Views and Reviews: Insights that Illumine the Light Within

Let us begin every day calling the elder brother   When we say lord vigneswarar we remember immediately that he was the son of the lord Siva and goddess mother. When we finish the 16 names, we say that he is the elder brother of the lord subramanyar and remember him, and thus the entire family is congregated. Therefore, that name comes in the last to end in an auspicious manner.   We are all the children of the goddess and lord Siva. The eldest son, before all of us, is the lord vigneswarar. Mentioning the name of lord subramanyar, the most popular among his younger brothers, means we are all covered in that list. Feeing that the lord vigneswarar is the elder brother to all of us, let us upon waking up, before starting any work, chant these 16 names, and as per "sarva karyesu vignastasya na jayate" let us complete all tasks without any obstacles and get all righteous benefits.   Sumukach-chaikadantascha-kapilo gajakarnaka:| Lambodarascha vikato vignarajo vinayaka: || Doomaket

The speciality of the name skanda   Skanda mean the one who "emerged jumping". The power of the lord Siva emerged from his eyes as a light with a jump, an enthusiasm to bless the world, which led to the formation of the lord subramanyar. Because of this significance, though he has many names such as subramanyar, karthikeyar, kumara, saravanabhavar, the epics about him are called skanda puranam, skandam. The world he lives is also called skanda loka. The penance observed in his name is called skanda sashti. The lord Siva who is with the goddess and lord subramanyar is called soma skandar. Even in Tamil, in which we have given him a nice name murugar, his prayers are called, kandar anubuti, kandar alangaram, and kandar kalivenba. There is a kanda kottam as a speciality in Chennai.   When some thing appears in the Vedas, it has as special significance, and respect. Such significance exists for the name skanda. In the epic skandam, it comes that sage narada was teacher to the hu

The lord subramanyar who got all the benefits mentioned in the finale lines   I can think of the essence of the names:   Those who say the 16 names, will when beginning to study, during wedding, while going to a place, while leaving a place, during disputes, and in all activities –not face any obstacles. This is the benefit of chanting these names. For each of these, we can see that there is a proof in the story of lord subramanyar.   Beginning to study (vidyarambe). For the lord who emerged from the knowledge eye of the lord Siva, there is no need to begin any education from the alphabets. He himself posed as the embodiment of the one letter, and preached it to his father. Therefore, in his case, the initiation to the knowledge of the self, by becoming a renunciant is the beginning to study. The lord vigneswarar was the cause for him to become a renunciant, where he won the competition for the fruit.   Vivahe: the matter regarding wedding with valli. In this we saw already that the el

The elder's role in the renunciation of the lord subramanyar   The wedding is in the story of lord subramanyar. In the same story is the renunciation. But strangely, the lord subramanyar became a renunciant before he got married! He embraced this renunciation prior to becoming a householder. First, renunciation, then he fought and killed the enemy with displaying his valour, after that only with the blessing of his elder brother he got married – indeed the story of the lord subramanyar is quite unusual.   The form he took upon renunciation is the 'dandaayutha pani'. I do not think there is any one who does not know the "story of fruit and palani'. Actually the dandam is not any weapon, but the bamboo stick that all renunciants keep. The weapon called danaayutha was that used by the spear he used as the c-i-c of the angels. The c-i-c of the goddess lalithambal is called dandini. In order to use such a power spear, he first held to the peace staff (santhi danda) that

The elder's share in the wedding of lord vigneswarar   Next, the wedding of the younger brother lord subramanyar. It is the wedding with goddess valli which we perform as a festival. This wedding story gives space for describing it in an exciting manner with story telling, lectures, drama, cinema, and dance drama.   Most people generally know the story – that because the lord vigneswarar sped as an elephant in musth chasing the girl valli, she fell in the hands of the lord subramanyar. In this episode, the elder brother lord demonstrated that the elder is not "dull" but greater than the bull, a musth elephant. In fact, it was the younger brother who was motionless, worrying why he could not woe the girl valli to join him. Afterwards, the great c-i-c of the angel army, realized that only if he prayed to his elder brother his obstacle will go away. He mentally called the lord vigneswarar for help. The lord immediately came forward to help his younger brother and came in th

The significance of elder brother of subramanyar   In the 16 names that we are analyzing now, there is no name saying that he is son of lord Siva or parvati. That is it does not say that he is the son of so and so. There is also no name saying that he is the consort of so and so. There are several forms of lord vigneswarar with consorts as there are several in his bachelor form. When he is with vallabai, he is called vallaba ganapathi. You may have heard that he is the husband of siddhi and buddhi. He has sons born to siddhi and buddhi. But there are no names saying that he is the father of these children. However, when completing the name list, in the finale the name 'elder brother of skanda' comes saying only one relationship. Why so? Normally, we introduce a younger person by referring to an elder person saying that he is related to the latter as – son, nephew, son-in-law, younger brother -- this the norm. However, here on the contrary the younger brother's name is said

The elephant worshipped by the lion   The form of heramba is special. He has five faces. All five are elephant faces. One poet has sung "pancha mathanga muka". In the various statues of lord Ganesha in thiruvarur, the poet dikshitar has sung about the five faced lord.   Lord Siva has five faces. In the Siva prayer (Siva panchakshari) it is described so. The sankaracharya has also made fun using this five faces.   Because he has five faces, the lord Siva is called panchasyan. The lion has the name panchasyam. In this pancha means widely spread. The prapancham means that which is widely spread. Here pancha means five, and so prapancha can also means that which is made of the five elements. Let us leave that now. Lion and Siva both have the name panchasyam. The elephant is afraid of the lion. We call it "simha swapnam" (lion in a dream). An elephant will die even if it sees the lion in its dream! The lion is always furiously waiting for a chance to kill the elephant

Skanda poorvajar   We have come to the last name. Skanda poorvajam comes last in the 16 names. It means that he is elder brother of subramanya. He is elder to him. More than that, it is nice to call him, the one ahead of subramanya.   Poorvajar means the one born earlier. We also call Agrajar.   Like the Tamil word "udan pirappu" in Sanskrit we call "sahodarar"- to mention siblings -- saha means "together" when we say sahodarar or udan pirappu we cannot find whether elder or younger brother. Elder brother is known by the word agrajar. Similar the young brother is known by the word anujar. Ramanujar means the younger brother of Rama, or lakshmana. In the amara, subramanyar has a name gajamuka anujar. Subramanya has a name as the younger brother of lord vigneswarar. So the lord vigneswarar is also called as the elder brother of subramanyar. Such a brotherly feeling.

Vakratundar The next name is vakratundar.   When the amaram listed the names for face we also found the name tundam. Normally tundam means face, but in the case of animals such as pig and elephant which have a special nose, the tundam means nose. What is special the pig's nose? In the case of cow, goat, and horse the nose tapers small when it ends. But for the pig though the nose tapers a bit in the beginning, it finally becomes very large and flat when it ends. For the elephant the nose hangs like a trunk. This trunk is only called tundam. For birds the nose ends as a sharp dot. It is called "alahu" in Tamil. In Sanskrit that is also called tundam only.   While the head is the most important in the body, the nose is the most important in the face. While the mouth is the most important by its function, the nose is the most important for the form. We describe the good or bad look of a person as sharp nose and flat nose, by pointing to the shape of his nose only. In this no

Soorpa karnakar Vakra tunda: soorpakarno heramba skanda poorvaja:   Soorpa karnakar is the next name. After that there are only 2 more names.   Soorpa karnakar means the one with ears like bamboo sieve. Soorpam means sieve. Soorpanakai means the one with nails like a sieve. Soorpa – naka according to Sanskrit grammar rules becomes 'soorpaNaka'. If the nail is the size of the sieve one can imagine how big her form would have been.   Why there is already one name "gaja karnakar" – why another name as "soorpa karnakar" – saying some thing again is normally a fault – it is not so in this case.   While he has a large unfolded ear like an elephant, which he spreads and listens to all our prayers, he is called gaja karnakar. However, is he only listening to our prayers? The lord who is present at all times and everywhere is also listening to other things that we talk. Three fourths of these are useless talks. They may be unwanted matters. Why many of our prayers

Herambar   The next name is herambar. To my knowledge no one has given a convincing meaning for this name by splitting the word to its root words. Perhaps, I have not understood properly? There is a great scholar by the name bhaskara rayar who should be respectfully listed as one among several celebrities. His annotation for the lalita sahasranam is considered very insightful. Such a person has also written annotation for the ganesh sahasranam. I checked what the explanation he has given for heramba is. Herambar is given the meanings "the person who established the saivaite tradition" and "the one with extraordinary valor" in that annotation. While the scholar is a highly respected one, unfortunately when I read it I some how could not find the link between those two names and him, perhaps because of my inabilities. Researchers say that the buffalo in Tamil (which is erumai), became heramba!   While Sanskrit is famous for being able to split the letters in words

The one who comprises all the living beings   How is it that all the living beings are included in him? We do not need to reiterate that he is a deity. Is he not the foremost that we pray to among all the deities? The important quality of a deity is to compassionate bless the devotees without draining out the power to grant boons. This quality is fully present in lord vigneswarar.   He is also represents the ghosts. How? He has a big belly, short limbs which are normally qualities of ghosts.   How can we say that he represents human beings? Human beings only cook and eat food, i.e. boil and cook the food and eat. Animals eat raw plants or meat directly. The demons and beasts eat raw meat. They are called "kravyaatar". Kravyam means raw meat.   The deities take the only the essence (spirit) of the food that we offer, though we may offer nice food items, as offerings or oblations. Only human beings eat cooked food. Lord vigneswarar is the only one who takes the modak (rice stuf

The embodiment of the primordial entity Over and above all these, there is one more factor which is the peak. The lord decided to take a particular form to show to people that He is the source of everything and the first one in the creation, and receive all the prayers in that form. He wanted that his form should also indicate to people his source. What is the source of all creation? Which is first? First does not mean beginning of first, second and third. It is also the beginning itself. In addition, when we start a business, we put the "first equity". Like this for the creation to begin, it is the initial capital that the lord. It is the primordial sound (om) which is the source, and the first among creation. The elephant's face (with the trunk curved on the right side) is the only one among all creation which portrays the Om letter. For this peak among the important qualities, he took the form of gajanana with an elephant face. Face and mouth   In the "gajanana,

Gajananar The specialties of the elephant Dhoomaketur: ganatyaksha: phaalachandro gajanana:   Gajananar is the next name. It means the one with the elephant face. The poet auvaiyar sang, "kolanj chei tunga karimukattu toomaniye" calling the lord as karimukar.   The elephant has several positive attributes. Body strength; intelligence; particularly sharp memory; knowledge; though it has great power to just stamp human being with its massive body (like how clothes are smashed against stones), it is so gentle and obedient and according to the training given by the mahout, it brings large logs of wood for social activities, fighting against the enemy in the war, not showing destructive qualities but displaying the nature to work very hard, eat satvic vegetarian food; won the title that "worth a 1000 gold even after it is dead" because of the ivory which is priceless even after the elephant is dead – like this we cannot count the several positive attributes of the eleph

The animals related to the divine forms   In the mutt we perform prayers for two animals. The prayer for cow and prayer for the elephant. Of these, we call the cow, the cow mother, not including it among animals. If we count like that the only animal being worshipped is the elephant. This prayer is not significant for any other animal. We perform the prayer to the "go pooja", when day begins. At the go pooja the prayer is performed for the cow. When the day ends – at twilight – gaja pooja is performed. At the gaja pooja the elephant is offered with respect fruits and in turn the elephant swings a fan for the lotus feet of the sankaracharya and performs pooja. At that time the daily accounts are presented to the acharya in front of the elephant. When we prostrate to the acharya at the end of this prayer, the elephant also salutes making a jubilant noise with its trunk. This pooja is also called "deeviti salam".   In the go pooja it is merely a prayer for the cow

Phala chandrar   The next name is phalachandrar. We must watch the pronunciation: phaalachandra. The first letter is phaa or baa. Nowadays, many keep the name balachandran. I wonder what they think is the meaning when they keep this name. May be they think this means the young moon? Like bala krishnan, and bala subramanian, they may be thinking of bala chandran. Because the two deities have done many miracles during their childhood, they called by those names (bala krishnana, and bala subramanian). In the valmiki Ramayana, there is no description of rama's childhood miracles. When the incarnation is introduced in the first chapter, already dasaratha started to think of the marriage of his four sons. Then he runs fast to say that sage viswamitra came. That is why like bala krishna we do not have bala rama. There are no child time miracles for the moon. We call the crescent moon as bala chandran. But that is a disfigured and waned form. Therefore keeping that name is not auspici

Vigneswarar and the moon   There is much relationship between the lord vigneswarar and the moon. With arrogance that he is the most beautiful one, the moon made fun of the lord. The lord cursed the moon, "no one will see you from now on, and if they see you they will face unnecessary blames." After that people started blaming the moon a lot. People scolded the moon, "if we look at him even by mistake we have to face unnecessary blame! Why not he go away from the eyes of us!" because of shame, the moon also went and hid himself under the ocean. Only when the moon is above the ocean, the ocean will rise during the new moon and full moon and bring rain for the good of the world. There was damage to that! The herbs all grow only in moon light- these vanished and diseases started to spread every where. Therefore, the angels and sages advised to the moon, "There is no need for your to hide away and live like this. The world need not suffer without you. Please go and

Ganatyakshar   Dhoomaketur-ganatyaksha: in the 16 names after dhoomaketu comes ganatyakshar. Gana-atyakshar. Atyakshar means the person who supervises, or leader or head (with the head only even the westerners call head of government, head-priest and so on!). Until recent times, vice chancellors were called upa-atyakshar.   What we mean by Gana-pathy, ganesar (gana-esar), ganatipathy (gana-atipathy) gana-nathar is the nothing else but the meaning for ganatyakshar.   Lord Siva appointed lord vigneswarar as the head of his ghost-like servants and the younger son lord subramanian as the head of his angel-like servants. We say "gajananam bhutaganathi sevitham". We call the younger son, deva senathipathy. He is so in two ways: he is the lord of the servants of the angels; he is also the husband of the daughter of indra, devasena. It is more difficult of course to supervise and manage the ghosts, than boss over the angels. The elder son is delivering this difficult responsibility

Dhoomaketu   Dhoomaketu is the next name. Dhoomam means smoke. Normal smoke from firewood, coal is to be called dhoomam, while the nice smelling insense, and herb smoke is to be called dhupam. In the five protocol rituals (panchoupachara) we show dhupam. Dhoomam is smoke, ketu means flag. The one who has the smoke as his flag is dhoomaketu. The lord of fire is also called dhoomaketu, because the smoke coming out of the fire sways like a flag in the wind. However, normally people do not take a good meaning for dhoomaketu, but only an inauspicious meaning (or something that will cause inauspiciousness). The reason is "dhoomaketu" also means a meteor. The meteor always causes destruction in the world. Then how come the lord vigneswarar who grants auspiciousness can have that name – I could not decipher.   I read the vinayaka puranam (epic on lord vigneswarar). There two epics on lord vigneswarar. One told by sage brugu. Therefore it is called bhargava puranam. Things related

The adjective "vi" In the name vinayakar, there is a vi before the nayakar. We can notice that the Lord Vigneswarar, the head of the Siva's troops, is very much suited to the title nayakar. What is the meaning of putting "vi" ahead of the title?   In Sanskrit "vi" is one of the several prefixes used before words. The speciality of vi is that it can change the meaning of the words that come after that in two ways. The two ways are totally different from each other! Malam means dirt. Adding vi, vimalam means clean. In this case, vi, changed the meaning of the word coming afterwards to become its opposite. However, adding vi to shuddam, we have a word "vishuddam". We are wrong if we take the meaning of this word as "unclean", i.e. the opposite of shuddam. In this case, the vi does not create opposite of the word following it. it gives it more strength and superiority. Vishuddam means highly clean. We have a word viparidam. Parid

The names of vigneswarar in the "amara" (Sanskrit dictionary)   In the amara (kosa) when the names of vigneswarar are mentioned, the list begins with vinayaka. [The acharya recites the names silently, counting them with his fingers] in our sastras we have 16 names. However, in the kosa written by the Jain author amarasimhan there are only 8 names – half the 16 –   Vinayako vignaraja dwaimathura ganathipaa:| Ap-yekadanta heramba lambodhara gajananaa:||   In these, vinayaka, vignaraja, ekadanta, heramba, lambodhara, and gajanana are six names which come in our 16 names as well. Ganathipa comes as ganathyaksha in the 16 names. The one name that is not in the 16 but in the "amara" is "dwaimathura". It means the one who has two mothers. Goddess mother is one. Ganga is another. The spark of fire from the third eye of lord Siva fell in to the saravana water fall in Ganga, and gave birth to the lord subramanian, and therefore ganga is indirectly the mother of the

Vinayakar: the twin lord vigneswarar   Vignarajo vinayaka: -- after the name vignara comes vinayaka.   We often install two idols of lord vigneswarar as twin. In many towns there will a street with the name "twin vigneswarar" street. In those streets, there will be two vigneswarar statues in the same altar, sitting next to each other. Instead of a separate temple, such twin vigneswarar are also found in Siva temples.   No other deity has such twin idols being worshipped. Only lord vigneswarar has this practice. He is called often twin vigneswarar.   Why it is so is because he is the only lord who himself does two acts which appear to be opposed to one another. I did not say "opposed" – only appear to be opposed. I will come to this explanation later. Overall, the two acts of his appear confronted with each other. The twin vigneswarar signify the lord for each of the acts.   In these twin vigneswarar one is vignaraja and another is vinayaka. Like how the statues are