HINDUISM

Kanta Shasti Vratam - for a cleaner interior

P.R. Krishnan

Kanta Shasti vratam is observed once a year in the month of `Aippasi’ (October-November) starting from the `piratamai’ the 1st phase of the brightening moon. Of all Kanta temples it is the one in Tirunchendur in Tamil Nadu, India that draws the largest number of Kanta devotees.

All roads, at the time of the Vratam, seem to lead to Tirunchendur. Beside the temple by the sea there appears to be a sea of heads. The Kantan’s Tiruvilaiyaadal (divine sport) Soora Samharam is enacted during the sixth day of the festival.

This is a drama to grant a great boon to Curapatman by Kantan. Curapatman is given the honour of becoming Kantan’s vehicle mayil vahanam (peacock vehicle) and ceval kodi (the rooster on Kantan’s flag).

During the six days of Kanta Shasti, devotees, usually fast. They fast in many different forms: some devotees take only one meal a day and that single meal is the evening meal; to some that single meal consist of fruit and milk; others forego all solid foods, even abstain from taking medication take only a liquid diet; some even forego the liquid diet.

Of the above forms taking milk would defeat the purpose of clearing long stored fat. Not taking any liquids could be harmful, as many unwanted matters tend to remain in the body.

Six days

The ideal form of fast would be that during all six days and nights to abstain from all solid food and even medicine but take water, coconut water, strained orange juice and or such permissible liquids. These liquids help to flush out unwanted substances and to clean the body.

At the end of the six-day fast the body is indeed cleaner than it was before. The mind is cleansed by the pilgrimage, meditation, worship and other devotional activities. A pure mind in a pure body is a sublime combination and conducive to realizing the Divine. This is the reward and benefit of Kanta Shasti Vratam. During the period of Kanta Shasti Vratam many devotees recite Kanta Shasti Kavasam.

These are verses asking Kanta for protection. In verse after verse, numerous parts of the body are mentioned as requiring protection, but many more parts, and, it must be mentioned, vital parts are left unmentioned.

It has been said, “Ask, and it shall be given unto you”. God always grants you what you ardently desire, so it might be prudent to ask for protection and leave it at that, and Kanda will protect your whole self.

Moreover, in reciting Kanta Shasti Kavasam the devotees ask for the torture and destruction of kaala tootar. Such infliction or annihilation, if carried out according to your instructions and request, would detract from your current account of merit.

Did not some of your wishes, or rather curses, take such forms as:”Kattu kattu kataridak kattu (tie them up, tie them up even as they scream) Katti uruttu kaal kai muriya (having tied them up roll them about so that their legs and arms break) Kuththu kuththu koor vadi velal (prick them, prick them with your sharp and resplendent spear)In another instance by reciting the Kanta Shasti Kavasam you are asking for the diffusion of the “manaiyil putaitta vancanai”, evil crafts buried in the home compound. At times of distress, many are inclined to believe that evil forces have been set upon them by enemies.

Some fear that the cause of all the distress, disunion, misery they are experiencing are due to their enemies having evil crafts buried in home compounds. Surely such things cannot be lying buried in all home compounds of all those who recite the Kanta Shasti Kavasam.

In this instance as “Ask, and it shall be given unto you” God has to grant your wish. But how could He help to diffuse a buried evil craft when such a thing is not buried.

However He is obliged to grant your wish. Prerequisite to fulfill your wish is initially an enemy who will have to bury the evil crafts in the home compound. Only then the evil crafts could be diffused. Imagine the complications.

Tiruchendur - Sthala Puranam

One of the six places of worship dedicated to Lord Muruga, the shore temple of Arulmigu Subramanya Swami at Tiruchendur has a unique significance as the culmination of the concept of Muruga. With its lofty tower of about 140 feet, it has a holy past dating back to 2,000 years, if not earlier. References are available in such texts as Purananuru, Silappadikaram, Tirumurugatrupadai, Adi Sankarar Sri Subramanya Bhujangam, Kanda Puranam, Tiruppukazh, Tiruchendur Pillai Tamil, etc.

Soorapadma was a very powerful Asura who was causing immense hardships to Devas and mankind alike by his wicked deeds. The Devas appealed to Lord Shiva to spare them from the tortures of Soorapadma.

Lord Shiva generated six powerful sparks from His third eye called Netrikkan. Lord Vayu (god of air) and Lord Agni (god of fire) carried these sparks to river Ganges. Goddess Ganga carried them to Saravana Poygai, a holy pond. The sparks became six divine small male babies. By God’s grace, six divine water nymphs (the six Krittikas) nurtured these babies.

With the blessings of His divine parents, Lord Murugan came to Tiruchendur with His armed group. He immediately sent Veerabahu as an emissary to Soorapadma and asked him to release all the Devas imprisoned by him. But the Asura refused. So Lord Murugan had no option but to wage war against Soorapadma and his legions.

It lasted for ten days. Lord Murugan defeated Soorapadma and yet before his death he tearfully prayed for pardon. Moved as he was, Shanmuga showed his cosmic form and accepted to make use of his peacock form as his permanent vehicle, and the cock to adorn his banner. Since then, though dead, Surapadman has been serving the Lord thus, with devotion unparalleled and obedience inimitable.

According to tradition, after the final battle on the beach at Tiruchendur, Lord Murugan felt remorse for His role in slaughtering Surapadma’s demonic army. He therefore built a shrine nearby to His Father Lord Siva and worshipped Him there.

Technically, therefore, the temple is dedicated to Lord Siva. Yet the mulasthanam deity is Lord Senthil Andavar Himself standing in a majestic and relaxed pose facing east towards the sea, alone and without His consorts Valli and Devasena.

Adi Shankara

Sri Adi Shankara wrote powerful mantra Subramanya Bhujangam. When Adi Shankara visited the shore temple of Lord Subramanya at Thiruchendur, he fell into a trance and the entire stanzas flowed from him.

It is said that the Lord was so pleased with the mantras, words of devotion that came from Adi Shankara, that Lord Subramanya appeared, as stated in the mantra, in front of Adi Shankara. Devotees reciting this mantra will be rid of debts, sufferings and disease. Whoever recites this mantra will attain health, wealth, longevity, wisdom and heavenly abode.

Lord Murugan blesses everyone who worships Him. He extends Hissupreme grace to all those who pray before Him. He removes all the ills of people who come to Him. He never lets down His disciples. Worship Lord Murugan at Tiruchendur and seek His blessings. He never says NO to anyone. He will bless you with a peaceful life .Om Saravana Bhavaya Namaha.

Deepavali - Row of lights

Kalabhooshanam Chelvatamby Maniccavasagar

Hindu mythology is unique in the sense that every important episode in it has a lesson for us to learn. Deepavali or the Festival of lights is one such. It symbolises the destruction of the forces of darkness and evil and the re-enthronement of light or God in individual and collective hearts.

The festival of Diwali or Deepavali (row of lights) is of great spiritual importance.

It signifies the emergence of the soul from out of the darkness of Avidya to the light of vidya or awakening. The awaking of knowledge indicates light being brought into the lives of silently suffering people immensed in utter misery and gloom.

It is exactly to depict this truth that the Deepavali festival is celebrated with a row of lights in every Hindu house.

According to the Hindu calendar in the month of October-November bright and beautiful lamps and candles are lit in Hindu houses like a garland of lamps offered in dedication to the deities.

This shows the annihilation of sorrow of the people who were overpowered by the forces of darkness and later inspired with the hopes and inspiration for better times ahead. Deepavali is associated with the popular legend of Lord Krishna’s victory over Narakasuran who by the practice of austerities had gained strength to drive the Gods out of the celestial kingdom.

But Lord Krishna with his divine powers killed him and so saved mankind. In another instance Lord Krishna was designed to free the world from the degradation of the Demm King Hiranayaka who forbade the worship of Lord Vishnu and substituted the worship of himself. But his son Prahalad refused to give up his worship of Lord Vishnu. Hiranayaka was enraged and resolve to kill his son whereupon Lord Vishnu appeared in the form of Narasinha and tare Hiranayaka to pieces.

There is also a belief among some Hindus that this festival day marks the day of rejoicing when Lord Skanda triumphed over the evil regime of Suraparman.

Further, love and peace are the central theme of Deepavali.

Peace is a by-product of love. Hatred will never cease by halved, but will cease only by love alone. Indeed, we have the brilliant light of the Sun and the mellow light of the moon and stars, but in everybody’s heart and mind a different light burns - the light of knowledge and the warmth of human love and confession.

The clear beauty of purified wisdom which we carry in our hearts will undoubtedly strengthen ourselves for sacrifice, service and greatness and will dispel the gloom of poverty, superstition, darkness of ignorance and egoistic arrogance.

Indeed, this festival of light (Deepavali) will definitely illuminate the sullen hearts of many who are weighed down by the forces of darkness conflicts and contradictions, trials and tribulations. Further, it is also a festival of freedom, peace, unity and compassion crystallised in the last hymn on unity in the Indian spiritual text of Rig Veda: - “Let your aim be me and single and your heart be joined in me, the kind at rest in unism at peace with all, so you may be”.

Hindu Saints and the Bakthi Cult - 7

Women Saints - Mangaiyarkkarasi

V. T. Vijeyaratnam

Mangaiyarkkarasi meaning “Queen among women” was a Chola Princess married to a Pandya King. The main Tamil speaking areas in those days were ruled by two dynasties. The Chola and the Pandya dynasties. The Seras on the West coast separated and their kingdom is the Kerala State.

The queen of Madurai was Mangaiyarkkarasi. She was a princess of the Chola dynasty. Both the Pandya Kingdom and the Chola Kingdom united when the Chola princess married the Pandya king.

The Pandya ruler and all his subjects had forsaken their religion Saivaism and embraced Jainism. That did not stop the queen an ardent Siva devotee to practise Saivaism. The Chief Minister Kulachchiyrayar was also a devoted Saivaite. Between the two, they preserved Saivaism amidst the majority of Jains. The Cholas had been only Saivaites.

It is a historical fact that the great Rajaraja Cholan who built the Tanjore big temple was a patron of Saivaism and was responsible in not allowing other religious faiths to take root in the Chola country.

The Pandya queen however with the Minister fed the flame of Saivaism with the oil of devotion and they were quite independent in spite of being in a hostile nation.

It was at a time like this that the boy saint Thirugnanasambandar was touring the area singing the praise of God Siva. She thought of bringing back the Pandya King and the subjects to Saivaism with the help of this boy saint. The queen and the Minister sent a trusted party to meet him and invite him to Pandyanadu.

On hearing of the queen’s request Saint Thirugnanasambandar readily complied with her request to visit Madurai. After a long and tedious journey he reached Madurai. The queen sent the Minister to meet him and arrange a good place for his comfortable stay.

It was not proper for women to visit anyone alone. But the queen was quite free to go to temples. The young saint went to the local temple and worshipped God Siva and sought his guidance in the mission entrusted to him.

The queen too came to the temple and bowed at his feet and let his know her joy at his visit. But the queen had her doubts - whether this young boy could face a formidable force like the Jains who had the king and the kingdom in their grip.

The boy saint read her mind and sang a song calling her Mani (mother) wearing a variety of bangles, “Never fear O’Queen”. The Grace of the Lord residing at Thiralavai, I shall not be beaten by the Jains.

There then followed a debate between the Jains and Saint Sambandar. Due to the strength, conviction and constant prayer of Queen Mangaiyarkkarasi, Sambandar vanquished the Jains. The King was laid down with a severe illness. Both the Jains and Sambandar agreed to cure him. The King promised to follow the religion of the one who cured him.

The latter could not cure the king of a terrific ailment though they stroked one side of his body with peacock feathers. Sambandar on the other hand applied holy ash on the king’s body and sang the Thevarams praising the power of the holy ash of the Lord at Thirualavai. The king was completely cured. To the joy of the queen, Pandya king embraced Saivaism and his subjects followed suit.

Queen Mangalyarkkarasi, by her faith and patience and devotion to Lord Siva had brought back the Pandya clan to Saivaism.

She is therefore enumerated as a saint by Sekkilar. She was instrumental in bringing Saivaism back to Pandya Kingdom.

She is a perfect model of Tamil womanhood. She had political diplomacy, religious freedom and great dedication to Godliness. Apart from all these she was modest and a dutiful wife.

 

The Navarathri festival was celebrated at Kovils, Schools and houses. Poojas were held on all nine days, with the displaying of statues of deities (Kolu). Here a Kolu display at the Sri Bala Selva Vinayaga Moorthy Kovil Captain’s Garden, Maradana, Colombo 10. Pic. A. Maduraveeran

The inauguration ceremony of the International Hindu Religious Federation was held at Sri Gnanabairavar Devastanam premises De-Was Lane, Grandpass, Colombo 14 recently. Here Rev. P. Shanmugaratna Sarma Chief Priest, Sri Balaselva Vinayagar Moorthy Temple, Maradana, and Rev. Ravi Shankara Kurukkal of Gnanabairavar Devastanam lights the oil lamp. Secretary, R. Babu Sarma, Patron, Rev. S.R. Balakrishna Kurukkal and member Rev. Sivanesa Sarma are also in the picture. Pic. by A. Maduraveeran