Concept of Murugan Worship

Approximate Transcription/Translation

Tirumandiram 2: 520-525 verses talk about murugan tattvam. An exposition (saaram) of the kamika Agama. Gives the title Adho Muga Darisanam (6th downward facing face of Lord Siva)

Adi Sukuma Tirumeni: when Siva takes Sakthi herself as the tirumeni. Souls take their form from tattvams from maya. 

Aanma Tirumeni or sukuma tirumeni: when Siva take Aanma itself as His body.

Thula tirumeni: takes the 5 lettered panchakshara as His body. When we do jabam, the sound which arises itself is taken as body by Siva. Thats why 5 lettered panchakshara is special since He is the presiding deity for that mantra.

Different types of Tirumeni

The aanmas living in Sadasiva Murthy tatuvam and aanmas in Mahesvara Murthy tatuvam are different.

The totality of all potentiality is Parasakthi.

Thayumanavar says that when you understand the 5 faces of Siva (Sadasiva Murthy) then only you’ll understand 6 faces of Muruga.

There is no name of Murugan in vedas/agamas. Only Subramaniya occurs in mahaskandam. Sambhava gandam 35 adhyayam 25th sloka explains the muruga tatuvam. It has not come in tamizh. Only Sankara Samhita part has been expounded into tamil. 

Su:  uba sargam – Anandam

Bramham: no equal

Niyam: two comes from one

Expounding the meaning of SuBrahmaNiyam

Pasam (Bonds): sat

Pasu(Souls): sat Cit

Pati (GodHead): sat Cit anandam (satchidanandam from Upanishads)

Characteristic of Bonds, Souls & Godhead

Bramham is a vedic word. 

Pati is from agama

Tat is from mahavakyam

Saivam accepts both brahmam and tat. But the reverse is not true.ex., ISKON because terminology used in agamas.

Manickavasagar uses the word adi brahmam. 

Om occurs as prefix and suffix only for SadaSivam (om asthu sadasivom) and Subramanya (om subramanyom)

Vedas contain yagnam. Puja occurs only in agama. 

Puja is a counterpart of Vedas yagna. (Satguru Sivasubramunya Swami, Kauai Aadheenam)

Even St. Arunagirinathar himself uses the word Subramanyam in tirupugazh. So, for us the name is not important but the concept of Muruga / subramanya.

In all Saiva agama temples, only agama mantra should be said in the moolasthanam not vedic mantras. In vaishnavite temples, Veda mantras are recited in the moolasthanam.

• Bhavadhi Nama archanai inside the moolasthanam for Siva.
• Then after coming outside, 11 names of Siva from Sri Rudram in Yajur Veda are chanted. 
• After this mantra is chanted, Tirumurais are sung. 

Even in Vada mozhi, only agama mantras should be chanted in Siva temples in north as well. 

• Purohits are those who use smritis as base.
• Vadyayar (vadiyar) – veda kriyas. Those who do Rudra jabam outside the sanctum sanctorum are vadiyars not acaryas.
• Acharya – Agama kriyas
• Purohits & Vadiyars are not allowed inside Sanctum Sanctorum of Siva temples only Acharyas.
• Odhuvar: only those who sing Tirumurais with pann.

Tevaram / Tirumurai talks about 6 Samayam. these signify 6 schools of Saivam not the 6 sects of Hinduism.

Aga Samayam are of 6 types.

Only after adi Sankara, the 6 sects came into definition into Hinduism.

Vazhipadu contains: Pujai + homam + Dyanam

‘Ha’ is an aspirate

‘Ch, k, etc.’ Are explodants

‘U etc’ continuants

‘M, n, ing’ are nascent

R, l are liquids

Only L & R join with other consonants. DRaw, PLea

certain english grammatical notes for references between sanskrit and tamizh

Since tamil does not have aspirate sound like in Sanskrit Homam becomes homam Hara become ara etc.

How to do dhyanam to Murugan?

• Everyone can do dhyanam
• But not everyone can do pujai/homam without qualification

• Vel – Gnana sakthi
• Valli – kriya sakthi
• Devayanai – iccha sakthi
• Murugan – pranavam
• Seval – nadaM tatuvam
• Mayil – vindu tatuvam
• Snake in peacock’s mouth – assudha maya
• Snake at peacock’s feet – prakriti maya
• Vel should be resting on the shoulder and not in hand

Mantras

Each mantra has an operating deity. All mantras are vindu tatuvam.

Mantra has 4 parts

Pranavam

Bijam (aim, kleem, saum)

Mantram

Kodi (phat / namah / swahah / vasat / vaushat / humphat / swata)

A mantra has value/power only if it has above 4 parts

The sapta Kodi mahamatras deity are activated by the mantras

Agni has 3 legs, 2 faces, 7 hands.

One leg each in bhuloka, devaloka, narakaloka but he walks with one leg only

Fire, agni and agni devan are three different entities

In marriage, a three-legged stool called mukali is used.

Agni devan is mere carrier.

We cannot activate nadam tatuvam. Only God can activate it and He uses it to manifest.

Vedas did not carry thiru gnana sambanda peruman but the other way around, that is the greatness of Sambandar.

Nadam will not manifest as body for atmas – Tirukalitrupadiyar 37

Vel and mayil only with support us hence seval is not considered for atmas. that’s why “velum mayilum Thunai” phrase is used in tamizh.

All mandirams are vindhu. Sound in vindu is kinetic

Sound in nadam is potential

Without tatuvams, the atmas cannot function at all.

• To manifest Iccha sakthi – anda karanangal
• To manifest kriya sakthi – karmendriyas
• To manifest gnana sakthi – gnanendriyas

That’s why Tiruvalluvar says – without bowing down to God. (sei nandri kondra malarku)

Even to say there is no God, one needs mouth

Same for thought as well.

If we understand how the atmas functions, then we will not say God does not exist

If we understand how the body is used by the soul, then one will understand how God functions.

Aanmeegam – understanding of aanma is the first step in understanding God hence “aanmeega vadi gal”

Mayil and gnanam can be used as names but not Seval because nadam will not accompany us thats why.

Cit – ichha + kriya + gnana sakthi are by default in aanma. But that sakthi will manifest / function only with karuvi (tools)

• Sat – really existing (pasam)
• Pasu – sat + cit
• Pati – Sat +cit + anandam

Aanma get anandam in mukthi when God gives it. Anandam is one which comes not as a result of vinai

Aum Namo Kumaraya – moola mandiram (those who get siva dikshai via kumara tantra way)

Om saravana bhava is not a mandiram. It’s a name not a mantra.

2 vaharams should not be present. Bhava is not a kodi.

Tirumurugatru padai – 2 tirucheer alaivai said by nakeerar.

1 face – para gnanam (reveals like the sun)

2 face – arat karunai (when compassion with punition, marat karunai)

3 face – yaga thalaivan (when doing yagam following siva agamas)

4 face – apara gnanam (reveals like the moon)

5 face – marat karunai (acts like He’s angry because He is compassionate on all)

6 face – bhogam (ulaga inbam) is given by God only

6 faces of Murugan

The first 3 (creation/ protection / dissolution) takes place in maya

Concealment and grace happen in aanma’s consciousness

Sivakosariyar – Arat karunai

Kannapar – Marat Karunai

Siva tells sivakosariyar about marat karunai and He also reveals Himself to sivakosariyar first. He also explains that kannapar has completed all his agama prayers in his previous birth. He has been born as hunter since he hit Kirata (Siva) with his bow in his previous birth hence he was born again as kannapar.

Even Villiputtur alwar sings that the hitting of the bow also fell on Perumal.

Tirumurai’s are ilakiyam. Sastras are technical terms. Concepts are same.

Kandar anubhuti 36 – nada kumara namah endru. Tiru variyar swamigal has written urai on this. Also, arunai vadivel mudaliyar

Namah sivaya – namam + mandiram

Sivaya nama – mandiram only

Siva here is Srikanta Parameshwarar

If one prays to Murugan, both gnanam and veedu paerum varum. Says Siva.

Singamugan alone understands Murugan and hence tries to explain to Surapadman.

Seinandri kadan (Loyalty/fealty) hence singamugan supports surapadman though his path is wrong.

Same is said by kumbakarnan to ravanan in ramayanam.

Mahendra kandam – mantira alosanai happens where singamugan tells Murugan is Siva. Adomukham has come as Arumugam(6 face Murugan)

Mayil (Peacock) / Seval (Rooster) of Murugan

Before sublimation of surapadman, did Murugan have mayil / seval?

Sastras say that He always had them. Siva agamas did not come after surapadman as they are anadhi.

Candeswarar nayanar when he went to temple already there was a candeswarar.

Siva peruman gave pada mukthi to candeswarar nayanar and then after some time takes him to Himself.

During the war, the peacock on which murugan rode was Indra. The flag at that time was agni. This is mentioned in kandapuranam. Then Murugan orders to Indra / Agni that Surapadman will himself be mayil / flag. Song 499 in kandapuranam

Subramaniya vazhipadu was always there.

Hence in tiruchendur, Murugan has 4 hands, lotus, jaba malai, abhayagam, varadaja(varadakaram) and is in the act of doing siva pujai

Tiruchendur is not place of war with surapadman but the place where Murugan shows how Siva Pujai must be done. Skanda pushkarani was created using velayudham to get water for Siva Pujai.

Varadakaram – i’ll save you, you hold onto my feet.

Panchalingam behind Murugan in tiruchendur. Puja is not done to Panchalingam hence it’s murugan himself who does puja to them.

Two places where Murugan shows how to do Siva Pujai

• Tirucheingallur – tharugan / krounjan
• Tiruchendur – suran / singamugan

Devadakshan – celestial carpenter who makes the siva lingam on orders of Murugan. Kandapuranam

Yeru mayil – male peacock