My ishtadeva has always been Murugan. Let me share his birth..
đ§đĩđ˛ đđđŧđŋđ đŧđŗ đ đđŋđđ´đŽđģ đąđŧđ˛đ đģđŧđ đ¯đ˛đ´đļđģ đđļđđĩ đŽ đ°đŋđŽđąđšđ˛. đđ đ¯đ˛đ´đļđģđ đđļđđĩ đŗđļđŋđ˛.
Not the destructive kind.
The conscious kind.
According to the đĻđ¸đŽđģđąđŽ đŖđđŋđŽđģđŽ, the universe had reached a breaking point. The demon Taraka had grown arrogant through a boon. He could not be killed by any god, any weapon, or any force already in existence.
Classic problem.
When ego becomes untouchable, only a higher intelligence can intervene.
That intelligence emerged from đđŧđŋđą đĻđĩđļđđŽ himself.
Shiva opened his third eye and released six blazing sparks of pure consciousness. Not babies. Not bodies. Raw awareness. So intense that no being could hold them.
Agni tried and failed.
Vayu tried and panicked.
Everyone realised divinity is easy to worship, but difficult to carry.
Finally, the sparks were placed in the River Ganga. Even she could not hold them for long and carried them gently to a serene lotus-filled lake known as Saravana Poigai.
There, the miracle happened.
Each spark transformed into a radiant infant, resting on a lotus. Six babies. Six directions. Six expressions of divine intelligence.
They were discovered by the Krittikas, the celestial sisters we now know as the Pleiades stars. They nurtured the children with love, devotion, and maternal warmth. That is how Murugan earned the name Kartikeya.
Then came đđŧđąđąđ˛đđ đŖđŽđŋđđŽđđļ.
When Parvati saw the six infants, she did what only a mother could do. She embraced them all at once. And in that embrace, the six became one.
One child.
Six faces.
Twelve arms.
Thus was born đđŧđŋđą đ đđŋđđ´đŽđģ, also known as Arumugam, Shanmukha, Saravanabhava, Skanda, Subramaniam.
Each face represents a dimension of wisdom.
Each arm symbolises action guided by awareness.
And if you are wondering why Murugan looks permanently youthful, that is because pure awareness does not age. Only our worries do.
đĒđĩđ đ§đŽđēđļđš đĄđŽđąđ đĩđŧđšđąđ đ đđŋđđ´đŽđģ đ°đšđŧđđ˛ đđŧ đļđđ đĩđ˛đŽđŋđ
Murugan is not a distant god in Tamil culture.
He is family.
The Tamil Sangam texts, the Tirumurugatrupadai, and later Shaiva traditions celebrate Murugan not as an abstract deity, but as a living presence. A friend. A guide. A stern teacher when required.
Nowhere is this relationship more alive than in the đđŋđđŊđŽđąđŽđļ đŠđ˛đ˛đąđ, the six sacred abodes of Murugan. These are not random temples. They are milestones in Murugan’s divine journey.
đ§đĩđļđŋđđŊđŊđŽđŋđŽđēđ¸đđģđŋđŽđē đ đđŋđđ´đŽđģ đ§đ˛đēđŊđšđ˛
Here, Murugan marries Deivanai after defeating Surapadman. It symbolises mastery over ego before entering worldly life.
đ§đļđŋđđ°đĩđ˛đģđąđđŋ đ đđŋđđ´đŽđģ đ§đ˛đēđŊđšđ˛
Located by the sea, this is where Murugan wages war against darkness and defeats Surapadman. Waves crash endlessly, reminding us that discipline must be constant.
đŖđŽđšđŽđģđļ đ đđŋđđ´đŽđģ đ§đ˛đēđŊđšđ˛
Murugan appears as a renunciate. The child becomes the teacher. Knowledge without humility, he reminds us, is just noise.
đĻđđŽđēđļđēđŽđšđŽđļ đ đđŋđđ´đŽđģ đ§đ˛đēđŊđšđ˛
Here, Murugan teaches the meaning of the Pranava mantra to Shiva himself. Yes, the student becomes the guru. Spiritual maturity has no age requirement.
đ§đĩđļđŋđđđĩđŽđģđļ đ đđŋđđ´đŽđģ đ§đ˛đēđŊđšđ˛
This abode represents peace. After victory comes stillness. After striving comes silence.
đŖđŽđđĩđŽđēđđąđļđŋđ°đĩđŧđšđŽđļ đ đđŋđđ´đŽđģ đ§đ˛đēđŊđšđ˛
Set amidst lush forests, this is Murugan as the eternal companion. Nature, devotion, and simplicity meet here.
Six abodes.
One message.
Life moves through effort, battle, humility, wisdom, peace, and harmony.
đĒđĩđ đ đđŋđđ´đŽđģ đŋđ˛đđŧđģđŽđđ˛đ đđŧ đąđ˛đ˛đŊđšđ đđŧ đđĩđļđ đąđŽđ
Murugan is not worshipped because he killed a demon long ago.
He is worshipped because he continues to kill the Tarakas within us.
The arrogance that thinks it knows everything.
The pride that refuses to bow.
The ignorance that mistakes noise for wisdom.
And the Vel.
Ah, the Vel.
Not a weapon of violence, but of clarity.
Sharp enough to cut illusion.
Precise enough to point inward.
Murugan does not ask for blind belief.
He asks for courage, discipline, and self-honesty.
Which explains why devotees walk barefoot, carry kavadis, climb hills, and chant endlessly.
Because transformation has never been comfortable.
And perhaps that is why Murugan remains eternally young and handsome.
Because those who walk the inner path must always be willing to begin again.
Vel Vel đ
Prem Ananth Ramachandran
