Images of Subramanya

Kaumaram is a sect which is the worship of Lord Subramanya as the Supreme God. Lord Subramanya holding the portfolio of defence in the kingdom of heavens, is a popular deity in Tamil Country. Kanda Puranam which exults over the beauty, majesty, and the heroism of Lord Subramanya and his various aspects. Surapadma, a demon, was harassing the devas and the rishis. His atrocities were increasing and when they grew intolerable the devas and rishis went to Siva and represented their grievances. Siva took a divine form with six faces. Six sparks flew from his third eye of the forehead. Vayu and Agni, obeying Siva's each of the six Krittikas nursed the six children. Siva and Parvati went to Saravanapoigai to fetch Kumaras to Kailasa. Then, in a spontaneous act of abounding love for the six children, Parvati took all of them in her hands at a time, with the result the children blended together and transformed themselves into a supremely beautiful child with a six heads and twelve hands. Siva affectionately seated the child to his left, Parvati sat to the left of the child and all the three went to Kailasa.^[1]

Later at the command of Siva, Arumugha destroyed the demon Surapadma, his brother Tarakasura and Singamukhasura and also their kith and kin and thus saved the devas.^[2] Tiruparamkunram, Tiruchendur, Palani, Swamimalai, Thiruttani and Pazhamudirsolai are the six place associated with Muruga known as Arupadaivedu.^[3] Elephant^[4] peacock,^[5] are reputed to be his vahanas and his emblem sported kukkuta^[6] the harbinger of the rising sun. His two consorts are known as Devasena and Valli. Lord Subramanya had his origin from the Vedic age. Ramayana tells that he was bora to Agni and river Goddess Ganga. He is said to be the son of Agni and Svaha in Mahabharata. The Puranas add that he was the younger son of Siva and Parvati.^[7]

Subramanya has various names like Muruga, Skanda, Karttikeya, Shanmuka, Senapati, Gajavahana, Brahmasasta and Saravanabhava.^[8] He is worshipped as the svatantara devata, samapradhanadevata and parivaradevata.

During the Archaeological survey in Adichanallur of Tirunelveli district in Tamil Country, the trident, the golden and silver mouth closers and the cock symbol on the trident belonging to the first millennium B.C. were excavated. These relics are deemed to indicate that the Muruga cult was the earliest one in Tamil Nadu^[9]. Tolkappiyam,^[10] refers to Muruga as ceyon the presiding deity of Kurinji or hilly tracts. Other Sangam literatures like Agananuru,^[11] Paripadal,^[12] Porunararruppadai,^[13] Purananuru,^[14] and Tirumurukarruppadai^{12 5}eulogies Muruga in manifold ways. Ilangovadigal in his immortal Epic Silappadikaram,^[15] has dealt at length on the war dances viz., tudikkuttu and kudaikuttu by Muruga after vanquishing Surapadma. The temples of Muruga are mentioned in the same work as Vel Kottam^[16], Kozhi Sevarkodiyon Kottam,^[17] and Arumuga Sevel Anitigal, Koyil.^[18] However, no evidence on the figure of Muruga is available as yet, save the literary treatises on him upto the sixth century A.D.

The worship of Muruga was popular in the period of Pallavas. Early Pallava rulers bear the names of Kumara, Skanda and so on. In the Pallava age, several forms of Muruga are found in their caves, ratha and structural temples. The sculptures of Muruga found in the Pallava caves of the Thrimurti cave temple at Mahabalipuram, the lower rock cut cave temple at Tiruchirappalli^[19] and the Dharmaraja ratha at Mahabalipuram^[20] show Muruga in the form of Brahmasasta. Another special feature of the Pallava period is that Muruga is depicted in the form of a divinely enchanting child (Skanda) in between Siva and Parvati in the image of Somaskandamurti. The Somaskanda image found in the sanctum of the Muktesvara temple at Kanchipuram is a fine example.

During the Chola period Muruga was worshipped in the multiple forms like Villendiya Velavan. Sculptures stand eloquent testimony to the supremacy of Chola arts. There is a unique stone sculpture of Lord Subramanya in Adavalleswarar temple at Munnur is found with goddesses Devasena and Valli.

The sculpture of Subramanya is carved as sitting in utkuti asana pose on his vehicle peacock pecking at a snake in its mouth. He has six faces and twelve arms possessing in his right hands sakti, bana, khadga, Dhvaja Grada and abhaya and in the left hands vajra, dhanus, khetaka, padma, sula and varada.

His head has a karandamakuta. The hair locks are shown in a semicircle on either side behind the head. They are studded with circular ear rings in the long ear lobes. Different types of fine necklaces decorated the neck. The wavy yajnopavita crosses the torso from the left shoulder and goes below the stomach. Channavira made of two chains is seen crosswise on the torso, one in the upaviti and other in the prainaviti fashion. Saarabandha a flat band is going round the top of the stomach. They wear loin cloths bound by a broad girdle tastefully decorated with makara clasp in front and with dangling strings and strands. The loops and side tassels of kaupina are remarkable in execution. Jingling bell chains are held in their legs which give pleasant jinkling sound. Keyuras, katakavalayas, skandamalas, valayas are worn over their hands.

Besides the Arulala Perumal temple is famous its priceless iconographic representations, particularly the icons of and Chakrathalvar Jesters, Maha Garuda and Anjaneya are striking examples for their elegance and refinement.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Ibid., p.142.

[2]:

M. Narayanvelu Pillai, Sir Kanda Purana Saram, Madras, (Tamil), 1984, pp. 52-108.

[3]:

M. Gandhidasan, Tamilagatil Muruga Vazhipadu, (Tamil), Udumalaipettai, 1992, p. 135.

[4]:

U.V. Saminathaiyar, ed., Paripadal, Madras, (Tamil), 1935, v. 17, 1.49, p. 130.

[5]:

P.V. Somasundaranar, (ed.,), Tirumrugarruppadai, Chennai, 1960, p. 210, p.7; N. Narayanan, Op. Cit., p. 57.

[6]:

M. Shanmugam Pillai, Op. Cit., Invocation, 1.5, p. 1.

[7]:

R. Nagaswami, Op.Cit., p.39.

[8]:

A.V. Jeyachandran,.V., Subramanian, Sand G., Rajendran, (eds.) "Muruga in Iconography," Heritage of the Tamils, Temple Arts, Madras, 1985, p. 504.

[9]:

Ibid., pp. 13-15.

[10]:

S. Balasundran, (ed.), Op.Cit., Ahaththinai lyal, V. 5, 1.2, p. 13.

[11]:

Asiriyar Kuzhu, Agananuru, (Tamil), Chennai, 1981, v. 348,11.7-8, p. 191.

[12]:

U.V. Saminathaiyar, Op.Cit.,v. 8, 1. 126, p. 64.

[13]:

K.V. Jaganadhan, (ed.,), Porunararrupadai, (Tamil), Chennai, 1985, 1. 131, p. 91.

[14]:

S. Avvai Duraisami Pillai, (ed.,), Op. Cit., v. 55, 11. 18 -19, p. 143; Jotimuttu, Trans., Purananuru, Madras, 1995, pp. 72-73.

[15]:

U.V. Saminathaiyar, (ed.,), Cilappadikaram, (Tamil), Canto 1, Kadaladukadai 6, 11. 50-53, p. 176.

[16]:

Ibid., Kanattiramuraittakadai 9, 1. 11, p. 239.

[17]:

Ibid., Canto 2,Urkankadail 4, 1.10,p. 352.

[18]:

Ibid., Canto 2 Indiravilavureduttakadai 5, l. 170, p. 147.

[19]:

K.R. Srinivasan, Op. Cit, p. 159.

[20]:

Ibid., p. 20.