HINDU RITUALS AND ROUTINES - Part 83

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HINDU RITUALS AND ROUTINES - WHY DO WE FOLLOW THOSE? Kukke Subrahmanya Kukke Subrahmanya, dedicated to Lord Subrahmanya, also called Murugan, is a Hindu temple situated in Subramanya, in the Western Ghats of Karnataka, India . The God Subrahmanya is worshipped for his divine power as a snake as the epics relate that the divine serpent Vasuki and other snakes found safety under God Subrahmanya. Kukke Subrahmanya is a Hindu temple located in the small, rural village of Subramanya in the Sullia taluk of Karnataka, India . This temple is one

of the pristine pilgrimage locations in India. Here the God - Lord Subrahmanya is worshipped for his divine power as a divine serpent. The epics relate that the divine serpent Vasuki and other serpents found safety under Lord Subrahmanya when aprehended by Garuda. Mythology: Subrahmanya swamy The Skanda purana narrates that Lord shiva was married to Dakshayini (also known as Sati), the daughter of Daksha. Daksha never liked Shiva and insults Shiva in front of Dakshayini in a Yagna. Unable to bear this insult, Sati immolated herself. Shiva unleashed his fury at the death of his wife by performing the Taandav Nrithya (a violent dance). He wiped out Daksha's kingdom, undertook penance and retired to the Himalayas . Tarakasura, the demon king believes that, since Shiva was an ascetic and his earlier marriage was itself conducted with great difficulty, his remarriage was out of the question, hence his boon of being killed by Shiva's son alone would give him invincibility. The same Sati was reborn in the house of Himalaya as Parvathi (daughter of parvatha) and performed a great penance to propitiate Shiva. But lord Shiva was in a rigorous penance and even the immaculate beauty of Parvathi cannot wake up Shiva from his penance. Devas devised a plan to wake up Shiva and approached Manmatha, the god of love to execute their plan. All gods arrived to the place where Shiva is performing penance, Parvathi too arrived. Manmatha awakened Shiva from his penance, incurring his wrath by opening his third eye of destruction, and being destroyed & resurrected. Lord Shiva married Parvathi, after Parvathi pleased Shiva by performing severe penance.Though divine being free from the cycle of birth, the newly wedded couple spent a thousand divine years in marital bliss, unaware of the desire of the gods. Then all gods sent the Agni (fire god) who appeared as a dove in the bed chamber of Lord Shiva. Realizing his reason Lord Shiva gave him a part of his energy. Finding the charge intolerable, Agni deva gave it in turn to Ganga who too felt its burning effects soon and she places it on a bamboo shrub. The nucleus thus placed, took a form of male baby (Gangeya) with six faces, thus the baby is called 'Shanmukha'. Shanmukha was first spotted and cared (by feeding him) by six women (Kruthikeyaru), thus Shamukha is called as Karthikeya. As he was born in forest (vana) on reeds (Shara), so he is also called as 'Sharavanabhava'. Lord Shiva and Parvathi takes Karthikeya to devaloka called him by the following names according to the incidents of his baby hood: Shanmuka, Agneya, Gangasuta (son of Ganga ), Sharavanabhava, Karthikeya and Parvathinandana (son of Parvathi). Karthikeya was taught archery and Goddess Parvathi presented him with a weapon, thus Karthikeya also called as Velayudha. He was made as Devasenapati (lord of army of devas). Karthikeya destroys Tarakasura. As this youthful saviour he is called Kumara swamy. Kumara swamy offering 'abhaya' to Vasuki: Previous to Karthikeya, Garuda, the mount of Vishnu was once chasing Vasuki (the king of serpents) and he saw Vasuki was hiding in a large cave. Both of them engaged in a severe fight. Kashyapa appeared before them and asked Garuda to stop from killing Vasuki, who was devotee of Lord Shiva. Kashyapa suggested Garuda, alternate way of getting food. Kashyapa also advised Vasuki to go to Kumara Kshetra and pray for Lord Shiva. Vasuki arrived Kumara kshetra and performed a severe penance. Pleased with his penance, Lord Shiva appeared to Vasuki and replied: My son Karthikeya will arrive this place after killing the demon king, Tarakasura. Indra will celebrate the marriage of his daughter Devasena with Karthikeya. You will be blessed by Karthikeya, you will be united with Karthikeya and has been worshipped alongside Karthikeya ever since. Garuda will never trouble any more (even today one cannot find Garuda at this place). Vasuki then lived in a place called Moola Subrahmanya, eagerly waiting the arrival of Karthikeya. After killing the demon Tarakasura, Lord Brahma installed the deity of Karthikeya in Subrahmanya Kshetra along with the deity of Vasuki through whom Karthikeya accepts the worship of his devotees and bless them all with fulfillment of their desire immediately. The deity is popularly known as 'Sri Subrahmanya Swamy'. Dhara River (also called as Kumaradhaara) It is believed that after killing the demon Tarakasura, Karthikeya washed the demon's blood from his spear in the River Dhara. In the Treta-yuga, Lord Parasurama came to this place and bathed in the River Dhara in order to absolve himself of the sins of exterminating the kshatriya-race twenty one times over. In Dvapara-yuga, when Samba was cursed with leprosy, he came to bathe in the Dhara in order to become free from the disease. By smearing the mud (mrithika) from the riverbank over his body and bathing in the river, he regained his original beauty. It is believed that Kumaradhara is most efficient place of remedy for elimination the sufferers from even the most incurable diseases. Derivation of a name Kukke Subrahmanya: It has been learnt from books and legends that Subrahmanya used to be called Kukke Pattana in the past.

In the 'Shankara Vijaya' Anandagiri observed that Sri Shankaracharya camped here for a few days during his religious expedition. Shankaracharya referred to this place as 'Bhaje Kukke Lingam' in his 'Subrahmanya Bhujangaprayata Stotram' makes the above evidence all the more convincing. Moreover, the Sringeri Mutt situated to the north of this temple is ancient enough to be an eloquent proof to the above fact. A Mutt of the Dwaitha system of Sri Madhwacharya can also be found in this place. As legend has it, that divine sages have installed many Lingas of Lord Shiva in this area. Vasuki also installed a Lingam of Lord Shiva blessed as he was with the power of Skanda Swamy.As the Linga of Lord Shiva was installed in the 'Kukke' or 'Kukshi' in old Kannada language (the cave) it

became famous as Kukke Linga and consequently the place rose to the fame as Kukkepura. Shivanidhi observes that 'Shivalinga Pradurbhava Patala' of Lalithagama Jnanapada, which describes the hundred and thirteen Shiva centres, refers to this 'Subrahmanyehipeshwara'. This means that lingas of Lord Shiva installed by Ahipa-Vasuki is in Subrahmanya. It may be interesting to note that this description accords with the legend of the place.

But as per the villagers explanation the Kukke means basket. The worship of linga in basket (kukke) resulted in naming the place as Kukke. Pooja practices: The Poojas in the Sri Subrahmanya Temple are conducted according to the 'Vaikasana Agama' system, which is very rarely found in our province. On festivals and other sacred days, special poojas are prescribed for such occasion. When the utsava is takes place at night, Ratri-Pooja is conducted first with sprinkling of Shankathirtha, after which the utsava idol is brought out. The customary Utsava - Pooja, Mangalarathi and Ashtavadhana are conducted either before the Sannidhi or in the prescribed places. When both the Tantri and the Archaka are present the former conducts the Gopuja in the morning, the Mahapuja and Akshayapatra pooja at the noon and the Deevatige Seva in the Evening. The Archaka conducts the

rest of the poojas.

Sarpa Dosha/Sarpa Samskara Sarpa Samskara/Sarpa Dosha is the pooja performed to get rid of the sarpa dosha. Sarpa Dosha is believed to be afflicted by the sarpa (serpent) dosha (curse) either knowingly or un-knowingly through many ways in this birth or any of the previous births. Advised by the astrologers /horoscope writers to perform this pooja for devotees well being, Pooja can be done either by the person afflicted if he is a male and married, or through a priest. This is because the pooja involves rituals similar to the ones done in performing shrartham (death rites). Sarpa Samskara seva devotees need to stay for two days at the temple premises. The seva occurs during the day. Food arrangements will be provided to the devotees by the temple devastanam , for four persons only per seva. Many far and wide come here to perform this puja faiths ASHLESHA BALI POOJA Ashlesha Bali Pooja & Sarpa Samskara are two important Sarpa Dosha Poojas that are done at Kukke Subramanya Temple . Ashlesha Bali usually lasts for a couple of hours. It is called Ashlesha bali as it has to be performed on Ashlesha Nakshatra. If performed on other days it has no power. Festivals & Celebrations: The Annual festival is celebrated here every year from 'Karthika Bahula Dwadashi' to Margashira Shudha Poornima'. But the devotees begin to throng here as early as 'Karthika Bahula Amavasya' and will continue to do so till 'Margashira Shudha Sapthami'. The Lakshadeepotsava is celebrated on the day of Karthika Bahula Amavasya and on the four succeeding days, the Chandramandalotsava, Ashwavahanotsava, Mayura Vahanotsava and Flower Chariot Utsava are conducted respectively. On Panchami (the fifth day) 'Panchami Rathotsava' is celebrated at night. On the Shashti day Sri Subrahmanya Swamy and Umamaheshwara come out at an auspicious hour in the morning to participate in the festival. Sri Subrahmanya Swamy mounts the 'Brahmaratha' and God Umamaheshwara the 'Panchami Ratha'. Then a very strange occurance takes place. The Garuda Pakshi (kite)which never can be found in this place on the rest of the days of the year makes its appearance at the time of Ratharohana and again at the time of Avabrath Mahotsava the next day. This can never be explained unless we attribute to the holiness of this place. At the time of car festival the chariot is pulled by means of cane. The moment the car festival is over the devotees vie with one another to get hold of a piece of this cane because this is considered to be very effective cure even for the most virulent, positions like that of a snake-bite. Then the God alights from the chariot. The devotees perform various kinds of worships. Then the 'Mahapooja' and the 'Mahasantharpana' (feeding of Brahmins) take place .

The next day of Shashti also Sri Kumaraswamy comes out to take part in the festival. After the 'Okuli Pooja' (Sprinkling of Saffron water) God proceeds to 'Matsya Thirtha' where the 'Nauka Viharotsava' and the Avabritha takes place. After this festival the devotees and pilgrimage start returning and the density of the population lessons gradually. But the festivals continue till Poornami. On that day 'Maha Samprokshana' is conducted and with this the annual festivals come to a close. dil se,

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