Skanda Shasti festival like most other Hindu festivals celebrates the victory of good over evil. Skanda is also known as Lord Muruga, Subramanya, Kartikeaya and Kartik. Skanda Puranam narrates the origin and deeds of Lord Muruga.
According to Skanda Puranam, the longest of the 18 Mahapuranas, the demons under the leadership of Surapadma, Simhamukha and Tarakasura defeated the Devas and took over the earth. They found immense pleasure in torturing the Devas and humans. They went on a massive rampage and destroyed anything that belonged to Devas.
Devas took refuge at the feet of Lord Shiva but Shiva was in deep meditation. On the advice of Lord Brahma, Devas took the help of Kamdev or Manmatha to incite sexual desire in Shiva. Kamdev succeeded in his mission but an angry Shiva burnt him into ashes.
The semen that got emanated from Shiva got divided into six parts and was deposited in the
The demons continued their rampage and Soorapadman held son of Lord Indira and many other saints and devas as captives. Lord Subramanya soon adorned the role of general of Devas and decided to annihilate the demons. He soon defeated the demons. In the final battle, Lord Muruga killed Soorapadman with his ‘Vel’ and this act of the Lord is known as Soorasamharam. The main Skanda Shasti festival is held on this day.
The famous ‘Vetri Vel’ chanting that takes place on the Shasti day is associated with the victory of Skanda over Soorapadman.
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4 comments:
very good
Om Muruga Saranam..
Really Muruga is Great..
excellent every hindu in this world should at least know about this
I am a Sri Lankan from the hill country of Kandy, who was separated from my husband for 16 years through tragic misunderstandings and interferences, and have been reunited through God's Grace.
From before my marriage I was a Murugan devotee though I am a Buddhist, as are a lot of people in that area, and continued to be so full of faith that He was helping me in His own way during my troubles.
Then I read about the Skanda Shashti vrat written by a Mr. Somasundaram, I think, a Tamil Tax Commissioner in Colombo in the Sunday Observer, the English newspaper. Somehow this made a extremely deep impression on me and I asked at the local Murugan temple but did not get enough info. Perhaps they thought I couldn't do it properly as I didn't even know when exactly it was to be. I asked the few Tamil families we know but somehow none seemed to do the vrat...
The next year too I read the article when it appeared. This time I realised that it was in the following days but was again not very successful at the temple.
Sad, I was coming out of the temple having collected my slippers from the keeper, but holding them in hand to wear outside on the road.
Under the Thorana I bumped into a Tamil lady who was removing hers, and apologised, and got talking. I told her I had come to find info on Shashti Vrat, but was unsuccessful.
Here was God's 'leela' as we say in Sri Lanka.
She had done the vrat as it was the Shahsti day itself, and had come to temple though the temple had no special puja - only the standard one. She gave me all info and told me to start the next year exactly on the day after Diwali and come to temple on all 5 days thereafter and do simple puja, and a bigger puja on the 6th day.
By now,I had been 14 years separated and had accepted the life I had, and wanted only to do what my heart prompted, full of love and devotion.
Next year I did as she told me and the temple reception changed. I was observed I think, and told that next year I should do the last puja at a special time.
This next year the mother in law of the head priest gave me the time (looking back may be when the thithi dawned perhaps?)over the phone.
This was the 16th year, and prayed I may be reunited with my husband. It was the only thing I lacked, as I had a comfortable life in my father's house.
The next year, I did the vrat under the protection of my husband, in Europe.
This is the God's Grace.
May all be blessed by Him, named Skanda, Murugan, Shanmukha, Valli Vallabha, and many others.
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