chap24
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Vedic Roots of Hindu Iconography
R. Nagaswamy
CHAPTER-24
Ṣhamukha
Ārumuga known by various names as Ṣhamukha, Subrahmaṇya, Muruga, Kārtikeya, Kaḍamba, Kanda (Skanda), Kumāra, and Velavan, is, one of the most favourite deity of the Tamil people, are the other names of this deity, who is adored as the embodiment of Tamil language. His other name Muruga, stands, for beauty, youth, power in Tamil language. His worship is well attested in Tamilnad, from the common era and is often claimed that the worship of Muruga is native to Tamilnad. The early Saṅgam poems assignable to the beginning of the common era, shows the fusion of well established pan Indian concepts in Tamil, that ought to have taken deep roots several centuries earlier. One of the Poems known as Thiru-murugaṟṟup-paḍai gives a graphic description of Muruga's exploits and sings the function of each of his six faces.
Ṣhamukha, the six faced god manifested at Paramkuṉṟu, a hill temple near Madurai. Of the six faces of him, one face removed the darkness of the world, one face bestowed grace on his devotees, one face protected the home of Brahmins who followed the path of Vedic mantras. (It also suggests that Brahmins who analyzed Vedantic thoughts and followed them.). Another face examined the tenets of all schools other than the Vedic and taught the sages the meaning of them, like the cool moon; one face, went to terrible war with Aśuras who created troubles, and destroyed them (called war - sacrifice yuddha-yajña); one face, fondled affectionately the hunter - girl Valli (whom Muruga married).
The shoulders of Ṣhaṇmuka suited to the six faces (appropriate to six fold functions) were adorned with beautiful jewels made of gold. His shoulders were praised, as high, broad capable of terrifying the minds of the enemies. As Ṣhaṇmukha he had twelve hands some of which carried blazing weapons. One arm gave protection to the great men (Brahmins) who devoted themselves to attaining mokṣa, liberation; one hand was placed on the waist; one hand was placed on the thigh covered with silken garment. One hand held a goad and another hand wielded a sword and the corresponding one on the other side held a shield. One hand was raised to the chest in the pose of teaching and the other kept a little below at the end of necklace (one commentator calls this mauna mudra of teaching); one hand was raised to hold a weapon and the other held a bell sounding the war. One hand garlanded the divine consort Devasena and the other poured forth rain for the fertility of the world.
The peacock perched itself on the flag even as the musical instruments like saṅkha, dundhubi (drum), pipes, and murajas played loudly. Having elephant as his vehicle Ṣhaṇmukha stood at Thiruccendūr on the sea coast.
This description is virtually an early iconographic description of Ṣhaṇmukha who was the presiding deity of the famous pilgrim centre Thirupparamkuṉṟam at the outskirt of Madurai, the capital of the Pāṇḍyas.
He resided at Āvinankudi, another pilgrim centre, which was the place of the chieftain Āvi, where aged Munis, purifying themselves by frequent baths, looked ematiated with their bodies like skeletons owing to ritual fasting on many days. Subduing their angers with no hatred towards any and mastering blemishless knowledge, the Munis were respected among the learned went in front, followed by singers of divine songs, bedecked with flower garlands, and playing on stringed instruments. They were accompanied by women singers of sweet voice. Viṣṇu, the three eyed Śiva (the destroyer of three cities) manifesting as Ardhanarīśvara, Indra (who performed one hundred Vedic sacrifices) Brahma and the 33 gods (eleven Rudra, twelve Adityas, eight Vasus, Aśvini devatās, 18 Gaṇas, (Devas, Asuras, Daityas, Garuḍa, Kumāras, Kimpuruṣas, Yakṣas, Vidhyādharās, Rākṣasas, Gandharvas, Siddhas, Caraṇas, Paiśācas, Tārā gaṇas, Nāgas, Ākāśavāsi and men of Bhoga Bhūmis are said to remain in Avinankudi. (This place is the well known pilgrim centre of Paḻani).
Thiruvedakam is another sacred abode of Muruga in Tamilnadu, where Brahmins, who have spent 48 years in learning Vedas and followed the tenets of Vedic tradition. They were called Dvijas who performed three Vedic sacrifices, Āhavanīya, Gārhapatya and Dakṣināgni, There were those who bathed and with wet clothes on their body adored Muruga with their hands on their head by reciting stotras appropriate to the time and meditated on the sacred syllable Shaḍakṣara - om namaḥ kumāraya and worshipped Muruga with flowers.
Kuṉṟu-Tor-Āḍal
Muruga is adored in all the hills by the hunters of hills and the surrounding forests. The Velan among the hunters got possessed when they worshipped Muruga. The hunter women danced a group dance called Kuṉṟa Kuravai in which they joined their hands and danced forming a circle, to the accompaniment of drums, songs and beats. Interestingly Muruga is said to wear red garments and bedecked with red ornaments, joined hands with hunter (Kurava) women and danced. He gave his hands first to begin the dance. This dance was like “Rasa-līla” of Śri Kṛṣṇa in Vaiṣṇava tradition.
Palam-udir-cōlai
Muruga also called Velavan - one who weilds a long spear, manifests in classical abodes where his devotees worship him and also in the place where the spear weilding hunter dances in forests, gardens, small islands, rivers, tanks and different types of places including junctions of great paths, central yards of villages, in trees, temples, where worship is offered with rich flowers. The hunter who sings and is possessed clad in red garments, wears a red thread (protective thread) worn on the hand, and sacrifices a goat, the food mixed with its blood is offered to him. This is called small (or inferior) offering. The Velan among the hunters sprinkles turmeric, and fragrant sandal and raises a floral garland of his height, praising the temple of Muruga, then he spreads cooked meat mixed with the blood of sacrificed goat, that causes fear in the mind of the people. Then he beats the drum with the rhythm that pleases Muruga.
Muruga manifests in the temples, in festivals, or in open space without any idol or symbol. Thus he is a god praised with form and without form. His adoration without form gave the name anaṅga (an-aṅga without form)
He is generally praised with both hands placed on the head in añjali, and then falling at the feet of the image, with the head of the devotee touching the feet of Muruga. He is praised as born in the sacred tank “Saravaṇa” on the Himalayas. Indra received the semon of Rudra fallen in fire (among - Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Maheśa, who represents), and gave it to the sage who could not bear it himself and so placed it in the three sacrificed fires - Āhavanīya, Gārhapatya and Daṣināgni. Among the consorts of the seven sages, six consorts baring Arundati received the same.
We have seen Subramaṇya is the son of Agni, and so called Agni Kumāra and Āgneya, and that Agni is Rudra. We also see, the rising Sun is praised as Rudra, in the Satarudrīya part of the Veda Agni is also Viṣṇu. So the Sun appears as Śiva and Vishnu and Brahmā. The Āditya is Brahma, Viṣṇu and Śiva, the Āditya Hṛdayam of Rāmāyaṇa and many other Puranic texts. Sūurya combines in himself Brahma, Viṣṇu and Śiva, and with Sūrya he is called Hari-Hara-Hiraṇyagarbha-Surya. He is also called Mārtaṇḍa in sculptural from. In Śiva temple he is called Śiva-Sūrya, and Viṣṇu Temple Sūrya-Nārāyana. His appearance with multifold arms, carrying the emblems of all the four deities Brahma, Viṣṇu, Śiva and Sūrya are portrayed in sculptures. (F. 115-122). He is portrayed in a rare Sculpture with Sūrya in the centre and the avatars of Vishnu, like the Matsya, Kūrma, Varaha etc., in the prabha around him in the pravhā. (F.116). Varāha appears as Rudra first and later as Viṣṇu also shows the inseperable nature of all these manifestations, which are rooted in the Vedas.