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.
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.
