamil Nadu, the Pallava Kingdom had Kancheepuram as their Capital. The Kings of Pallavas have done great service to Vedas and Sanskrit. They were foremost devotees of Vishnu and Shiva. In the Stones around the Temples, they have inscribed much information for future generations. They are known as Sasanams. In them they have described themselves as, 'Parama Maheswaras / Bhagavathas and or Parama Brhmanyas. The last two words, 'Parama Brhmanyas', means that they took much pride in calling themselves, 'Subrhmanya Devotees'!
4. He is the God revered in the fore most portions of the Vedas. In Rig Veda Pancha Suthra, there is mention of, 'thagappan swami', or Daddy's Swami. In one of the Veda Suktha, while praising Siva, there is a mention of, 'the father who revers the Kumara'. There is mention of Kumara Swami as Skanda or Vishaka, in Santhokya Upanishad, Panini's Vyakarana, and Patanjali's Bhashyam to that (Vyakarana or Book of Grammer by Panini). In Bhodayana Dharma Suthra, there is mention of a Tharpanam to be done daily, in which Skanda and His Parivara, is included.
5. These things should be told to Tamilians and whosoever have love for that language. He is considered as the 'Adhishtana Deivam' for the Tamils. It is a Tamil pride to call Him as 'Muruga' with flowing love. He is the special beloved God of the Kurinji Land. The oldest of the old Tamil Literature, Tholkappiyam, says of Him, 'Seyon meya mai varai ulagamum'. The 'Aru Padai Veedugal', (ie., six battle locations), are located in Tamil Nadu. He is the creator of Tamil. He has been one of the 'Sanga Pulavar' or 'Bards of the Board'. He has given the Tamil Grammer to Agasthyar. In the First Sanga Kalam, Nakkirar has sung the devotional Thirumurugarruppadai, in praise of Muruga. Many thousands have attained 'Nirvana', by reading that. (We in the Matam had got this book printed specially, on a Visakam Star in the month of Vaikasi, with Vinayagar Agaval and distributed it to devotees. To those devotees who were ready to read it and get it by-heart, by the next Vinayaka Chathurthi!) To take a 'Kavadi' full of 'Pooja Dravyani', such as, Vibhuthi, Kumkumam, Sandal Paste, Camphor, Agarbathis, coconut, plantain etc and carry it on ones shoulders, to the Murugan Temple, with fanfare, walking the distance from the village to the Temple on bare feet, at the end of a period of abnegation and sacrifice, as a 'Vratham', is a typical Tamil tradition, which is still in vogue. Kruttika vratham and shashti upavasam, are Tamil Nadu specials.
6. By all this, we emphasise the point that Murugan is 'Tamizhth Deivam'. Now-a-days, there are people who have a special taste in maintaining that, the Tamil Religion is different and Vaidik Religion is something else! This is a mischief created by the Britishers, while in power in India, to create disunity in people's minds, in the name of Research and Analysis and further nourished and re-invoked now-a-days, by some vested interests. My opinion is that, Veda Dharmam has always been Tamizh Dharmam! But I am not belabouring on that issue either. I am only saying that, if you consider Kumaraswami as a God and call Him Tamizh Deivam, it does not mean that He was not known or accepted inside and or outside Tamil Nadu; nor that He was a later day invention. When we consider the fact that, He was revered during the periods of Rig Veda, Ramayana, Puranas, Gupta Dynasty, Pallava Dynasty; and has the six important Temples, in Thirupparang Kunram and Pazhamudir Solai, (both near Madurai; Thiruchendur, Swami Malai(Thiruveragam), Thiruvavinankudi(Pazhani), and Thiruththani; you will agree that, though an all India God for all times; He is seen especially as Tamizh Deivam in this part of the country.
7. 'Su Brhmanyar' is the Swami, specially meant for the expansion of 'Brhmanyam' or Vaidik behaviour. The very name is indicative of the purpose of His creation. The important part Veda, is Velvi or Yagam. For velvi, the most important thing is the fire or Agni. Out of all forms of God, Subrahmanyar is the form of fire. He is directly connected to the Five elements of, Fire, Air, Space, Water and Earth. He came as six sparks of Fire, from the Space of Siva. He was carried by Air and Agni, to the Water of Saravana Poigai. There He became Shanmuga. Then He took up residence in all high raise hillocks of the Earth! Though He is Brhmam and directly related or connected to all the five elements thus, He is intensely of the Agni swaroopa. Amara Kosam, while listing His names, says:-
"Senanee : Agni : Bhu Guha :",
meaning, soldier, fire born and Guha. He is the deity in the cave of everyone's heart, as Guha. He is the Deva Senapathy. He is Fire born and the form of Fire itself. Automatically, He is sustainer and protector of the Fire and Yaga of Vedas! Whenever, the Vaidik Dharma had deteriorated or was threatened, He has come down amongst us as Avatara Purusha. In Tamil Nadu, He took birth as Thiru Gnana Sambandar. In the North, He came as Kumarila Bhatta.
8. Lord Subrahmanya, took Avatara as Thirugnana Sambandar, in Tamil Nadu. The Saiva Siddhanthis consider it an Insult to think of Siva or Muruga, to take birth as an Avatara. The word Avatara itself means a 'come down!' In addition, they hold the view that, 'garba vasam' or stay of nine months in the uterus, unacceptable. They say, "Only Vishnu takes Avatara. Our Sivaperuman is a 'pirava yakkai'." But for Adwaitins, all Gods are one. They not only consider that it is no insult to Gods to come down to the Earth as Avatara, but they will tell the objectionist, that he is also the same Brhmam only! - 'neeyum brhmam dan appa!'. To protect the erring humanity, the sinless God, comes amongst them as one of them, out of His infinite grace and love. To say so or to think so, is adding to His Glory and is not an insult, I feel. There can be no greater devotee of Muruga than Arunagiri Nathar. He tells Muruga, in Thruppugazh, 'urai pugaliyooril anru varuvone'. Pugaliyoor is Seerkazhi. Thiru Gnana Sambanda Moorthy came down amongst us in Seerkazhi.
9. Why was the Avatara necessitated? Sekkizhar answers this question by saying, "Veda neri thazhaiththonga", meaning, 'so as to revive Vedik Dharma'. Gnana Sambandar defeated the Samana scholors in arguments and re-established the Brhmanyam. In the Thevaram, considered to be 'Tamil Veda', he claims himself to be, 'Nan marai Gnana Sambandan'. 'Nan Marai', means the four vedas. 'To sustain, redeem, replenish, rehabilitate, refurbish, re-enable, and reinforce, the Vedas and Vaidik activities of Yagas, has always been the Deva Senapathy's duties!', says, Nakkirar in Thiru Murugarruppadai.
10. The oldest of Tamil literature, is Pathuppattu or 'the ten songs'. This Thiru Murugarruppadai, is the first amongst those ten. It describes how, starting from the Kuravas or Gypsies, all castes and creeds, revered Subrahmanya. In it, Nakkirar describes as to how, each of the six faces of 'Aaru Mugan', had their special jobs. He says:-
"...................................................oru mugam
mandira vidiyin marabuli vazha adhu
andanar velvi orkkum me." He means thereby, that the task of one of the face was to, superwise, enjoy and protect, conduct of Yagas and Yagnas, as per the rules of such functions, without any errors or deficiencies in the chanting of Mantras.
Sambhomahadeva.