Murugan
సుబ్రహ్మణ్యస్వామిकार्तिकेयமுருகன்ಸುಬ್ರಹ್ಮಣ್ಯ
Skanda, Kartikeya, Subrahmanya — the son of Shiva and commander of the gods. In Tamil tradition he is Murugan, and the six Arupadai Veedu are his abodes.
7 temples
Subrahmanya was born to destroy the demons. After the war he came to Kumara Parvata with his brother Ganapati, and at Kumaradhara Teertha, on Margashira Shuddha Shashthi, Indra gave him his daughter Devasena in…
Narada brings Shiva a fruit of wisdom, and Shiva promises it to whichever of his sons first circles the world. Murugan sets off on his peacock; Ganesha circles his parents, saying they are his world, and wins.…
- 3 · Arupadai Veedu
The poem's last section opens on festival worship across the hills — offerings, drums, songs, red protective threads. The guide gives the seeker Murugan's many names and tells him what will happen: Murugan will…
- 6 · Arupadai Veedu
Shiva has forgotten the meaning of the Pranava, Om, because of a curse from the sage Bhrigu. He calls his son Subrahmanya, who agrees to teach him on condition that Shiva learns it properly, as a pupil. Shiva stands…
- 4 · Arupadai Veedu
The Tirumurugatrupadai opens by praising Murugan's radiance, his kadambu garland and his consort Deivayanai, then tells how he destroyed Surapadman when the demon became an inverted mango tree. It turns to the…
- 1 · Arupadai Veedu
In the poem's second section Murugan rides a bull elephant hung with gold and bells. Nakkeerar describes each of his six faces and the task it performs — dispelling spiritual darkness, granting requests, guarding…
- 2 · Arupadai Veedu
The poem's fifth section describes a hill festival. Hunters dance the kuravai to a small drum; women with flowers in their hair move like peacocks. At the centre is the Velan, the priest, dressed in red, carrying a…
- 5 · Arupadai Veedu