Skanda Shashthi

September 2, 2006

Skanda Shashthi

Celebrated on the sixth day in the bright half of Kartik, Skanda

Shashthi commemorates the birth of Skanda, the son of Shiva and Parvati

and was born to annihilate the evil demon Tarika. Skanda is also known

as Karttikeya, Subrahamanya and Murugan. People keep a day long fast on

this occasion.

Skanda had six heads and was nursed by six foster mothers. The festival

is specially important in South India, because Skanda is one of the most

important deities in the south. The numerous temple dedicated to this

God in the southern part of the country celebrate the day with

tremendous enthusiasm and devotion.

A fast is observed on this day because it is believed to help overcome

all difficulties. Observing this fast is also believed to bless one with

a son. It is therefore very popular with women, who also pray for the

safe delivery of their child. Women however restrict their prayers to

home as they are not allowed to enter Skanda temples. People also ask

favours on this day, and give special thanks if their favour is

fulfilled.

Myth I

According to Shiva Purana a demon called Tarika had obtained a boon from

Brahma that no one but the son of Shiva would be able to slay him. At

the time, Shiva was an ascetic in deep meditation and would not even

look at a woman. Tarika thought himself to be invincible and therefore

terrorised heaven and earth. When his atrocities went past the limit and

the world was in danger of annihilation, God's desperately tried to

break Shiva's meditation.

Kama, the God of love and his wife Rati were called upon to perform

their passion and play to help break the penance. This would enable

Shiva to notice Parvati, a beautiful young girl, who was in love with

him and came to pray to him everyday with the hope that he would accept

her as his wife someday. Therefore, as planned, when Parvati came to

pray to Shiva, Kama shot his arrow of love to the God.

This disturbed Shiva's concentration and he opened his eyes. His

eyes fell on Parvati and because of the arrow he immediately fell in

love with her and married her. His love play with her however, went on

for a thousand years without the marriage being consummated. The Gods,

however, were waiting for Shiva to consummate the marriage and produce a

son. They decided to force Shiva to end the love play. Agni used his

heat to make the atmosphere unbearably hot.

To check on this, Shiva came out of his nuptial chamber. Since his seed

had already been produced, however, it could not be wasted. He let it

drop in a heap which Agni was asked to swallow. The intensity of

Shiva's semen was so great that even Agni was unable to retain it.

He let it fall into river Ganga, who inturn washed it onto her banks.

Here, from the semen, arose a beautiful boy with six heads. He was

beautiful as the son a and as bright as the sun.

The Gods delivered this child to the six Krittikas for his upbringing.

>From them, he was named Kartikeya. After he became a young man,

Kartikeya was made the God of wars and commander of the celestial

armies. He grew up to kill Tarika.

Best wishes

Shiva

September 6, 2006

Om Namah Sivaya

Thank you for the article.I would like to pinpoint some mistakes in the article. First of all it is NOT TRUE that women are not allowed to enter Skanda Temples, I have been to many Skanda temples in Sri Lanka and South India and certinly women are not barred from these temples. The temple I regularly attend is a Skanda Temple here in London (the largest Hindu Temple) and women always come.

I myself was born on the day after Skanda Shashthi when devotees break their fast just after six days of strict fasting (most devotees just eat some fruits, drink milk and water during nights only!) , my mother was also fasting for my safe delivery into this world. Siva Bhaktas who perform Kundalini yoga (the best yoga) will benefit tremendously by this fasting because Lord Skanda is the Master (God) of Kundalini yoga. I have directectly benefit from it.

Lord Subrahmanya (Skanda) is an Avatara of Lord Siva. All incarnations are manifestations of the One Supreme Lord Siva but Lord Subrahmanya is very especial power (super power). Lord Subramanya was not born of a mother's womb so He does not have a birth or death in human sense, we are told that Tejas burst forth from the Ajna Chakra of Lord Siva, which assumed the form of Lord Skanda. Thus He is the Jnana Jyoti.

Skanda is mentioned in the Rig Vedas as the overwhelming power in the cosmic order. In the Surya Namaskara Sthotra, the lines `Subramanioham, Subramanioham' describes Him as the source of all Vedas. Lord Krishna describes Him in the Gita as the great warrior (Senanim Aham Skanda). Skanda's glories are given in detail in Vishnu Sahasranama. In Subramanya Bhujangam, Sri Adi Sankara Says: "My eyes should feast on your elegance and beauty, my ears should hear young songs, my tongue should utter your glory and my hands and heart should continuously engage in you service."

Various legends about Lord Skanada's orgin are mentioned in Siva Purana, Vishnu Purana, Vaya Purana, Matsya Purana, Padma Purana, Brahma Purana, Bramanda Purana, Linga Purana, Bhagavata Purana but unfortunately there are all flawed.

The Skanda Maha Purana deals with the Avatara and Lilas of Lord Skanda, however most verses sings the glory of Lord Siva. The Skanada Maha Purana is the first and the best Purana composed by Sri Vyasa Bhagavan, in total he composed 18 Puranas totalling nearly 400 000 verses and Skanda Maha Purana itself contains nearly

100 000 verses, only highly matured souls can undestand the greatness of this Purana, Ramana Maharishi had a very high regard for this Purana, this purana mainly deals with Knowledge portion of the vedas.

Two Skanda Puranas are available—one divided into Khandas, and the other divided into Samhitas. The former gives only a brief account of Lord Skanda’s Avatara and the destruction of Tarakasura at His hands. The latter, however, contains a detailed account of the divine advent and the glorious deeds of Lord Skanda—the need for the Lord’s advent, His auspicious Avatara, His Bala Lilas, the commanding of the Deva army against the Asuras and their destruction, His marriage with Valli ( Iccha Sakti )and Deivayanai (Kriya Sakti ), etc. There is a work called Kanda Puranam in Tamil, composed by Saint Kachiyappa Sivachariar, in verses, based on the Samhita-divided Skanda Purana and under the orders of Lord Skanda Who also gave the first line for the work. Since Kanda Puranam composed by Saint Kachiyappa Sivachariar was checked and approved by the great Lord Skanda Himself, it is absolutely authoritive.

Kanda Puranam (with pictures) can be read in English briefly using the following link.

http://www.murugan.org/gallery/kanda_puranam/html/kp_00front.htm

Sivaya Namah

lordshivabhakta <no_reply> wrote:

Skanda Shashthi

Celebrated on the sixth day in the bright half of Kartik, Skanda Shashthi commemorates the birth of Skanda, the son of Shiva and Parvati and was born to annihilate the evil demon Tarika. Skanda is also known as Karttikeya, Subrahamanya and Murugan. People keep a day long fast on this occasion.

Skanda had six heads and was nursed by six foster mothers. The festival is specially important in South India, because Skanda is one of the most important deities in the south. The numerous temple dedicated to this God in the southern part of the country celebrate the day with tremendous enthusiasm and devotion.

A fast is observed on this day because it is believed to help overcome all difficulties. Observing this fast is also believed to bless one with a son. It is therefore very popular with women, who also pray for the safe delivery of their child. Women however restrict their prayers to home as they are not allowed to enter Skanda temples. People also ask favours on this day, and give special thanks if their favour is fulfilled.

Myth I

According to Shiva Purana a demon called Tarika had obtained a boon from Brahma that no one but the son of Shiva would be able to slay him. At the time, Shiva was an ascetic in deep meditation and would not even look at a woman. Tarika thought himself to be invincible and therefore terrorised heaven and earth. When his atrocities went past the limit and the world was in danger of annihilation, God's desperately tried to break Shiva's meditation.

Kama, the God of love and his wife Rati were called upon to perform their passion and play to help break the penance. This would enable Shiva to notice Parvati, a beautiful young girl, who was in love with him and came to pray to him everyday with the hope that he would accept her as his wife someday. Therefore, as planned, when Parvati came to pray to Shiva, Kama shot his arrow of love to the God.

This disturbed Shiva's concentration and he opened his eyes. His eyes fell on Parvati and because of the arrow he immediately fell in love with her and married her. His love play with her however, went on for a thousand years without the marriage being consummated. The Gods, however, were waiting for Shiva to consummate the marriage and produce a son. They decided to force Shiva to end the love play. Agni used his heat to make the atmosphere unbearably hot.

To check on this, Shiva came out of his nuptial chamber. Since his seed had already been produced, however, it could not be wasted. He let it drop in a heap which Agni was asked to swallow. The intensity of Shiva's semen was so great that even Agni was unable to retain it. He let it fall into river Ganga, who inturn washed it onto her banks. Here, from the semen, arose a beautiful boy with six heads. He was beautiful as the son a and as bright as the sun.

The Gods delivered this child to the six Krittikas for his upbringing. From them, he was named Kartikeya. After he became a young man, Kartikeya was made the God of wars and commander of the celestial armies. He grew up to kill Tarika.

Best wishes

Shiva

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