5. Sambhava Khandam - Rathi and Manmadhan

A statue of Manmadhan with wife Rati engraved on the walls of a temple.

Manmadhan is usually seen having a sugarcane bow in his hand.

His chariot is a parrot. With an arrow and bow of flowers he stirs romance in his targets.

All the Devas had gathered in Brahmas palace in the city of 'Manovathi'. Brahma was sitting in padmasana. Lord Vishnu had also come there. Brahma summoned Manmadhan  by thought. Manmadhan appeared before Brahma with his sugarcane bow and wife Rati. Both of them bowed before Brahma. Brahma blessed the couple.

 Manmadhan asked Brahma the reason for his summoning. Brahma spoke, "Manmadha, you are aware of the atrocities of Surapanman. After all these years of being tortured in his hands, we finally have a chance of destroying him. Lord Shiva himself has told that he will create his son who will be the nemesis of Surapanman. Lord Shiva who has become the guru for the sanagadhi saints (sons of Brahma) and Parvathi who is in deep meditation  in the meru mountain have to be bought together. Your bow and arrow should be a bridge to bring them together. Bringing two people together in love is a skill you were born with. It was you who made Lord Vishnu to fall in love with Brindhai. You made Indira to get attracted to Akalyay. It was you who made even me to become mesmerized with Thilothama.

 After listening to Brahma, Manmadhan replied, " All you say is true. But Lord Shiva has a bad temper. If he gets angry on me for firing my arrow at him and he opens his third eye, then i will cease to exist. You must already be aware of this."

  Hearing Manmadhans argument, Brahma got angry. Brahma said, " Brother, is this a time to argue ? If you dont do as i say so, you will face the wrath of my curse."

  

4. Sambhava Khandam- Reason for the sufferings of the Devas

Many yugas went by when Lord Shiva sat under the banyan tree as Dhakshinamoorthy. Great changes had taken place in the deva loka during this time.
 Using all the boons he received from Lord Shiva, Surapanman had defeated the king of the devas Indira.
 Surapanmans son Banugopan imprisoned the devas and saints. The atrocities of Surapanman grew day by day. Indira was deeply depressed. He decided to ask Lord Shiva for a way to end these sufferings. He began his intense meditation on Lord Shiva. Indira began his meditation in the Meru mountain. He began his meditation with the 'Nama Shivaya' mantra in his thought. He continued his meditation for many years without food or water.
 Impressed by the austereties performed by Indira, Lord Shiva appears before him. Indira woke up from his meditation and bowed before the Lord.
 Lord Shiva asked Indira the reason why he did such austereties keeping him in mind.
 Indira replied, " Oh Lord ! Is there anything that you do not know ? I have lost my self respect because of Surapanman. I lost my throne. I have lost my country Amaravathypattanam. My dear son Jayanthan has been imprisoned. Surapanman has enslaved lakhs of devas. At such times there is no other refuge other than your feet Lord. Please kill Surapanman and help us Lord. "
 Lord Shiva took pity on Indira and told, " Indira ! You and the devas had disrespected me by going to Dakshans yagna. You were by Dhakshans side when he was insulting me. That sin is the reason for your suffering. "
  Indira prayed to the Lord to forgive him. Lord blessed him and told, " Indira, i cannot kill Surapanman myself. He had impressed me with great austerities and has gained many boons from me. He has gained boons to become the king of the entire asura kulam and to rule for 1008 years. No Deva can kill him. The only person who can kill him is a son born from me. " Saying this the Lord disappeared.
  " The son of Lord Shiva will save the race of the Devas ". Bearing this prophecy in mind, Indira began waiting for the day the Lords son will be born. But he was also plagued by a doubt in his mind. Lord Shiva was sitting as guru Dhakshinamoorthy and Eshwari was in meditation in the Meru mountain. When they are so far apart, it is not possible for a son to be born. How can the both of them be brought together ? Indira had no answer for these questions.
   Indira along with Brihaspathi and Lord Brahma discussed his doubts. Lord Brahma then told Indira to go and ask to Lord Vishnu for an answer. So Indira along with Brahma and other Devas and saints went to Vaigundam. There Lord Vishnu was in a resting posture with Sridevi and Boodevi massaging his legs. Indira told Lord Vishnu about his plight and asked how the prophecy of Surapanmans death can become true.
   Lord Vishnu comforted Indira, " Do not worry, Indira. Lord Shiva has told that Surapanmans death will be in the hands of the son born to him. We can be assured that this will happen and the Deva race will be safeguarded. Our only thought now should be on how to make Lord Shiva who is now concentrated on giving knowledge as Dhakshinamoorthy into falling in love with Eshwari. I think Manmadhan is our best hope to divert Lord Shiva. Once he fires his arrow of flowers on the Lord, he will see eshwari. "
  Indira, Brahma and the other Devas took Lord Vishnus blessings and started their work on their new plan.

3. Sambhava Khandam - The Rise of Surapanman

Sambhava Khandam - The Rise of Surapanman

 Many yugas went by when Lord Shiva sat under the banyan tree as Dakshinamoorthy. During this time great changes took place in the devaloka. 
An asura named Surapanman had gained great boons from Lord Shiva by doing intense austereties. With the powers gained from the boons, Surapanman defeated Indira(Indira was the king of devaloka). The son of Surapanman, Banugopan imprisoned all the devas and saints. Indiras son Jayanthan was also imprisoned. Surapanman grew more and more torturous day by day.
 Surapanman was the son of Maya. Maya was born to Asurendran and Mangala Kesi.

Maya is born to Asurendran and Mangala Kesi.

 After coming of age Maya goes and seeks advice from sage sukracharya on expanding her race.

   Sage Sukracharya advices her to go and marry sage Kashyapa. Children born to them would be very powerful and dominant.

Maya weds Sage Kashyapa

    The first child born to Maya and Kashyapa was Surapanman.

Birth of Surapanman

  Maya and Kashyapa take the form of lions and give birth to Singamukhan, the lion faced brother of Surapanman.

Maya and Kashyapa take the form of elephants and give birth to Gajamukhan, the elephant faced brother of Surapanman.

Maya and Kashyapa take the form of goats and give birth to Ajamukhi, the goat faced sister of Surapanman.

  Maya and Kashyapa then give birth to two lakh asuras. All of them pay respect to their parents.

Adviced by his father Surapanman does intense tapas to gain the grace of Lord Shiva.

  Surapanman pleases Lord Shiva and receives the boon to rule 1008 worlds for 108 yugas.

    After receiving the boons Surapanman imprisons the devas and tortures them.

  But Lord Shiva had taken the form of Dakshinamoorthy during this time after granting the boon to Surapanman.

     

Thiruchendhur Kandha Sashti Kavasam Meaning

Thiruchendhur Murugan Temple by the ocean.

There are six 'kandha sashti kavasams'. One for each adobe of Lord Muruga.

The one we are going to study is the kavasam of Thiruchendur.

Kanthar Sashti Kavasam is a famous Tamil hymn in praise of Lord Murugan. It is composed by Sri Devaraya Swamigal and helps one to obtain the grace of the Lord. It is sung particularly on festive occasions, such as during Kanthar Sashti in October-November. When chanted daily with concentration and devotion, the kavasam serves as a protective ‘armour’ for devotees and confers great spiritual and material benefits. This rare and valuable treasure helps one to be successful in our daily lives.

  
thuthiporkku - to  those who pray (those who recite this kavasam )
valvinaipom - this can be seen as a combination - val+vinai+pom. 'val' means strong. 'vinai' indicates the karma we have accumulated over many births. 'pom' is like 'po' in tamil which means to go away. So the term 'thuthiporku valvinaipo' means that for those who recite this kavasam, their karma that has been following them strongly for many births will go away.
thunbampom - the sorrows will go away.
nenjil pathiporkku - to those who memorise this kavasam by heart
selvam palithuk kathith ongum - wealth will come and it will increase
nishtaiyum kaikoodum - what ever they think will happen.
nimalar arul kanthar sashti kavasam thanai - this 'kandha sashti kavasam' 
                                                                                                which is blessed by lord muruga.
                                                                                                'nimalar' means one who is pure
                                                                                                 without any dirt.

 The benefits that one gets by reciting this kavasam is given in the first stanza. All the bad karma accumulated over many cycles of births and which is still following and burdening us will go away if we recite this kavasam. 'Vinai' means bad karma. 'Valvinai' means bad karma that is following us from many births. 'Valvinaipom' means that the bad karma following us from many births will go away (po means go away in tamil). All their sorrows will go away. And for those who memorize this kavasam and hold it in their heart, wealth will come (selvam palithuk) and it will increase ('kathith ongum' means increase) Whatever they think of will come true. 'Ishta' means what we wish for. 'Nishta' means what ever we think about. In the last line of the stanza Devaraya Swamigal says the benefits of this kavasam and goes to the first line.

'Kandha Sashti Kavasam' written on the pillars of the Thiruchendur temple.

The raja gopuram of Thiruchendur murugan temple.

The Thiruchendur Murugan Temple is located in the small town of Thiruchendur in the district of Tuticorin, Tamil Nadu, India. It is 55 km south-east of Tirunelveli, 40 km from Tuticorin and 75 km north-east of Kanyakumari. It is easily accessible either by bus or car. Frequent train services are available to Tiruchendur from the nearest railway junction, Tirunelveli Junction. This temple is the fourth Hindu temple in Tamil Nadu to get ISO certification. The Kumbabisheka for this temple was held recently in July 2009, after this many new schemes was implemented in this temple.This temple is famous its "Panneer ilai Vibhuti" which is praised by Sri Adi Shankaracharya that the mere vision of the Panneer leaf Vibhuthi would cure many incurable diseases.

 

amarar idar theera  - to finish the problems of people. 'amarar' means people

                                              'idar'  means problems. 'theera' means to finish.

amaram purintha - to bless. Lord Kandha who blessed. 'amaram purintha' 

                                           means 'arul purintha' (to give blessing)

kumaran adi - the foot of Lord Kumara.

nenje kuri - the objective of our heart.  

  The objective of this kandha sashti kavasam is given in these two lines. Attaining the Lord who gives blessings to finish off all the problems must be the objective of the heart.

The Temple Mela-gopuram, a massive structure of nine storeys, is a striking landmark for many miles around both by land and sea. It is about 137 feet high above yāli-mattam, over a ground-floor 90' feet long north to south and 65-1/2 feet broad east to west. The finials stoopis at the top are nine in number in consonance with the number of storeys as a general rule with such temples. They are of plaster and stucco, 7 feet, 6 inches in height; and placed over a pedestal base 5 feet wide and 45 feet long. The location of his principal gopuram on the western side of the temple instead of on to the east as is usual to mark the entrance of any temple of importance, is possibly to wisely take advantage of the hardened sandstone rocks and the cliffs nearby to place its large foundations.

The gopura is said to have been constructed about 300 years ago by Desikamūrti Swāmi, an Odukkath-Tambiran of the then Mahā-sannidhānam of Tiruvāvaduthurai Mutt. He is said to have received his call for the purpose from his place in the mutt, the Lord having communicated His desire both to the Mahā-sannidhānam and the Tambiran in a dream. The latter had no funds for such a huge task entrusted into his hands, but had appraised him of the solution. He undertook it.It is said the labour paid for by the Swami was in the shape of pinches of sacred ashes (tirunîru) placed in the hands of workmen after each day's work, with instructions to open near the Thūndu-kai-Vināyakar Kovil. And those pinches of sacred vibhūti were converted into cash enough to recompense their individual exertion, actually performed during the course of the day!

It is remarkable that from the sixth storey upwards to the ninth, the plaster on the walls have kept remarkably on, and they are beautified with fresco paintings! The scenes depicted are from the life of Saint Manikavāchaka, with labels in Tamil and those of the Pandya Ninracîr Nedumāran and his times and also scenes from Tirunelvēli Purānam and many others. A good many of them are obliterated with age, dust and whitewash. As illustrating the contemporaneous state of society they are well worth a study.

On the ninth storey is fixed a huge bell kadikāra nālikai mani placed under the orders of one Mr. Eden (possibly the Collector of Tirunelvely from 1832-1839). The clock formerly struck the hour of the day with a mechanism, now in disrepair. The inscription in Tamil found on the bell relates this to be a gift of Tiruppani Vicāranai Stalattār.

There is a tradition that when this clock struck at mid-day, the call was taken up by a series of bell-fries on mantapas, said to have been built by the Panjalamkurichi family, at regular intervals between Tiruchendur and Ottapidaram. In all of them drummers were stationed to communicate along the route and as far as the residence of Kattabomma Nayakkan the Poligar [somewhat after the style of the signals which conveyed across the Aegean the news of the fall Troy] the actual performance of puja in this temple. At his signal, Kattabomma turned his thoughts to prayer before he took his daily meal. A square mantapa in front of the Pillaiyar temple at Palaya-Kayal, one of such a series, is said to have been built by this family. Similar mantapas exist at Mukkani and Arumuganeri.

sashtiyai nokka - to direct our heart towards 'sashti'.

saravanabavanar- the lord of the six syllables 'sa ra va na ba va'

sishtaruk- devotees

kuthavum- help

sengathir velon- lord muruga who has the vel which shines red light

sishtaruk kuthavum sengathir velon- lord muruga with the shining vel will help his devotees.

paatham irandil- in the two feets

panmani sathangai- there are anklets which are made of many gems, 'navarathnas'

geetham paada- music sings

kinkini yaada- the bells in the anklets dance and make kinkini sound 

maiya nadany seyum - the word 'maiya' means 'maiyakam' in tamil. It means 'intoxicated'. 'nadany seyyum' means dancing. 'nadany' is dance and 'seyyum' is to do. 

mayil vakananaar - the one who has the peacock as his vehicle.

kayil velaal - with the vel in his hand.

enaik kaakavenru vanthu - come to protect me.

vara vara velayuthanaar varuga - 'vara' means come. i welcome you, the one who has the vel as his weapon. 

varuga varuga mayilon varuga - i welcom you, the one who rides on a peacock.

inthiran muthalam enthisai potra - the ashtadhikpalas are the eight guardians, one for each direction.

1)Indra (east)

2)Agni (south - east)

3)Yama (south)

4)Nirṛti ( South - west)

5)Varuṇa (west)

6)Vayu (North west)

7)Kubera (north)

8)Īśāna (north east)

 the word 'enthisai' comes from 'en' + 'thisai'. 'en' meaning eight and 'thisai' meaning direction. 'inthiran muthalam enthisai potra' means all the eight dhikpalas with inthiran as the first dhikpala salutes and worships you(lord muruga) and your vel.

manthira vadivel varuga varuga - i welcome you the one with the magical vel.

East side of the temple by the sea.

Temple seashore.

vasavan -

Sunrise in Tiruchendur

Entrance to saravana poigai lake in thiruchendur.

This is a sacred pond. Lord Muruga appears in the form of six children fostered by six "Karthigai Pengal" in six different lotuses. Arrangements have been made for the pilgrims to take bath in Saravana Poigai.