Karthikai Deepam-Nov.24th

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Saturday 24th November 2007-- Kaarthigai Deepam It is Kaarthigai maasam (Nov-Dec); Kaattu-kaalam (windy days), but still the clay molded lamps (aal vilakkukal) would be out; ready to be fully lit in all households; lit by bringing first the flame from the village temple. Sisters would be waiting for MOs from their brothers or from Poranthaam; something akin to Rakshabandhan? ?? a festival celebrated during the month of Kaarthigai, when the star Krithigai is in the ascendant and usually occurs on a full moon day. It is during this month Lord Shiva with his divine light created Lord Murugan. On this auspicious day, special poojas are performed for Lord Murugan. Murugan (Skandha) is eulogized as the ultimate warrior

(Commander in fact) and the epitome of knowledge. He taught the secret of praNava mantra 'Aum' to his father. Our scriptures say praNava is the primal sound that existed before the creation and the sound that stays after the praLaya. This is the nAtharUpa - the Form of sound, of the Supreme Luminance. This mantra Aum refers to none other than God. The great yogis meditate in this mantra as the path to Eternal Bliss of the Formless Nameless God! The praNava has five parts. They are akara, ukara, makara, bindhu, nAtham. (aum). Consequently some say this is also one of the glorious panchAkshara mantra. The scriptures that explain the glory of this praNava mantra are quite many. However the significant one is from the skandha purANa. It is a well known puranic event that skandha described the real meaning of the praNava mantra to Lord Shiva. In the above mentioned

episode of skandha purana the sage Vamadeva seeks the boon from Lord skandha to tell him too that description. Lord skandha who was pleased with the devotion of sage vAmadeva told him as well that great secret. (Incidentally, Lord Shiva manifested Lord Muruga when the Devas were being oppressed by the demon Taraka. Lord Muruga is the conjoint manifestation of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvathi. Shiva's deep spiritual exuberance was disturbed by cherub. Parvathi too was observing penance to get the grace of Shiva. When Shiva opened his eyes, he burnt the angel. At that time six flashes, like lightning, emerged -- five from the five senses and one from the mind of Siva. These became six babies and the cosmic mother, Parvathi, rolled

them into one baby with six heads and twelve arms, thus Lord Muruga is also known as Shanmukha (6 faces). The six heads represent six rays or attributes, viz., (wisdom, insouciance, strength, fame, wealth and divine power). Kaarthigai Deepam also has an important significance to Lord Shiva. Legend has it that Lord Vishnu and Lord Brahma had a conflict as to who was the more powerful of the two. (And you thought only we fought amongst ourselves!?) . While they were fighting, Lord Shiva appeared before them in the form of a huge pillar of fire. Lord Vishnu and Lord Brahma gave up their quarrelling and decided to find the beginning and the end of the pillar. Accordingly, Brahma

assumed the form of a swan (Hamsa strange how this word too was under scanner recently) and moved upwards. Vishnu transformed himself into a boar and started digging deep into the earth. Even after searching for several years, neither of the two was able to find the ends of the pillar. Finally, they realized that the pillar was none other than Lord Shiva. This bonfire symbolizes that worshipping Lord Shiva on this day will annihilate the three impurities, namely, egoism, selfish action and delusion. Our elders advise us to…. burn the mind, senses and the desires in the fire of knowledge of the Self or Shiva-Jnaanam. Attain full illumination and behold the light of lights, which illumines the mind, intellect, sun, moon, stars, lightning and the fire ….....Hence those symbolic lamps. Warm rgds and happy kaarthigai deepam V V R 22 Nov 007

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