Importance Of Skanda Sashti
Heron Mathis
Thuthiporkku val vinai pom, thunbam pom
Nenjil pathiporkku selvam palithu kadithongum
Nishtayum kaikoodum
Nimalar Arul kanthar sashti kavacham thanai
The sufferings great will vanish for those who pray,
The riches will increase for the faithful and earnest devotees,
All penance will surely bear fruit,
By this Sashti Kavacham written by the grace of God.
Come Oh Lord,
With decorations of nine gems in your forehead,
With pretty ear rings shining in your twelve ears,
With several ornaments and pendant shining.
In thine, handsome trunk with twelve arms,
And with the garland of nine gems inlaid with precious stones.
muppuri noolum muthani maarbum
sepppazhahudaiya thiruvayir unthiyum
thuvanda marungil sudaroli pattum
navarathnam pathitha nartchee raavum
iru thodai azhagum enai muzhanthalum
Come Oh Lord,
With the holy three stringed thread,
With your chest decorated with pearls,
With your very pretty abdomen which has been praised,
With silken sash and girdle around your waist,
And with nine gems chain adorning your silken robes,
with the beauty of the two thighs and adjoining knees,
ra ra ra ra ra ra ra ra ra ra ra ra ra ra ra
ri ri ri ri ri ri ri ri ri ri ri ri ri ri ri
du du du du du du du du du du du du du du du
dagu dagu digu digu dangu dingugu
vinthu vinthu mayilon vinthu
ra ra ra ra ra ra ra ra ra ra ra ra ra ra ra
ri ri ri ri ri ri ri ri ri ri ri ri ri ri ri
du du du du du du du du du du du du du du du
dagu dagu digu digu dangu dingugu
Oh Lord who rides the peacock, come quickly.
Please save me, who has firm faith in thine feet,
And who has placed his head on your feet,
Oh God who is my soul of souls protect,
Please protect this child with your twelve eyes,
Let your pretty Vel protect my face.
Let your pure Vel protect my ash adorned forehead
Let your shining Vel protect my two eyes,
Let he holds the Vel protect my two ears,
Let your good Vel protect my two nostrils,
Let your great Vel protect the mouth, which speaks.
Let your sharp Vel protect my thirty-two teeth,
Let your perfect Vel protect my tongue, which tells,
Let your shining Vel protect my two cheeks,
Let your sweet Vel protect my tender neck,
Let your gem studded Vel protect my chest.
Let your holy Vel protect my chest,
Let your straight Vel protect my two shoulders,
Let your great Vel protect my two napes,
Let your graceful Vel protect my back,
Let your youthful Vel protect my sixteen ribs.
Let your victorious Vel protect my abdomen,
Let your pretty Vel protect my thin waist,
Let your good Vel protect my waist thread,
Let your pretty Vel protect the reproductive organs,
Let your big Vel protect my two kidneys.
Let your big Vel protect my round colon,
Let your heavy Vel protect my two thighs,
Let your bright Vel protect the two knees and calves,
Let your graceful Vel protect my two feet,
Let your merciful Vel protect my two hands.
Let your strong Vel protect my two forearms,
Let Goddess Lakshmi reside in my arms,
Let Goddess of knowledge reside in my tongue,
Let your good Vel protect my belly button.
Let your sharp Vel protect the three nerve currents.
Let your great Vel always protect me,
Let your golden Vel come fast,
To protect me as long as I am alive,
Let your diamond Vel protect me in day time,
Let your glittering Vel protect me in darkness.
Let his flowing Vel protect me all the sections of the night,
Let his craft Vel protect me from delays,
Let the golden Vel protect and protect,
Let it be seen quickly and quickly,
Let it strike and strike and remove all my problems.
Please see and see that my sins are powdered,
Let the black magic and great enmity go away,
Let great devils and those who shake their tails,
Let the uncontrollable Muni, which creates problems,
Let the back yard Muni which eats babies,
Let the ghosts with fire in their mouth,
Let the ghosts which steal my speech,
And let the Brahma Rakshasas which follow ladies,
Run away screaming when they see me.
(Guha and Muruga are other names for Skanda. When he was born, he took the form of six babies who were looked after by the six Karthika maidens, He loves to live in Kadamba forest. He is supposed to have defeated two asuras called Idumba and Kadamba and made them his devotees).
When I adorned with love, my forehead with your sacred ash,
The ropes attaching me to the fate were untied,
And I reached your feet to attain your grace.
So please protect me with love, give me food and wealth,
Oh Velayudha slowly and gracefully.
Bless me with your grace,
And let me live in a great manner.
If seen as a way, this Kavacham would show the truth,
If seen of Ghosts by their eyes, they will get scared,
It would powder bad people,
And the good people would dance with joy,
And all their enemies will be exterminated
Oh Lord, Let my mind that has understood you,
Pray Veera Lakshmi among the Ashta Lakshmis
My salutations to the feet of Small baby of Pazhani,
Whose hands killed Soora Padman,
Who gave deathless nectar for the twenty-seven,
And who is my teacher on the Pazhani Mountain
Salutations to the ablest of Gods,
Who has a very holy form,
Salutation to him, who conquered Idumba,
Salutations to him who wears Kadamba flowers
Salutations to him who is Kanda,
Salutations to the Vel which wears Vetchi flowers,
Salutations to the king of the golden hall of the mountain.
Lord Muruga (aka Skanda) is a popular Hindu deity especially among Tamil Hindus. Lord Skanda is son of God Shiva and Goddess Parvati and younger brother of Lord Ganesha. God Skanda is also known as Murugan, Kartikeyan and Subramanya.
The Hindu is sunrise-sunrise, i.e., it begins with sunrise. Therefore, the monthly Shasti fasting begins at sunrise. It is broken the next day at sunrise after offering obeisances to Lord Surya. Aspirants go to Murugan Temple on Shasti.
However, not everyone might be able to observe a full fast owing to his constitution and other congenital debilities, for instance. They shall subsist on water and fruit throughout the day; but the point to note is, that too should be once a day. That is to say, there should only be one meal a day: either at noon or at moonrise.
But what about those who are not even able to do this, especially those who have not observed any spiritual discipline, viz., vegetarianism, vratas (=observance of vows and austerities)? People of this category are, apparently, those who are not inherently spiritual or have a spiritual or religious bent of mind, but take to the vrata for a reason. Even they have a place in this vrata. Lord Sri Krishna Paramatma has declared in Gita 7:16
In order to fully engage in spiritual activities, aspirants read and study Skanda Purana or any authoritative texts that concern Lord Murugan. It is a must for aspirant to recite Kanta Shasti Kavasam in the morning and once in the evening.
Medical Benefits
Besides its spiritual benefits, Shasti vratam has various medical benefits too. It cleanses the body of all impurities, and cures the body of a lot of dangerous diseases.
Indra, the chief of the gods, thereupon requested Cupid to go with his wife, Rati, and his companion Vasanta (the season of spring), to Mount Kailas, the abode of Siva. Cupid carried out the instruction at once, for it was already springtime. Standing behind a tree, Cupid shot his arrow of passion towards Siva, whilst Parvati was placing some flowers in His hands. The moment their hands met, Siva experienced a distracting feeling. He wondered what it was that disturbed His Yoga. He looked around and saw Cupid crouching behind the tree.
In His picture, Lord Subramanya holds a spear in His hand, just as Lord Siva holds the trident. This is an emblem of power. It indicates that He is the ruler of the universe. His vehicle is the peacock. He rides on it. This signifies that He has conquered pride, egoism and vanity. There is a cobra under His feet, which indicates that He is absolutely fearless, immortal and wise. Valli is on His one side, Deivayanai on the other. Sometimes He stands alone with His spear. In this pose He is known as Velayudhan; this is His Nirguna aspect, which is free from the illusory power of Maya.
The six heads represent the six rays or attributes, namely, wisdom, dispassion, strength, fame, wealth and divine powers. They indicate that He is the source of the four Vedas, the Vedangas and the six schools of philosophy. They also indicate His control over the five organs of knowledge as well as the mind. They denote that He is the Supreme Being with thousands of heads and hands. His head turned in all directions signifies that He is all-pervading. It indicates that He can multiply and assume forms at will.
In many places the festival commences six days prior to the Sashti itself and concludes on the day of the Sashti. During these days, devotees recite various inspiring hymns and read stories connected with Lord Subramanya. They worship the Lord and take Kavadi. They go on pilgrimage to the various Subramanya shrines.
The Tirumurukatrupadai has been composed in His praise by the famous Nakkerar. He who studies this eminent work daily with devotion and faith, gets certain success in life as well as peace and prosperity. The Tiruppugal is another well-known book in Tamil, which contains the inspiring devotional songs of Arunagirinathar in praise of Lord Subramanya. The Kavadichindu songs are also in praise of the Lord. The Skanda Sashti Kavacham is another famous hymn in praise of Lord Subramanya and is sung particularly on festive occasions.
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