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Thread: Murugan a Tamil deity

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    Murugan a Tamil deity

    Namaste friends,

    I read an interesting article yesterday that compares Sri Murugan's legend, as it is presented in vedas vs. as it was made available to us over the ages. A tiny tidbit from this article shows how Sri Murugan is intricately connected with TamilNadu:

    He arrested Brahma and taught Veda to Shiva in Swamimalai.
    He fought for Gyana Palam and became an Aandi(saint) and stood on Palani hills.
    He received his Vel from Parvathi in Sirakali
    He destroyed Curan in Thiruchentur.
    He freed the Devas and in turn got married to Indra’s Daughter Theivanai in Thiruthani. Fell in love and married Valli in Palamudhirsolai
    Settled in Thriparankundram as Deity with two wives.

    Perhaps this is the reason why Sri Murugan came to be known as 'Tamil deity'? No other deity is closely associated with TamilNadu as Murugan.

    You can read the full article here: http://karkanirka.org/2008/04/13/murugan1/

    If you have any more insight to share on why Sri Murugan is regarded as Tamil deity, kindly do so.

    Thanks and regards.
    jai hanuman gyan gun sagar jai kapis tihu lok ujagar

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    Re: Murugan a Tamil deity

    Besides the above stated factors, I also think that the foremost saints who worshiped Sri Murugan were all gifted to making remarkable poetry in Tamil language by the grace of Sri Murugan. Examples: Avvaiyar, Saint Arunagirinatha.
    jai hanuman gyan gun sagar jai kapis tihu lok ujagar

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    Re: Murugan a Tamil deity

    Vannakkam: In Mauritius, amongst the people who came as indentured labour (not from the Brahmin caste), Murugan was God, period. They went for a couple of generations not realising they were Saivites, and thinking the other style of Hindus worshipped Siva, but not them. I just say this to demonstrate the prevalence of Him amongst the Tamil people.

    I read somewhere once upon a time that there are more Murugan temples that any other in TN. Not sure if it's true or not.

    Aum Namasivaya

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    Re: Murugan a Tamil deity

    EM ji,

    Murugan worship has also been very famous in SriLanka, a predominantly Buddhist country. You must be knowing about the famous 'Kathirgamam' temple, even here in HDF there was once a good link on it posted by ShivaFan ji. Tamil language has been considered as the root/mother for even Sanskrit by few (not sure how accurate this is). Even in Vaishnavam, so many acharyas (Azhwars) were born in Tamil language and contributed to the pool of divine works. This makes me feel very specially about Tamil language.
    jai hanuman gyan gun sagar jai kapis tihu lok ujagar

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    Re: Murugan a Tamil deity

    Vannakkam: I could talk about Murugan forever. In Sri Lanka, one theory is that He started out as a tribal (Vedda people, way before the Tamil or Sinhalese ever came) deity, and morphed or later combined with something else from that. So nobody really knows. We do know it's steeped in antiquity. Palani, as well, has the legends of yore. Kataragama has been more or less 'taken over' these days, and many Tamils won't go. I have no personal opinion, but do know a few people who made the walking yatra from Jaffna as children.

    He stands out, particularly for the penance, and 'energy' associated with Him. Even on sites like IndiaMike, that is spoken of. Of course, most tourists head north, not many are interested in the temple towns of TN. We've done several threads on him, and I will most likely repeat myself. As you probably read here somewhere, our last pilgrimage was the arapadaveedu pilgrimage. So yes, Thai Pusam and Skanda Shashti are particularly important to me.

    Vetri Vel Murukanikku!

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    Re: Murugan a Tamil deity

    I think that in Jyotish Sastra, Murugan is associated with Planet Mars - the planet that signifies bravery, victory over enemies and also youthfulness (Kumaram). Murugan is also considered the deity signifying Jyotish sastra and also sastra of any kind in general.
    jai hanuman gyan gun sagar jai kapis tihu lok ujagar

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    Re: Murugan a Tamil deity

    Namaste Viraja Ji and EM Ji,

    Kumara,Karthikeya,Skanda. etc is a very ancient Deva and is found on many North Indian images,coins and was a favorite deity of many North India Kings(just look at the names of some rulers who had Skanda,Kumara etc. in their names and seals).You should rely on history instead of theories that float around.

    To begin here are a few examples of worship of Lord Murugan in what is now Pakisthan and Mathura,dating from 1st-2nd century AD.

    http://collections.lacma.org/node/251266

    http://collections.lacma.org/node/251505

    http://collections.lacma.org/node/251147

    http://www.britishmuseum.org/explore...gold_coin.aspx

    In fact,I remember reading in history about even older presence of Lord Murugan in far north.
    He dances in the golden hall of Chidambaram, Let us worship His rosy anklet girt Feet.

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    Re: Murugan a Tamil deity

    Namaste Ram,

    In the OP, I have given a link that clearly documents Sri Murugan as a vedic deity worshiped by Hindus all over. Thus there is no questioning ever raised whether or not he is worshiped in Northern India.

    Many Tamils take pride in calling Murugan as a Tamil diety. It runs in Tamils deep-rooted sentiments to associate their language, their customs and their traditions with Sri Murugan. The OP shows how various events around Sri Murugan's legend is centered around places in TamilNadu, in case that shouldn't be clear for the readers! These events and places associated with them are not folklore.

    TamilNadu is spiritually rich with many different saints and takes pride in associating a vedic deity with it!

    Regards.
    jai hanuman gyan gun sagar jai kapis tihu lok ujagar

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    Re: Murugan a Tamil deity

    I will be VERY careful with what I am about to say, honestly I do not mean to offend any Vaishnav Brahmin sect. But I did do an honest, open minded and scholarly "deep dive" into this matter.

    Of course Lord Muruga, Skanda, is strongly linked to Tamil ancient knowledge given by Hindu Divine. But prior to that, there is in FACT very ancient Skanda Revelation in North India. Over time, yes some things changed, and Lord Krishna became an important revelation. But ....


    I will say (and I am in my car in Berkeley right now so I have no source material to present), that without question, there were North India as well as Oriya murti of Lord Surya that were prior Lord Skand.


    And honestly, to this day, there is a famous Vaishnav murti where my good friend (who is a Jain, but knows the facts) lived (he now is in UAE) that is in fact a requisitioned Skanda Murti converted to Vaishnav. And in addition, one of the most famous, rich, Vaishnav temples housing a murti, this murti is actially also Skanda and not and no other. Please do not be offended, history is history period.


    Skanda Kartikeya goes back to our hoary times in Hinduism building temples which some still exist today. Yes, most Murugan temples are in Tamil land. But in ancient times, Skanda was in North India and very famous. So famous in fact, that Alexander the Great loved Kartikeya and Alex was become a Hindu. Then his generals told him, Skanda is verily his name Alexskandar (Alexander the Great). He believed his horse was one of Surya's horses and he married a Bactrian devotee lady of Mother Goddess Uma Devi. In addition, while his generals would be cremated, in the local Bactrian tradition it was honey that was associated with Uma, so Alex was buried in a special Saraswati river white clay filled with honey and it was called the tomb of Skandar which was his Hindu name taken. Of course, his horse was not Surya's horse, nor his name meant Skanda, but it does show the importance of Skanda in North India prior to the rise of certain Vaishnav sects, as well as the strong link between Skanda North and Murugan South and a family association to Lord Surya in ancient temple times. And the Adi Kubera, too.


    Also, Skanda's Vel is a Divine in Her own right. But I will shutup on these controvedsial subjects for now. Lord Kartikeya is verily all of India, and indeed both Sanskrit and Tamil. In addition, there are two languages of the Divines, but for specific application. One is Samskrit....


    ... and for a special mystic song ... Tamil.


    Both are Mother Tongues of All.


    JAI LORD MURUGAN!
    Last edited by ShivaFan; 07 June 2015 at 08:07 PM.

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    Re: Murugan a Tamil deity

    ShivaFan ji,

    Interesting info about Alexander! Thank you.
    Last edited by Viraja; 08 June 2015 at 12:33 PM.
    jai hanuman gyan gun sagar jai kapis tihu lok ujagar

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